After releasing the demo EP Enter the Realm (1989) and signing to Century Media Records, the band released two full-length studio albums – Iced Earth (1990) and Night of the Stormrider (1991) – before taking a two-year hiatus from 1992 to 1994, after which the band returned with new lead vocalist Matt Barlow. Iced Earth went on to release four studio albums with him in over half a decade: Burnt Offerings (1995), The Dark Saga (1996), Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998) and Horror Show (2001).
After Horror Show, Barlow quit the band and joined the police force, while Iced Earth continued on with Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Judas Priest, on vocals. With Owens, the band released two studio albums (2004's The Glorious Burden and 2007's Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1). In late 2007, Barlow rejoined the band, and they recorded one more album with him: The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008). In 2011, Barlow once again left Iced Earth, and was replaced by Into Eternity frontman Stu Block. Dystopia, Block's first album with the group, was released that October; the album received a positive response, while some critics called it one of Iced Earth's best albums. The group recorded two more albums with Block: Plagues of Babylon (2014) and Incorruptible (2017).
Before arriving at their current lineup, Iced Earth has had numerous line-up changes, with founder Jon Schaffer as the only founding member remaining. As of 2021, there have been over thirty musicians in and out of Iced Earth since its formation in 1984.
The band is composed solely of Schaffer and drummer Brent Smedley, with all other band members having departed following Schaffer's January 2021 arrest by the FBI for his involvement in the Capitol riots. Schaffer is in FBI custody on felony charges, which has generated new publicity for Iced Earth and has resulted in the band being dropped from their longtime label Century Media.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iced_Earth
Studio albums
Iced Earth (1990)
Night of the Stormrider (1991)
Burnt Offerings (1995)
The Dark Saga (1996)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
Horror Show (2001)
The Glorious Burden (2004)
Framing Armageddon: Something Wicked Part 1 (2007)
The Crucible of Man: Something Wicked Part 2 (2008)
Dystopia (2011)
Plagues of Babylon (2014)
Incorruptible (2017)
A Narrative Soundscape (2022)
Watching Over Me
Iced Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One tragic night he died
The saddest time of my life
For weeks and weeks I cried
Through the anger and through the tears
I've felt his spirit through the years
I'd swear, He's watching me
Guiding me through hard times
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
We shared dreams like all best friends
Blood brothers at the age of ten
We lived reckless, he paid the price (why)
Why did he have to die?
It still hurts me to this day
Am I selfish for feeling this way?
I know he's an angel now
Together we'll be someday
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind (It's overwhelming me)
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know (His spirit's like the wind)
He's watching over me (Oh, I know, oh, I know)
Watching Over Me is a touching tribute by Iced Earth to a friend who passed away tragically. The opening verse sets the scene and provides context for the song. The singer tells us about a friend he had many years ago, who died one tragic night, causing him great sorrow for many weeks. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and the bereavement that accompanies the loss of a close friend. The second verse goes on to reveal that the writer and his friend were like blood brothers from a young age, sharing the same dreams and living recklessly together. Although they were inseparable, their friendship is cut short, and the singer blames himself for not being able to prevent his friend’s death. Despite this, he feels the presence of his friend's spirit, like a guardian angel, always watching over him in times of need.
The chorus is powerful, and it reinforces the message of the verse with a series of repetitive affirmations. The singer says he feels his friend’s spirit once again, overwhelming him, and he likens it to a force that envelops him like the wind. He knows his friend is always with him, an angel who guards him and watches over him. The bridge of the song provides some context as to why the friend had to die. We learn that he paid the ultimate price for living a reckless life. Although the lyrics do not elaborate further on this, it is clear that his death was a consequence of his actions, and the singer is left to wonder why he had to die.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a friend many years ago
The singer had a close friend from long ago.
One tragic night he died
The friend passed away suddenly on a tragic night.
The saddest time of my life
Losing the friend was the saddest moment in the singer's life.
For weeks and weeks I cried
The artist was inconsolable and wept heavily for weeks.
Through the anger and through the tears
The artist experienced both intense anger and sadness while grieving.
