Although their earlier releases contained Satanic themes and imagery, from the third album on, the band's primary subject matter centered around pirates, sailing and other historical events. In 1987, the band released the album Under Jolly Roger, which was a switch to pirate-based and historical themes, creating and influencing the later named pirate metal subgenre of heavy metal in the 2000s in the process. While the historical lyrics were very superficial at first, the lyrics for later albums were intensively researched, by frontman Rolf Kasparek in particular.
After this album, from 1988 to 1992 (for the albums Port Royal, Death or Glory, Blazon Stone and Pile of Skulls), Running Wild mainly wrote historically based lyrics. In addition to lyrics about pirates, the band also addressed subjects like the Wars of the Roses, the Battle of Waterloo, or the colonization of the New World by the Conquistadors.
In April 2009, Kasparek announced that Running Wild had split up. Their intended last show was at Wacken Open Air in July that year. It was recorded for CD and DVD release and appeared as The Final Jolly Roger in 2011. The split would prove temporary as they reunited in 2012. Running Wild played live for the Wacken Open Air festival in 2015. As of 2021, the band have released 17 studio albums, with their most recent being Blood on Blood.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Wild_(band)
Studio albums
Gates to Purgatory (1984)
Branded and Exiled (1985)
Under Jolly Roger (1987)
Port Royal (1988)
Death or Glory (1989)
Blazon Stone (1991)
Pile of Skulls (1992)
Black Hand Inn (1994)
Masquerade (1995)
The Rivalry (1998)
Victory (2000)
The Brotherhood (2002)
Rogues en Vogue (2005)
Shadowmaker (2012)
Resilient (2013)
Rapid Foray (2016)
Blood on Blood (2021)
Live albums
Ready for Boarding (1988)
Death or Glory Tour – Live (1989)
Live (2002)
The Final Jolly Roger (2011)
Compilation albums
The First Years of Piracy (1991)
The Story of Jolly Roger (1998)
The Legendary Tales (2002)
20 Years in History (2003)
Best of Adrian (2006)
Black Demons on Stage (2010)
Greatest Hits (2011)
Riding the Storm: Very Best of the Noise Years 1983-1995 (2016)
Singles and EPs
"Victim of States Power" (1984)
"Bad to the Bone" (1989)
"Wild Animal" (1990)
"Little Big Horn" (1991)
"Lead or Gold" (1992)
"The Privateer" (1994)
"The Rivalry" (1998)
"Revolution" (2000)
"Crossing the Blades" (2019)
Black Hand Inn
Running Wild Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walks the grove, the phantom's home
Cuts down firs where men would flee
Wooden beams and mortar, the timber shack is taking shape
The tavern's baptized "Black Hand Inn"
A blackened hand shines on the plate
Welcome to the tavern in the grove
The tavern has been opened, the owner is Mr John Xenir
A rumor says he has second sight
A chance to prove restrains their fear
Night by night revealing, stares into his crystal-ball
Telling tales of past and future
When man was made and man will fall
Welcome to the tavern in the grove
Where ancient spirits live and rove
The moon is rising high foreboding what the night will bring
The crystal-ball reveals the hidden truth at the "Black Hand Inn"
The priest is getting furious from the "godless" tales he told
Steps right in made a cross
Condemns the seadog and says he's bold
John says "you're a liar! Long ago I was burned by priests
See my black hand, yes I'll reveal
That you're the devil and you're the beast!"
Welcome to the tavern in the grove
Where ancient spirits live and rove
The moon is rising high foreboding what the night will bring
The crystal ball reveals the hidden truth at the "Black Hand Inn"
Welcome to the tavern in the grove
Where ancient spirits live and rove
The moon is rising high foreboding what the night will bring
The crystal ball reveals the hidden truth at the "Black Hand Inn"
Their power's built by lies and flying high on evil's wing
The dark side was exposed by the old seadog at the "Black Hand Inn"
The lyrics to Running Wild's song "Black Hand Inn" depict a mysterious and intriguing tavern deep in the grove, inhabited by ancient spirits and run by a scarred and rakish seadog. The seadog cuts down firs to build the tavern, which he baptizes "Black Hand Inn" - a blackened hand shining on the plate. Rumors abound that the owner of the tavern, Mr. John Xenir, has second sight and can reveal the truth about the past and future. Night by night, John stares into his crystal ball, telling tales of the hidden truth.
However, the peace of the tavern is disrupted by the arrival of a priest who condemns the seadog for spreading "godless" tales. John confronts the priest, revealing that he himself was burned by priests in the past, and exposes the dark side's lies and evil. The ending chorus repeats the idea of the crystal ball revealing secrets, but now it is revealed that the power of evil is built on lies and flying high.
