Persecution
Judas Priest_(p) Lyrics
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Nowhere to hide
Obey the holy law
Repent for your sins
There is but one God
Against their holy laws
I'll do whatever it takes
We're martyrs burned at their stake
They try to dominate
I'll be the thorn in their side
They underestimate
The willpower feeding my pride
[Chorus]
Under the hand of persecution
Defy the institution
Their words just crucify
Condemning truth that I seek
They cannot justify
The pain, the havoc they wreak
I never will conform
My faith is deep to the core
I stand against reform
I'll never kneel down before
[Chorus]
With raised fists of fire
As they conspire
I'll be defiant
Against the alliance
They will not eradicate me
Break my will or suffocate me
I will subjugate the hate
That they breed
As the church interrogates
I cannot see they supplicate me
Execute and ridicule
We're all freed
I never will conform
My faith is deep to the core
I stand against reform
I'll never kneel down before
[Chorus: x2]
Persecute
You defy
Execute crucify
Crucify
Persecute
You defy
Execute crucify
Crucify
Persecute
You defy
Execute crucify
Crucify
Persecute
You defy
Crucify
You survive
The lyrics of Judas Priest's "Persecution" are about standing up against religious persecution and resisting the pressure to conform to a certain belief system. The song starts off by saying "we're watching you, nowhere to hide" which immediately sets up a sense of surveillance and control. The next lines, "obey the holy law, repent for your sins, there is but one God" imply that there is a religious institution in place enforcing strict laws and punishing those who don't conform. However, the singer is determined to resist this persecution no matter what it takes. They see themselves as martyrs burned at the stake and are willing to do whatever it takes to stand up for their beliefs.
The chorus emphasizes the need to "defy the institution" and resist the pressure to conform. The singer rejects the institution's attempts to "crucify" them and condemns their hypocrisy in passing judgment on others. The lyrics speak to the power struggle between those in charge and those who want to question and challenge the system. The song builds to a climax with the lines "they will not eradicate me, break my will or suffocate me, I will subjugate the hate that they breed." The singer has no intention of backing down and believes that they can overcome the oppressive forces that seek to control them.
Overall, the song speaks to the need to resist authority and stand up for what you believe in, no matter the consequences. The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who is frustrated with the hypocrisy of those in power and is determined to resist their control.
Line by Line Meaning
We're watching you
We are keeping a close eye on you
Nowhere to hide
You have nowhere to hide from us
Obey the holy law
You must follow the rules set by the religion
Repent for your sins
Show remorse for the wrongs you have committed
There is but one God
There is only one higher power
Against their holy laws
I am going against the rules of the religion
I'll do whatever it takes
I am willing to go to extreme lengths
I've met their kind before
I have encountered people like this before
We're martyrs burned at their stake
People like me have been executed for our beliefs
They try to dominate
They want to have control over us
I'll be the thorn in their side
I will be a constant annoyance and obstacle for them
They underestimate
They do not realize the extent of my power
The willpower feeding my pride
My strong determination is boosting my confidence
Under the hand of persecution
We are being oppressed and targeted
Defy the institution
We are rebelling against the system in place
Their words just crucify
Their words are like a form of torture
Condemning truth that I seek
They are rejecting the truths I am searching for
They cannot justify
They have no valid reasoning behind their actions
The pain, the havoc they wreak
The harm and destruction they are causing
I never will conform
I will never become like them
My faith is deep to the core
My beliefs are unwavering
I stand against reform
I am against any changes to the current way of doing things
I'll never kneel down before
I will never submit to their authority
With raised fists of fire
With a strong, fiery determination
As they conspire
As they make secret plans against us
I'll be defiant
I will resist their authority
Against the alliance
Against their group that is working together
They will not eradicate me
They will not completely destroy me
Break my will or suffocate me
They will not be able to crush my determination or silence me
I will subjugate the hate
I will overcome and defeat their hateful actions and mindset
That they breed
That they are spreading and promoting
As the church interrogates
As the religious leaders question and investigate us
I cannot see they supplicate me
I do not see them begging for forgiveness
Execute and ridicule
They are carrying out executions and mocking us
We're all freed
We are liberated from their control and oppression
Persecute
To oppress and mistreat
You defy
We resist and rebel against you
Execute crucify
To carry out executions
Crucify
To torture and kill as a punishment
You survive
We will not be defeated and will continue fighting for our beliefs
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GLENN TIPTON, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, K.K. DOWNING, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind