Breaking the Law

"Breaking the Law"
Song

"Breaking the Law" is a Judas Priest song featured on their 1980 album British Steel.

Video

Rob Halford is sitting in the back of a Cadillac with the roof down singing the song and it seems that no one is driving it. Then he meets his other band members at a bank and they burst inside pointing at the camera at this point singing the chorus "Breaking the law". They intend to rob the bank and torment the customers and staff by their loud electric guitars and bashing drums, with one scene of an old man who wears glasses and they break due to the decibels. The Security guard however was sleeping but then woke up afterwards because of the robbery. Halford then opens the safe (Note that no tools are used - it is the power of their rock that breaks the metal safe) and reveals that he was looking for (ironically) the Gold Record Award for British Steel. The Security Guard is just smiling. They soon leave the bank with the gold record, get back into the car and drive off at which point Halford gives the camera the finger. And as the Security Guard sees a Rock Concert performance on his Security TV, he takes out his "Fake Guitar" and pretends to play the rock song just enjoying himself. Then the car drives by and the video ends with all five band members singing the chorus until the song is finished.

Performances

Since British Steel was released, Breaking the Law has been a popular staple at some of Judas Priest's most famous performances, most notably in the "Vh1 Rock Honors". The performance version of the song has evolved since 1980: at first, the band would play it the original way it was made. As time progressed, you can see that when the riff is played [and even when the song starts in recent performances], the band lines up from Halford to Downing to Tipton and to Hill as Halford hits the string and Downing does the fingering. Also, before the song ends [the final time the riff is played], Halford, Tipton and Downing line up side to side and move from side to side to the tune of the music. Even how the song was played as changed: originally, the song was played according to the music video and original performance, but, soon, the song got slightly faster and a solo in between the second chorus and the final riff.

Critical reaction

The song Made VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs making the list at 40 .

Trivia

• The song's chorus was frequently sung by the characters Beavis and Butt-head whenever they did anything (knowingly) illegal.
• It was also parodied on Beavis and Butthead as "Washing the Dog"
• The song was used in Scarface: The World Is Yours.
• On the Mighty Boosh episode Electro, a folk version of the song is played in the closing credits

Covers

Artists who have covered this song include:

• Anal Cunt (on Another EP)
• Therapy? (on the single Nowhere, 1994)
• XnmE (on Metal Madness 1980-1989)
• Kristallnacht
• Unleashed (on Across The Open Sea)
• Doro (on Classic Diamonds)
• The Cooters (on Invasion Of The Cooters)
• Ensiferum
• Hammerfall - All of the band members switched instruments for this version, and Oscar Dronjak, who sang, dressed in a manner similar to Rob Halford's iconic biker gear look.
• Los Mox
• Barcode
• Ghouls Black Death