I've felt his spirit through the years
The singer has felt his friend's presence or influence over the years since his passing.
I'd swear, He's watching me
The singer feels like the friend is watching over him in some way.
Guiding me through hard times
The friend's spirit seems to help the artist cope with difficult times.
I feel it once again
The artist is experiencing a strong feeling or sensation.
It's overwhelming me
The feeling is very intense and difficult to handle.
His spirit's like the wind
The friend's spirit is felt as a subtle but powerful force, like the wind.
The angel guarding me
The artist sees the friend's spirit as a guardian angel watching over him.
Oh, I know, oh, I know
The singer is certain of his interpretation of the friend's spirit.
We shared dreams like all best friends
The singer and the friend had a close bond, and they shared many hopes and aspirations.
Blood brothers at the age of ten
They were so close they considered themselves like family, even though they were not related by blood.
We lived reckless, he paid the price (why)
The two friends lived without caution, but only the friend passed away, leaving the artist questioning why it had to be him.
Why did he have to die?
The artist is still struggling with the loss of his friend and questioning the reasons for his death.
It still hurts me to this day
The pain from the loss still affects the singer to this day.
Am I selfish for feeling this way?
The singer wonders if he's being selfish for still feeling such strong emotions regarding his friend's death.
I know he's an angel now
The artist believes that his friend has become an angel after his death.
Together we'll be someday
The artist believes that he will be reunited with his friend again someday, after his own death.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: JON SCHAFFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Italian Dream
I had a friend many years ago
One tragic night he died
The saddest time of my life
For weeks and weeks I cried
Through the anger and through the tears
I've felt his spirit through the years
I'd swear, He's watching me
Guiding me through hard times
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
We shared dreams like all best friends
Blood brothers at the age of ten
We lived reckless, he paid the price (why)
Why did he have to die?
It still hurts me to this day
Am I selfish for feeling this way?
I know he's an angel now
Together we'll be someday
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind (It's overwhelming me)
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know (His spirit's like the wind)
He's watching over me (Oh, I know, oh, I know)
neilerator
To my dog Arslan who died on the 6th of June 2020. I still love you dearly! You were always there for me through my adolescence. And I want to belive that you will never leave me, that you will follow me as a spirit and giving me strength. May you rest in peace, I love you so much
Antonio Stojanovski
@AngelofGiggles For us our dogs are family
Antonio Stojanovski
My condolences mate
AngelofGiggles
It's a dog ffs
dancer elle
I'm watching my dog take her last breaths shes been a great girl. 12 years of love. If she dosnt die soon Friday is her last day. She has a tumor the size of a softball. And it's infected with gen green. She hasn't yelped once tough girl. Flia. I love you.
Lucas Levi
Today’s my birthday, and it’s the first without my father, times are different that’s for sure. This song meant so much to me when my best friend passed away and now it means that much more to me with the passing of my father, thank you Jon Schaffer for writing so much an amazing song and Matt Barlow for having such an amazing voice ❤️🤘🏼
nsklav229
what a song man .... metal bands KNOW how to write and sing songs like that !!!! dedicated to my best friend Nick who passed away 10 years ago "I know he's an angel now Together we'll be someday" is my tattoo at my right arm ... for you man !!!!
flokka rillo
may he be with you all the time in your heart
BeeStrell
I used to listen to this album constantly back when I was in 9th grade in 2003. Everyone used to make fun of me except my friend Cody. He was my best friend and will always be my best friend and a brother to me. He passed away of a drug overdose 2018. It killed me. But I know he’s here for me. And I’m so glad I revisited this so . Thanks Iced Earth. It’s been a looooong time old friend. RED BARON RIIIIIIIIIIIIDE!!!
Bazingarama
This one is for the best friend i had back in my school days. He was my soulmate. The only one that really liked me and was there for me in times where i wanted to end my life by myself. He held my head up and he kept my faith in that everything could just get better. I loved him like a brother, I still do. He died in a traffic accident. It still hurts me to the bone when i think about this. I wich I could have told him befor he died that he was my saviour in school. That he kept me alive in those days. Markus Becker I miss you <3