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)
Halls Of Valhalla
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the north sea
We drink and rejoice from the chalice
Holding the course
Through long nights and days
The ice and the hail bear no malice
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Valhalla, you are calling
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla, new day dawning
Valhalla, this is where I belong, I belong
We crash o'er the waves
Bite deep on the oars
Scouring the spray
On the storm's maul
Then lightning reveals
For what we all pray
By Odin in Asgard
It's land fall
Life from death
Combat rests
Heralds peace for the slain
Valhalla, you are calling
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla, new day dawning
Valhalla, this is where I belong, I belong
The storm in the night takes us there
On an unrelenting tide
As the wind drives us ashore
Halls of Valhalla
Tow the line
Halls of Valhalla
Tow the line
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end
The halls of Valhalla are calling me home
The halls of Valhalla that's where we belong
Valhalla you are calling
Valhalla you are calling me home
Valhalla new day dawning
Valhalla this is where I belong, I belong
The lyrics to Judas Priest's "Halls Of Valhalla" paint a vivid picture of a Viking ship battling through fierce storms on the North Sea, with the crew holding steadfast to their course. The opening line, "Fierce is the gale on the North Sea," sets the scene perfectly, with the imagery of the waves crashing against the ship's hull and the wind howling around them. Despite the harsh conditions, the crew drinks and rejoices from their chalice, with the lyrics suggesting that they find solace in their shared struggle:
"Holding the course
Through long nights and days
The ice and the hail bear no malice"
The song then turns its focus to the idea of Valhalla, the Norse concept of an afterlife reserved for those who died in battle. The chorus repeats the refrain "Valhalla, you are calling me home," as if the crew is being drawn inexorably towards this mythical place of warriors. The lyrics also emphasize the sense of community and belonging that comes with the idea of Valhalla, with lines like "This is where I belong, I belong."
Throughout the song, the imagery of combat and death is juxtaposed with the idea of peace and rest, suggesting that the Viking crew is not afraid of death and welcomes the idea of being honored in Valhalla. The final lines, "Tow the line, keep it fine, every man seeks this end," reinforce the idea that these warriors are willing to risk everything for the glory of the battle and the promise of eternal rest in Valhalla.
In summary, "Halls Of Valhalla" is a powerful song that draws on Viking mythology to explore themes of struggle, community, and the afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
Fierce is the gale
The wind is strong
On the north sea
On the ocean in the north
We drink and rejoice from the chalice
We celebrate with a cup of alcohol
Holding the course
Staying on course
Through long nights and days
For a long time
The ice and the hail bear no malice
The cold and stormy weather is not personal
Tow the line
Stay in line
Keep it fine
Keep it good
Every man seeks this end
Every person desires this result
Valhalla, you are calling
The mythical Norse afterlife is inviting
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla feels like home to me
Valhalla, new day dawning
A new era is beginning in Valhalla
Valhalla, this is where I belong, I belong
I truly feel that I belong in Valhalla
We crash o'er the waves
We hit the waves hard
Bite deep on the oars
Row with great effort
Scouring the spray
Water splashes everywhere
On the storm's maul
In the midst of the storm
Then lightning reveals
Lightning shows us
For what we all pray
What we all hope for
By Odin in Asgard
Odin, the Norse god, in his realm of Asgard
It's land fall
We reach land
Life from death
New life from the death of battle
Combat rests
The fighting is over
Heralds peace for the slain
Those who died are now at peace
The storm in the night takes us there
The storm leads us to Valhalla
On an unrelenting tide
On a never-ending wave
As the wind drives us ashore
The wind pushes us to land
Halls of Valhalla
The mystical halls of the Norse afterlife
The halls of Valhalla are calling me home
Valhalla is summoning me
The halls of Valhalla that's where we belong
Valhalla is our true home
Valhalla you are calling
Valhalla is beckoning us
Valhalla you are calling me home
Valhalla wants me in its embrace
Valhalla new day dawning
There is a new age in Valhalla
Valhalla this is where I belong, I belong
My heart is set on Valhalla
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, RICHARD FAULKNER, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrMrmody1996
Fierce is the gale
From the north sea
We drink and rejoice from the chalice
Holding the course
Through long nights and days
The ice and the hail bear no malice
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end
Valhalla - you are calling
Valhalla - you are calling me home
Valhalla - new day dawning
Valhalla - this is where I belong - I belong
We crash o'er the waves
Bite deep on the oars
Scouring the spray
On the storm's maul
Then lightning reveals
For what we all pray
By Odin in Asgard
It's land fall
Life from death
Combat rests
Heralds peace for the slain
Valhalla - you are calling
Valhalla - you are calling me home
Valhalla - new day dawning
Valhalla - this is where I belong - I belong
The storm in the night takes us there
On an unrelenting tide
As the wind drives us ashore
Halls of Valhalla
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end
The halls of Valhalla are calling me home
The halls of Valhalla that's where we belong
Valhalla you are calling
Valhalla you are calling me home
Valhalla new day dawning
Valhalla this is where I belong
@marcoantonioduarte4586
Lyrics
Fierce is the gale
From the north sea
We drink and rejoice from the chalice
Holding the course
Through long nights and days
The ice and the hail bear no malice
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end
Valhalla, you are calling
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla, new day dawning
Valhalla, this is where I belong, I belong
We crash o'er the waves
Bite deep on the oars
Scouring the spray
On the storm's maul
Then lightning reveals
For what we all pray
By Odin in Asgard
It's land fall
Life from death
Combat rests
Heralds peace for the slain
Valhalla, you are calling
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla, new day dawning
Valhalla, this is where I belong, I belong
The storm in the night takes us there
On an unrelenting tide
As the wind drives us ashore
Halls of Valhalla
Tow the line
Keep it fine
Every man seeks this end
The halls of Valhalla are calling me home
The halls of Valhalla that's where we belong
Valhalla, you are calling
Valhalla, you are calling me home
Valhalla, new day dawning
Valhalla, this is where I belong
@Nikke_S
Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and DIO. The sunshine of my life.
@justing6986
You just named 3 of my favorite bands!!!
@rubentorre1345
Dude change iron Maiden for motorhead and we are BROTHERS OF METAL :D
@jaysoncanas8103
Fuckin Right \m/
@raymondmorton5105
dio😍
@almamarcelagoza8598
saca maiden y pone a metallica y te perdono esta afrenta
Put metallica instead of maiden and i forgive you for this affront
@jasonfreak99
Halford in his 60's can still scream like a possessed banshee as if he were 30! What a fuckin' legend
@xXFluffyKittehXx
Soggy Harmonica just saw him last night (june 16 2019) and this is still very true
@islamforamerica4885
Valhalla backwards is Allah lav(love), Allah is God, He planned this so you guys can accept Islam
@jcarbone811
@@islamforamerica4885 Valhalla (from the Old Norse, Valhöll- "hall of the slain") is where Odin's chosen spend the afterlife, having died a glorious death in battle. Fuck right off if you think islam has anything to do with the gods of my religion.