Princess Of The Night

Album: Denim And Leather (1981)
Charted: 57
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Any uninitiated metal fan listening to this uptempo track might conjecture that it is a bizarre tribute to a groupie who is well past her sell-by date. In fact, it was inspired by a train.

    In the very first issue of Kerrang!, June 1981, an interview with vocalist Biff Byford and guitarist Paul Quinn, Saxon - The Barnsley Connection, makes this clear. Byford explained it is a song "about a steam train that ends up in the scrap yard."

    Later, that year, in the November issue, he went into more detail: "Some time ago we used to park our van at Barry Island in Glamorgan... There's a huge compound there where they keep all the old steam trains that they don't use anymore. They're just left to rot and I suppose that upset us because they really were magnificent machines. Well you can't beat the days of steam can you?"

    He continued: "Anyway, late at night if I couldn't sleep I would look at those ghostly engines and imagine them painted up and back in their glory. It's my romantic side coming out again." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England
  • Biff Byford had the lyrics written for this song about a year before the band put music to it. When that music came, it came quickly Byford explained in our 2014 interview: "Paul Quinn (Saxon guitarist) came up with a riff and it sort of fit my lyrics. So that song was written very quickly, very quickly indeed. I already had the lyrics and the riff went together so simply, really smooth."

Comments: 2

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcA classic English metal song about a train.
  • What from HellReally. A f--king groupie. Bringing the mail through ice and snow. 90 tons of thunder. You going to tell me people thought this was about a groupie.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.