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)
The Rage
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crossed sea and mountain
We were drinking beauty with our eyes
We were given all to make our own
Let us be left alone
Lay the tasks and pay the price, everything suffice
Crushed and bolted all we craved
Is pain better than the grave?
When we talk without amend
We see red and then
Deep inside our blood begins to boil
Like a tiger in the cage
We begin to shake with rage
In the opening lines of Judas Priest's song The Rage, the lyrics describe a group of people who have come from far and wide, traversing great distances over mountains and seas to explore and experience the beauty of the world. They were given a chance to create their own lives and pursue their desires, so they would rather be left alone to explore and make their own way rather than be interfered with or dictated to. The song then shifts gears, and the lyrics touch on the idea of the human experience - the struggle between what we want and what we need, and the never-ending quest for satisfaction amidst the pain and difficulties of life. The lines "crushed and bolted all we craved, after every whim, what a state we're in, is pain better than the grave?" allude to the intensity of this human struggle, asking whether it is better to continue pursuing our desires despite the pain they often bring, or if we would be better off dead.
Line by Line Meaning
From a fireball we came
We originated from something hot and explosive
Crossed sea and mountain
We travelled far and wide to get here
We were drinking beauty with our eyes
We were absorbing the beauty of the world visually
We were given all to make our own
We have been given everything necessary to make our own choices and decisions
Let us be left alone
We want to be left alone now to do our own thing, without interference
Lay the tasks and pay the price, everything suffice
We are accepting the challenges and consequences of our choices
Crushed and bolted all we craved
We pursued our desires relentlessly but they have now become our downfall
After every whim, what a state we're in
We are now in a terrible state after chasing after every desire
Is pain better than the grave?
We are questioning whether it is better to suffer in life or die
When we talk without amend
When we speak frankly and candidly
We see red and then
We become angry
Deep inside our blood begins to boil
We become increasingly angry and agitated
Like a tiger in the cage
We feel trapped and ready to unleash our fury
We begin to shake with rage
Our anger reaches a boiling point
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Glenn Raymond Tipton, Kenneth Downing, Robert Halford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matthew Fawbush
Yes
Judas Priest
British Steel
1980 album
40 years
Four decades of the Metal of God's
This album British Steel, we listen to all the priest songs 40 years ago
That album is my favorite
Judas Priest is still the legends of Rock Legends
My favorite songs on the album is livin after midnight and breaking the law these songs we listen to them
and we all song along.
🤘🎸🤘🤘🎸
Happy 40th Anniversary, Judas Priest British Steel Album
🎸🤘🎸🤘🎸🤘🎸🤘🤘🤘🤘
The BooMan
From a fireball we came
Crossed sea and mountain
We were drinking beauty with our eyes
We were given all
To make our own
Let us be left alone
Laid the tasks
And paid the price
Everything suffice
Thrashed and bolted all we crave
After every whim
What a state we're in
It's plain better than the grave
We meet up with other men
We see red and then
Deep inside our blood begins to boil
Like the tiger
In the cage
We began to shake with rage
Roald Koger
The Rage is a special song, because of that typically British early 80's pop vibe in the intro and halfway. Love it.
Nathan Ritzo
I know lol. You'd think it was The Clash.
D Owens
It's more of a reggae vibe than pop, but British new wave artists such as The Police,The Clash and Elvis Costello had a significant reggae influence, so I get you.
Roald Koger
@D Owens It's not just the rhythm, it's also in the production.
D Owens
@Roald Koger
It's a pretty metal production - one of the best ever. The drum and guitar sound are amazing.
Félix Marqués
I love JP songs that mix the metal with some other stuff. “Take These Chains” is another great example.
Mason 1312
I love the bass line and most importantly I love playing it my dad and I are a huge fan of Priest!!!!! And you did a great job of playing it live in the Seminole Arena
Sethp04
Seminole was a mind blowing performance
jas🌀n“jake”Chatham
Wow man you took every word right out of my mouth!
Pablo Thrasher
Ian Hill is a great bassist