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)
Race With The Devil
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd better run
You'd better run from the Devil's gun
The race is on
The race is on
Now you'd better run from the Devil's gun
If you stay
The Devil will catch you anyway
He'll seek you here
He'll seek you there
The Devil will seek you everywhere
And when he finds you
You'll soon find out
The Devil's fire just won't go out
He burns you up
From head to toe
The Devil's grip just won't let go
The lyrics of Judas Priest's song "Race With The Devil" are very simple, but they convey a strong message to the listeners. The song is all about choosing to run away from the devil's influence and temptations. The repeated chorus of "You'd better run from the Devil's gun" serves as a warning to those who may be dabbling in darkness without realizing the consequences. The lyrics suggest that no matter where you go or what you do, the devil is always lurking and watching.
The verses of the song describe the action of running away from the devil. The lyrics suggest that if you don't run, the devil will catch you anyway. The "strange things" that happen if you stay could be interpreted as personal tragedy or spiritual decay. The idea that the devil will seek you "everywhere" adds urgency to the message of the song. The final verse describes what happens when the devil catches up with someone. The metaphor of the devil's fire burning you up from head to toe suggests a painful and consuming fate. The devil's grip is also described as unrelenting, implying that once he has control over you, it's very difficult to break free.
Overall, "Race With The Devil" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of flirting with the devil. The simple lyrics, repetitive chorus, and driving beat of the song combine to create a sense of urgency and foreboding. The song is a classic example of Judas Priest's ability to capture the spirit of heavy metal music and deliver a powerful message at the same time.
Line by Line Meaning
You'd better run
You must escape from danger
You'd better run
You must escape from danger
You'd better run from the Devil's gun
You must avoid the dangerous consequences of the Devil's actions
The race is on
The competition or challenge has begun
The race is on
The competition or challenge has begun
Now you'd better run from the Devil's gun
You must avoid the dangerous consequences of the Devil's actions
Strange things happen
Unusual or unexpected events may occur
If you stay
If you remain in the given situation
The Devil will catch you anyway
The Devil will capture you regardless
He'll seek you here
The Devil will search for you in this location
He'll seek you there
The Devil will search for you in that location
The Devil will seek you everywhere
The Devil will search for you in all possible locations
And when he finds you
Once the Devil captures you
You'll soon find out
You will quickly discover
The Devil's fire just won't go out
The Devil's burning rage or anger will not cease
He burns you up
He consumes you with flames
From head to toe
All of your body is affected
The Devil's grip just won't let go
The Devil's control or influence over you is inescapable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL ANTHONY GURVITZ, ADRIAN ISRAEL GURVITZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Averinus
Wow, I completely forgot about this old track. Old school Priest is the best
Keith Spangle
@teo mak Wondering if the '68 version was the first Metal song.
Rain
@teo mak and everyone forgetting girlschool cover of the song was fantastic as well.
teo mak
The original song belongs to "Guns" from 1968. A very good cover from Priest.
Morgan Stern
@Averinus same to me, my best friend had it on his tape machine, 1978, recorded from Radio,
did hear it last time about 40 years ago.
He did not know who played,
no soundhound at those time...
Song crossed my ways never since, ´til today, heard it in an Amazon prime movie and googled, ending here.
LOVE THIS SONG!
Jack Stewart
My God priest at there best
Haidee
Underrated song
Jose luis Cuevas
Clásico ! Empezando la historia del Heavy Metal!!
Lusitano Celta
Another monday, a new week at the job...Starting the day with this masterpiece!
Lusitano Celta
@April 20, 1969
Wait, do you work with me? I mean, these are exactly the days of the week that I need to go to the company lol! On tuesdays and thursdays I have business classes.