The group traces its beginnings to 1980, when Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill, who had previously met while recording and touring with Phil Keaggy and touring with the band Petra, recruited Ty Tabor to join them. Calling themselves The Edge, the group extensively performed on the Springfield, Missouri bar and club circuit. The band specialized in Top 40 covers. By 1983, the name of the band had changed to Sneak Preview and they started to record original material. Sneak Preview released a self-titled LP with all original material in 1984.
The group relocated to Houston, Texas with the promise of a recording contract, but the deal fell through. However, it was there that the group met Sam Taylor, then vice president of ZZ Top's production company. Taylor quickly became the group's mentor and convinced them to change their name to King's X. Taylor was instrumental in helping the group secure a contract with Megaforce Records in 1987. Taylor would soon become the group's manager, producer and mentor, and was declared to be the fourth member of the group (according to some).
The group released its first album as King's X, entitled Out of the Silent Planet, in 1988. Despite being hailed by music critics, the album did not fare well commercially, peaking at #144 on the Billboard album charts. The band's 1989 sophomore release, Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, fared slightly better from a commercial standpoint. Significantly, the song "Over My Head" received moderate airplay on MTV and radio. The increase in exposure would prove beneficial when the band released their third album, Faith, Hope, Love, in the fall of 1990.
Faith, Hope, Love was the group's first album to crack the US Top 100, with the help of the successful single "It's Love". The band landed a gig opening for AC/DC in the U.S. and Europe for the first half of 1991. They also toured with Living Colour, themselves near the peak of their popularity. The band was signed to major label Atlantic Records for their next release.
The band released their fourth album, King's X, in the Spring of 1992. But rising tensions with Taylor led to the group's most unfocused effort, and the album did not sell as well as Faith, Hope, Love. The only single from the album, "Black Flag" received only moderate airplay on MTV. Not long after the release of King's X, the band parted ways with Taylor. The details of the split have not been made public, but it was believed to be rather acrimonious. In the aftermath, King's X took over a year off to consider their collective future together. The band members followed other, non-musical pursuits - most notably, guitarist Ty Tabor took up semi-professionally racing motocross motorcycles.
In any case, by 1992 grunge was at the peak of its popularity and the group's trademark sound in no way resembled that of commercially successful acts such as Soundgarden or Pearl Jam (though, ironically, King's X were partly responsible for inspiring grunge; Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament once said, "King's X invented grunge"). Looking for a new sound and flavour (although not necessarily grunge), the band enlisted veteran producer Brendan O'Brien, who had recently produced Stone Temple Pilots' first album and Pearl Jam's second.
The resulting album, 1994's Dogman, showcased a much more muscular and heavy sound from the group, along with less abstract and spiritual lyrics. The record received a heavier promotional push from Atlantic and the band enjoyed a very successful tour, capped by an appearance at the Woodstock 1994 festival in August. But despite a return to the Top 100 for the group, the album failed to sell as well as Atlantic had hoped, and the label's support for the group quickly faded.
The band's third release under Atlantic, 1996's Ear Candy, would also be their last (not including a subsequent compilation) for the label. Although it sold to the band's sizeable core following, it lacked the mainstream success of previous efforts. The record was soon out of print, and it seemed that the group's chance for commercial success had come and gone.
The group moved to Metal Blade Records in 1998. Their first album for Metal Blade Records, Tape Head, signaled a new era for the band. They modified their creative methods by writing and recording the album together in the studio, rather than coming together to record songs that the individual members had written separately. Their next two albums, Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous and Manic Moonlight were created in this same way.
For their next album, Black Like Sunday, the group arranged and recorded an album full of songs that the band had regularly performed prior to releasing their first album for MegaForce Records, Out of the Silent Planet. The cover art for this album was selected from artwork submitted by fans.
