Rob Halford Reveals the Line He Regrets Singing — After 40 Years
For over five decades, Rob Halford has reigned as one of heavy metal’s most iconic voices. As the frontman of Judas Priest, he has delivered soaring screams, leather-clad swagger, and lyrics that helped define a genre. From Painkiller to Breaking the Law, Halford’s vocals are etched into rock history. But in a surprising and deeply personal moment, the Metal God himself has revealed there’s one lyric he wishes he never sang — and it’s not the one fans might expect.
Speaking during an intimate sit-down on a podcast celebrating 50 Years of Judas Priest, Halford opened up about a line that’s haunted him more than any high note or risky vocal take. It’s from a track that hardcore fans know well, but which rarely makes the band’s live setlist anymore: “Raw Deal”, off the 1977 album Sin After Sin.
“In hindsight,” Halford said, pausing thoughtfully, “there’s a line in Raw Deal that I wrote when I was still deep in hiding — trying to express myself but also shield myself. I listen to it now and realize how conflicted I was.”
The lyric in question? “I made a spike about nine inches long / I packed it in chrome, it was shaped like a dong.”
For many years, the line was interpreted as edgy and experimental, a wild metaphor in a hard-edged song. But now, Halford views it differently. “Back then, I was struggling with my identity, my sexuality, and how to exist in a genre where machismo ruled everything,” he said. “The line was my attempt at being outrageous, but also at hiding in plain sight.”
Halford publicly came out as gay in 1998, a moment that made headlines around the world and was widely celebrated in the rock community. Fans and fellow musicians embraced him, praising his courage and honesty. But Raw Deal, and lyrics like that, now serve as reminders of how difficult those earlier years were.
“I don’t regret being bold,” Halford clarified, “but I do regret not feeling safe enough to be honest. That lyric doesn’t reflect who I really was — it reflects who I thought I had to pretend to be to survive.”
Fans were stunned by the confession, and social media quickly lit up with support, analysis, and reflection. Some longtime listeners shared that they’d never caught the meaning, while others admitted it had always stood out to them — now seeing it in a whole new light.
What’s particularly moving is that Halford doesn’t share this regret from a place of shame, but rather growth. “I’ve learned a lot over the last 40 years,” he said. “That line is a snapshot of a man under pressure, writing in code, hoping someone out there might understand. And maybe someone did.”
Despite his reservations about that particular lyric, Halford remains proud of Sin After Sin and its place in Judas Priest’s evolution. “It was raw, it was risky, and it was real. Even if I wasn’t fully myself yet.”
When asked if he’d ever perform Raw Deal again live, Halford smiled. “Maybe. But if I do, I’ll sing it differently — as the man I am now, not the boy I was then.”
The moment was classic Halford: honest, reflective, and brave. In a world where many rock stars shy away from accountability or vulnerability, Rob Halford continues to lead with both strength and humility.
As fans continue to celebrate Judas Priest’s legacy, moments like these only deepen the respect for the band and the man behind the mic. Because for all the screaming guitars and pounding drums, sometimes the most powerful note is the one that tells the truth.