Alexander the Great

[LooseCannon]

Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Welcome to the Daily Vote Thread! Rules are here.

Remember, only a decent review will count towards the contest.

Today's song: Alexander the Great

Yesterday's song remains open for voting! You can find it here.

---

This is where I came in. This is the first song I heard, in the car with the Iron Duke. This, The Clansman, and then Hallowed. So, this song was the first one that grabbed me. The heavy bass, the gallop, the charge; Steve does a great job of making this song tell a story.

But.

Lyrics are lacking, even if Bruce is on. The synth has come to stand out as over-the-top for me in later years. Perhaps I am just getting bored of the track, whereas other tracks of this vintage from my standpoint are not even close to boring me. A year ago, this was a 10. Today, it is a 9, and edging down towards an 8.

 

[mckindog]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Always liked this song, never loved it and never really thought about why. Forced myself to really pay attention because of this poll and discovered that musically it is close to epic levels. It’s got an atmospheric intro, a good solid main verse and chorus, and some nice, distinct instrumental parts. I never appreciated how good it was on that level. It also has some of the worst lyrics the band ever wrote: “now class, today we are going to learn about the Greeks, repeat after me…” I've seen it criticized for this on this site, but I never fully appreciated just how bad they are. So with a new understanding of Alexander, I’ll give it the same 8 I would have given it in the first place.

 

[The Flash]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Maybe the worst lyrics Maiden ever wrote. I don't really like the vocal parts but I just LOVE Adrian's solos. I'll give it a 9.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

This song is Great, no question about it. But it suffers from the same as To Tame A Land: The lyrics are just a long list of statements. There is no story to grab you, it is more like a numbered list of events in Alex's life. Adding to it that (as Perun have dissected it before) some of the lyrics are inaccurate, it is enough to subtract a whole point from the song.

That being said, musically the song is superb and I find it among Maiden's finest, instrumentally. But in order to hand out 10s, lyrics should live up to the music. Here, they don't, and the song earns another 9.

 

[Black Thunder]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Solo speaks for it self, but just like everybody else said, lyrics are a bit funny.

9/10.

 

[national acrobat]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

What this song lacks in lyrical quality, it makes up for (and more) with its brilliant instrumental sections and solos. I feel it's like the musical equivalent of an epic film with corny dialogue but great battle sequences.
8/10

 

[bozemanfury]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Even with the cheesy historical lines, and uninspired lyrics, I really do love this song. Parts of the beginning lines, such as "At the Aegean Sea, in 334 B.C, he utterly beat the armies of Persia" just make me smile every time, maybe with a little fist pump to boot.

9.

 

[IRONEDDIE123]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

This is one of those songs that i used to really hate. But now it just gets better and better every listen. At the moment I will give it an 8 but its likely to be an 10 soon

 

[Perun]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

It's all been said. Musically, this song is blinding, truly evoking images of the song's subject. I can really see Alexander's army crossing the Central Asian mountains there. Lyrically, this is on the level of a 6th grade history presentation. I'm not so much bothered by the historical inaccuracies, but by the nature of the lyrics as a whole. The Trooper and Aces High are great songs about history because they put you there, while with Alexander, the music does all the talking by itself. And I know that lyrics aren't that important to many people out there, but to me they are. They belong to the aesthetics of a song, and in this case, they do drag it down a lot. It would be perfect if it was an instrumental. 8/10.

 

[Forostar]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

There are not many songs making such a huge impact as this track did, when hearing it for the first time. The intro and the following build-up is unsurpassed. There are many more aspects that I like about this song.
The atmosphere, the solos, the unusual rhythm in the midpiece beneath Adrian's solos.

Playing this song is more than just a listening experience. With Alexander The Great I don't only hear stuff, I "see" stuff. During the intro and the continuation I always see an army climbing a hill and when the distortion and acceleration blow from the speakers, the army comes over the rim and storms downwards. This visual aspect is an important quality.

