Lecture 5: Devils and Daemons in Rock and Heavy Metal

1
Lecture 5 Devils and Daemons in Rock and Heavy
Metal

• Vesa Matteo Piludu
• Helsinki

Department of Comparative Religion University of
Helsinki
2
Iron Maiden The number of the beast, 1982

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vLSPirTVKm9Ufeature
  related
• Woe to You Oh Earth and Seafor the Devil sends
  the beast with wrathbecause he knows the time is
  shortLet him who hath understandingreckon the
  number of the beastfor it is a human numberits
  number is six hundred and sixty six
• I lived alone my mind was blankI needed time to
  think to get the memories from my mind
• What did I see? Could I believe? That what I
  sawthat night was real and not just fantasy
• Just what I saw in my old dreams were
  theyreflections of my warped mind staring back
  at me?

3
The number of the beast, 1982

• 'Cause in my dreams it's always there
• the evil face that twists my mind and
  brings me to despair - Yeah!Night was black
  was no use holding back'Cause I just had to see
  was someone watching me
• In the mist dark figures move and twistwas all
  this for real or just some kind of hell
• 6-6-6 the Number of the BeastHell and fire was
  spawned to be released
• Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised
  as they start to cry hands held to the sky In
  the night the fires burning bright the ritual
  has begun Satan's work is done

4
The number of the beast, 1982

• 666 the Number of the Beast Sacrifice is going
  on tonight This can't go on I must inform the
  law Can this still be real or some crazy dream
  but I feel drawn towards the evil chanting
  hordes they seem to mesmerize me...can't avoid
  their eyes
• 666 the Number of the Beast 666 the one for you
  and me I'm coming back I will return And I'll
  possess your body and I'll make you burn
• I have the fire I have the force I have the
  power to make my evil take its course

5
The Number of the Beast isnt Satanist

• The texts tells about an inner struggle against
  an evil power
• The theme is quite similar to the Delta blues
  ones
• In the cover of the single, Eddie kills the devil

6
Judas Priest - Metal Gods (1982)

• Weve taken too much for grantedAnd all the time
  it had grownFrom techno seeds we first
  plantedEvolved a mind of its ownMarching in
  the streetsDragging iron feetLaser beaming
  heartsRipping men apart
• Metal godsMetal godsMachines are taking all
  overWith mankind in their commandIn time theyd
  like to discoverHow they can make their demand

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vYeqsR314ergfeature
  related
• Robot Devils?

7
Bruce Sprinsteen YoungtownLP The Gost of Tom
Joad (1995)

• Here in north east OhioBack in
  eighteen-o-threeJames and Danny HeatonFound the
  ore that was linin' yellow creek
• They built a blast furnaceHere along the
  shoreAnd they made the cannon ballsThat helped
  the union win the war
• Here in YoungstownHere in YoungstownMy
  sweet Jenny, I'm sinkin' downHere darlin' in
  Youngstown

• Kept 'em hotter than hellI come home from 'Nam
  worked my way to scarferA job that'd suit the
  devil as well
• Taconite, coke and limestoneFed my children and
  made my payThen smokestacks reachin' like the
  arms of godInto a beautiful sky of soot and clay
• Well my daddy come on the 0hio worksWhen he come
  home from world war twoNow the yards just scrap
  and rubbleHe said, "hem big boys did what Hitler
  couldn't do"These mills they built the tanks and
  bombs

8
Bruce Sprinsteen YoungtownLP The Gost of Tom
Joad 1995

• That won this country's warsWe sent our sons to
  Korea and VietnamNow we're wondering what they
  were dyin' for
• From the Monongaleh valleyTo the Mesabi iron
  rangeTo the coal mines of AppalacchiaThe
  story's always the sameSeven-hundred tons of
  metal a dayNow sir you tell me the world's
  changedOnce I made you rich enoughRich enough
  to forget my name

• When I die I don't want no part of heavenI would
  not do heavens work wellI pray the devil comes
  and takes meTo stand in the fiery furnaces of
  hell
• The lyrics ego want to be punished as Robert
  Johnson in Me and the Devil blues

9
Bruce Springsteen - Devils and Dust 2005

• Well I dreamed of you last nightIn a field of
  blood and stoneThe blood began to dryThe smell
  began to riseWell I dreamed of you last night,
  BobbieIn a field of mud and boneYour blood
  began to dryAnd the smell began to rise()Now
  every woman and every manThey wanna take a
  righteous standFind the love that God willsAnd
  the faith that He commandsI've got my finger on
  the triggerAnd tonight faith just ain't
  enoughWhen I look inside my heartThere's just
  devils and dust

• I got my finger on the triggerBut I don't know
  who to trustWhen I look into your eyesThere's
  just devils and dustWe're a long, long way from
  home, BobbieHome's a long, long way from usI
  feel a dirty wind blowingDevils and dustI got
  God on my sideAnd I'm just trying to
  surviveWhat if what you do to surviveKills the
  things you loveFear's a powerful thing, babyIt
  can turn your heart black you can trustIt'll
  take your God filled soulAnd fill it with devils
  and dust

10
Children Of Bodom - Hellhounds On My TrailLP
Blooddrunk (2008)

• http//www.youtube.com/browse
• Watching the cuntBut before I'm into worriesI
  do better think fast
• Step beyond the legsRisk self destruction (?)
• One more sucker (?)
• Wait againTo the wrong turnTo the right
  directionToo many fucking gonna turnGoing too
  fastWhen you call me outrageousAs a questioner

• No feelings - you destroy me HATEWe're welcome -
  we're on this show END What the hell was
  that?It's a battle nameTied down everything
  long beforeBlaming all the suckersI don't give
  fuckTill they're coming down
• Clear reference to Robert Johnson in the title,
  different lyrics
• Lyrics Meaning ?!?
• It seems that someone is followed by sucker
  killers (or hellhounds)

