Black Wizard's Top 50

Black Wizard

Black Wizard

Pleb Hunter
I have decided to jump on the insert board member's name here Top Iron Maiden songs bandwagon. I know that I am joining in a little late but I need something to keep me occupied during the Christmas Holiday. My countdown should contain enough surprises and "blasphemies" to keep it interesting. I'd like to think that I'll complete my top 50 by the end of January, but the university semester starts mid-January so I'll be back in class then. Hopefully I'll have a fair chunk of it done by then.:)

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30. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
31. Die With Your Boots On
32. Aces High
33. Only the Good Die Young
34. Heaven Can Wait
35. Total Eclipse
36. The Clairvoyant
37. Look for the Truth
38. Strange World
39. Flight of Icarus
40. Can I Play With Madness?
41. The Number of the Beast
42. Sanctuary
43. The Man Who Would be King
44. The Talisman
45. The Prisoner
46. Age of Innoncence
47. To Tame a Land
48. Another Life
49. Wasted Years
50. Rime of the Ancient Mariner

So to start with (*takes a deep breath*) I have a song that may cause some shock due to its position:


50. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Most of you rate this song among your favourite Maiden songs, and rightly so, it is a masterpiece. However, I have never got the same excitement from this song that I have got from another forty-nine Maiden songs. For me, 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' is a song to listen to only a handful of times per year because I have a fear of over-playing it. There's certainly nothing bad about it, I just don't want to spoil it for myself. It does have it moments though: I love how the song builds up again from that slower, tenser section in the middle with that riff and that solo, which is one of my favourite Iron Maiden solos. Despite the fact that 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' is a brilliant piece of music and songwriting I have never regarded it quite as highly as the rest of you do. (please don't hate me!)


49. Wasted Years
'Wasted Years' begins with what is, for me, one of Iron Maiden's most recognizable riffs. I think it sums up what it must be like for bands who are constantly touring and have to spend a lot of time away from home. Even though it has a somewhat sombre or bittersweet mood to it I actually find the song quite uplifting as if Adrian Smith is telling us that "It's tough, but it will be ok in the end". It's a really pleasant song to listen to and tells I story that I imagine a lot of people can empathize with.


48. Another Life
I don't expect 'Another Life' to be a particularly popular choice for my Top 50. Despite the fact that the song is about someone contemplating suicide I find that it sounds quite upbeat which may well defeat the point of the song, but nevertheless I find 'Another Life' to be quite an enjoyable listen. I can't ignore the fact that the same lyrics are repeated throughout the song but, in my opinion, they are good enough and Paul Di'Anno makes them work well with the music. I also quite enjoy Dave Murray's solos in 'Another Life', short as they are.
 
Great writeups! I'll be following, I don't really like Another Life but the other two songs are great! I would probably rank each slightly higher.
 
Jupz said:
Great writeups!
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Thanks. I haven't done any sort of review or analysis of a book or whatever since I finished school (that was three and a half years ago) and it was never my forte. Since then I have been studying Maths, so having a go at reviewing songs certainly made me think in a way that I haven't had to for a long time!

47. To Tame a Land
When I was a little kid and going to and from the shops with my dad we used to play a game where we didn't walked without rhythm to avoid being caught by the Sandworms. Fastforward to a fifteen year old me getting into Iron Maiden and reading that 'To Tame a Land' was about a book called Dune. I asked my dad if that was the same book he read because it rang a bell from when I was a lot younger, then he bought me Dune that Christmas and, as you can guess from my avatar, it is my favourite book ever. Reading the book definitely helped me to appreciate the song more. 'To Tame a Land' has a unique atmosphere among Iron Maiden songs which makes it stand out for me. It's a shame that it's not better known. It is underpinned by a great bassline and the solo at the beginning of the instrumental section is great, although I think the rest of the instrumental section is a little underwhelming (but that's just my opinion!). I think that the lyrics don't really do justice to what is an incredible book, which is probably why 'To Tame a Land' isn't higher up on my list.

