Songs about Hell: Hell in popular music.

Are there any good popular music songs about hell?

Anything about hell, or mentioning hell would be interesting.

Is hell always meant literally, or is it also a metaphor?
When can we say it is literal, and when is it just a metaphor?
Indeed, for what emotions or actions is hell a metaphor in a secular sense?

Is hell the "promised land" of rock rebellion (as AC/DC sang in Highway to Hell), or is "hell" teenage angst and heartbreak, or is it a literal place?

Is it a constant negotiation of metaphors and meanings?

Well, here is a literal interpretation from a Christian metal act:
Whitecross - No second chances.

Kiss - Hotter than Hell.

Despite a title that sounds like a hot curry dish, here Kiss suggest "hell" is an apt metaphor for a memorable sexual encounter.

Alice Cooper - Hell is living without you.

A great double meaning.

Hell could be living without your ex-lover, or a literal place called hell has been missing a demon since you met your ex-lover.

Hell as mental anguish and heartache, which is usually displaced onto women.

It could be a metaphor. Love song about being by someones side even through hell itself?

Either way it's a great song

you are not worthy

He is basically comparing a relationship to hell:

German techno;
Zlatko - Ich Vermiss dich Wie die Hölle (I miss you like hell).

Fans of the former Big Brother Germany housemate found his deliberately unpretentious masculinity endearing, when he sang: "I miss you like hell".

Yes girl, it may sound stupid and be a clumsy insult, but I miss you like "hell".

Kinda cute, especially since he opens the song admitting he's just a big dufus, and not a good word-smith.

This one is about escaping from HELL By Timeless Miracle A Swedish Power Metal band



9. The Gates Of Hell

[Music by Nilsson & Holst, Lyrics by Holst]

In the sunlight I felt the warmth
I was finally free
From the chains that had bound me
In the crypts down below

And the nightmare was over it seemed
I was back on my feet
Standing so proudly covered in dust
But my pride was intact

Where to go I don't know
The world thinks of me dead
It's been awhile since I was here

[Chorus:]
Far Beyond the gates of hell
Tricked the devil broke the spell
Travelled on the river Styx to freedom
Hate and pain I left behind
Done with burning it's my time
To leave the fire gates of hell behind me

Then I saw there was a hole in the sky
God was looking on me
When the angels of mercy appeared
Said its time to leave

Where to go I don't know
The world thinks of me dead
It's been awhile since I was here

[Repeat chorus]

Like a fire burning higher
Like a fire burning up to the night away

[Repeat chorus]

Here's another good one from the same band THE DEVIL



I used to be an avenging angel
To you to me to everyone I was Lucifer
Was the name that was given to me by God

But then one day I was betrayed by my master
Oh yeah it's true he set my wings aflame
And now I am condemned to live forever in hell

[Chorus:]
Still I don't know what I did wrong, and fell from grace
A fallen angel stands in flames for all mankind
My wings they burned and turned to dust they are no more
A sacred circle sealed my fate to rule in hell

And now I am an incarnation of evil but why?
I did not do no wrong did I
And all the plans that I had made for myself have gone to hell

I see no light inside these walls entombing me
There is no chance for me to run away
Into the dark I go to find my destiny
I am the ruler of the night

I am trapped in a grave
I am the bringer of all that is pain
Hear me demons down here I am your lord and you will obey me
This is our last call
We are the outcasts and we will stand tall
Fire fire and flame these are the tools that will chisel our fate

[Repeat chorus]

"In the darkness something lure him evil sinks its teeth into him
Madness grows inside his soul and make him do things he don't like"

My personal fav

P.S. Some of the videos did not embed or upload, please do check.

Anyway - hell can be a place on earth?
Wes Makepeace - War is Hell:



Or to paraphrase Metallica: "Landmines have taken my arms (my whole body)... left me with life in hell"!
Metallica - One.

You guys are missing the biggest one:

Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be

You need to skip the first minute...it's just intro

Iron Maiden - From here to Eternity.

"Hell ain't no bad place, hell is from here to eternity."

A return to a more literal meaning, as the devil was almost outfoxed by his own music.

There were all kinds of arguments about how "Christian" this all really was, although one might add that using this much hairspray and product in hell may be inflammable.

Stryper - To Hell with the Devil:

Judas Priest- Burn in hell



Iced Earth - Dante's Inferno

The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil went to Georgia.

Squirrel Nut Zippers: Hell