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)
Better by You Better Than Me
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You listen to the blood flow in my veins
You hear the teaching of the wind
Tell her why I'm alive within
I can't find the words My mind is dead
It's better by you better than me
Guess you'll have to tell her how I tried
Tell her now I got to go
Out in the streets and down the shore
Tell her the world's not much living for
It's better by you better than me
Everybody
Everybody knows
Everybody
Everybody knows
Better by you better than me
You can tell what I want it to be
You can say what I only can see
It's better by you better than me
Guess I'll have to change my way of living
Don't wanna really know the way I feel
Guess I'll learn to fight and kill
Tell her not to wait until
They'll find my blood upon her windowsill?
It's better by you better than me
Everybody
Everybody knows
Everybody
Everybody knows
Better by you better than me
You can say what I only can see
You can tell what I want it to be
It's better by you better than me
Better by you better than me
You can tell what I want it to be
You can say way all they can see
Better by you better than me
Better by you better than me
You can say way all they can see
You can tell what I want it to be
The lyrics to Judas Priest's song "Better by You, Better Than Me" speak of a person who is unable to express their feelings and desires to someone they care about. They feel a deep passion that they want to be eased, and someone who can listen to the blood flow in their veins and hear the lessons of the wind would be able to understand them. However, the person they are interested in is not able to fully comprehend their feelings and thoughts, and the singer is unable to articulate themselves.
The singer is forced to leave and go out into the world, telling their love interest that the world is not worth living for. The repeated phrase, "Better by you, better than me," suggests that the person is not capable of expressing their emotions and that the other person is better at understanding them. There is a sense of longing, confusion, and despair in the lyrics, adding to the mournful tone of the song. The singer knows that they need to change their way of living, and they feel that they need to learn to fight and kill to adapt to the harsh reality of the world, which further suggests feelings of hopelessness.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of the frustration and longing that so many people experience in their relationships. It shows the difficulties in expressing oneself and the fear of not being understood. The melancholic tone of the song, combined with the powerful guitar riffs and vocals, makes it an unforgettable rock classic.
Line by Line Meaning
You could find a way to ease my passion
You have the ability to calm my intense feelings
You listen to the blood flow in my veins
You pay attention to the very essence of who I am
You hear the teaching of the wind
You understand the subtle messages that nature conveys
Tell her why I'm alive within
Explain to her the reason why I exist
I can't find the words My mind is dead
I am unable to articulate my thoughts because my mind is overwhelmed
It's better by you better than me
Things are more positive when I am with you
Guess you'll have to tell her how I tried
You will have to convey my attempts to her
To speak up thoughts I've held so inside
To express my innermost ideas that I've kept hidden
Tell her now I got to go
Let her know that I must depart
Out in the streets and down the shore
Venturing out to urban and coastal areas
Tell her the world's not much living for
Inform her that life doesn't hold much meaning
It's better by you better than me
With you beside me, life is more fulfilling
Everybody
Each and every person
Everybody knows
Everyone is aware of this fact
You can tell what I want it to be
You have the ability to understand my desired outcome
You can say what I only can see
You can verbalize what I perceive
Guess I'll have to change my way of living
I need to alter my lifestyle
Don't wanna really know the way I feel
I don't desire to understand my own emotions
Guess I'll learn to fight and kill
Perhaps I will become violent and lethal
Tell her not to wait until
Advise her not to delay until
They'll find my blood upon her windowsill?
My bodily fluids will be present on her windowsill?
Everybody
Every individual
Everybody knows
Everyone is aware
Better by you better than me
I prefer to be in your company
Better by you better than me
I am happier when I'm with you
You can say way all they can see
You can vocalize what is unseen by others
You can tell what I want it to be
You have the ability to comprehend my desires
Better by you better than me
My life is improved by your presence
Better by you better than me
Being with you is preferable to being alone
You can say way all they can see
You are able to articulate what others cannot grasp
You can tell what I want it to be
You understand my hopes and dreams
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GARY WRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind