South of Heaven Lyrics
[Intro]
An unforeseen future nestled somewhere in time
Unsuspecting victims, no warnings, no signs
Judgment Day, the Second Coming arrives
Before you see the light, you must die
[Verse 1]
Forgotten children conform a new faith
Avidity and lust controlled by hate
The never-ending search for your shattered sanity
Souls of damnation in their own reality
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive habitat
[Verse 2]
Bastard sons begat your cunting daughters
Promiscuous mothers with your incestuous fathers
Ingrate souls condemned for all eternity
Obtained by immoral observance, a domineering deity
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive sabbath
An unforeseen future nestled somewhere in time
Unsuspecting victims, no warnings, no signs
Judgment Day, the Second Coming arrives
Before you see the light, you must die
[Verse 1]
Forgotten children conform a new faith
Avidity and lust controlled by hate
The never-ending search for your shattered sanity
Souls of damnation in their own reality
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive habitat
[Verse 2]
Bastard sons begat your cunting daughters
Promiscuous mothers with your incestuous fathers
Ingrate souls condemned for all eternity
Obtained by immoral observance, a domineering deity
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive sabbath
[Chorus]
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
[Guitar Solo: Kerry King]
[Verse 3]
The root of all evil is the heart of a black soul
A force that has lived all eternity
The never-ending search for a truth never told
The loss of all hope and your dignity
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive habitat
[Chorus]
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
[Guitar Solo: Jeff Hanneman]
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
[Guitar Solo: Kerry King]
[Verse 3]
The root of all evil is the heart of a black soul
A force that has lived all eternity
The never-ending search for a truth never told
The loss of all hope and your dignity
[Refrain]
Chaos rampant in an age of distrust
Confrontations, impulsive habitat
[Chorus]
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
On and on, south of heaven
[Guitar Solo: Jeff Hanneman]
About
Genius Annotation
While everyone is thinking this song is about hell, It is clearly about the demoralization of America and the darker side of human existence. Domineering Deity is the Media, and The Immoral Observance is the public feeding into the lust and sex that the media has portrayed for people. The “forgotten children” are the generation of youth that can only look up to their “promiscuous mothers and incestuous fathers”. The third verse refers to a society that has lost all moral beliefs and has corroded into hatred. On and On South of Heaven is referring to a society (USA) that has fallen to humanities darker yearnings.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
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Credits
Producers
Writers
Recording Engineer
Vocals
Guitar
Bass
Drums
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Publisher
Distributor
Copyright ©
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Executive Producer
Label
Recorded At
Hit City West Studios in Los Angeles, California and Chung King Studios in New York City, New York
Released on
July 5, 1988
Songs That Interpolate South of Heaven
South of Heaven Live Performances
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