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)
One on One
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling on the wind
Let me see the banners fly
Before the storm begins
Let me feel the spirits soar
Destroy the enemy
Striking at the evil core
This day will last forever
Deep in the hearts of men
Courage and victory
Remember, remember
One shot at glory
In the crossfire overhead
Fate stands before me
Words have all been said
One shot at glory
Driving hard and seeing red
Destiny calls me
One night of fire
One shot at glory
Fighting on with dignity
In life and death we deal
The power and the majesty
Amidst the blood and steel
I still hear the battle cry
The call goes on and on
I still see the banners fly
The battle's always won
The song, "One Shot at Glory," by Judas Priest, is a powerful and inspiring ode to the spirit of warfare, courage, and victory. The lyrics use vivid imagery to portray the battle that is about to take place. The singer, presumably a warrior or a soldier, is ready to hear the battle cry and see the banners fly, as his troops prepare to face the enemy. The spirits soar as they strike at the enemy's core, and the battle is fought with dignity, amidst the blood and steel.
The lyrics are a testament to the bravery of soldiers who fight for their country and their people. The song is a call to action, urging all those who hear it to rise up and fight for what they believe in. The chorus, "One shot at glory, in the crossfire overhead," is a reminder that when the opportunity for victory presents itself, it must be seized with all one's might. Fate stands before the singer, and he is ready to face it, driven by the knowledge that this battle will be remembered forever.
In summary, "One Shot at Glory" is a powerful and stirring tribute to the courage and fortitude of warriors, who fight on even when the odds are stacked against them. The song brings to life the spirit of battle, the rush of adrenaline, the soaring of spirits, and the thrill of victory. The lyrics are a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers and serve as an inspiration for those who seek to follow in their footsteps.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me hear the battle cry
May I listen to the expression of warriors filled with energy
Calling on the wind
Reaching out to the air for support
Let me see the banners fly
Allow me to witness flags waving passionately
Before the storm begins
Prior to the time of conflicts and toil
Let me feel the spirits soar
Enable me to sense spiritual pride soaring high
Destroy the enemy
Conquer the opposition
Striking at the evil core
Wreaking havoc at the wicked heart of the opponent
For all the world to see
Open to be observed by everyone on the planet
This day will last forever
The memory of this day will persist for eternity
Deep in the hearts of men
Profoundly imprinted in the soul of humanity
Courage and victory
Bravery and success
Remember, remember
Never forget this day
One shot at glory
Only one opportunity to be triumphant
In the crossfire overhead
In the midst of aerial warfare
Fate stands before me
Destiny looms in front of me
Words have all been said
Talking is over
Driving hard and seeing red
Pushing with all available effort while in a rage
Destiny calls me
Fate urges me forward
One night of fire
One moment of intense battle
One shot at glory
Only one opportunity to be triumphant
Fighting on with dignity
Continuing the struggle with self-respect
In life and death we deal
We must face the harsh reality of living and dying
The power and the majesty
The grandeur and the potency
Amidst the blood and steel
In the midst of combat and weapons
I still hear the battle cry
The sound of warriors filled with energy still echoes
The call goes on and on
The plea for battle continues unabated
I still see the banners fly
Flags continue to wave passionately
The battle's always won
The struggle is always victorious
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, KENNETH DOWNING, ROB HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nico Ekert
Unpopular opinion here: I fucking love this album
Rick Jensen
You are not alone. I hate to admit it but I like this album more than the Jugulator album, even though there is nothing wrong with the Jugulator album.
Jimmy Mulkern
I don’t think it’s unpopular. Hey- when I got Jugulator, I posted that this is my all-time favorite JP album. I know tons of people would disagree with this, but nobody can deny that it is their hands down heaviest album they ever made. Who would ever say JP made a thrash metal album? Well they certainly did. Every song on Jugulator is pure thrash metal. And that’s what I want. And that’s why it’s my favorite JP album
MetalmaT
Both "Jugulator" and "Demolition" get hated on but I think they are fantastic albums. Along with "Painkiller" the Ripper albums are the heaviest ones Priest have done. Nobody will ever be able to replace Halford but Ripper is a good singer in his own right, a much better fit than some other examples (like Blaze in Maiden).
Carlos Moura
Are only decent álbuns, but are the worst of their career until now. Don't even sound much like priest albuns! And in my opinion the albuns that Maiden did with Bayley are fare away better than this albuns that Priest did with Tim Owens.
Mark's Metal and Horror Mancave
The best way to appreciate these albums is not to compare Rob with Ripper. True, Ripper's not Rob, but he did a damn fine job.
Matthew Black
I think 'Demolition' is a very good album. Ripper Owens is a very good metal vocalist in his own right. He can scream like Halford - a young Halford - otherwise he doesn't really sound like him. And anyone hating on the album or the band for Rob's absence should fully realize one pertinent thing: it was Rob Halford's choice to not be there...
𝗠𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗠
No. I prefer Jugulator much much much better than this!
ENLIGHTENED WARRIOR
Did we get screwed are what. Who dat !!!! I'm pissed
buntline1873
Saw Ripper live and fact is he never held back or played it safe like so many other live singers. He gave it all and then some. This guy was and is incredible.