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Judas Priest - Turbo Lover


Judas Priest - Turbo Lover - Meaning of the song


Motorcycles have been a big part of the Judas Priest iconography since 1979, when lead singer Rob Halford started riding one on stage to make his entrance for "Hell Bent For Leather." In this song, he goes with that theme for the lyric, assuming the role of the Turbo Lover, "wrapped in horsepower, driving into fury." "I just liked the analogy of the motorcycle as a euphemism for love. It's got kind of a sexual undertone to it – which is fine. It's been done many times in rock n' roll: to use a machine, car, or motorcycle. It's just a fun bit of escapism more than anything else."


Glenn Tipton used a synthesizer guitar called a Hamer A7 Phantom that the company sent him. Hooked up to a Roland GR-700 guitar synth, he came up with the unusual sound you hear on the intro. He came up with it when they were writing songs for the album; Rob Halford thought it sounded like a turbo engine revving up, so that became the basis for his lyric. When he developed it into the "Turbo Lover" idea, they decided to name the album Turbo.



Turbo Lover - Lyrics


You won't hear me, but you'll feel me

Without warning, something's dawning, listen

Then within your senses

You'll know you're defenseless

How your heart beats, when you run for cover

You can't retreat, I spy like no other


Then we race together, we can ride forever

Wrapped in horsepower, driving into fury

Changing gear, I pull you tighter to me


I'm your turbo lover

Tell me there's no other

I'm your turbo lover

Better run for cover


We hold each other closer, as we shift to overdrive

And everything goes rushing by, with every nerve alive

We move so fast it seems as though we've taken to the sky

Love machines in harmony, we hear the engines cry


I'm your turbo lover

Tell me there's no other

I'm your turbo lover

Better run for cover


On and on we're charging to the place so many seek

In perfect synchronicity of which so many speak

We feel so close to heaven in this roaring heavy load

And then in sheer abandonment, we shatter and explode


I'm your turbo lover

Tell me there's no other

I'm your turbo lover

Better run for cover


I'm your turbo lover

Tell me there's no other

I'm your turbo lover

Better run for cover



Judas Priest - Turbo Lover - Live


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