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)
diamond's and rust
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon is full
And you decided to call
And here I sit, hand on the telephone
Hearing the voice I'd known
A couple of light years ago
But we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Yes we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Now I see you standing with brown leaves all around and snow in your hair
Now we're smiling out the window of the crummy hotel over Washington Square
Our breath comes in white clouds, mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me we both could've died then and there
Now you're telling me you're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You were so good with words
And at keeping things vague
'Cause I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly, yes, I love you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust, I've already paid
But we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Yes we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
The song "Diamonds and Rust" by Judas Priest is considered to be a classic rock ballad which deals with the theme of nostalgia and the emotions that come with it. At the beginning of the song, the singer acknowledges that he's being haunted by his former lover's memory. He admits that it is a familiar feeling but still somewhat overwhelming, especially on this particular night when the moon is full. He then goes on to reminisce about a time from their past when they were both in love but heading towards a doomed end.
The memories bring both diamonds and rust - diamonds may represent how precious and rare their love was, while rust may signify how the relationship eventually decayed and ended. The singer then fast-forwards to the present or to a time when the two of them bump into each other unexpectedly, during a winter scene. He notes their breath, the snow in her hair, the brown leaves all around (which all evoke the feeling of nostalgia). Nevertheless, she claims to not be nostalgic, but the singer is unconvinced, urging her to find another word for her feelings. He observes that she was skilled at being vague, and that he needs some of that vagueness now, perhaps in order to avoid acknowledging the true depth of his feelings for her. In the end, he acknowledges the power of their shared memories, while also hinting that it's too late to bring the past back - "if you're offering me diamonds and rust, I've already paid."
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be damned, here comes your ghost again
An acknowledgement of the reappearance of a past lover
But that's not unusual
Indicates the singer's acceptance of this occurrence as a regular happening
It's just that the moon is full
Ties the reappearance of the past lover to the phase of the moon
And you decided to call
Highlights the fact that the past lover initiated the call
And here I sit, hand on the telephone
Establishes the physical setting of the singer waiting by the phone
Hearing the voice I'd known
Expresses the singer's familiarity with the voice of the past lover
A couple of light years ago
Indicates the duration of time that has passed since the separation
Headed straight for a fall
Reveals the anticipation of the negative outcome of their relationship
But we both know what memories can bring
Reflects on the power of memories
They bring diamonds and rust
Memories can bring both positive and negative feelings
Now I see you standing with brown leaves all around and snow in your hair
Paints a picture of the past lover in the current moment
Now we're smiling out the window of the crummy hotel over Washington Square
Describes the setting where the singer and the past lover are at present
Our breath comes in white clouds, mingles and hangs in the air
Sets the tone of a cold, wintery night
Speaking strictly for me we both could've died then and there
Emphasizes the significance of the past relationship
Now you're telling me you're not nostalgic
The past lover denies any feelings of nostalgia
Then give me another word for it
The singer challenges the past lover's denial
You were so good with words
An acknowledgement of the past lover's verbal skills
And at keeping things vague
The past lover had a tendency to leave things undefined
'Cause I need some of that vagueness now
The singer desires that same vagueness in their current conversation
It's all come back too clearly, yes, I love you dearly
The singer admits their love for the past lover, despite trying to forget
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust, I've already paid
Rejects the past lover's attempt to reconcile, stating the price has already been paid
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Reiteration of the idea that memories bring both positive and negative feelings
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Reiteration of the idea that memories bring both positive and negative feelings
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Reiteration of the idea that memories bring both positive and negative feelings
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
Reiteration of the idea that memories bring both positive and negative feelings
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOAN BAEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xBMTHx99
I'll be damned, here comes your ghost again
But that's not unusual
It's just that the moon is full
And you decided to call
And here I sit, hand on the telephone
Hearing the voice I'd known
A couple of light years ago
Heading straight for a fall
But we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Yes, we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Now I see you standing all around
And snow in your hair
Now we're smiling out the window of the crummy hotel
Over Washington Square
Our breath comes on white clouds
Mingles and hangs in the air
Speaking strictly for me
We both could've died then and there
Now you're telling me you're not nostalgic
Then give me another word for it
You were so good with words
And at keeping things vague
Cause I need some of that vagueness now
It's all come back too clearly
Yes, I love you dearly
And if you're offering me diamonds and rust, I've already paid
But we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Yes, we both know what memories can bring
They bring diamonds and rust
Diamonds, diamonds and rust
@retrospaz9849
What I love about Judas Priest covering songs is they give it their own sound.
@simonwoods8809
Indeed but JP could not sound like Joan Baez...
@deathrotor
@SIMON WOODS te thing is this was released 1 year before joan baez from the research i did so who actually did this first? im so confused lmao, joan baez was 1975 and judas priest did it in 1974, written before the release like most of the rocka rolla songs they were made in 1969/1970 ( edit i thought for a second this version was the rocka rolla version but it wasnt , the rocka rolla version blows the sin after sin version out of the water you should go check it out , it was never actually released on the rocka rolla album so not many people know about it)
@Astro_touches_children
@deathrotor damn dude, I was strolling down memory lane and you schooled me. I'm kinda old. Rock don't get old.
@anti-satanpro-life8531
@SIMON WOODS i hope not
@eylongreenberg7629
They could have made their own song out if this riff
@onetrickpony4179
Such a heartbreaking song; mourning the loss of a loved one, remembering their personality and eccentricities...not expecting the moment and memory to occur, but being taken and consumed by it when it does.
@uiscepreston
It takes on a whole other meaning when you realize it is about Bob Dylan who was not very well-known when he met and started dating Joan Baez - who was herself at the time extremely popular. She actually introduced him to a larger scene and he soon eclipsed her, causing their relationship to suffer and end. In essence, that is the bittersweet Diamonds and Rust part. She had the love of her life and made it slip away with her generosity.
@gailwhistance5409
@Uisce Preston Dylan admired this song and knew it was about him. I read that he once asked her to play that song with the "eyes bluer than robin's eggs." That stanza was left out here.
@jongut9908
De echo no es por alguien fallecido, es por alguien que aun existe , y te llama para desirte como estas.