You know that feeling. You’ve got a full tank of gas, the windows are rolled down, and the sun is just starting to dip below the horizon. Everything feels possible. That’s exactly what Heading Out to the Highway captures. It isn't just a song. It is a mood.
Released in 1981, this track served as the opening statement for the album Point of Entry. Honestly, it was a weird time for Judas Priest. They were coming off the massive, career-defining success of British Steel. Most bands would have just tried to make British Steel 2. Instead, the "Metal Gods" decided to fly to Ibiza, Spain, and record something that felt a bit more... breezy?
If you ask hardcore metalheads about this era, you’ll get some mixed reactions. Some love the experimental vibe. Others think it was a bit too "radio-friendly." But regardless of where you stand on the album, you can’t deny that this specific track is a masterpiece of hard rock songwriting.
The Ibiza Sessions and a Change of Pace
The band—Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill, and Dave Holland—basically lived the dream while making this record. They were at Ibiza Sound Studios. The sun was out. The drinks were flowing. There’s a famous story about the studio owner running out of money and the power cutting out mid-take because the generator ran out of diesel.
Total chaos.
That relaxed, somewhat disorganized environment bled into the music. Heading Out to the Highway doesn't have the serrated, industrial edge of "Metal Gods" or the menacing chug of "Grinder." It has a groove. It’s laid back but still punchy.
Rob Halford has talked about this song being about freedom. It’s about taking the wheel and not letting anyone else run your life. You’re in the driver's seat. It's a metaphor for assertiveness, sure, but it also just sounds great when you’re actually driving 80 mph.
Why the Riff Works (And Why It’s Not Just "Pop Metal")
Some critics at the time called this "Living After Midnight Part Two." I get why. It’s catchy. It’s got a big chorus. But if you listen closely to the guitar work by Tipton and Downing, it’s actually more sophisticated than people give it credit for.
The opening riff is a classic staccato masterclass. It’s clean. It’s crisp. Then you get that twin-guitar harmony during the solo section that Judas Priest practically invented. It’s not "heavy" in the way Painkiller is heavy, but it has a weight to it that comes from perfect timing and tone.
A Quick Look at the Stats
- Release Date: February 1981 (Album), May 1981 (US Single).
- Chart Position: Reached No. 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
- Songwriters: The classic trio of Tipton, Halford, and Downing.
- Producer: Tom Allom (the man responsible for the "classic" Priest sound).
The song was the band's first single to really make a dent in the US Mainstream Rock charts. It proved that Priest could compete with the arena rock giants of the day without losing their identity.
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The Music Video: A Relic of 1981
If you haven't seen the video lately, go find it on YouTube. It’s delightful. Directed by Julien Temple, it features the band in what looks like a desert drag race. It’s very "early MTV."
You’ve got the band members looking cool in their leather and studs, mixed with shots of old cars and a lot of dust. It captures that transition period where heavy metal was moving out of dark clubs and into massive stadiums. It’s a bit campy now, but it was cutting edge for 1981.
The Legacy of Point of Entry
Let's be real: Point of Entry is often the "forgotten" album. It’s sandwiched between British Steel and the absolute behemoth that is Screaming for Vengeance. Because of that, people tend to overlook it.
But Heading Out to the Highway has stayed in the setlist for decades for a reason. It bridges the gap. It showed that metal didn't always have to be about monsters or leather-bound fantasies. Sometimes, it could just be about the road.
Interestingly, other bands recognized the magic here too. Stone Sour covered it. White Wizzard did a version. It has a universal appeal that transcends the "heavy metal" label.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to really appreciate this track, don't just listen to it on your phone speakers.
- Grab the 30th Anniversary Edition of Turbo. It has a second disc with a live version of the song that absolutely rips. The energy is way higher than the studio version.
- Listen to "Desert Plains" right after. It’s another track from Point of Entry that follows the same highway theme but with a more atmospheric, haunting vibe. They are the perfect pair.
- Check out the live footage from the US Festival in 1983. Priest played this in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and it’s arguably one of the best live performances of the song ever caught on film.
The song is a reminder that even the "Metal Gods" need to take a cruise every once in a while. It’s about the optimism of the journey, not just the destination. Put it on your next road trip playlist. You won't regret it.