‘Breaking the Law’: how Thatcherism inspired Judas Priest’s metal classic
Ask anyone to name one of the most recognisable and popular metal songs in history, and it would be surprising if they didn’t mention a Judas Priest tune at some point. It’s even more surprising if they don’t immediately say ‘Breaking the Law’, which features one of the most instantly recognisable guitar riffs ever made.
It all happened after the band decided on a different approach for British Steel, opting instead to embark on a simpler path and create a sound that appeared far less polished than their earlier material. The album was recorded at Tittenhurst Park, home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and later Ringo Starr, an environment that can be physically heard in ‘Breaking the Law’ with the sounds of glass milk bottles smashing.
Aside from its obvious sonic brilliance, the piece could almost be described as a protest song in the way that it addresses many cultural and social themes of the time. Written in 1980 during the unrelenting throes of Margaret Thatcher’s reign, the song addresses many frustrations sitting immovably at the core of the working class at the time.
“It was a time in the UK when there was a lot of strife-a lot of government strife, the miners were on strike, the car unions were on strike, there were street riots,” Rob Halford told Billboard. “It was a terrible time. That was the incentive for me to write a lyric to try to connect with that feeling that was out there.”
‘Breaking the Law’ may seem like a more overtly accessible tune compared to many of Priest’s other favourites, but that was the point: despite being more commercial, it offered social commentary as a sign of the times and a sort of clarion call for change. Working class oppression was at an all-time high, and Priest saw the need to address some of the nation’s most pressing issues for fear of things getting worse.
Interestingly, the song seemed to materialise out of nowhere, but this likely says more about the band’s subconscious issues with society’s structure at the time than if they intentionally sat down to write some lyrics hitting out at Thatcherism. In order to piece the track together in its entirety, however, Halford forced himself to think like someone who had been immensely hard-done-by due to the system.
As a result, the lyrics come from the point of view of someone who had been wronged. The person holds onto the frustrations of the things that lead them to such despair. “So much for the golden future, I can’t even start,” he sings, “I’ve had every promise broken, there’s anger in my heart.” He also addresses those on the other side of privilege, saying: “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.”
Although he assured us that the song doesn’t promote violence, it was written as an acknowledgement of wider unrest, with the hopes of potentially inciting change. Its message has remained intact throughout the years, becoming much more than just a catchy radio tune—change takes time, but music brings people together.
