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)
Lochness
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The mirrored surface moves
Awakened of this presence
Dispelling legends proof
A beastly head of onyx
With eyes set coals of fire
It's leathered hide glides glistening
This legend lives through centuries
Evoking history's memories
Prevailing in eternities
On and on and on
Loch Ness confess
Your terror of the deep
Loch Ness distress
Malingers what you keep
Loch Ness protects monstrosity
Loch Ness confess to me
Somehow it heeds the piper
From battlements that call
From side to side it ponders
In passion in the skirl
This highland lair of mystery
Retains a lost world empathy
Resilient to discovery
On and on and on
This legend lives through centuries
Evoking history's memories
Prevailing in eternity
Your secret lies safe with me
This creature's peril from decease
Implores to mankind for release
A legacy to rest in peace
On and on and on
The lyrics of Judas Priest's song Lochness describe the mysterious and legendary creature that reportedly lives in the depths of the Scottish Highlands' Loch Ness. The song begins with a stunning visual of the mist settling down on the water's surface and, suddenly, a presence is felt, dispelling proof of legends. Then, we get a vivid portrayal of the beastly creature, with a head of onyx, eyes set alight, and a leathered hide gliding glisteningly amidst the heather's briar. The lyrics suggest that this creature, known as Loch Ness or Nessie, has been making appearances and thus evoking history's memories and prevailing in eternities.
The song's chorus asks Loch Ness to confess its terror of the deep and distress caused by its existence as monstrosity. The lyrics hint that this creature heeds the call of the piper, and its presence is felt on both sides, pondering and skirling. As the song progresses, the lyrics pay homage to the creature's existence and the lair's mystery, which retains a lost world empathy and remains resilient to discovery. The song ends on the note that the creature's peril calls for mankind's release and implies that its legacy should rest in peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Grey mist drifts upon the water
The mist hovering above the water's surface is gray and seems to be gliding softly
The mirrored surface moves
The water's surface ripples and reflects images in its movement
Awakened of this presence
The monster's presence is made known, and the people now seem to have woken up to its existence
Dispelling legends proof
The appearance of the monster despite people's disbelief, proves the legend to be true
A beastly head of onyx
The monster has a frightening head made of black onyx
With eyes set coals of fire
It has eyes that resemble red-hot coals of fire, which further intensifies its fearsome look
It's leathered hide glides glistening
As it moves its leathered, shiny skin glimmers as if it's wet and polished
Ascends the heathered briar
It climbs onto the briars of heathered mountains with ease and agility
This legend lives through centuries
The story of the monster has been passed on from one generation to another, and still it continues to live on
Evoking history's memories
The monster continues to remind people of their past and the ancient times when things were not as they are now
Prevailing in eternities
The legend of the monster is immortal and will always remain in the minds of people
Loch Ness confess
The monster at the bottom of Loch Ness, reveal your secrets
Your terror of the deep
The monster's fearsome presence in the deep waters of Loch Ness is known to all
Loch Ness distress
There is an unease caused by the monster's existence in Loch Ness
Malingers what you keep
The monster holds back its true nature and reveals only very little of what it's capable of doing
Loch Ness protects monstrosity
Loch Ness is where this monstrous creature resides and is shielding it from danger
Loch Ness confess to me
The legend of the monster is being questioned and it must reveal its true nature to the people
Somehow it heeds the piper
The monster seems to be in tune with a certain kind of music or sound and follows it
From battlements that call
The music that the monster follows comes from a particular fortification or stronghold
From side to side it ponders
The monster ponders back and forth about its existence and the role it plays in the world
In passion in the skirl
It seems to be passionate and alive when it follows the music or sound that it's in tune with
This highland lair of mystery
The area surrounding Loch Ness is full of mystery and intrigue, which adds to the monster's appearances and beliefs
Retains a lost world empathy
The place where the monster resides seems to have a caring and considerate history for the creatures at its heart
Resilient to discovery
Despite many attempts to uncover the monster, it remains elusive and unexplored
This creature's peril from decease
The monster is perishing due to its secrets and hidden existence, which is causing it to suffer continually
Implores to mankind for release
The monster is begging to be released from hiding and wants to show the world its true self
A legacy to rest in peace
The monster's legend is dying, and it wants to be at peace with its legacy
On and on and on
The story of the monster is continuing and will continue to persist for eternity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs
Written by: KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind