Judas Priest - Breaking The Law

Judas Priest - Breaking The Law - meaning of the song

"Breaking the Law" is a song by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, originally released on their 1980 album British Steel. The song is one of the band's better known singles, and is readily recognized by its opening guitar riff.

Judas Priest had been making strides toward reducing their music into a simpler, less processed sound prior to the release of British Steel in 1980. On British Steel, this strategy was fully realized. The main hooks of "Breaking the Law" include a recognizable minor-key opening riff and a rhythmic chorus. The primarily instrumental bridge has a change-up, with a new chord progression and Halford screaming "You don't know what it's like!" before the sound effect of a police car's siren leads back into the main riff. More recent live performances of the song have featured a short solo by Downing over the bridge. The outro of the song is the main riff played repeatedly with Halford singing the chorus and Downing playing power chords.

Breaking the law - Lyrics

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

Judas Priest - Breaking The Law - Live