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)
Death Row
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sorry son
Commit a crime, pay the price
Death row, What's that 'No stay?'
Oh! Ok I'll tell him
Dead man walking
We've all been detained
For the crimes we've committed
They stayed execution
But we'll never get acquitted
Waiting for the day when they strap us in
And when they pull the lever
Hear the goddamn screams
Shake with fear
Electric chair
We're all inside
Homicide related
They'll show no mercy
And we don't anticipate it
We move a little closer
Every day to meet our maker
They cover up our face
And then they close the circuit breaker
Oh! No!
Shake with fear
Your time draws near
Oh! No! I won't go
You'll never get me down to
Death row
Oh come on man
Give me a break
I made one mistake, that's all it takes
I ain't that bad
I ain't done nothing wrong
Shake with fear
The end is near
Oh! No! I won't go
You'll never get me down to
Death row
Oh! No! They're taking me slow
One way ticket to
Death row
So what's the matter son
Too young to die
Take it like a man
Don't cry
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Oh! No! I won't go
You'll never get me down to
Death row
Say a prayer, best beware
It's not very nice in the electric chair
Oh! No! I won't go
You'll never get me down to
Death row
Oh! No! They're taking me slow
One way ticket to
Death row
"Death Row" by Judas Priest explores the theme of imprisonment and the fear of execution. The first part of the song portrays a conversation between the incarcerated and a prison official. The prisoner pleads for freedom, but the official reminds him that he must pay for the crimes he committed. The chorus then introduces the image of a "dead man walking," a phrase used to describe inmates marching to their execution. The lyrics describe how most inmates await execution with fear and trepidation, dreading the terror of the electric chair. The fear of the unknown outcome of the execution is tangible, as no one knows what to expect until they actually meet their maker.
The second part of the song dramatizes how inmates come to terms with their fate. They eventually accept that they will never be released from their cells and that the only way they will be leaving is through death. The song's chorus repeats, emphasizing the inevitability of their fate. The prisoners come to understand that they must face the consequences of their actions and shoulder the guilt of the harm they have caused to others. They can only plead for mercy and pray for their souls.
Overall, "Death Row" is a powerful, evocative song that deals with the terror of imprisonment, fear of execution, and the inevitability of death. The song explores the horrors of incarceration and how prisoners come to terms with their fate. It portrays the struggle to accept the consequences of one's actions and to face the inevitable.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me out
I want to leave this place.
Sorry son
I apologize for your situation, but I can't change it.
Commit a crime, pay the price
You have to face the consequences of your actions.
Death row, What's that 'No stay?'
What does the message 'No stay' mean regarding my execution?
Oh! Ok I'll tell him
I understand now, I'll communicate your message.
Dead man walking
I am going to my execution.
We've all been detained
We are all prisoners here.
For the crimes we've committed
We are here because of the illegal activities we have done.
They stayed execution
We were not executed yet because of some reason.
But we'll never get acquitted
We'll never be found innocent
Waiting for the day when they strap us in
We dread the day we will be put in the electric chair.
And when they pull the lever
We'll be electrocuted with the flip of a switch.
Hear the goddamn screams
We will scream in agony.
Shake with fear
We are scared out of our mind.
Electric chair
The device that will electrocute us.
We're all inside
We are all guilty and locked up here.
Homicide related
We have committed crimes that involve killing.
They'll show no mercy
We are not gonna be shown any compassion.
And we don't anticipate it
We don't expect anything different.
We move a little closer
Each day brings us a step closer to death.
Every day to meet our maker
We'll go to the afterlife soon eventually.
They cover up our face
They will conceal our face with a hood.
And then they close the circuit breaker
They'll use the electric chair to strap and electrocute us.
Oh! No!
I am troubled.
You'll never get me down to Death row
I will never be captured to be electrocuted
Oh come on man
This isn't fair.
Give me a break
Cut me some slack.
I made one mistake, that's all it takes
I committed an unrepairable error.
I ain't that bad
I am not that evil.
I ain't done nothing wrong
I didn't commit any crimes.
Your time draws near
You're going to die soon.
One way ticket to Death row
Executing here is final.
So what's the matter son
What is troubling you?
Too young to die
You have so much life ahead of you.
Take it like a man
Accept your fate gracefully.
Don't cry
Don't weep.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
I laugh to conceal my emotions.
Say a prayer, best beware
Get ready, you'll die soon.
It's not very nice in the electric chair
Being electrocuted is intolerable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, KENNETH DOWNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrDR7no
Seriously now.. How can anyone not headbang to this ? I understand it is not close to the classic priest sound.. But still.. Brilliant track from an awesome album. This and Bullet Train are among their best tracks ever.
@brienneoffuckingtarth5362
+MrDR7no Agreed. Killer riff and great song. Very underrated album as well.
@jimthar17
Jugulator, Dead Meat, and Cathedral Spires are also excellent.
@Cacques
jimthar17 don’t forget Bullet Train and Burn In Hell.
@sansano2440
I think so too. This song and album are really Priest sound.
@spyrospets5813
For real.
@BaldoFlores_godmetal
This is an absolutely amazing song! Such a shame it's lost in time
@maciejmaciejewicz2569
one of my fav song ever, those riffs just kills, so much power and energy, I can feel my inner horns growing real
@mikejaros458
Heaviest and darkest album that JP has put out regardless of lead singer. Kicks ass from beginning to end. Lots of bands have had lead singer changes. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Van Halen amongst many others. Judas Priest changed from Rob Halford to Tim Owens. Jugulator and Demolition should be given the same recognition and respect as the 16 other JP albums. Hard work was put into both of these.
Just one 42 + years of having the pleasure of being a HEAVY METAL MANIAC. Have been a Judas Priest fan since age 12 yrs old.
\m/🤘🔥🎧🤩👍💥🌋
@archangel5627
The entire Jugulator album is rip roaring awesome feom start to finish and it’s easily Priests heaviest alum!💪🏻