Raw Deal Lyrics
All eyes hit me as I walked into the bar
The spikey leather guys were foolin with the denim dudes
A couple cards played rough stuff, New York, Fire Island
I snapped the smile off his face and snarled "Give me a bourbon"
The mirror on the wall was collecting and reflecting
All the heavy bodies ducking, stealing eager for some action
The scene screwed me up, I saw some contact
Then there he was, saw me and knew that
Statues alive, seconds are hours
I was barely holding on to this fine body symphony
I guess I dream in pictures, not colors
The true free expression I demand is human rights - right?
I'm going, no loss
I'm going, no loss
I'm going, no loss
Deal
It's about gay bars. I feel gayer for even having read these lyrics.
If you feel even gayer, must mean you're gay to begin with.
Not a bad song, an odd one for Priest. It almost doesn't even sound like Judas Priest.
My friend...this is quintessential Priest. The entire album (I am dating myself) Sin After Sin, is Priest's best. Period. Priest's first 9 albums (including Unleashed In the East) are masterful. I do like Retribution and some songs (some) from the other albums. But, if you want Priest at it's very best, Sin After Sin is the ticket.
My friend...this is quintessential Priest. The entire album (I am dating myself) Sin After Sin, is Priest's best. Period. Priest's first 9 albums (including Unleashed In the East) are masterful. I do like Retribution and some songs (some) from the other albums. But, if you want Priest at it's very best, Sin After Sin is the ticket.
Pure Priest Attitude, this is an old one, but shows why Halford and crew were known as "Metal gods" Chain Noose is right Halford did say it has a Homosexual meaning; however, those are not my memories of Judas Priest. they always will be my favorite metal band!! -Kevin82abn
Rob Halford has stated in interviews that he's been gay his whole life.I always thought he turned gay after a relationship with woman went sour because of all the misogony in their early songs like Cheater and Victim Of Changes.I wouldn't expect him to admit that if it's true.These lyrics really are homo erotic though.What's so wild is that Rob was thrusting it right down our throats(bad choice of words,lol.) and none of us got it.Damn were we blind.I was only 13 when I first heard this song and had no idea what he was singing about.I thought Fire Island was a drink.I realized what it was about years later,but even that wasn't until he admitted he was gay.It doesn't matter to me,listen to the guitar work in this song.Sin After Sin is one of their best damn albums,and Judas Priest influenced three generations of metal bands so Rob can be gay all he wants,just keep the metal coming and make it heavy.
I would agree with you except for one small detail: Al Atkins, their original singer, wrote Victim of Changes, not Halford.
I would agree with you except for one small detail: Al Atkins, their original singer, wrote Victim of Changes, not Halford.
I've been a fan for a very long time and I can tell you for certain the conversation about the likelihood of Rob being gay is one been going on for at least 30 years. It wasn't a surprise to anyone who was more than a part-time fan that Rob came out. That whole idea that it was an utter shock to their fans, is dead wrong. We've always known.
I've been a fan for a very long time and I can tell you for certain the conversation about the likelihood of Rob being gay is one been going on for at least 30 years. It wasn't a surprise to anyone who was more than a part-time fan that Rob came out. That whole idea that it was an utter shock to their fans, is dead wrong. We've always known.
Priest's best album, to me...Sin After Sin. The first 9 are their greatest. You can take the rest (although I found Angel of Retribution to be pretty decent).
Some of these lyrics are probably wrong. I just saw Halford talking about this song in a very recent interview on Youtube where he mentioned the line being sung during the fast part as "love knoweth no laws". Makes a lot more sense than "I'm going no loss".
And, obviously, he explained that the song is indeed about visiting a gay bar on Fire Island. Something he hadn't even done at the time of writing this, so this song was him fantasising about the experience.
With lyrics like these, I've never understood how it wasn't widely known that Rob Halford was gay before he came out in 1998. He's an absolute legend.
the lyrics evoke a sense of intensity and emotional depth, inviting interpretation and reflection on the human experience. snake game
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