The Ripper (song)

"The Ripper" is a single by British heavy metal band Judas Priest, first released in March 1976. It was also featured on their 1976 studio album Sad Wings of Destiny.

It tells the story of "Jack the Ripper" from the killer's point of view. It has become a fan favorite and is one of the band's signature songs. Glenn Tipton penned the song shortly after joining the band, but producer Rodger Bain rejected including it on their first album Rocka Rolla. The original version that Tipton wrote was much longer than the one eventually included on Sad Wings of Destiny at nearly eight minutes as well as played at a slower tempo. It can be heard on some early bootlegs from 1975-76.

Cover versions

• Iced Earth covered "The Ripper" for a bonus track on digipak editions of their 1996 album The Dark Saga. The song later appeared on The Melancholy EP and the 2008 reissue of Something Wicked This Way Comes.
• Icarus Witch covered "The Ripper" for their 2010 album Draw Down the Moon.
• Mercyful Fate covered "The Ripper" on the Judas Priest cover album A Tribute to Judas Priest: Legends of Metal.
• Agent Steel covered "The Ripper" on their EP Mad Locust Rising.

Tim "Ripper" Owens

Singer Tim "Ripper" Owens took his nickname from this song when singing in a Judas Priest tribute band, who ended up singing for the band from 1996–2003.

Personnel

• Rob Halford – lead vocals
• K. K. Downing – guitar
• Glenn Tipton – guitar, backing vocals
• Ian Hill – bass guitar
• Alan Moore – drums