A Touch of Evil

{{For-multi|the 1958 crime thriller film|Touch of Evil{{!}}''Touch of Evil''|the 2008 board game|A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game{{!}}''A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game''}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox song | name = A Touch of Evil | cover = Judas priest touch single.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Judas Priest | album = Painkiller | B-side = Between the Hammer & the Anvil | released = 11 March 1991 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Judas+Priest&titel=A+Touch+Of+Evil&cat=s|title=Judas Priest singles}}</ref> | format = | recorded = 1990 | studio = | venue = | genre = Heavy metal<ref>{{cite web |author=Steve Huey |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/painkiller-mw0000690117 |title=Painkiller - Judas Priest | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2014-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608085656/https://www.allmusic.com/album/painkiller-mw0000690117 |archive-date=8 June 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | length = 5:42 | label = Columbia | writer = * Rob Halford * K. K. Downing * Glenn Tipton * Chris Tsangarides | producer = Chris Tsangarides | prev_title = Painkiller | prev_year = 1990 | next_title = Night Crawler | next_year = 1992 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|wavBZibT50U|"A Touch of Evil"}} }} }}

"'''A Touch of Evil'''" is a song by the English heavy metal band Judas Priest, from their 1990 album ''Painkiller''. The record was released as the second single from the album via Columbia Records label.

==Overview== It is the only song on the album that was co-written by producer Chris Tsangarides, who wrote the song's guitar riff, while the rest of the song was written by the main songwriting team of Rob Halford, K. K. Downing, and Glenn Tipton. Tsangarides would team up again with Tipton for songwriting eleven years later, for Judas Priest's album ''Demolition'', released in 2001, on which the two of them wrote the songs "Subterfuge" and "Metal Messiah".

It is one of the few songs on the album on which the synthesizers (which had originally been featured on several songs, but had been removed from some) remained part of the song. These synthesizers were played by rock veteran keyboardist Don Airey. Between the slow drums and the eerie keyboards, the song was given a chilling sound, making it a sort of pseudo-ballad. However, when played live, the keyboard intro is replaced by a guitar riff.

The song's lyrics deal with demonic possession, black magic, and temptation to commit acts of evil. However, according to Halford himself, as cited in ''Metal Hammer'' in January 2004, the lyrics deal with a love-related theme, although metaphorically.<ref>[http://members.firstinter.net/markster/PAINKILLER.html#8.%20A%20Touch%20Of%20Evil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328204939/http://members.firstinter.net/markster/PAINKILLER.html#8.%20A%20Touch%20Of%20Evil|date=28 March 2007}}</ref>

The song features a classically-inspired guitar solo by Glenn Tipton.

==Personnel== Personnel taken from ''Painkiller'' liner notes,<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Painkiller |others=Judas Priest |date=1990 |type=Album liner notes |publisher=Columbia}}</ref> except where noted.

'''Judas Priest''' * Rob Halford – vocals * Glenn Tipton – lead guitar * K. K. Downing – rhythm guitar * Ian Hill – bass (credited but may not actually appear)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kennelty |first=Greg |date=2020-11-07 |title=DEEP PURPLE's Keyboardist Reveals He Played Bass On JUDAS PRIEST's Painkiller |url=https://metalinjection.net/shocking-revelations/deep-purples-keyboardist-reveals-he-played-bass-on-judas-priests-painkiller |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}</ref> * Scott Travis – drums

with: * Don Airey – keyboards, Minimoog bass<ref name=":0" />

==Music video== A music video was made for the song, vividly depicting each element of the song's lyrics. The video shows a young boy having various visions of things, while flashing images of the band playing the song in between, similar to the way the band are seen in the "Painkiller" video. The song was edited for the music video, and was cut from 5:42 to 4:54, and—among other things—a notable amount of Tipton's guitar solo was cut out from the song.

==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1991) !Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|UK|58|date=19910317|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2022}} |- {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|artist=Judas Priest|29|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2022}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Touch of Evil, A}} Category:1990 songs Category:1991 singles Category:Judas Priest songs Category:Songs written by Glenn Tipton Category:Songs written by K. K. Downing Category:Songs written by Rob Halford Category:Columbia Records singles Category:Heavy metal ballads