Overall, the lyrics paint an image of a unique and mystical tavern, where secrets are revealed and the truth is brought to light. The theme of exposing the dark side and the power of knowledge and truth is also prevalent.
Line by Line Meaning
A scarred and rakish seadog, mysterious opacity
There is a rough-looking, enigmatic sailor walking around
Walks the grove, the phantom's home
He is wandering through a forest where spirits are said to reside
Cuts down firs where men would flee
He is chopping down trees that people would use to hide from him
Wooden beams and mortar, the timber shack is taking shape
He is constructing a building out of wood and cement
The tavern's baptized "Black Hand Inn"
The name of the establishment is the "Black Hand Inn"
A blackened hand shines on the plate
There is an image of a darkened hand on a dish
Welcome to the tavern in the grove
Where ancient spirits live and rove
You are now entering a bar in a forest where supernatural beings exist
The tavern has been opened, the owner is Mr John Xenir
The bar is now in business with a man named John Xenir owning it
A rumor says he has second sight
A chance to prove restrains their fear
Some people believe he can predict the future but he has yet to demonstrate it
Night by night revealing, stares into his crystal-ball
Telling tales of past and future
Every night he shares stories about the past and future while peering into a magical orb
When man was made and man will fall
The stories he tells can range from the creation of mankind to its eventual demise
The moon is rising high foreboding what the night will bring
The crystal-ball reveals the hidden truth at the "Black Hand Inn"
As the night gets darker, the crystal ball starts to unveil secrets at the bar
The priest is getting furious from the "godless" tales he told
A religious figure is upset by the stories he's been telling as they go against his beliefs
Steps right in made a cross
Condemns the seadog and says he's bold
The priest approaches and makes a cross while rebuking the sailor and calling him brave
John says "you're a liar! Long ago I was burned by priests
See my black hand, yes I'll reveal
That you're the devil and you're the beast!"
John denies the accusation and claims he was previously mistreated by a member of the clergy. He then implies that the priest is a demon
Their power's built by lies and flying high on evil's wing
The dark side was exposed by the old seadog at the "Black Hand Inn"
The people who were previously admired for their supernatural abilities are actually deceitful and corrupted, as revealed by the sailor at the bar
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROLF KASPAREK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Slears
This Album is the peak of the great Running Wild years that startet with Port Royal and ended with The Rivalry
Tracklist
00:00 The Curse
03:12 Black Hand Inn
07:42 Mr. Deadhead
11:43 Soulless (in your face)
16:38 The Privateer
20:59 Fight the Fire of Hate
27:34 The Phantom of Black Hand Hill
33:56 Freewind Rider
39:11 Powder and Iron
44:27 Dragonmen
50:05 Genesis (10 Minuets are missing ?!?!)
Eder Motão
one of the most uderrated band o all time. Running Wild can easily be classified in the same level of quality (or higher) than great names like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Sabbath, Saxon, and Others. For me, Black hand Inn and Pile of Skuls are top 20 or 10 of all time for all band. Thanks for upload this.
Deluxe 10
+Fenris Wolf better than Running Wild? No.
Fenrir Wolf
And Helloween. Metallica? Megadeth is better!.
Slears
This Album is the peak of the great Running Wild years that startet with Port Royal and ended with The Rivalry
Tracklist
00:00 The Curse
03:12 Black Hand Inn
07:42 Mr. Deadhead
11:43 Soulless (in your face)
16:38 The Privateer
20:59 Fight the Fire of Hate
27:34 The Phantom of Black Hand Hill
33:56 Freewind Rider
39:11 Powder and Iron
44:27 Dragonmen
50:05 Genesis (10 Minuets are missing ?!?!)
Васёк Пупкин
Under Jolly Roger was mind blowing
Panos Sch.
Slears you forgot Under jolly roger. And dont understimate the beauty of the "thrash" era of rw's 2 first albums.
killernazis
EXCELENTE ALBUM
Lord Furious
15/12/2021 and this album is still an EPIC MASTERPIECE
Sebastién Spaisaux
I was 14 when it came out - one week later my pocket money was spent - I was soooooo impressed, the artwork, the overall-concept, the DRUMMING (take that Manowar, no drum machines), and most of all: hit after hit after hit. I always listened to the whole album, hardly ever picked single songs - which means: Running Wild won! And listening to it now - they won me again!
Uriah Verne
take that Manowar, no drum machines
LMAO!! Say that to Rolf. Who has been using a drum computer for years until today...