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)
Never the Heroes
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And like lions caged we'll fight
We were taken not by choice
They put anger in our voice
We were fearless but so afraid
Though in our hearts we still felt pain
We're on fire but on a leash
Never the heroes, we were made to fight
Never the heroes, we were just sacrificed at war
Like a demon leads the youth
We are terrible in truth
No time to falter, no turning back
When we come under attack
There is no question as with a friend
We have our honor to defend
We're on fire but on a leash
We only ever wanted peace
Never the heroes, we were made to fight
Never the heroes, we were just sacrificed at war
At war
We are together till the end
We have our honour to defend
Never the heroes, we were made to fight
Never the heroes, we were just sacrificed
Never the heroes (We were never the heroes)
We were made to fight (We were made to fight)
Never the heroes, we were sacrificed at war
The lyrics of "Never the Heroes" by Judas Priest speaks to the experience of soldiers who are forced to fight in war, often without their own choice. The opening lines "Like a cobra they will strike, And like lions caged we'll fight" express the idea that soldiers must be constantly prepared for an attack, even while feeling confined and powerless. The next few lines describe soldiers who feel both fearless and afraid, revealing a sense of internal conflict, but still felt compelled to fight for their country. The line, "No time to falter, no turning back," is a powerful reminder that once a soldier commits to battle, there is no turning back.
Throughout the song, the theme of being "never the heroes" is repeated. The lyrics reveal that soldiers often feel undervalued and forgotten despite their sacrifices, forced to fight in wars that aren't always their own. The phrase "We were just sacrificed at war" conveys a sense of frustration and melancholy.
Overall, "Never the Heroes" is a powerful tune that tells the story of individuals who gave their time, energy, and ultimately their lives in service to their country, even if that service was negotiated upon them without their will.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a cobra they will strike
The enemy attacks us suddenly and viciously, like the strike of a venomous snake.
And like lions caged we'll fight
We are powerful and fierce, but currently restrained and will fight fiercely under the restraints of war.
We were taken not by choice
We were forced into war and did not choose to be in this position.
They put anger in our voice
The circumstances of war have made us angry and our emotions come out in our words.
We were fearless but so afraid
Although we are brave, we are still scared and unsure of what will happen in war.
Though in our hearts we still felt pain
Despite our bravery, we feel the emotional and physical pain caused by war.
We're on fire but on a leash
We have a burning desire to fight and win, but our actions are limited and constrained by the rules of war.
We only ever wanted peace
Although we are in war, our ultimate goal is to achieve peace and bring an end to the conflict.
Never the heroes, we were made to fight
We are not considered heroes, but are instead forced to fight in this war.
Like a demon leads the youth
The enemy's influence is dangerous and corrupting, leading young soldiers down a dark path.
We are terrible in truth
We are enemies on opposite sides of the conflict and are willing to fight fiercely against each other.
No time to falter, no turning back
There is no room for hesitation or regret, we must push forward and continue fighting.
When we come under attack
When we are the target of the enemy's aggression, we stand ready to defend ourselves and our comrades.
There is no question as with a friend
We have a strong camaraderie and loyalty with our fellow soldiers, similar to that of close friends.
We have our honor to defend
Our own sense of honor and duty motivates us to fight and protect our country and fellow soldiers.
We are together till the end
We stick together through the war, no matter what the outcome may be.
Never the heroes (We were never the heroes)
Despite our bravery and sacrifice, we do not see ourselves as heroes.
We were made to fight (We were made to fight)
We were forced into battle and did not have a choice in the matter.
Never the heroes, we were sacrificed at war
We may not be seen as heroes, but we have still made great sacrifices for our country and for the cause of war.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, RICHARD FAULKNER, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@invinciblereason1618
Rob Halford is a national treasure.
In fact, the whole damn band is.
@KarlKeesel
Lion El Jonson national treasure? Or universal treasure? Jsjsj
@invinciblereason1618
Karl Patricks alright. Universal treasure.
@Carguy-ty6mi
Lion El Jonson hopfuly Nichols cage won't steal him 😂
@ArmandoMartinez-ev1pi
Damned right! The whole damn band is
@kennethmarks886
Fucking right. This whole band is 🤘🤘🤘🤘.
@nickkraitor6560
How is it that Rob Halford's voice gets better and better? Dude is a freak of nature. Brilliant song.
@treyichabod5840
That's why he is the Metal God.
@zabatabg1730
Listen to rob's voice from Memphis desert plains, in the middle when he says "ARE YOU HIGH"
@efriamantoniogarza9388
This is my favorite song on this album. It’s brilliant man. They finally played it in Dallas last FRI night. It was glorious. It was my 16th Judas Priest concert. Their music has meant alot to me over the years. Very, very few artists hijack my mind like theirs does. I love them so much. It’s been a lifelong relationship since I first them when I was 9 years old. Long Live Judas Priest.