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"Breaking the Law" is a song by British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 heavy metal
Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified Distortion , extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall...
 band
Rock Band

Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV, and distributed by Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band....
 Judas Priest
Judas Priest

Judas Priest is an England Heavy metal music band formed in 1969 in Birmingham. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of bass player Ian Hill, vocalist Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K....
, originally released on their 1979 album British Steel
British Steel (album)

British Steel is the sixth album by Judas Priest, released on April 14 1980 . The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added....
. The song is one of the band's better known singles, and is recognised by its opening guitar riff.

list Rob Halford
Rob Halford

Robert John Arthur Halford is an England singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal music band Judas Priest. Halford has almost a four octave vocal range, from D2-B5....
 is sitting in the back of a Cadillac
Cadillac

Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, mainly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico....
 with the roof down singing the song and it seems that no one is driving it. Then he meets with two men dressed all in black and carrying guitar cases at a bank and they burst inside, at which point the two men remove their disguises and are revealed to be guitarist
Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres....
s K.K.






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"Breaking the Law" is a song by British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 heavy metal
Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified Distortion , extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall...
 band
Rock Band

Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV, and distributed by Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band....
 Judas Priest
Judas Priest

Judas Priest is an England Heavy metal music band formed in 1969 in Birmingham. Judas Priest's core line-up consists of bass player Ian Hill, vocalist Rob Halford and guitarists Glenn Tipton and K....
, originally released on their 1979 album British Steel
British Steel (album)

British Steel is the sixth album by Judas Priest, released on April 14 1980 . The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added....
. The song is one of the band's better known singles, and is recognised by its opening guitar riff.

Video

Vocalist Rob Halford
Rob Halford

Robert John Arthur Halford is an England singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal music band Judas Priest. Halford has almost a four octave vocal range, from D2-B5....
 is sitting in the back of a Cadillac
Cadillac

Cadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, mainly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico....
 with the roof down singing the song and it seems that no one is driving it. Then he meets with two men dressed all in black and carrying guitar cases at a bank and they burst inside, at which point the two men remove their disguises and are revealed to be guitarist
Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres....
s K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton
Glenn Tipton

Glenn Raymond Tipton is one of the guitarists for the British heavy metal music band Judas Priest. Prior to joining Judas Priest, he was in The Flying Hat Band....
, and are then joined by bassist
Bassist

A bass player is a musician who plays a double bass, bass guitar, or another low-pitched instrument, such as keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as tuba or sousaphone....
 Ian Hill
Ian Hill

Ian Hill moving there in 1955 is a founding member and bassist for the Birmingham-based Heavy metal music band, Judas Priest.Hill learned how to play the double bass from his father, a bass player for local jazz acts....
 and drummer
Drummer

A drummer is a musician who plays a drum or drums, particularly a drum kit , marching percussion or hand drums. The term percussionist applies to a musician performing on any percussion instrument, but usually refers to one who plays Classical music or Latin percussion....
 Dave Holland
Dave Holland (drummer)

David Holland is an England rock drummer, best remembered from his stint with Judas Priest. He is currently in prison for attempted rape of a wheelchair bound, 17 year old boy....
, and point their instruments at the camera singing the chorus "Breaking the law". They intend to rob the bank
Bank

A bank is a financial institution whose primary activity is to act as a payment agent for customers and to borrow and lend money. It is an institution for receiving, keeping, and lending money....
 and torment the customers and staff by their loud electric guitars and bashing drums, with one shot of an old man who wears glasses breaking them due to the decibels. The Security guard
Security guard

A security guard, is usually a privately and formally employment person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people.Often, security officers are uniformed and act to protect property by maintaining a high visibility presence to deter illegal and inappropriate actions, observing for signs of crime, fire or disorder; then taking act...
, 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
British Steel (album)

British Steel is the sixth album by Judas Priest, released on April 14 1980 . The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added....
. 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 "Hard Board 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
British Steel (album)

British Steel is the sixth album by Judas Priest, released on April 14 1980 . The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added....
 was released, "Breaking the Law" has been a popular staple at some of Judas Priest's most famous performances, most notably at the VH1 Rock Honors
VH1 Rock Honors

The VH1 Rock Honors are an annual ceremony that pays homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. This began in 2006, and VH1 has held one of the ceremonies annually ever since....
. 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 has changed: originally, the song was played according to the music video and original performance, but, soon, the song got slightly faster and added a solo by Downing 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 .