Listening through headphones helps admiring this song even more. Like this, it's easier to hear that Dave and H have a different approach to the rhythm playing. It almost looks like Adrian is waving lead patterns through all his rhythm tracks.

Unlike many of you, I am not going to be nerdy about the lyrics. Harris didn't write a university paper. He is not a historian, specialized on the subject. These are lyrics by a songwriter. We're talking about songs, not about texts. Alexander the Great has some fantastic epic music, and singing. Yes there are mistakes, but I don't see why it should take away the listening pleasure. I owe nothing to Alexander, I don't care a damn if some things were said wrong about him.

Why do I prefer to make relations to the song, instead of focussing at plain text?
The answer is simple: In art, the inspiration for a lyric is not more important than the creation itself.

Hell no.

10

 

[Donner]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Musically, this song is a clear 10 for me.  But the lyrics bring it down to about an 8.  Still, a good song but one of my least favorite epics, and surely their least great 80's epic. 

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Unlike many of you, I am not going to be nerdy about the lyrics. Harris didn't write a university paper. He is not a historian, specialized on the subject. These are lyrics by a songwriter. We're talking about songs, not about texts. Alexander the Great has some fantastic epic music, and singing. Yes there are mistakes, but I don't see why it should take away the listening pleasure. I owe nothing to Alexander, I don't care a damn if some things were said wrong about him.

Well, as Perun said; even if you don't care about historical accuracy, these lyrics are nothing special. They don't evoke images in any way (but the music does, I agree with you there). This song is a prime example of Steve Harris' approach to songwriting. Melody matters, lyrics are made to fit the melody. In this song, it is almost like he had visions of Alexander's armies marching on while he was composing, and then decided he had to throw some lyrics on top of it.

To you, this does not matter enough to take anything away from the song. Fine. To me, a song needs to be great in both music and lyrics to earn the top mark.

This being said; I agree on everything you say regarding the musical aspects of the song. Musically, the song is a rock solid 10.

 

[Forostar]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

There is no story to grab you, it is more like a numbered list of events in Alex's life.

And these events are impressive enough to me. This is Harris' account of his life, that's what the song is about.
I wouldn't know how to change it, or on which aspect he should have focused more, or less, without fucking up the song as it was meant to be.

(but the music does, I agree with you there).

Yep, and that's really special, imo.

This song is a prime example of Steve Harris' approach to songwriting. Melody matters, lyrics are made to fit the melody.

At the time I didn't have a clue Harris worked like that, but now I am glad he did. Thanks to these lyrics, the vocal melody could be executed really well by Bruce.

This being said; I agree on everything you say regarding the musical aspects of the song. Musically, the song is a rock solid 10.

Not only musically. Vocally, this song is very strong as well.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

I see the vocal performance as part of the music (and it is great on this song). When I say the lyrics aren't that great, I don't say Bruce doesn't sing them well - he certainly does.

I stand by my point, though - even though the events mentioned in the song are impressive enough, and many are important milestones in history - just mentioning a series of events does not constitute great lyrics. Except for one line - his name struck fear into hearts of men - there is no mention of emotions of any kind. Compare the death of Alex in this song to the ending of The Trooper or Paschendale.

I'll elaborate on this quote from National Acrobat:

I feel it's like the musical equivalent of an epic film with corny dialogue but great battle sequences.

To extrapolate this to the extreme, think of a film where there is hardly any dialogue at all. The battle sequences are great, the filming is great, the scenery is great - but you don't get to know a single person at all.

 

[Forostar]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

But in order to hand out 10s, lyrics should live up to the music. Here, they don't, and the song earns another 9.

I wonder if people had this criteria in mind when they handed out 10s to Phantom of the Opera. This immense run of 10s was so huge, that I doubt if all those people had as much respect for the lyrics as for the music.

Seriously, do those lyrics live up to the music? And in some cases the words are not even audible that well.

think of a film where there is hardly any dialogue at all.

I love films with little dialogue. Films with too much unnecessary dialogue suck. In film there are so many ways to tell a story without words.