46. Age of Innocence
I don't think that 'Age of Innocence' is one of Bruce's best vocal performances on 'Dance of Death' but despite that I think it's really good song. The riffs are pretty good and also quite heavy which contrasts the more gentle intro and the chorus which is quite pleasant and melodic. The section after the solo where Bruce changes from his early-90s style vocals in one verse to the type of vocals he's better known for does irritate me a bit and almost threatens to spoil the song. However, I think that the rest of the songs works really well and the lyrics make some good points which I can't help but agree with. I suppose one could argue that this could be an anthem for The Daily Mail!

45. The Prisoner
I have never watched the TV show that this song is based on, just an American re-imagining which is probably totally different from the original British version. The riff at the beginning of 'The Prisoner' is great and I find the way is speeds up just after the minute mark to be really exciting. Bruce sounds great in 'The Prisoner', and I love the attitude he puts into the "If you kill me, it's self defence" verse. It's a shame that Maiden backed out of playing five songs from 'The Number of the Beast' on the Matter of the Beast tour because this is a song I would love to see live.
 
Nice to have another one to read, keep up the good work, man.

Interesting placement on Rime, Wasted Years and Prisoner. All are well up there for me.
 
It's always fun to read another Iron Maiden fans favorites, because it makes me rethink my own placements and perhaps even rediscover some forgotten gems.
Keep it up! (Although yes I would argue that a live version of Rime especially deserves a higher placement than merely #50 :p).
 
And thirded.
Unlikely to comment much, because I have already done so much song commentary elsewhere, and am currently trying to mirror Foro's list.
But I will definitely be reading.
(PS Innocence is not a top 50 song, but since it gets bashed a lot on this forum, I'm glad to see it on someone's list of favourites.)
 
Thank you guys for the positive feedback! And also for not hating me too much for having 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' so low!:p Don't worry though, there are a few more choices that could be potentially controversial!


44. The Talisman
This is the first song from 'The Final Frontier' that I managed to get into. The slow intro is too long in my opinion, last all of two minutes, so the song takes a while to get going. When we get into the song proper though it is a great listen. The riffs are pretty fast, a stark contrast to the intro, and Bruce sings almost aggressively, perhaps hinting at what the crew of the ship are going through: "Twenty days without a meal and ten without fresh water still". I would go as far to say that this is one of Iron Maiden's best written songs as the lyrics are excellent. 'The Talisman' could have been a lot higher on my list but I got a bit bored of it when I saw Maiden in July (especially after seeing it two nights running) because I don't think it got a particularly great crowd reaction and nothing seemed to happen while they played it. I have actually met a guy in the navy a few times and recently I started to think if the first verse is anything what his job must be like, but with a ship that is significantly better to live on of course!

43. The Man Who Would Be King
This song is the second, and highest, ranked song from 'The Final Frontier' - I have yet to fully get into that album and this and the previous song are the only ones I really enjoy. The intro to 'The Man Who Would Be King' is quite gentle and this is maintained throughout the song even as it gets faster and heavier. Musically I think it's a really interesting song because in between 4 and 5 minutes I noticed the three different guitarists at work, and that's quite an achievement for me! As the song draws to a conclusion it is tinged with sadness, with the protagonist having killed someone, but the song ends well with a pleasant and beautiful section.

42. Sanctuary
'Sanctuary' is a classic from the Paul Di'Anno era, and typical of Iron Maiden's sound from the first two albums. It has attitude and grit with quite a fun feel to it, and I can actually imagine Paul with a big grin on his face while recording it. I suppose that's it's fairly simple musically and lyrically for Iron Maiden, but I still thoroughly enjoy it.
 
Hmm, interesting. In my opinion, The Talisman is one of the weaker tracks from the new album. It just takes forever to get to the good stuff and when it does Bruce sounds strained. But I am very pleased to see The Man Who Would Be King on someone's top 50 list. I don't know why it gets so much hate around here, but I really enjoy it, mostly because it is interesting, it always seems to be going somewhere and the music takes unexpected turns. And the ending section is just sublime.
 
Really, one of the weaker tracks??? Bruce's voice oooozes emotion when he sings it, and when he reaches his limit wailing out "WESTWARD THE TIDE, WESTWARD WE SAIL ON!!!", well let me just tell you, that is a spin tingling moment.
 
