There I was completely wasting, out of work and down
All inside it's so frustrating as I drift from town to town
Feel as though nobody cares if I live or die
So I might as well begin to put some action in my life

Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law

So much for the golden future, I can't even start
I've had every promise broken, there's anger in my heart
You don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue
If you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing too

Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law

You don't know what it's like

Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law

Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law


Lyrics submitted by Idan

Breaking The Law Lyrics as written by Kenneth Downing Glenn Raymond Tipton

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Breaking The Law song meanings
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35 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    True it's about breaking the law, but there are more lyrics than simply the chorus and I’ve always felt the song was more personal to the band.

    They're from Sheffield, which at one time was one of, or possibly the largest steel-producing city in Britain hence the name of the album "British Steel" (1980) which this song features on.

    Thatcher’s Tory party came to power in 1979 having gained support by saying that they would increase Britain’s industry and make sure that even with the collapse of its empire post WWII, it would continue to be one of the greatest nations both economically and politically on Earth, the "Golden future" we had all be promised

    However this was not the case Thatcher quickly set about deconstructing Britain’s industries steel, ship building, oil drilling and coal mining were all sold and instead bought in cheaper from over seas. Only gaining a second term in the wake of victory in the Falklands conflict.

    No doubt people who worked in these industries felt cheated like they'd had "Every promise broken" as if no one did care if they did "live or die".

    Obviously with millions out of work, neither trained for new jobs nor offered them, crime rates soured in these once industrial cities hence "Breaking the Law".

    To those who lived in cities which main economies were banking, insurance and the like and had thus not been affected Halford says, "You don't know what this is like" and "[if you found yourself in a similar situation] You'd be doing the same thing too".

    This song may seem relatively straightforward however it's actually a massive protest against Thatcher’s government and the collapse of British industry.

    Powerson October 30, 2005   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    Beavis and Butthead

    Huh huh...Breakin' the Law, Breakin' the law Shakes fists

    Prodigalon April 26, 2002   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Growing up so poor you have to steal to live

    averagejoey2000on January 23, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Hmm, a slight over sight on my part, but the same could be said of Birmingham, factories, industries.

    Basically, industry good, Thatcherism bad.

    Powerson September 19, 2006   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning

    This song is

    1. Epic
    2. Even better live
    3. About someone coming out of school/uni who feels they deserve/have been promised a job and decent success, but can't get any work or anything so turns to Breakin' the law, breakin' the law slide breakin' the law, breakin' the law slide slide etc.
    k33nbl4deon August 15, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    About the comment above me, Judas Priest are from Birmingham not Sheffield, so that basically screws up all of your link with steel, which is pretty much the rest of what you wrote.

    minihatson December 12, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Kill the police state, kill the police state, kill the police state. Well that is hoe I intepret this song.

    fleaaaaaaon November 10, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's about a person who in down and out in life. So he becomes as low to rob since it's better then doing nothng and just waiting to die.

    Why does everbody seem to think every song has to deal with Rob being a queer?

    LordOfLighton March 31, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Classic.

    Lucasmvon December 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    so do i.

    Lusyphuron May 30, 2002   Link

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