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)
Shadows in the Flame
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eventide's when I'm afraid
I'll never know if you'll appear
But my senses say you're near
In the dark when I write
Telling fortunes for my life
I'm sitting here by candle flame
The lyrics of Judas Priest's song Shadows in the Flame express the feeling of fear and uncertainty that arise with the setting of the day. The fear is not just of the dark, but of the unknown - the fear of not knowing if someone special will show up. The writer expresses their emotions, describing how their senses say that the person they're waiting for is near, even if they cannot see them. They continue, stating how they write fortunes while sitting by the candle flame, which illustrates that they, too, are uncertain if the arrival will happen or not. It's a yearning for something - a person, a lover, a friend or family member, perhaps, but it's also a fear that it may never be fulfilled.
The song explores the feeling of waiting for someone special, the fear of not knowing whether they will show up or not, and the struggle one feels trying to come to terms with the perpetuating uncertainty. The lyrics are emotive and powerfully express the longing and trepidation associated with waiting, wondering, and hoping. They express the fear and challenge of never knowing what may happen, and the desperation of yearning for someone who may or may never come.
Line by Line Meaning
As the day begins to fade
The moment when the day ends, and the darkness is about to begin.
Eventide's when I'm afraid
I feel scared and vulnerable when the sun sets, and the night comes.
I'll never know if you'll appear
I am unsure if the person I am waiting for will ever come.
But my senses say you're near
I have a strong feeling that the person I am waiting for is nearby.
In the dark when I write
I am writing in a dimly lit place, where light is scarce.
Telling fortunes for my life
I am trying to predict my future through my writing.
I'm sitting here by candle flame
I am in a dark place, and the only source of light I have is a candle.
When will you arrive again
I am waiting for someone to come back into my life, and I am uncertain when they will return.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN TIPTON, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, K.K. DOWNING, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
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