Natalie said:
I am very pleased to see The Man Who Would Be King on someone's top 50 list. I don't know why it gets so much hate around here
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I didn't even know that it does!:eek:

Seventh Son said:
Really, one of the weaker tracks??? Bruce's voice oooozes emotion when he sings it, and when he reaches his limit wailing out "WESTWARD THE TIDE, WESTWARD WE SAIL ON!!!", well let me just tell you, that is a spine tingling moment.
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Very true.:)


41. The Number of the Beast
I must confess that I am getting a little bored of seeing this song played live. However, it is still a cracking song and one of Maiden's best known songs. That scream Bruce does early in the song brings up childish excitement in me, and probably every Power Metal band member that has ever existed feels the same way. For such a fun and essentially silly song it amuses me that it managed to outrage anyone, although these were stupid people. I would also like to mention that the man who voiced the quote from Revelations for the intro died recently.

40. Can I Play With Madness?
This song certainly can't be classed as a masterpiece but I get a lot of enjoyment from listening to it as it is good fun and easy to listen to. 'Can I Play With Madness?' is the sort of song I would recommend to a kid interested in getting in to Metal, but not to someone who is interested in getting in to Iron Maiden. I suppose that it's an odd song in the sense that it doesn't fit in with the mood of the rest of the 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' album, so it may have been written with the intention of releasing it as a single. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb on that album, I think Bruce's performance is excellent, and the video is hilarious!

39. Flight of Icarus
In July at Iron Maiden's Glasgow show, during one of his ramblings Bruce told the crowd that Adrian's guitar was used to write 'Flight of Icarus' in a toilet in a America. This would have been the perfect time to play it, but unfortunately it didn't happen. Throughout 'Flight of Icarus' Bruce sounds perfect. His voice his so powerful, especially during the chorus where he really draws out those notes just the right amount. Then the part at the end where he sings "Fly as high as the suuuuuuuuuuun....ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" ends the song on a literal high note.
 
Yeah you're not the only one who is a little bored of hearing Number of the Beast live. Obviously, when I hear it, I love it, but I'd love to see a curveball like Infinite Dreams in the same slot (imagine a 3 part harmony live, phwoar!)
 
Solid picks! Most of these would be a bit lower for me, besides To Tame a Land which is top 20 :)
 
Rime of the Ancient Mariner : "For me, 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' is a song to listen to only a handful of times per year because I have a fear of over-playing it." I have this, too. But Rime is a lot higher on my list, number two currently. And it had been the number one for four years.

Wasted Years : A great song, a little poppy but I don't care. Top 30 song for me.

Another Life : Never really liked it, one of the weakest tracks off Killers.

To Tame a Land : A masterpiece. Currently 4th on my list.

Age of Innocence : My second least favorite off Dance of Death.

The Prisoner : Amazing song, has a nice flow and atmosphere. Top 10 song.

The Talisman : It's hell not one of the weakest tracks off The Final Frontier. It had been one of my favorites off the album for a quite long time but now it's my 6th favorite. Top 60 song.

The Man Who Would Be King : It's a nice song but the problem with that song it's forgettable. I mean I like the song, I listened to it a lot of times but still, the only part I can remember from it is the chorus. Like Talisman, Top 60 song.

Sanctuary : One of my least favorite Maiden tunes of all time. Nothing special, sorry.

The Number of the Beast : It's overplayed but still is a powerful song. Bassline is wonderful, transactions are also perfect. Top 30 song.

Can I Play With Madness : My least favorite off Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, nothing special.

Flight of Icarus : Catchy and nice. Overrated but still is nice. Top 70 song, possibly.

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Good writeups Black Wizard ! I'll try to follow this from now on.
 
Robbiedbee said:
Yeah you're not the only one who is a little bored of hearing Number of the Beast live. Obviously, when I hear it, I love it, but I'd love to see a curveball like Infinite Dreams in the same slot (imagine a 3 part harmony live, phwoar!)
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There are other songs which I'd rather see performed live by Iron Maiden, but 'The Number of the Beast' has all the additional stuff like the devil appearing behind Nicko and there would be probably be uproar if it was dropped.

