Judas Priest – Before The Dawn

"Before The Dawn" as written by and Glenn Raymond/downing Tipton....
Before the dawn I hear you whisper
In your sleep don't let the morning take him
Outside the birds begin to call
As if to summon up my leaving

It's been a lifetime since I found someone
Since I found someone who would stay
I've waited too long and now you're leaving
Oh please don't take it all away

It's been a lifetime since I found someone
Since I found someone who would stay
I've waited too long and now you're leaving
Oh please don't take it all away

Before the dawn I hear you whisper
In your sleep don't let the morning take him


Lyrics submitted by Idan

"Before the Dawn" as written by Kenneth Downing Glenn Raymond Tipton

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs

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Before The Dawn song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentMy interpretation of the song is that it's about a person dreaming of someone they loved who has died, and the lyrics to the song are from the words of the deceased's spirit.

    "Don't let the morning take him" supports it, because come morning they'll be gone again.

    Feel free to chop it down if you like, but that's what the lyrics mean to me.
    SASRon June 05, 2007   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • +1
    General CommentDon't agree about the "dying" theme. I think it's about two lovers, that are going through a hard story. In the night, one of the lovers fears that the other would leave him, so he's afraid and desperate, because he knows that it would be that way. After the dawn, he eventually realized that he waited too long to try to fix it up and it went all away. It could be also about dying or about dead loved ones, but that's the meaning I feel more near to myself.

    I quote everyone who said that JP are really underrated, when it comes to the lyrics. I think they're absolutely... magical. They're the Judas Priest, theyrselves, that's the best I may pretend from a band.
    Hirowon October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Commentits to late to comment this song. But i hav to ,becoz, this is great change of style of judas priest. Its the theme that looks like a girl is nursing her boyfriend , who is sick or wounded, and doing this she falls in sleep. At the dawn the boy wake up and saw her to whisperring those lines" Don't let the morning take him"
    Outside the birds begin to call
    As if to summon up my leaving

    It's been a lifetime since I found someone
    Since I found someone who would stay
    I've waited too long, and now you're leaving
    Oh please don't take it all away '.

    the song is from the boy's voice. its great

    One_Winged_Angelon September 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI love JP and this is one of my fave songs, Robs voice sounds amazing! Who know what it means-whether it is forbidden love, or the life of being on the road as a touring band-whatever the meaning it is a beautiful song...
    michellew2kon October 04, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General CommentGreat song by one of my all time favorite bands. I think it's about someone dying and the other person is depressed because they finally found someone to love and that loves them back. A very underatted group with their song writting abilities.
    hellfirecanon January 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYeah, this is a brilliant song, really unorthodox too, i've never heard anything that sounds at all like it. Looks like everythings thats to be said bout the meaning has already been said.
    dogboggleron April 29, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is a prime example of Priest's diversity in thier songwriting. The band is SOOO under rated when it comes to the songs and lyrice they write. A beutiful song, and a complete 180 from the rest of the "Hell Bent" album.
    Cowboytrevon March 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYeah, I definetley agree with the two who mentioned this, I think Judas Priest is WAY underrated for their song writing abilities. Their lyrics can be so deep and poetically majestic. i.e. this song, Beyond the Realms of Death, Epitaph, the list goes on.
    jewishpriest91on September 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think its about someone who has watched all night over the body of a loved one before the funeral day and the voice is from the deceased persons spirit. possibly change the spelling of Morning to Mourning. A great song and such a different slant on the Killing machine album.
    millstonemanon April 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is very beautiful, which is kind of odd if you think about it, because this is the same band that released Painkiller and Screaming For Vengeance (although that was quite a flamboyant album in parts)

    I agree that it's about someone dying and being desired by their lover. Wishing they wouldn't have to leave.
    havana4saleon August 06, 2008   Link

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