Live All Over The Place was the band's final album for Metal Blade Records, and their first official live release. During the band's time with Metal Blade Records, the members of King's X (as a group and individually) have been musically prolific, releasing a number of solo albums (such as Doug Pinnick's two PoundHound albums and Emotional Animal, Ty Tabor's Naomi's Solar Pumpkin, Moonflower Lane, and Safety, and Jerry Gaskill's musically intriguing Come Somewhere,) and side projects (such as Ty Tabor's work with Platypus, Jughead, and The Jelly Jam). Doug Pinnick will be standing in for lead singer Corey Glover on Living Colour's August 2006 European tour.
The band's latest album, entitled Ogre Tones, was released in September 2005 on the InsideOut label. It was produced by famed rock producer Michael Wagener (Dokken, Extreme, Stryper, White Lion, Skid Row).
May 2008 will see the next studio release from the band, "XV", also on the InsideOut label. Production has again been handled by Michael Wagener.
King's X has in the past struggled with being identified as a Christian metal band. Many of their lyrics have a clear spiritual influence, but this comes from the individual faith of the members rather than an attempt to tap into that market in the way groups such as Stryper did. Their albums used to be marketed highly in Christian book stores, but after Pinnick announced in 1998 that he was a homosexual, their albums were removed from such places. This also caused the band to lose a large number of their Christian fans.
Ty Tabor has indicated in several interviews that King's X was not a Christian rock band.
King's X spiritually-tinged lyrics are less prominent in their later releases, though the band continues to infuse spiritual themes into their music.
The band's lineup has not changed since its inception:
* Doug Pinnick - Vocals, bass guitar
* Ty Tabor - Vocals, guitars
* Jerry Gaskill - Drums, percussion, vocals
Discography
* Out of the Silent Planet (March 23, 1988)
* Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (June 27, 1989)
* Faith Hope Love (October 23, 1990)
* King's X (March 10, 1992)
* Dogman (January 18, 1994)
* Ear Candy (May 20, 1996)
* Best of King's X (November 11, 1997)
* Tape Head (October 20, 1998)
* Please Come Home... Mr. Bulbous (May 23, 2000)
* Manic Moonlight (September 25, 2001)
* Black Like Sunday (May 20, 2003)
* Live All Over the Place (November 2, 2004)
* Ogre Tones (September 27, 2005)
* XV (May 16-20, 2008)
Billboard positions
* KING'S X - Out Of The Silent Planet Weeks on Chart: 11 Peak: #144
* KING'S X - Gretchen Goes To Nebraska Weeks on Chart: 18 Peak: #123
* KING'S X - Faith Hope Love Weeks on Chart: 24 Peak: #85
* KING'S X - King's X Weeks on Chart: 3 Peak: #138
* KING'S X - Dogman Weeks on Chart: 4 Peak: #88
We Were Born To Be Loved
King's X Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
do you really want to know
do you really care
i could silently scream so you never hear
somebody said you must rise above it all
cause we were born to be loved
somebody said read the writing on the wall
we were born to be loved
do you hear and do you really care
can you count the reasons why we have so many fears
as big heart lonely eyes
a child plays with toys to soon to realize
to stop playin take it all inside
all he wanted was love
he remembers how that nobody cared
he was alone with everybody there
took a chance and got outta there
all he wanted was love
the mouth of the fool was a whip on his back
hes got the scars to prove it
a broken heart
a matter of fact
but he knows how to use it
happy endings are not just for tv
broken hearts
dont lose one piece of the puzzle
and the beatles said all you need is love
i could point the finger but theres too much inside here
The lyrics of King's X's song We Were Born To Be Loved are deeply introspective and speak to the human desire for love, connection, and understanding. The song starts with the singer expressing a desire to vocalize his feelings, but questioning if anyone really cares to hear or to know. The lyrics then take a turn and discuss some of the reasons why love can be difficult to attain, specifically mentioning fear and feelings of loneliness. The chorus speaks to a message of hope and encouragement, that we were all born to be loved and to rise above the negativity in our lives.
The second verse gives us a glimpse into a difficult childhood experience, with a child who was neglected and probably suffered abuse. The lyrics suggest that he was all alone, surrounded by people who didn't care, and the solution was to leave everything behind and find love elsewhere. The lyrics then reflect on the impact that negative experiences can have on a person, with the image of scars on the back symbolizing emotional and psychological trauma. The singer acknowledges the pain that comes from a broken heart, but encourages the listener to hold onto all the pieces because they are part of the puzzle that make us who we are.
Overall, the song seems to suggest that while the road to love and self-acceptance may be difficult, it is still worth pursuing. The message is one of hope and resilience. It encourages us to keep moving forward, to find the positive even in the midst of negativity, and to take comfort in the knowledge that we were all born to be loved.
Line by Line Meaning
i could shout from a rooftop how i really feel
I could make it known to the world what I truly feel.
do you really want to know
Do you actually want to know what's inside of me?
do you really care
Are you genuinely concerned about me?
i could silently scream so you never hear
I could internally struggle with my feelings and you would never know.
somebody said you must rise above it all
Someone once said that we must be bigger than our problems.
cause we were born to be loved
We were brought into this world to receive and give love to others.
somebody said read the writing on the wall
Someone once said to pay attention to the obvious signs around us.
we were born to be loved
Our purpose in life is to give and receive love.
how the meaning changes when the screaming hits your ears
The significance of a message can change when it is presented in a loud, aggressive manner.
do you hear and do you really care
Are you listening to what I'm saying and do you genuinely care about me?
can you count the reasons why we have so many fears
Can you identify why we have so many things in life that scare us?
as big heart lonely eyes
Someone with a large capacity for love, but also feels isolated and alone.
a child plays with toys to soon to realize
Children play with toys without understanding the harsh realities of life.
to stop playin take it all inside
To face reality and no longer ignore the problems of the world.
all he wanted was love
The only thing that person desired was to be loved.
he remembers how that nobody cared
He recalls how no one paid attention to him and how insignificant he felt.
he was alone with everybody there
Even though he was surrounded by people, he still felt alone and disconnected.
took a chance and got outta there
He took a risk and removed himself from the environment he was in.
the mouth of the fool was a whip on his back
The words of fools can sting and hurt someone deeply.
hes got the scars to prove it
He has physical or emotional scars that serve as evidence of the pain he has endured.
a broken heart
He has experienced heartbreak, which can be a painful and traumatic experience.
a matter of fact
The reality is that he has been hurt.
but he knows how to use it
Despite the pain he has experienced, he has learned to channel it in a positive way.
happy endings are not just for tv
A positive outcome is possible in real life and not just in fictional stories.
broken hearts
Those who have been hurt can still have hope for the future.
dont lose one piece of the puzzle
Don't forget or neglect any aspect of what makes you whole as a person.
and the beatles said all you need is love
The Beatles famously wrote that love is the most important thing in life.
i could point the finger but theres too much inside here
I could place blame on others, but ultimately the underlying issues come from within.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DOUG T. PINNICK, JERRY WAYNE GASKILL, TY RYAN TABOR, WILLIAM S. TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
frozencons
Surely it's against the law to have written such an amazing chorus. Damn, I wish I'd gotten into these guys sooner in life.
Doug Zuknick
I've seen them live 12 times and they were great every time.l
Jonathan Kohns
Grooves this deep should only be handled by professionals
Олег Горбунов
i think this band is so shamefully underrated. it doesn't get what it really deserves - a broader recognition!
Kimberly J. Sullivan
Still kick-ass after all these years!
Felken
That bass drum is so perfectly mixed. It has the perfect amount of oomph. And that outro? Oh man... perfect...
Eric Vinson
They used to do this song live. During the outro, they wouldn’t look at each other but were able to keep perfect time. Criminally underrated.
1eye2
I remember when I bought this CD in early 90s for 5 bucks, and loved it ...played it over and over
Roy Douglas
God really blessed us with this band !!! Such incredible talent !!
TubeRJF
I think I figured out why the name of the band is King's X:
1 - They are the undisputed Kings of Rock (I mean seriously, they rule!)
2 - X represents the unknown. It is unknown why they are not household names and in the Rock Hall of Fame