The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s and the departure of singer Rob Halford in 1992. Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replaced Halford in 1996 and recorded two albums with Judas Priest, before Halford returned to the band in 2003. The current line-up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis. The band's best-selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, with their most commercially successful line-up featuring Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, guitarist K. K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album.
Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on heavy metal bands. Judas Priest's image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s. The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal. Despite a decline in exposure during the mid-1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and having their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series. In 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Priest
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Stained Class (1978)
Killing Machine (1978)
British Steel (1980)
Point of Entry (1981)
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Defenders of the Faith (1984)
Turbo (1986)
Ram It Down (1988)
Painkiller (1990)
Jugulator (1997)
Demolition (2001)
Angel of Retribution (2005)
Nostradamus (2008)
Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Firepower (2018)
Invincible Shield (2024)
4.- shadows in the flame
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eventide's when I'm afraid
I'll never know if you'll appear
But my senses say you're near
In the dark when I write
Telling fortunes for my life
I'm sitting here by candle flame
These opening lyrics from Judas Priest's "17 Shadows In The Flame" express the fear and uncertainty that can arise at the end of a day. The word "eventide" carries a sense of foreboding or unease, and the singer acknowledges that they are afraid of what the future may hold. They are waiting for someone - presumably a lover or companion - but are not sure if they will show up. Despite this uncertainty, the singer feels a sense of intuition or premonition that suggests the other person is nearby.
The second verse gives a sense of the setting - it is dark, and the singer is alone, writing by candlelight. There is an implication that this writing is a form of divination, as the singer is "telling fortunes for [their] life." It is unclear whether this is a literal practice or a metaphor for the act of creating art or expressing oneself. Either way, the act of writing seems to be a way for the singer to make sense of their fears and anxieties, and to wait for the arrival of the person they are hoping to see.
Line by Line Meaning
As the day begins to fade
As the light of day disappears
Eventide's when I'm afraid
I become frightened at dusk
I'll never know if you'll appear
I am uncertain if you will arrive
But my senses say you're near
However, my intuition tells me that you are close
In the dark when I write
As I write in the absence of light
Telling fortunes for my life
Predicting the future of my own existence
I'm sitting here by candle flame
I am seated here with the company of a solitary candle
When will you arrive again
I wonder when you will return to me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN TIPTON, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, K.K. DOWNING, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
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