In 2009 it was named the 12th greatest hard rock song of all time
VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs

VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs was a program on VH1 Classic provided by VH1. Hosted by Bret Michaels, it was a five-part program that first aired from December 29, 2008, to January 2, 2009....
 by VH1
VH1

VH1 is an United States cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in television, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slighter older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music....
.

Trivia

  • In the video, the security guard uses a cardboard guitar along with the song, a staple at Judas Priest live shows.
  • The song's chorus was frequently sung by the characters Beavis and Butt-head
    Beavis and Butt-Head

    Beavis and Butt-head is an United States animated television series created by Mike Judge. After the success of Judge's short film entitled Frog Baseball, which starred the characters Beavis and Butt-head and was featured in an episode of Liquid Television, the cable television channel MTV signed Judge to create a series with the...
     whenever they did anything (knowingly) illegal.
  • It was also parodied on Beavis and Butthead as "Washing the Dog".
  • The song is featured in the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours
    Scarface: The World is Yours

    Scarface: The World Is Yours is a video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games. The game is based on and is a quasi-sequel to the 1983 motion picture Scarface with Andr? Sogliuzzo hand picked by Al Pacino to provide Tony Montana's voice....
    .
  • On the episode of The Mighty Boosh
    The Mighty Boosh

    The Mighty Boosh, colloquially referred to as The Boosh, is the collective name for the creators of the British comedy written by and starring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding....
     entitled "Electro", a Glam/folk rock
    Folk rock

    Folk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and Rock and roll.In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and Canada around the mid-1960s....
     version of the song is played in the closing credits
  • The song was used in the film trailer for the fictional movie "Blow'd Up" featured an E-Trade advertisement.
  • Dan DeLong frequently uses the phrase "Breaking the Law" as a subdivision for triplets followed by a downbeat.
  • The song was used in the Simpsons
    The Simpsons

    The Simpsons is an Television in the United States animated cartoon Situation comedy created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company....
     episode "Girls Just Want to Have Sums
    Girls Just Want to Have Sums

    ?Girls Just Want to Have Sums? is the nineteenth episode of the The Simpsons of The Simpsons. It originally aired on April 30, 2006....
    " as all the girls leave the bus, while the boys were imprisoned in the back.
  • Animetal
    Animetal

    was a Japanese novelty heavy metal band who specialized in metal covers of theme songs from classic and modern Japanese anime and tokusatsu television series....
     utilized the famous guitar riff for their cover of the theme song of Choujuu Sentai Liveman
    Choujuu Sentai Liveman

    , translated into English language as Super Beast Squadron Liveman, is the twelfth entry of Toei Company's Super Sentai television series. It aired on TV Asahi from February 26, 1988 to February 17, 1989....
     for Animetal Marathon V
    Animetal Marathon V

    is the fifth full length album by Japanese heavy metal music band Animetal. Prior to the release of this album, guitarist Shi-ja left the band. He was replaced by Syu, who has worked with J-metal bands Galneryus and Aushvitz....
    .


Covers

Artists who have covered this song include:
  • Eläkeläiset-Humppalaki (Can be found on Humppakäräjät cd)
  • Arakain (Chameleon)
  • Morcata na úteku (Trenky dolu!)
  • Tleskac (Doktorka práv)
  • Anal Cunt
    Anal Cunt

    Anal Cunt is an United States grindcore band, originating in Newton, Massachusetts. They have been categorized as grindcore, noisecore, and Hardcore punk....
     (on Another EP)
  • Alter Ego X (on Not For Intellectuals, live DVD)
  • Therapy?
    Therapy?

    Therapy? are an alternative metal musical ensemble from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist/vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland....
     (on the single Nowhere, 1994)
  • XnmE (on Metal Madness 1980-1989)
  • Kristallnacht
  • Unleashed (on Across The Open Sea)
  • Doro
    Doro (band)

    Doro Pesch is a female vocalist, formerly of the German Heavy metal music band Warlock and one of the few female singers of the 1980s heavy metal scene, which was primarily a male-dominated genre of music....
     (on Classic Diamonds)
  • The Cooters
    The Cooters (band)

    The Cooters are a punk rock band from Mississippi. Based out of the northern hill country town of Oxford, Mississippi , the band has been touring and recording since 1993....
     (on their 1995 album Invasion Of The Cooters)
  • Ensiferum (on Ensiferum
    Ensiferum (album)

    Ensiferum is the first album by the Finland folk metal band Ensiferum. It was released on January 7, 2001 on Spinefarm Records....
    )
  • T.R.G.O (at a talent show).
  • Hammerfall
    HammerFall

