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)
Let Us Prey/Call For The Priest
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, the pressure's too much, you know I peaked last night
I gotta get some a quick release
City is standing on my shoulders
My body's going piece by piece, yeah
Well I know what I want and I know where to get it
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
Down to my knees and pray, no
When your back's to the wall come along one and all
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
For our triumph's the means to their end
With you by my side I shall ride every storm
Let the cynics drop dead in their critical head
They're wrist merchants as we all can see
Bunch of deaf ears with their columnized fears
What a shame, what a shame, oh dear me, oh
When your back's to the wall, come along one and all
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
For our triumph's the means to their end
Yes I know what I want and I know where to get it
And I'm going there right away
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
Down to my knees and pray, no
The lyrics to Judas Priest's song Let Us Prey/Call For The Priest speak of a man under immense pressure and seeking a release. He feels the weight of the city on his shoulders and his body is deteriorating. However, he is determined to find what he wants and go after it immediately. He doesn't need to rely on any priest or prayer to achieve his goals. The verses also speak to the importance of standing up to slander and bigotry, fighting for what one believes in and ultimately triumphing over those who seek to tear them down. The chorus reinforces this mentality and emphasizes the power of fighting together against their common struggles.
The overall interpretation of "Let Us Prey/Call For The Priest" is that the song is a call to action, a rallying cry for people to stand up and fight for what they believe in. It speaks to the idea that individuals have the power to make a change, and that they should not rely on external sources to dictate their lives or actions. The track speaks to the power of fighting against oppression and bigotry, and that by standing together, they can overcome any obstacles in their path. The song is a powerful anthem of rebellion and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Call for the priest, I'm dying...
Asking for religious assistance because I feel like I am dying.
Well, the pressure's too much, you know I peaked last night
The stress is overwhelming, and I feel like I reached my peak last night.
I gotta get some a quick release
I need a quick way to release the pressure.
City is standing on my shoulders
I feel like the weight of the city is on my shoulders.
My body's going piece by piece, yeah
I feel like my body is falling apart.
Well I know what I want and I know where to get it
I know what I want and where to find it.
And I'm going there right away
I'm going there immediately.
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
I don't have to rely on religion for help.
Down to my knees and pray, no
I don't need to pray on my knees.
When your back's to the wall come along one and all
When you're in a difficult situation, everyone should come together to fight.
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
We will fight against all the lies that are spread.
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
We will choose ourselves and let the bigoted people lose.
For our triumph's the means to their end
Our success will be the end of their hate.
With you by my side I shall ride every storm
I can face any hardship with you by my side.
Let the cynics drop dead in their critical head
Let the negative people die from their own criticism.
They're wrist merchants as we all can see
They are speakers without any real impact on the world.
Bunch of deaf ears with their columnized fears
They have their own fears that they cannot seem to overcome.
What a shame, what a shame, oh dear me, oh
It's a pity to see them stuck in their own beliefs.
Yes I know what I want and I know where to get it
I know what I want and where to find it.
And I'm going there right away
I'm going there immediately.
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
I don't need to rely on religion for help.
Down to my knees and pray, no
I don't need to pray on my knees.
Contributed by Kayla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Everton Silva
(Tipton, Halford)
Well, the pressure's too much, you know I peaked last night
I gotta get some a quick release
City is standing on my shoulders
My body's going piece by piece
Yeah!
Yes I know what I want and I know where to get it
And I'm going there right away
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
Down to my knees and pray
No!
When your back's to the wall come along one and all
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
For our triumph's the means to their end
With you by my side I shall ride every storm
Let the cynics drop dead in their critical head
They're wrist merchants as we all can see
Bunch of deaf ears with their columnized fears
What a shame, what a shame, oh dear me!
When your back's to the wall, come along one and all
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
For our triumph's the means to their end
Yes I know what I want and I know where to get it
And I'm going there right away
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
Down to my knees and pray
비정한세상
"Let Us Prey / Call For The Priest"
Call for the priest
I'm dying...
Well, the pressure's too much, you know I peaked last night
I gotta get some a quick release
City is standing on my shoulders
My body's going piece by piece
Yeah!
Well I know what I want and I know where to get it
And I'm going there right away
This is one priest that I don't have to fall on
Down to my knees and pray
No!
When your back's to the wall come along one and all
We shall fight all the slander that's penned
It's us we shall choose let the bigoted lose
For our triumph's the means to their end
With you by my side I shall ride every storm
Let the cynics drop dead in their critical head
They're wrist merchants as we all can see
Bunch of deaf ears with their columnized fears
What a shame, what a shame, oh dear me!
Yes
Jun Serafin
Priest songs similar (my list)
1) Let us Prey/Call for the Priest
2) Electric Eye
3) Rapid Fire
4) Screaming for Vengeance
5) Tyrant (Unleashed Live)
6) Exciter (Unleashed Live)
7) Freewheel Burning
8) Hell Bent for Leather
Feel free to add..
Bonus: slow long song 'Run of the Mill' first LP
Simon Soffer
That solo at 04:48. Total overkill. Far ahead of time. Proto thrash and speed metal.
Sam Beckett
YES! 😍🤩
SuryaDas
🔥🔥🔥🔥🎶🎸🎶🔥🔥🔥🔥
timothy schlichter
totally agree bro!
Oskar Fransson
Im here for that solo
Coldacre
nothing “proto” about it. thrash all the way
emmitt1800
Let Us Prey is probably the first example of speed metal, and Dissident Aggressor is the first example of Thrash. This album was another groundbreaking album from Priest.
Jun Serafin
This one, Stained Class, and Sad Wings laid the foundation and paved the road for what was to come
Sin after Sin is probably my fav ❤✌💯
Jon Pike
70s priest. The true essence of this band. The variety of their music is unlimited. Stained class is my favorite 70s priest album but sin after sin is just brilliant
F.W. ENDER.
BRILLIANT