Painkiller

Album: Painkiller (1990)
Charted: 74
Play Video
  • Faster than a bullet
    Terrifying scream
    Enraged and full of anger
    He is half man and half machine
    Rides the metal monster
    Breathing smoke and fire
    Closing in with vengeance soaring high

    He is the Painkiller
    This is the Painkiller
    Planets devastated
    Mankind's on its knees
    A savior comes from out the skies
    In answer to their pleas

    Through boiling clouds of thunder
    Blasting bolts of steel
    Evils going under deadly wheels
    He is the Painkiller
    This is the Painkiller
    Faster then a laser bullet
    Louder than an atom bomb
    Chromium plated boiling metal
    Brighter than a thousand suns

    Flying high on rapture
    Stronger free and brave
    Nevermore encaptured
    They've been brought back from the grave
    With mankind resurrected
    Forever to survive
    Returns from Armageddon to the skies

    He is the Painkiller
    This is the Painkiller
    Wings of steel Painkiller
    Deadly wheels Painkiller
    Ah

    He is the Painkiller (killer)
    This is the Painkiller (killer)
    He is the Painkiller (killer)
    This is the Painkiller (killer)

    Pain, pain, killer, killer
    Pain, pain, killer, killer

    Can't stop the Painkiller
    Pain (pain) Writer/s: Glenn Raymond Tipton, Kenneth Downing, Rob Halford
    Publisher: REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Round Hill, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcPure ultra heavy Judas Priest heavy metal classic and 1 of the best Judas Priest songs ever recorded.
  • Dave from Murray KyHow could anyone read the lyrics and think it's talking about Satan?!? It's obviously talking about the return of Christ. Except they put him on a motorcycle rather than a horse.
  • Ottobus9880 from Rome, NyThis song is totally about the return of Jesus Christ, and the rapture, and the resurrection of the dead! If you think otherwise, pick up a Bible and read the book of revelation. Like black sabbath, and other bands, not all of their songs were Satanic. They sung about both sides, and used the stuff to make kick ass music! Plain and simple! Another song to look at is Sabbath bloody Sabbath!

    Also, Metallica's creeping death was about the plague that fell on Pharaoh, and the Egyptians when they refused to release the Jewish slaves!
  • Acroyear from Lansing, MichiganHow could this song POSSIBLY be about Satan? The Painkiller is coming to destroy evil and rid the world of pain. How anyone could think that is an allusion to Satan, I don't know. Its easy to see the Painkiller as representing Jesus Christ, given the whole destroying evil and absolving people of their pain, Crayola's interpretations just don't fit. No offense my friend.
  • Luke from Manchester, UkCrayola... When the hell did Satan and Jesus come into this?
  • Cyberpope from Richmond, CanadaThe Painkiller character is a similar trope to Black Sabbath's Ironman -- both came to recue the world from evil, but Ironman got messed up en-route. . .
  • Crayola from Knoxville, TnI see three interpretations of this song. First: Some people think if they give their souls to the devil, the pain in their lives will end because they will have more power and get revenge on the people who have wronged them. The second interpretation could be that the word "Satan" is being used in place of heroin. Heroin is a painkiller, emotionally and physically, and the devil is leading a person to start using heroin, because Satan loves to destroy people's lives. The third interpretation could be that when Jesus comes back, Satan is going to defeat him and destroy the earth, putting everyone out of their pain and misery.
  • Ryan from Anahola, HiThis song is also on Guitar Hero: Van Halen, but part of the intro is cut off for liability reasons.
  • Hayden from Tka, New ZealandAward winning drumming, right there.
  • Jason from Denver, CoI love the opening drum riff to this song. It's like a sped up version of One Little Victory by Rush
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Bass Player Scott Edwards

Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing

Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?