You've Got Another Thing Comin' Explained

See also: the song.

You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Cover:Judas Priest - You've Got Another Thing Comin'.png
Type:single
Artist:Judas Priest
Album:Screaming for Vengeance
B-Side:Exciter (live)
Released:6 August 1982 (UK)[1]
Recorded:1982
Genre:Heavy metal
Length:
  • 5:05
  • 4:10
Label:Columbia
Producer:Tom Allom
Prev Title:Hot Rockin'
Prev Year:1981
Next Title:(Take These) Chains
Next Year:1982

"You've Got Another Thing Comin'" is a song by English heavy metal band Judas Priest. It was originally released on their 1982 album Screaming for Vengeance and released as a single later that year. In May 2006, VH1 ranked it fifth on their list of the 40 Greatest Metal Songs.[2] It became one of Judas Priest's signature songs along with "Electric Eye" and "Breaking the Law", and a staple of the band's live performances. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" was first performed on the opening concert of the Vengeance World Tour at the Stabler Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on 26 August 1982 and had been played a total of 673 times through the 2012 Epitaph Tour.

The song reached No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it Judas Priest's only song to make that chart.[3]

Background

Singer Rob Halford said the lyrics were about "Just this attitude that we've always had in Priest. And I dare say, we've always had in our personal way of dealing with issues that are sent to challenge us. ... It's also wrapped up in the heavy metal community culture of the way we support each other with our metal. It's very much a song of hope and rising above the issues or difficulties that come your way. It's a song of resilience, as well."[4]

Charting

"You've Got Another Thing Comin'" has charted in two countries in the United Kingdom and in the United States. In the United Kingdom it peaked at No. 66 in the UK Singles Chart[5] and in the US, it reached No. 4 on the Billboard rock chart.

Music video

The music video was directed by Julien Temple, and filmed at the Kempton Park Water Works. It features the band performing outside the pumping station among a background of lasers and smoke. Meanwhile, a higher authority figure arrives to shut the group down due to the noise level only to have his head blown off and their pants fall off towards the end of the video as a result of the exceeding force of Halford.

Reception

Wayne Parry of the Associated Press called it, along with "Hell Bent for Leather" and "Living After Midnight", one of the "standards against which other metal tracks are measured".[6] Greg Prato of AllMusic wrote that the song was what finally broke Judas Priest into the mainstream in the United States.[7]

According to Steve Huey, also of AllMusic, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" is the band's signature tune.[8]

In 2012, Loudwire ranked the song number nine on its list of the 10 greatest Judas Priest songs,[9] and in 2019, Louder Sound ranked the song number four on its list of the 50 greatest Judas Priest songs.[10]

In other media

The song shows up on several video games, for example, it is featured on the jukebox of the first level of Prey; in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's radio station V-Rock; as downloadable content for Rock Band series (alongside the rest of the album Screaming for Vengeance), Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2; and a cover version is featured in Guitar Hero. It is also featured in 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K9 and EA Sports' NHL 12.

The original song is also featured in the 2011 comedy film, Bad Teacher.

The song was featured in a 2013 episode of Californication and in the season eleven episode "The Orpheus Gambit" of Archer.

The song is playing in Wayne Potts' house in episode 5 of Mare of Easttown.

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Judas Priest singles.
  2. "VH1 40 Greatest Metal Songs", 1–4 May 2006, VH1 Channel, reported by VH1.com ; last accessed 10 September 2006.
  3. Judas Priest Debut at No. 1 on Top Rock Albums. White. Emily. Billboard. 18 July 2014. 24 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140810031455/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6165345/judas-priest-debut-no-1-top-rock-albums. 10 August 2014. live.
  4. Web site: Rob Halford of Judas Priest: Songwriter Interviews . Prato. Greg. Songfacts. November 5, 2020 . January 22, 2023.
  5. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited. London. 1-904994-10-5. 291.
  6. News: Five Questions With Rob Halford. Parry. Wayne. Associated Press. 26 July 2002. 24 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140921194759/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-54697824.html. 21 September 2014. live.
  7. Web site: Judas Priest: You've Got Another Thing Comin'. AllMusic. 24 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150227220143/http://www.allmusic.com/song/youve-got-another-thing-comin-mt0028355101. 27 February 2015. live.
  8. Web site: Screaming for Vengeance - Judas Priest | Songs, Reviews, Credits. AllMusic.
  9. Web site: 10 Best Judas Priest Songs. Graham. Hartmann. Loudwire. 24 August 2012. 12 March 2022.
  10. Web site: The 50 Greatest Judas Priest songs EVER. Christ. Chantler. Dom. Lawson. Louder Sound. 8 October 2019. 12 March 2022.