11
Metallica Loverman (Nick Cave)LP Garage Inc

• There's a devil waiting outside your door(How
  much longer)There's a devil waiting outside your
  doorIt is bucking and braying and pawing at the
  floorAnd he's howling with pain andcrawling up
  the walls
• There's a devil waiting outside your doorHe's
  weak with evil and broken by the worldHe's
  shouting your name and he's asking for
  moreThere's a devil waiting outside your door

• Forever, Amen Till end of time Take off
  thatdress I'm coming down I'm your
  lovermanCause I am what I am what I am what I am
• L is for LOVE, babyO is for ONLY you that I doV
  is for loving VIRTUALLY all that you areE is for
  loving almost EVERYTHING that you doR is for
  RAPE meM is for MURDER meA is for ANSWERING all
  of my prayersN is for KNOWING your loverman's
  going to be the answer to all of yours

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Nick Cave Loverman 1994

• I'll be your loverman!
• I got a masterplanTo take off your dress
• And be your man
• Seize the throne Seize the mantleSeize the
  crown
• Cause I am what I amWhat I am what I am I'm
  your loverman!
• There's a devil lying by your sideYou might
  think he's asleepbut look at his eyesHe wants
  you, baby, to be his brideThere's a devil lying
  by your sideLoverman! Loverman!

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vy1WXVG7h0bM
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vT4Tl18T38P4feature
  related

13
Metallica Loverman (Nick Cave)LP Garage Inc

• Loverman! Till the bitter endWhile empires burn
  down
• Forever and everand ever and ever
• Amen I'm your lovermanSo help me, baby So help
  meCause I am what I am what I am what I amI'll
  be your loverman!
• There's a devil crawling along your floorThere's
  a devil crawling along your floorWith a
  trembling heart, he'scoming through your
  doorWith his straining sex in his jumping paw

• There's a devil crawling along your floorAnd
  he's old and he's stupid andhe's hungry and he's
  soreAnd he's lame and he's blindand he's dirty
  and he's poorGive him more
• ()
• I'll say it againL is for LOVE, babyO is for O
  yes I doV is for VIRTUE, so I ain't gonna hurt
  youE is for EVEN if you want me toR is for
  RENDER unto me, babyM is for that which is
  MINEA is for ANY old how, darlingN is for ANY
  old time

14
Lordi - Devil is A Loser

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vyWGzjcr4aHs
• You wanted power and you begged for fameYou
  wanted everything the easy wayYou wanted gain
  without painNow your bills is in the mailYou
  got stronger but your mind got weakYou made a
  promise you couldn't keepYou had it all - You
  lost moreIt's all there in the feeVia hell
  incorporated (regeneration)1st you love it then
  you hate it (you're such a saint)And now you're
  never gonna make it (bad situation)Get on get on
  downthere's hell to pay 'cause

15
Lordi was accused by Finnish media to be a
terrible and dangerous Satanist
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Hard Rock Faith

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vtITVEcc6HOE
• Hard Rock Hallelujah!Hard Rock Hallelujah!The
  saints are crippledOn this sinners' nightLost
  are the lambs with no guiding lightThe walls
  come down like thunderThe rock's about to roll
• It's the arockalypseNow bare your soul

• All we need is lightningWith power and
  lightStriking down the prophets of FALSE
• As the moon is risingGive us the signNow let us
  rise up in awe
• Rock 'n Roll angels bring than Hard Rock
  Hallelujah
• Demons and angels all in one have arrivedRock 'n
  Roll angels bring than Hard Rock HallelujahIn
  God's creation supernatural highThe true
  believersThou shall be savedBrothers and
  sisters, keep strong in the faithOn the day of
  RockoningIt's who dares, winsYou will see the
  jokers son will be the new kings

17
Lordi - Devil is a Loser

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vyWGzjcr4aHs
• The devil is a loser and he's my bitchFor better
  or for worse and you don't care whichThe devil
  is a loser and he's my bitch()You wanted
  riches and license to killYou got poverty and
  then you got illYou got poor and you lost your
  willAll your dreams unfulfilled()

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According to American TV preacher practically
all the rock stars were or are possessed by the
Devil !!!

• Jim Morrison Possesed by Devils Part 1
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vD99UQfzceiIfeature
  related
• Jim Morrison Possesed by Devils Part 2
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vVq0QGRmOh9Efeature
  related
• Marilyn Manson The Devil
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v_YcSD75PIigfeature
  related
• Elvis The Devil Part 1
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vIGASOYtkNFgfeature
  related
• Led Zeppelin in Reverse 666
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v0ned7yw5j3sfeature
  related
• Hotel California Dangerous Satanic Message
  (???)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vWodaLlkn2cUfeature
  related

19
Devil and Daemons in Popular Musica theory for
a typology

• Blues spirits expelled playing blues music
  (blues)
• Hellhounds who (Johnson, Children of Bodom)
• Devil who punish the singer for his sins
  (Johnson)
• The Devil causes psychological paranoia (blues,
  Iron Maiden, Springsteen)
• The Devil is a passionate lover man (Nick Cave)
• Devils and Angels joins in hard-rock crazy choir
  (Lordi)
• The Devils are the politicians, warlords, weapon
  builders, generals or managers (Rolling Stones,
  Springsteen, Lordi)
• Popular Legend 1 Pact with the devil to learn
  music
• Popular Preachers Legend 2 all the rockers are
  Satanist and they insert secret Satanist
  messages in their songs (retro speech,
  slow-motion or fast-motion)