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)
Future of Mankind
Judas Priest Lyrics
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This one reveals my fate
And so my friends farewell
I can no longer wait
My prophecies remain
They live when I am gone
The wisdom of the wise
My legacy survives
So you can rest assured
The secret treasures here
Make the what you will
I see you
I feel you
I hear you
As my life evolves
[Chorus]
These visions of the world
Created in my mind
I made them all begin
The future of mankind
Reveals what must be done
To manifest through time
I'll cross the Rubicon
Into infinity
My quest has now been won
I've found my destiny
The darkness brings me home
Rewarding me with peace
I see you
I feel you
I hear you
As my life evolves
[Chorus]
Now everything shall pass
We all know that it must
For nothing ever last
We all return to dust
I beg you not to mourn
As I will never die
I see you
I feel you
I hear you
As my life dissolves
[Chorus]
Je suis au bout de ma viw
Ma tâche est finie
Je passe de ce monde á un autre
Mes prémonitions survivront
Prenez garde á mes paroles
Par ce qu'elles adviendront
Le patrimoine que j'ai laissé
L'avenir de 'lhumanité
The lyrics to Judas Priest's "Future of Mankind" reveal an acceptance of death and a legacy that endures beyond mortality. The singer of the song acknowledges that their fate has already been sealed and it is time to bid farewell to their friends. However, the wisdom and prophecies they have left behind will live on after they are gone. The secret treasures mentioned in the lyrics indicate that the meaning of life is subjective and people can create their own destiny using their knowledge and experiences.
The chorus of the song highlights the visions of the world created in the singer's mind that have led to the future of mankind. The singer has found their destiny and will cross the Rubicon into infinity. The reward for their quest is peace when darkness brings them home. The final verse reminds people that everything in life must come to an end, including life itself. However, the singer urges people not to mourn as they will never truly die, since their words and legacy will continue to exist.
Overall, "Future of Mankind" is a powerful song that reflects on the meaning of life, death and legacy. The lyrics encourage people to find their own path and create a meaningful life, while reminding them that their legacy can survive long after they are gone.
Line by Line Meaning
The final quatrain sealed
This is the last poem I wrote before my death
This one reveals my fate
This poem predicts what will happen to me in the future
And so my friends farewell
I must leave my friends and say goodbye
I can no longer wait
I am ready for my destiny and can no longer delay
My prophecies remain
The things that I predicted will still happen after I am dead
They live when I am gone
My legacy will last even though I am no longer alive
The wisdom of the wise
The knowledge from other wise people will always be important
Eternally endure
This wisdom will never go away
My legacy survives
My contributions to history will continue after I die
So you can rest assured
You will be able to depend on what I have left behind
The secret treasures here
There are still hidden treasures that you will uncover
Make the what you will
You can decide what to do with them
I see you
I am aware of your existence
I feel you
I am emotionally connected to you
I hear you
I am listening to what you say
As my life evolves
As I grow and change over time
These visions of the world
The ways that I see the world
Created in my mind
Are a product of my imagination
I made them all begin
I have control over the things I imagine
The future of mankind
What is going to happen to people in the future
Reveals what must be done
Tells people what they need to do
To manifest through time
To make those things happen in the future
I'll cross the Rubicon
I will take a big step in my life
Into infinity
I will go on forever
My quest has now been won
I have achieved what I set out to do
I've found my destiny
I have discovered my purpose in life
The darkness brings me home
Death is not something to be feared, it is something to accept
Rewarding me with peace
Death will bring me peace
Now everything shall pass
Everything comes to an end
We all know that it must
We all understand this inevitable fact
For nothing ever last
Everything that exists will eventually fade away
We all return to dust
We all die and become part of the earth
I beg you not to mourn
Please do not be sad about my death
As I will never die
As my legacy will continue to exist
Je suis au bout de ma viw
I am at the end of my life
Ma tâche est finie
I have completed my task
Je passe de ce monde á un autre
I am moving from this world to another
Mes prémonitions survivront
My predictions and ideas will live on
Prenez garde á mes paroles
Please pay attention to what I have said
Par ce qu'elles adviendront
Because they will come true
Le patrimoine que j'ai laissé
The legacy that I have left behind
L'avenir de 'lhumanité
Will influence the future of humanity
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
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind