For the first, see: Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come. Melodic hard rock band Kingdom Come was formed in 1987 by singer-songwriter Lenny Wolf in Hamburg, Germany, with the revolving cast of other band members soon leaving Wolf the focus. After the release of their first single, 1988's "Get It On", many fans mistakenly regarded the band as a Led Zeppelin reunion. Kingdom Come's close resemblance to that group, particularly with Wolf's Robert Plant like vocals, has led to continuing controversy. Although the bands had a great deal in common, as shown by critics' nickname 'Kingdom Clone', Wolf has pursued his own personal vision of mixing slick rock hooks with a heavy metal ethos for decades.
The group's first album, the self-titled 'Kingdom Come', became quite popular due to its arena-ready hard rock sound. As the guys gained more and more commercial success, the 1988 album had three Billboard top 40 singles: "Get It On", "Living Out Of Touch", and "What Love Can Be". As stated before, supporters and detractors both felt strongly reminded of Led Zeppelin as well as, to a lesser extent, fellow German group Scorpions. Ironically, former Kingdom Come drummer James Kottak later joined the latter band.
Kingdom Come came about after the breakup a moderately successful rock project of Wolf's, known as Stone Fury. Wolf's new record company, Polygram, allowed him incredible freedom to assemble Kingdom Come's lineup and direct its sound. Recruiting Pittsburgh-based lead guitarist Danny Stag, Louisvillians Rick Steier (guitar) and James Kottak (drums), and Californian Johnny B. Frank (bass), this new outfit marked the first band where Wolf sang without playing guitar. The frontman later admitted that, for a while, it was a very awkward adjustment.
As stated before, Kingdom Come's sound was thought by many to be highly derivative of Led Zeppelin's, to the point that some listeners initially thought that Kingdom Come was actually a reunion effort. The band's first single was called "Get It On", being a great example of their aggressive sound. Before long, the group's eponymous debut went gold. Their second single ended up being the power ballad "What Love Can Be", receiving much airplay and having a music video created for it that picked up MTV airplay. By the time the single "Loving You" was released, the album had reached platinum status, fans in United States, Germany, and Canada loving the group despite the controversy.
The guys toured in England supporting Magnum on their "Wings Of Heaven" tour. As well, the band opened for the North American "Monsters of Rock" tour in 1988, supporting the artists Dokken, Scorpions, Metallica, and Van Halen. Following that, the guys were tapped to support the Scorpions on their North American "Savage Amusement" tour, at least until they were forced off. According to Stag, Lenny Wolf found the stage ramps reserved for the Scorpions' set irresistible. After several reprimands from the Scorpions' management, the singer continued to use the full stage, and Kingdom Come were asked to forfeit the rest of the tour.
The band were directed by management and the people at Polygram to get a new recording available soon. In 1989, Kingdom Come released their next album, called 'In Your Face', but some fans believed that the group seemed to have peaked too early. The continuing backlash against the band's perceived appropriating of other artists' sounds (earning them the derisive moniker "Kingdom Clone") hurt their commercial appeal. After time went on and the band's second album simply failed to sell well, all members other than Wolf quit the group.
The 90s would see several releases by the outfit, though with Kingdom Come receiving some critical scorn as well as being unable to breakthrough commercially the same way again. Music critic Jason Anderson has remarked for Allmusic that the band experienced "one of hard rock's most intense backlashes". For his part, Stag went back to Pittsburgh and immersed himself in blues and rock n rock projects. Steier and Kottak went back to Kentucky and assembled the short-lived Wild Horses project, the two of them releasing a poor-selling album on Atlantic Records. Both would later resurface in Warrant. Kottak also has served with Scorpions.
With an all new line-up, Kingdom Come had one more release on Polygram, titled 'Hands of Time', which Wolf managed to see sold internationally. By 1993, Wolf had returned to Germany to regroup, focusing his efforts on central Europe hard rock fans. In recent years, the group is often billed as "Kingdom Come & Lenny Wolf", "Lenny Wolf & Kingdom Come", "Lenny Wolf's Kingdom Come", et cetera. Their latest work as of 2015 is the album 'Outlier', which came out on May 7, 2013.
Website: www.lennywolf.com/
Secondly, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come (often billed as just "Kingdom Come") was the name of a project by enigmatic British singer-songwriter Arthur Brown. With his larger-than-life stage presence, Brown represented a key link in the evolution of psychedelic rock into what would be become heavy metal. He also had a project by the name of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
SUNRISE
Kingdom Come Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has left me in the way
I'm looking round to find the light
Won't you let me see the day
Anywhere a man turns he can't help but see
Waves of destruction and insanity
Deep down my soul raises a plea
The finger that will beckon
Will as soon push you right back again
The arms that caress you
Will fill you full of pain
And that's why, why I gotta love someone
Deep down in my heart I gotta be free to let my soul grow
And then tomorrow can be full of laughter and sunshine
The way behind you may seem very long but far away
And you may search this whole wide world longing for beauty
But never listen, never listen what men say
You've got to be just what you are
Or you will never understand
I'll never be a fool again
I'm gonna try to reach in my mind
I'm gonna look for the way
I'm gonna try and I'll breathe again
Looking out the way
Try to make the day shine
I realise that nothing's gonna get you down
Nothing you owned
Nothing you wanted
And nothing you've had is gonna make you high
The song "Sunrise" by Kingdom Come is a powerful yet dark look at the state of the world today. The opening lines describe the aftermath of violence and bloodshed, leaving the singer feeling lost and searching for hope. The imagery used throughout the song is vivid and poignant, painting a picture of a world gone mad, where destruction and chaos seem to reign.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the harsh reality of life, where pain and pleasure are often two sides of the same coin. The lyrics speak of the need for love and freedom, and the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of adversity. The chorus is a call to action, urging the listener to embrace who they are and not be swayed by the opinions of others.
The final verse is a message of hope, encouraging the listener to never give up on life and to keep searching for the beauty and joy that exist in the world. The song ends with a triumphant declaration that nothing can bring you down, as long as you stay true to yourself and keep fighting for what you believe in.
Overall, "Sunrise" is a powerful and captivating song that speaks to the struggles of the human condition, and the importance of persevering in the face of adversity. It's a song that manages to be both bleak and hopeful at the same time, and is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever felt lost or alone in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
The sunrise on the killing
The dawn on this moment of violence and death
Has left me in the way
It's made me lose my sense of direction and purpose
I'm looking round to find the light
I'm searching for guidance and hope
Won't you let me see the day
Please give me a chance to experience something positive and uplifting
Anywhere a man turns he can't help but see
No matter where you look, there's evidence of destruction and madness
Waves of destruction and insanity
The continuous and overwhelming force of chaos and irrationality
Deep down my soul raises a plea
I'm desperately asking for help or intervention at my core
Oh Lord, bring it back to me
A religious appeal to restore the good in life
The finger that will beckon
Someone who seems inviting or comforting
Will as soon push you right back again
Will quickly hurt or betray you
The arms that caress you
Those who show affection and support
Will fill you full of pain
May ultimately cause suffering or harm
And that's why, why I gotta love someone
This is why I must find someone to love despite the risk and uncertainty
Deep down in my heart I gotta be free to let my soul grow
I need to have the freedom to develop and express myself authentically
And then tomorrow can be full of laughter and sunshine
Positive experiences can still come in the future
The way behind you may seem very long but far away
The path you've already traveled may feel distant and lengthy
And you may search this whole wide world longing for beauty
You could seek out beauty all over the world
But never listen, never listen what men say
Don't be swayed by others' opinions or beliefs
You've got to be just what you are
You must be true to yourself and not pretend to be someone else
Or you will never understand
Otherwise, you won't fully comprehend life's meaning and purpose
I'll never be a fool again
I won't make the same mistakes or be naive again
I'm gonna try to reach in my mind
I'm going to attempt to explore my inner thoughts and emotions
I'm gonna look for the way
I'll search for the path that's right for me
I'm gonna try and I'll breathe again
I'll strive to move on and live again
Looking out the way
Scanning the horizon for direction
Try to make the day shine
Attempt to bring positivity to the present moment
I realise that nothing's gonna get you down
I understand that nothing will defeat me or bring me down
Nothing you owned
Not even the things you possess or acquired
Nothing you wanted
Not the things you desired or aimed for
And nothing you've had is gonna make you high
Nothing you've experienced will give you a sense of euphoria or fulfillment
Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@madcyril4135
From north wales
I’m 66 now and saw kingdom come at our local college
In 1972!
The album they played was journey, blew me away.
Bought the other two soon after, you listen to other stuff
overs the decades your taste changes but always liked Arthur.
I bought them again earl 90s never really played them.
Doing a spot of decorating today dug out the zoo dossier
Fantastic forgot how good they were!
I think journey is the best!
Only my opinion, never got the credit they deserved
Hell of a band!
@madcyril4135
Saw saw k.c. At my local college north wales in 1972.
I was 14 blew me away journey was the album they toured with.
I bought the other two albums after that.
If you look at the documentary Glastonbury Fair Arthur is performing
With this lineup and does some dossier material.
They never got the credit they deserved!
Good to know there are still some people with good taste!
They were a hell of a band though!
Take care.
@madcyril4135
@@ianmcdonald1066
Saw k.c. At my local college in north wales 1972 I was 14
my second gig!
The played the journey album blew me away!
Bought the other two k.c. Albums after.
I think journey is the best only my opinion.
Check out the documentary Glastonbury Fair.
And he does some zoo material with this lineup!
They never got the credit they deserved.
@madcyril4135
@@macronencer
I hear you, missed a few festivals and gigs for being too young!
I was 15 and attending a building education course at my local
College and I remembered FIRE! From a few years before.
What a gig!
Came on stage with a traffic light on his head!
Same lineup but no drummer, Arthur was playing
Keyboard drums.
Ace Bentley drum machine apparently.
Can’t remember if it was Atomic Rooster or
kingdom Come was my first gig.
I’ve seen em all over the decades living a stone throw from
Liverpool and Manchester, but K.C. Were brilliant!
I still play those K.C. albums.
Take care.
@munira365
The sunrise on the killing
Has left me in the way
I'm looking round to find the light
Won't you let me see the day
Anywhere a man turns he can't help but see
Waves of destruction and insanity
Deep down my soul raises a plea
Oh Lord, bring it back to me
The finger that will beckon
Will as soon push you right back again
The arms that caress you
Will fill you full of pain
And that's why, why I gotta love someone
Deep down in my heart I gotta be free to let my soul grow
And then tomorrow can be full of laughter and sunshine
The way behind you may seem very long but far away
And you may search this whole wide world longing for beauty
But never listen, never listen what men say
You've got to be just what you are
Or you will never understand
I'll never be a fool again
I'm gonna try to reach in my mind
I'm gonna look for the way
I'm gonna try and I'll breathe again
Looking out the way
Try to make the day shine
I realise that nothing's gonna get you down
Nothing you owned
Nothing you wanted
And nothing you've had is gonna make you high
@madcyril4135
From sunny north wales!
This or FIRE! By ARTHUR of course!
I’m 66 so havnt got long to go!
Saw these at my local college in 71!
Doing a bit of decorating dug this out, and the
other two kingdom come albums BLEW ME AWAY!
forgot how good they were!
Dalby! Brilliant!
Will listen to the others tonight!
With a good bottle of Red wine!
They never got the praise they
deserved.
Look at the Glastonbury Fair footage documentary
They do material from dossier.
Take care our numbers are low!
@user-ww3bs7qd6q
Probably the best song ever made..... ever.
@robertrumbelow5977
Bought this album while still at school. I was 11 in 71 so maybe a bit to young but when 14 in 74 I heard it while visiting a class mate and his elder brother played it and I went straight out and bought it and am still listening at 64 of age. Truly timeless. God bless ya Arthur.
@madcyril4135
From north wales
I’m 66 now and saw kingdom come at our local college
In 1972!
The album they played was journey, blew me away.
Bought the other two soon after, you listen to other stuff
overs the decades your taste changes but always liked Arthur.
I bought them again earl 90s never really played them.
Doing a spot of decorating today dug out the zoo dossier
Fantastic forgot how good they were!
I think journey is the best!
Only my opinion, never got the credit they deserved
Hell of a band!
@emperor105
Oh dear Arthur, this is such a beautiful song, it’s cause me tears and goosebumps, so mysterious, so beautiful, it’s the real Arthur, the spiritual Arthur, am 71 of age but this song and it’s music is beyond any age!
@carlitofalcon9181
Mr. Brown Teamed with. KINGDOM COME TO CREATE ONE OF THE FINEST GROUP OF MUSICIAN'S TO GRACE OUR PRESENCE ! Tomorrow can be Full of Laughter and Sunshine .
Thank You to Arthur Brown and the Member's of KINGDOM CONE for the Finest Ear and Brain Candy !!! ♦️
@jacquikowalewsky7691
Bought this album when it came out, loved it then - love it now. Have only ever met one person in the intervening years that also bought it. Crying shame.
@madcyril4135
Saw saw k.c. At my local college north wales in 1972.
I was 14 blew me away journey was the album they toured with.
I bought the other two albums after that.
If you look at the documentary Glastonbury Fair Arthur is performing
With this lineup and does some dossier material.
They never got the credit they deserved!
Good to know there are still some people with good taste!
They were a hell of a band though!
Take care.
@musicairplanes4884
This entire album was many years ahead of its time.
@jereviitanen6883
Decades I'd say
@ianmcdonald1066
I agree, A vastly underrated album A masterpiece of progressive rock.I have been playing this album for 50 years and it still gives me goosebumps. Check out Kingdom Comes Journey,another album ahead of its Time.
Thank you Arthur Brown. A legend !!