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)
Run of the Mill
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you fulfill ambition, do as you were told
Or are you still doing the same this year
Should I give sorrow, or turn 'round and sneer
I know that the prospects weren't all that good
But they improved, and I'd have thought that you could
Have strived for that something we all have deep inside
Now with the aid of your new walking stick
You hobble along through society thick
And look mesmerized by the face of it all
You keep to the gutter in case you fall
I can't go on
I can't go on
I can't go on
I can't go on
I, I, I, I
The lyrics of the song Run of the Mill by Judas Priest express the disappointment and bitterness of the singer towards someone who has become old and seems to have wasted their life. The singer questions whether the person fulfilled their ambition, or if they simply followed the expectations of society. The repeated phrase "I can't go on," highlights the frustration and sadness of the singer towards this person.
The singer acknowledges that the prospects may not have been great for the person, but also believes that they had the potential to strive for something better. The phrase "something we all have deep inside" suggests that the singer believes that everyone has a purpose or a goal that they should strive towards, but this person failed to do so. The line "Not let it vanish, along with your pride" indicates that the singer believes that this person has lost both their purpose and their sense of self-respect.
The final stanza further emphasizes the singer's frustration towards the person as they observe them walking with a walking stick and staying in the gutter for fear of falling. The line "look mesmerized by the face of it all" suggests that the person is just going through the motions of life and is not truly engaged or living it to the fullest.
Overall, the lyrics of Run of the Mill express the regret and disappointment towards someone who has wasted their potential and is now just going through the motions of life.
Line by Line Meaning
What have you achieved now you're old
What have you accomplished in your lifetime, now that you're old?
Did you fulfill ambition, do as you were told
Have you achieved your goals in life or did you merely follow orders?
Or are you still doing the same this year
Are you still stuck in the same rut as last year?
Should I give sorrow, or turn 'round and sneer
Is it appropriate to pity you, or should one express scorn?
I know that the prospects weren't all that good
I realize that you faced challenges and obstacles in your life.
But they improved, and I'd have thought that you could
But things did get better, and I expected you to rise to the occasion.
Have strived for that something we all have deep inside
I hoped you would aim for that inner drive that we all possess.
Not let it vanish, along with your pride
You shouldn't have let that drive fade away along with your self-respect.
Now with the aid of your new walking stick
Now, with the help of your newly acquired cane,
You hobble along through society thick
You struggle to move through the teeming crowds of society.
And look mesmerized by the face of it all
You seem enchanted by the superficial facades of the world.
You keep to the gutter in case you fall
You confine yourself to the gutters for fear of stumbling.
I can't go on
I can't continue with this charade.
I can't go on
I can't pretend anymore.
I can't go on
I can't bear it any longer.
I can't go on
I can't keep up this pretense.
I, I, I, I
I am at a loss for words.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GLENN TIPTON, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind