Since the band's inception, there have been over fifteen musicians in and out of King Diamond, with the only two mainstays being vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Andy LaRocque. In 1987 the band released their second studio release Abigail (their first concept album). Throughout the 1980s, King Diamond released a total of four studio albums. In the early 1990s, the band was put on hold when King Diamond reunited with his former outfit Mercyful Fate. After reforming King Diamond in 1994, Diamond would balance recording and touring with both Mercyful Fate and his eponymous band throughout the 90's. Since the early 2000s, King Diamond have kept recording and touring and, since 2014, the band has been composed of vocalist King Diamond, guitarist Andy LaRocque, guitarist Mike Wead, drummer Matt Thompson, and bassist Pontus Egberg.
KILLER
King Diamond Lyrics
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Down the Hall, beyond the iron door... they're gonna end my life
I will see you all in Hell, isn't that where we all must go?
I will not tell you what I did... It doesn't matter now
I will not tell you how weird it is
To know exactly when you're gonna go
I am a killer
I am a killer
They're gonna fry my each and every nerve
It is not the soul I sell, it's not the pain from hell
It is not the fear of dying, of that I was never afraid
I will see you all in hell, isn't that where we all must go?
Gazing at the iron door, while time is slipping away
What's really driving me insane
Is what to do with my final hour
I am a killer
I'm gonna get what I deserve
I am a killer
They're gonna fry my each and every nerve
I've got less than an hour to kill
I'm looking back at the life I've had to live
What a waste, what a mess
I should have never been born,
I hear them coming down the hall
I know they're coming for me
I don't need that silly Priest
Oh, just get on with the show
I am a killer
I'm gonna get what I deserve
I am a killer
They're gonna fry my each and every nerve
It's time
The lyrics to King Diamond's song "Killer" are haunting in their depiction of a convicted murderer awaiting execution. The first stanza sets the scene, with the singer awaiting the impending electric shock that will end his life. He seems resigned to his fate, stating that he will see everyone in Hell, as it is where they all must go eventually. He refuses to divulge details about his crime, claiming that it doesn't matter now. However, he mentions the strange sensation of knowing the exact moment of his death.
The chorus reveals that the singer is, in fact, a killer who is about to face the consequences of his actions. He knows that he deserves punishment and that his nerves will be fried as a result. The second verse is introspective, as the killer reflects on his life and laments the waste and mess that it has become. He is tormented by what to do with his final hour and whether it was all worth it.
In the final stanza, the killer hears the guards coming for him and is eager to get on with the execution. He doesn't want to see a priest and seems to have given up on any chance of redemption. The song ends with an ominous "it's time."
Line by Line Meaning
At midnight, an hour from now... they're gonna flick the switch
In 1 hour, at midnight, the executioner will pull the switch to electrocute the singer.
Down the Hall, beyond the iron door... they're gonna end my life
The prison guards will lead the singer past the iron door and take their life.
I will see you all in Hell, isn't that where we all must go?
The singer will meet everyone in Hell, as death is inevitable for all.
I will not tell you what I did... It doesn't matter now
The artist chooses to keep their crime a secret since it's irrelevant at this point.
I will not tell you how weird it is
To know exactly when you're gonna go
The artist won't reveal how strange it is to know the exact time of one's death.
I am a killer
I'm gonna get what I deserve
I am a killer
They're gonna fry my each and every nerve
The singer acknowledges their actions and is aware they'll face retribution through their punishment - the electric chair.
It is not the soul I sell, it's not the pain from hell
It is not the fear of dying, of that I was never afraid
The singer clarifies that they're not bargaining their soul or afraid of death's pain, which emphasizes the severity of their crime.
Gazing at the iron door, while time is slipping away
What's really driving me insane
Is what to do with my final hour
The artist realizes the finality of their life and struggles with how to spend their last moments, leading to feelings of desperation.
I've got less than an hour to kill
I'm looking back at the life I've had to live
What a waste, what a mess
I should have never been born,
The artist muses that their short time before execution is not enough to make up for the mistakes and failures of their life.
I hear them coming down the hall
I know they're coming for me
I don't need that silly Priest
Oh, just get on with the show
The artist hears the approaching guards, rejects the priest's last rites, and just wants the execution to commence and end their suffering.
It's time
The last line of the song indicates that the time has finally arrived for the singer's execution.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDY LA ROCQUE, KIM BENDIX PETERSEN, Maksymilian Skiba, Kathy Diamond
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind