Breaking The Law: British Steel Album Classic

Breaking the Law is a song by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was originally released on their 1980 album British Steel. The song is one of the band's most well-known singles and is recognised by its opening guitar riff. The song is about someone who is tired of everything that comes with an ordinary life and decides to take a chance and start breaking the law. It has been played live almost constantly since its release and has become a staple at many of Judas Priest's performances.

The song's music video

The music video for "Breaking the Law" was directed by Julien Temple and features the band members of Judas Priest as bank robbers. The video begins with vocalist Rob Halford riding in the back of an open-top Cadillac on the A406 North Circular in North London, singing the first verse. The car eventually arrives at an unnamed bank near Oxford Street, where Halford meets up with the rest of the band, who are dressed as priests carrying guitar cases.

As the chorus of "Breaking the Law" begins, the two men remove their disguises, revealing themselves to be guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton. They are joined by bassist Ian Hill and drummer Dave Holland, and together they use their instruments to incapacitate the people inside the bank. Meanwhile, a security guard, who had been sleeping, is awoken by the loud music and watches in amazement on the CCTV screens.

The band then proceeds to break into the safe, with Halford displaying extraordinary strength in pulling apart the iron bars. From the safe, Halford takes a golden record award for the "British Steel" album. The band then gets back into the car with the gold record and drives away while the chorus of the song plays. The video concludes with the full band driving along the A406, repeating the chorus until the song's end.

The "Breaking the Law" music video has become a cult classic and showcases the band's performance and creative use of props, such as the Cadillac and the guitar cases. It also reflects the song's themes of rebellion and breaking free from the boredom of ordinary life.

The song's lyrics

"Breaking the Law" is a song by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was released on their 1980 album "British Steel". The song is one of the band's better-known singles and is recognised by its opening guitar riff.

The lyrics tell the story of someone who is tired of everything that comes with an ordinary life and has become bored. This frustration leads the person to take a chance and start breaking the law. The song's writer, lead singer Rob Halford, has stated that he included some social commentary in the lyrics. In an interview, he said:

> "A lot of bad stuff was going on. The heavy industry and the car makers in the Midlands and around the country were struggling, and there was already talk of factory closures. Unemployment was shooting up. Worst of all, millions of young people had no hope and felt they were being ignored. Writing the lyrics for 'Breaking the Law,' I tried to put myself in the mind of a jobless young bloke at his wits' end."

The song has a simple structure, with the chorus consisting of the repeated phrase "breaking the law". This, along with the song's iconic riff, has contributed to its enduring popularity and status as one of the most famous hard rock/heavy metal songs ever.

The song's creation

"Breaking the Law" is a song by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was released on their 1980 album British Steel. The song is one of the band's most well-known singles and is recognised by its opening guitar riff.

The song was written by lead singer Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing. The lyrics were penned by Halford, who injected some social commentary into the song. At the time, Margaret Thatcher had recently become the British Prime Minister, and Halford was unhappy with her policies. He wrote in his autobiography, "Confess", that "A lot of bad stuff was going on... The heavy industry and the car makers in the Midlands and around the country were struggling, and there was already talk of factory closures. Unemployment was shooting up. Worst of all, millions of young people had no hope and felt they were being ignored."

The song was composed at Tittenhurst Park, the former home of Ringo Starr, and previously owned by John Lennon. The band and producer Tom Allom made use of various on-site props during the recording sessions, including smashing milk bottles against the wall to create a breaking glass sound effect, and using a billiard cue as a scythe. The police siren sound effect in the song was created by guitarist K.K. Downing using the tremolo arm on his Stratocaster.

The song combines a recognisable minor-key opening riff and a rhythmic chorus. There is a change-up on the mostly instrumental bridge, with a new chord progression and Halford shouting, "You don't know what it's like!" before the sound effect of a police car's siren leads back into the main riff. The song has since evolved, with live performances featuring a short guitar solo by K.K. Downing over the bridge.

"Breaking the Law" has been a staple at Judas Priest's live performances since its release. The band has expressed a desire to try touring without some of their classic songs, including "Breaking the Law". However, the song remains a crowd favourite and is often performed with theatrics, such as the band playing guitars over each other's shoulders.

The song's live performances

"Breaking the Law" has been performed live by Judas Priest almost constantly since its release in 1980. The song has evolved over time, with the band experimenting with different tempos and arrangements. For example, on the Angel of Retribution tour, the band played the opening riff with each member picking for the next in sequence before quickly spreading out to their usual positions on stage for the verse.

The live performances of "Breaking the Law" also feature a short guitar solo by K.K. Downing over the bridge, which was not present in the original recording. Since Downing's departure, his replacement Richie Faulkner has composed a new solo for this section.

In recent years, the band has expressed a desire to try touring without some of their classic songs, including "Breaking the Law". However, it remains a staple at their most famous performances, and the song's performance version has changed over time.

The song's impact on popular culture

"Breaking the Law" by Judas Priest, released on their 1980 album "British Steel", has left an indelible mark on popular culture. The song, with its instantly recognisable opening guitar riff, has become one of the most famous hard rock/heavy metal songs ever. It has been ranked #40 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs list and was named the 12th greatest hard rock song of all time by the same channel in 2009.

The song's impact can be seen in its numerous appearances across television, film, and video games. It was featured in an episode of the MTV show "Beavis and Butthead" in the 1990s, where the titular characters sing the song while doing something illegal. "Breaking the Law" has also made its way into movies like "Scarface: The World Is Yours" and popular television shows like "The Simpsons". In one episode, an overzealous FBI director in charge of anti-piracy goes after Homer Simpson for illegally downloading films, and Judas Priest themselves perform a spoof version of the song to lure him out of hiding.

The song has also been used in commercials, such as a State Farm advert where American football star Aaron Rodgers cruises around with his agents. The song's lyrics and theme have also been interpreted as a reflection of the social and political climate in Britain during the time of its release, with lead singer Rob Halford expressing his dissatisfaction with Margaret Thatcher's policies and their impact on the youth.

The popularity of "Breaking the Law" has also led to numerous covers by various artists, including Hammerfall, Pansy Division, Doro Pesch, Therapy?, Mavericks, and Hayseed Dixie. Its enduring appeal and influence in popular culture demonstrate its status as a hard rock and heavy metal classic.

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