In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Faster than a bullet
Terrifying scream
Enraged and full of anger
He is half man and half machine
Rides the metal monster
Breathing smoke and fire
Closing in with vengeance soaring high
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Planets devastated
Mankind's on its knees
A savior comes from out the skies
In answer to their pleas
Through boiling clouds of thunder
Blasting bolts of steel
Evils going under deadly wheels
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Faster then a laser bullet
Louder than an atom bomb
Chromium plated boiling metal
Brighter than a thousand suns
Flying high on rapture
Stronger free and brave
Nevermore encaptured
They've been brought back from the grave
With mankind resurrected
Forever to survive
Returns from Armageddon to the skies
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Wings of steel Painkiller
Deadly wheels Painkiller
Ah
He is the Painkiller (killer)
This is the Painkiller (killer)
He is the Painkiller (killer)
This is the Painkiller (killer)
Pain, pain, killer, killer
Pain, pain, killer, killer
Can't stop the Painkiller
Pain (pain)
Terrifying scream
Enraged and full of anger
He is half man and half machine
Rides the metal monster
Breathing smoke and fire
Closing in with vengeance soaring high
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Planets devastated
Mankind's on its knees
A savior comes from out the skies
In answer to their pleas
Through boiling clouds of thunder
Blasting bolts of steel
Evils going under deadly wheels
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Faster then a laser bullet
Louder than an atom bomb
Chromium plated boiling metal
Brighter than a thousand suns
Flying high on rapture
Stronger free and brave
Nevermore encaptured
They've been brought back from the grave
With mankind resurrected
Forever to survive
Returns from Armageddon to the skies
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Wings of steel Painkiller
Deadly wheels Painkiller
Ah
He is the Painkiller (killer)
This is the Painkiller (killer)
He is the Painkiller (killer)
This is the Painkiller (killer)
Pain, pain, killer, killer
Pain, pain, killer, killer
Can't stop the Painkiller
Pain (pain)
Lyrics submitted by Idan, edited by sokorny, jason13539, TKProdoctions
Painkiller Lyrics as written by Kenneth Downing Glenn Raymond Tipton
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is the best song in the history of metal, this is the essence of metal.
I believe this song is about "The Second Coming"...basically, imagining that Jesus/Mohammed/whoever returns to Earth in a totally unexpected guise, to kick arse and smite evil :o)
Maitryuai is the one who's coming. fuck muhammed he was long since gone. 500bc that is. you're in the AD era and that's the age of Buddha Maitrya; the final one
oops. i meant Maitreya. stupid spelling mistakes
Sir, you are so misinformed that you say that Muhammad lived in 500 B.C. I don't endorse him but he lived in the late 500's and early 600's A.D. And if you are going by which one was the most recent, Buddhism arose around 500 B.C.
@JabbaHutt444 <br /> <br /> Muslims also believe the second coming of Jesus, where he is going to lead the armies of the righteous along with the Mahdi. Mohammad has nothing to do with it, he's considered to be a lesser prophet on the cosmic scale, he's just more important in practice due to being the seal of the prophets who gave the complete gospel.
Song meaning? Halford is the painkiller, coming back to save metal and the band. They've never been a band for false shyness.
I'd have to agree with swedxsimon, the latter half of the eighties metal really sucked, even Priest put out their worst albums at that time ( Turbo and Ram it Down) Metal needed a resurrection of sorts and Priest had to redeem themselves as well. And what better lyrical metaphor to use then the second coming of Christ. No other anticipated event in history brings as much awe or contempt at the same time. absolutely an awesome song. metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php
Excellent song to rock out to, and some excellent soling as well! Possibly about the apocalypse, judgement day or Jesus' return, but with a very dark twist. The song structure is very similar to (If not copied from) the opening track of Stained Class, "Exciter".
Great song, i reckon that, like a lot of priest songs (like exciter), its a metaphor for heavy metal, the earth is fucked up... here comes metal to save us all
This Metal Avenging Angel is pictured on both the album "Painkiller" and there best of "Metal Works". Halford sung a lot of lyrics referring to a Metal Creature or sometimes referred to as a Metal God. This song has some of the most insane vocals and duel guitar work ever performed by Judas Priest. -Kevin82abn
Best metal song ever. Sheer perfection.
Maiden ain't got nothing on this.
do u say iron maiden dont have better song than painkiller?! hahaha u make everyone laugh
I don't know what the hell it means, but it's one of the best songs to rock out to ;)
is it true that you come up with great songs when you're on dope?
No. generally, you come up with really weird shit. You start getting inspired by your footwear and stuff.
actually, i only come up with really nice sounding riffs on my guitar if im stoned
hey, what dope are you taking? If that can inspire such good songs, I'd like to take some of that stuff
Ah classic- The guitars are great. Judas priest is the kind of band that only the real faggots hate. You can like not listen it or prefer something else but if you hate it than you have a taste of music as good as the mop that school janitor uses to clean toilets. Classic metal bands should be relized to be the reason of the new ones. The songs is propably about the second coming..only with a motorcycle..
i hate Judas Priest...i think pain killer is shit..only good is guitar solo...my fav band are the beatles...does that mean i have bad taste?! face it judas priest is 1 song band thats all and that song is not even good(painkiller)