The Flash said:
Good writeups Black Wizard ! I'll try to follow this from now on.
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Thanks a lot.:)


38. Strange World
This is a really gentle, chilled-out song. It is definitely one of Maiden's most relaxed songs, if not the most relaxed. The lyrics don't really make any sense but there are some pretty cool lines in there, such as "Shades of green grasses twine, Girls drinking plasma wine". 'Strange World' is a beautiful, and very underrated, Iron Maiden song which ranks amongst my favourite from the Paul Di'Anno era.

37. Look for the Truth
This is a fairly typical example of a song from 'The X-Factor': a quiet brooding intro, followed up by a heavy riff as the song progresses into its main part. I love the lyrics in 'Look for the Truth' since they are very raw, powerful and emotive. The lyrics fit Blaze Bayley's vocals perfectly and 'Look for the Truth' shows than even without Bruce Dickinson Iron Maiden were more than capable of creating quality and ambitious Heavy Metal.

36. The Clairvoyant
This song starts with a nice bit off bass work from Steve and then moves into one of those riffs than the crowd can sing along to. It's a powerful song with Bruce on top form and a great chorus. He gets the verse beginning with "Just by looking through your eyes..." spot on and I love the way the song end with the triumphant "and be reborn again". When we were going through the 'Seventh Son of a Seventh Son' rounds in the Iron Maiden survivor not long ago I kept on voting for this song, but then when I listened to the album shortly after I actually realized that it's a great song and that I had underrated it for a few years.
 
35. Total Eclipse
This has got to be Iron Maiden's most underrated song and I can't fathom why it was dropped from the original release of 'The Number of the Beast' and 'Gangland' got the nod. It's a very dark and intense song and also pretty heavy. The doomsday, post-apocalyptic lyrics really hit home especially with the different ways Bruce sings in the song: from the menacing "A shadow cast upon them all to crush them like a fly" to the despairing "Is this the end? The millions cried". 'Total Eclipse' also has one of my favourite lines from an Iron Maiden song in the opening verse: "War babies in the garden of Eden shall turn our ashes to ice". That line has such a great contrast between "War Babies" and "the garden of Eden" which always catches my attention when I listen to this song. I'm sure that if 'Total Eclipse' had made the original release of 'The Number of the Beast' then it would be widely considered a classic, which is the recognition it certainly deserves.

34. Heaven Can Wait
This is definitely one of Iron Maiden's most uplifting songs. I actually studied the topic of 'Heaven Can Wait' at school and had to write an essay about Near Death Experiences, but I think this was before I was listening to Iron Maiden. The lyrics seem to describe someone who doesn't believe that his/her time has come and is giving God the finger as it were. The live version of 'Heaven Can Wait' is great, if only for that moment when loads of people join them on stage for the "Wo-oh-oh" part, followed by "Bloody 'ell!" from Bruce!

33. Only the Good Die Young
I think 'Only the Good Die Young' closes the album and ends the Seven Son story really well. It's quite bitter, which is conveyed in the lyrics and by Bruce's vocals, and I find that the music gives quite a reflective feel. I suppose that the song does end at least a minute early with that quite anti-climactic transferral into the acoustic part from the beginning of 'Moonchild', but the main part of the song is very strong in my opinion. 'Only the Good Die Young' has a great chorus and I really enjoy that riff between the solos and the second verse.
 
Kind of hard to get into a list where Rime is so low, to be honest. ROTAM is not just a song in the catalog, it is all the great things about Maiden rapped in a perfectly seamless package. It is hard for me to see a Maiden fan having , say , "Look for the truth" so far ahead of it on a favorites list. But good taste in music and respect for others opinions is what we all have in common here. So onwards and upwards. Real nice description and comments on Total Eclipse. TE certainly is much more than a B side! The song would be much more respected and revered if it had made the final cut on NOTB. You give an outstanding analyses. Still love Gangland though!
 
bornless1 said:
Kind of hard to get into a list where Rime is so low, to be honest. ROTAM is not just a song in the catalog, it is all the great things about Maiden rapped in a perfectly seamless package. It is hard for me to see a Maiden fan having , say , "Look for the truth" so far ahead of it on a favorites list.
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As I said previously, I don't think there is anything bad about 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' at all, I have just never connected with it as much as other songs, such as 'Look for the Truth'. Another way of looking at this is that I would rather listen to Sepultura than Mozart, but only a stupid person would say that Sepultura are better!
 
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