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
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
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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.
Huh huh...Breakin' the Law, Breakin' the law *Shakes fists*
Look up the British Steel Classic Albums vid on youtube. Rob talks about what the song is about there.
Basically, industry good, Thatcherism bad.
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.
Why does everbody seem to think every song has to deal with Rob being a queer?