    HammerFall is a heavy metal music/power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath's guitarist Oscar Dronjak....
     - 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
  • Hellfire (Dylan Baldwin-debut CD)
  • Barcode
  • Ghouls Black Death
  • Hayseed Dixie
    Hayseed Dixie

    Hayseed Dixie is an United States musical band which began in the Fall of 2000 with the release of their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute band to AC/DC....
  • Pansy Division
    Pansy Division

    Pansy Division is an United States Rock music/punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, California in 1991. Featuring primarily gay musicians and focusing mostly on gay-related themes, Pansy Division is a founding example of the Queercore genre....
  • Mavericks
  • Sturm Und Drang
    Sturm und Drang (band)

    Sturm und Drang are a five-member heavy metal music music ensemble with power metal and hard rock influences from Vaasa, Finland. Sturm und Drang have released two studio albums and toured places like Europe, Scandinavia and Japan....
  • The Junkyard Dogs aka The Supersuckers
    The Supersuckers

    The Supersuckers are an United States Rock music band. They are the self-proclaimed "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World." Following the relative success of their 1997 foray into country music with the release of Must've Been High, they have also been known to play country shows under various names, including, of course, The Supersuc...
  • Fightstar
    Fightstar

    Fightstar are a four-piece rock music band from London, England. Formed in late 2003, Fightstar have since recorded and released an EP, They Liked You Better When You Were Dead, two full-length albums, Grand Unification and One Day Son, This Will All Be Yours, as well as a b-side compilation album Alternate Endings....
     (Kerrang 'Higher Voltage')(2007)
  • Divit (a punk version of the song for the Compilation album Punk Goes Metal
    Punk Goes Metal

    Punk Goes Metal was the first compilation album to be released as part of the Punk Goes... series created by Fearless Records. It features cover version of heavy metal songs and was released on August 1, 2000....
    )
  • Medical Murder
  • The Meteors
    The Meteors

    The Meteors are a British psychobilly band formed in 1980. Originally from the United Kingdom, they are often credited with giving the psychobilly subgenre?which fuses punk rock with rockabilly?its distinctive sound and style....
  • Chamán de Kromañon
  • Green Means Go
  • Hellsongs (on Lounge EP)
  • The True Vinternatt
  • Berri Txarrak
    Berri Txarrak

    Berri Txarrak is a Melodic_Hardcore band whose songs are sung in basque. It was founded in 1994 in Lekunberri, Navarra ....
  • Skafari
  • Mortifier (on Euthanasia 1993)
  • Mighty Boosh Farmers
  • Vinternatt/Mörketid
  • Motörhead
    Motörhead

    Mot?rhead are a British hard rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy, who has remained the sole constant member. Usually a power trio, Mot?rhead had particular success in the early 1980s with several successful singles in the UK Singles Chart....
     (Hell Bent Forever - A Tribute to Judas Priest 2008)
  • Manolo Kabezabolo (Ya hera ora (sic.), extra track as Véndemelo)


Personnel

  • Rob Halford
    Rob Halford

    Robert John Arthur Halford is an England singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal music band Judas Priest. Halford has almost a four octave vocal range, from D2-B5....
     - vocals
  • K.K. Downing - lead guitar
    Lead guitar

    Lead guitar refers to the use of a guitar to perform melody lines, fill , and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock music, heavy metal music, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop music contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays rhythm guitar, which consists of accompan...
  • Glenn Tipton
    Glenn Tipton

    Glenn Raymond Tipton is one of the guitarists for the British heavy metal music band Judas Priest. Prior to joining Judas Priest, he was in The Flying Hat Band....
     - rhythm guitar
    Rhythm guitar

    Rhythm guitar is the use of a guitar to provide rhythmic chord al accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a musical ensemble. In ensembles or "bands" playing within the country music, blues music, rock music or Heavy metal music genres , a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition supports the melodic lines and solos play...
  • Ian Hill
    Ian Hill

    Ian Hill moving there in 1955 is a founding member and bassist for the Birmingham-based Heavy metal music band, Judas Priest.Hill learned how to play the double bass from his father, a bass player for local jazz acts....
     - bass
    Bass guitar

    The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
  • Dave Holland
    Dave Holland (drummer)

    David Holland is an England rock drummer, best remembered from his stint with Judas Priest. He is currently in prison for attempted rape of a wheelchair bound, 17 year old boy....
     - drums
    Drum kit

    A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbell s, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer....