Curse of the Pharaohs
Mercyful Fate Lyrics
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Where the mummified Pharaohs
Pretend dead in their sleep
Don't touch, never ever steal
Unless you're in for the kill
Or you'll be hit by the curse of the Pharaohs
Yes you'll be hit and the curse is on you
Now if you breaking the seals
And disturbing the peace
Then you're startin' up a curse
Bringin' evil disease
Don't touch, never ever steal
Unless you're in for the kill
Or you'll be hit by the curse of the Pharaohs
Yes you'll be hit and the curse is on you
The curse of the pharaohs can be so deadly
Or just destroying your future
Makin' it all shady
Don't touch, never ever steal
Unless you're in for the kill
Or you'll be hit by the curse of the Pharaohs
Yes you'll be hit and the curse is on you
The lyrics of Mercyful Fate's "Curse of the Pharaohs" describe the consequences of disturbing the tombs of the Pharaohs in Egypt's Valley of Kings. The band warns the listener that they should not touch or steal anything unless they are prepared to face the cursed consequences. The curse can be so powerful that it can cause deadly diseases and destroy one's future.
The tone of the song is ominous and the lyrics are descriptive of a warning. The Pharaohs are personified as those who pretend dead in their sleep, but rise and demand vengeance on those who invade their tombs. The chorus reinforces the message of the song with the repetition of "Don't touch, never ever steal unless you're in for the kill, or you'll be hit by the curse of the Pharaohs, yes you'll be hit and the curse is on you."
The song draws its inspiration from rumors about the curse of the Pharaohs, which believed that any person who dares to disturb their tombs would face deadly curses. The song displays the influence of the supernatural and the power of the curse to cause physical and psychological harm.
Line by Line Meaning
Away out in Egypt in the Valley of Kings
The song is taking place in the Valley of Kings, which is in Egypt.
Where the mummified Pharaohs
The Valley of Kings is where many Pharaohs were buried.
Pretend dead in their sleep
The Pharaohs are not actually sleeping, but rather are dead and mummified.
Don't touch, never ever steal
It is important to not disturb or take anything from the tombs.
Unless you're in for the kill
If you dare to take or disturb something, you must be willing to face the consequences.
Or you'll be hit by the curse of the Pharaohs
Anybody who disturbs the tombs will be cursed.
Yes you'll be hit and the curse is on you
The curse is real and it will affect the person who disturbs the tombs.
Now if you breaking the seals
If you tamper with the seal on the tombs, something bad will happen.
And disturbing the peace
The tombs are meant to be left alone and not disturbed.
Then you're startin' up a curse
Any attempt to disturb the tombs will result in the curse being activated.
Bringin' evil disease
The curse can cause all sorts of negative effects, including disease.
The curse of the pharaohs can be so deadly
The curse is not to be taken lightly, as it can be fatal.
Or just destroying your future
Even if the curse doesn't kill you, it can still ruin your life.
Makin' it all shady
The curse can bring darkness and uncertainty to one's life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Rene Krolmark, Kim Bendix Petersen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
on A Dangerous Meeting
Hi Chris, There were 2 interviews in particular which suggested this. (Unfortunately both the references below have since been taken down so the links below are broken)
Firstly in an interview with Loudwire, King Diamond discussed the inspiration behind "A Dangerous Meeting" and stated, "It's a song about a meeting that happened in Denmark, where I'm from, with some people who were into the darker side of things. They had a lot of things with them that I didn't want to have anything to do with. They had skulls, and there was a snake there, and all kinds of stuff that really freaked me out."
Loudwire - "King Diamond Talks Paranormal, Mysterious Fires + New Album 'The Institute'" (February 6, 2020)
https://loudwire.com/king-diamond-the-institute-album-interview/
Secondly in an interview with Metal Hammer, King Diamond stated that the lyrics to "A Dangerous Meeting" were based on his personal experiences, saying, "I have seen things that are unexplainable, and there's no way that science can prove some of the things that I have seen. It's just unexplainable. It's a very, very small percentage of the population that gets to see these things, and it's been with me since I was a child."
Metal Hammer - "King Diamond: The Real Story Behind 'Abigail'" (October 24, 2017)
https://www.loudersound.com/features/king-diamond-the-real-story-behind-abigail
Let me know if I've misunderstood what you've said or if you still think the above information is misleading.
Chris
on A Dangerous Meeting
I'd like to request a fact check on the above information.
"The lyrics to "A Dangerous Meeting" are based on King Diamond's experiences with the occult and paranormal."
King Diamond has actually said that the songs he wrote for Mercyful Fate are myths and legends, and that if anything the stuff he's written is more based on folktales and myths and that King Diamond the band is more based on personal experiences with the occult (though there are exceptions like Nightmare)