Compare the death of Alex in this song to the ending of The Trooper or Paschendale.

No wonder. The Trooper and Paschendale are told from 1st person. That helps a lot. No way Harris wanted to portray Alex like that. Quite an undertaking, and it would sound a bit strange as well, not? Further, Paschendale and The Trooper focus on details of battle, some of them lasting only a fraction of a second. That's not possible in ATG where the point is to tell the "whole" story. If it is possible, I'm curious to see some examples.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

I wonder if people had this criteria in mind when they handed out 10s to Phantom of the Opera. This immense run of 10s was so huge, that I doubt if all those people had as much respect for the lyrics as for the music.

Seriously, do those lyrics live up to the music? And in some cases the words are not even audible that well.

I feel the lyrics in Alexander are more of a wasted opportunity than in Phantom. Here you have one of the more influential men in the history of Europe and the Near Orient, and the lyrics are reminiscent of a grocery shopping list (okay, I'm exaggerating, but you get my point).

I love films with little dialogue. Films with too much unnecessary dialogue suck. In film there are so many ways to tell a story without words.

Fair enough.

No wonder. The Trooper and Paschendale are told from 1st person. That helps a lot. No way Harris wanted to portray Alex like that. Quite an undertaking, and it would sound a bit strange as well, not? Further, Paschendale and The Trooper focus on details of battle, some of them lasting only a fraction of a second. That's not possible in ATG where the point is to tell the "whole" story. If it is possible, I'm curious to see some examples.

Well, I think a song about a certain mariner succeeds in telling a long story from a 3rd person perspective and at the same time dragging the listener into the story. Admittedly, Coleridge did most of the job, but I think 'Arry did a damn good job in transforming it into a song.

 

[Forostar]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

I feel the lyrics in Alexander are more of a wasted opportunity than in Phantom. Here you have one of the more influential men in the history of Europe and the Near Orient, and the lyrics are reminiscent of a grocery shopping list (okay, I'm exaggerating, but you get my point).

Hahaha!  

Well, I think a song about a certain mariner succeeds in telling a long story from a 3rd person perspective and at the same time dragging the listener into the story. Admittedly, Coleridge did most of the job, but I think 'Arry did a damn good job in transforming it into a song.

That went better indeed, I have to admit that. But that story's timespan was a tiny bit shorter. O wait, no, the man had to tell the story his whole life on and on, so that's not true.  

 

[The Mid-Distance Runner]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

Total agreement with all that has been mentioned of the music so far. This is one of the bands finest nine minutes ever. Perun's idea of ATG as an instrumental is brilliant...as it is the music that creates the imagery rather than Steve's copy and paste of wikipaedia or its equivalent in 86. I would kill for a version that had no vocals except for the chorus and the "marching on".

ATG is incredibly proggy in my humble opinion.

The song loses a mark for the lyrics, however, as the guitarwork of Dave and Adrian elevated this song to 11 I still have to give it a 10.

 

[Vortex]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

As much as the lyrics are innaccurate, I still don't mind the way they were penned. The music is awesome and Maiden is right on top of their game in that respect. One thing I've always thought to myself is, why is it on the album Somewhere in Time, it doesn't fit the theme and belongs more on Powerslave IMO. 9/10

 

[bluehelmet]

Re: Daily Song: Alexander the Great

in my own mind the music is 10 times more important than the lyrics.
If I was more interested in lyrics when listening to MUSIC, then I'd go and listen to The Smiths.

This song always has been and always will be a 10 in my book and until Maiden finally end up playing this track live in concert I will forever be an unhappy man.

If Children of the Beast can pull this track off live note-perfect, then the real thing shouldn't have too many problems even if Steve Harris uses the tongue-in-cheek excuse that 'Adrian keeps forgetting the solo - that's why we never play it'

Sort it out Maiden.

In fact, just make sure you do The Epics Tour before you hang up your trusty Fenders.
It might mean only a 10 song set but it would be absolutely awesome.