Deconstructing Eddie: My Iron Maiden Songs & Albums Countdown

Deconstructing Eddie: My Iron Maiden Songs & Albums Countdown - Song #143

143. Blood on the World's Hands (The X Factor) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Jm9pt4L1Q
"The world seems so powerless to act..."

O hai thar Blayze!

Iron Maiden has been known for writing exceptionally smart lyrics very often: There are a lot of things about religion, war, history and they draw a lot of inspiration from literature as well. A good part of their catalog is very social-commentary-ish and this is one of those songs.

While the message behind the song is admirable, at the end of the day, it's ultimately about the music. Unfortunately this isn't the song's strong suit. BotWH feels very lazy. It's doesn't exude the dark and brooding pent-up intensity the way that a ticking timebomb does. Even Steve's solo bass jam at the start of the track, while admittedly interesting, simply lacks anything exciting about it (and it certainly shouldn't have lasted for over a minute). That's basically the story of this song: It feels weak and completely lethargic. Even the solos seem to pop up awkwardly. It's as if the band was woken up at 3am and they were doing their best to fight off drowsiness while recording the track.
 
Jonszat said:
Wut?

BOTWH is one of Maidens most intense songs, imo. Not necessarily great but it's very strong.
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Hm, what can I say? The song doesn't do anything for me. The bass noodling at the start is nothing exceptional. There's nothing in the song that gets me going. Even the solos seem to pop up awkwardly. It's as if the band was woken up at 3am and they were doing their best to fight off drowsiness while recording the track.
 
Deconstructing Eddie: My Iron Maiden Songs & Albums Countdown - Song #142

142. Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bATMFeJ2BTI
"...don't matter what's wrong as long as you're alright."

I was examining the top (favorites) part of this list one time and I realized that I really dislike uptempo-high-octane Maiden. Most of the songs floating around in the high places of my rankings can be described as their slow to mid-paced and "restrained" songs. The speed metal-ish fare will appear fairly early since this is a countdown after all.

Like what I've already mentioned before, I feel like Iron Maiden occasionally veer into Motörhead and Judas Priest territory. "Be Quick or Be Dead" sounds like a good example of this. In fact, it almost approaches thrash metal levels, but it doesn't work for them. It's a rocker, sure. However, it's a plain, unidirectional rocker that sounds like a metal-by-numbers track without anything distinctive about it. It basically suffers from the same problem as "Gangland" with the tedious drumming and lack of a melodic hook.

The song is very relevant social commentary and the music suits the mood and theme excellently. However, it's ultimately all about the music. A song can have superbly written lyrics about profound and relevant themes; but if the music doesn't get me going, then the lyrics - and the song as a whole - doesn't get me going.
 
It's a rocker, sure. However, it's a plain, unidirectional rocker that sounds like a metal-by-numbers track without anything distinctive about it.
 
Valacirca, I can't help but feeling this project could be dangerous to your health with crazy fans plotting against you when you don't rank their best songs as highly as they do :p
 
I can understand why you don't like this one, you're not the only one. Usually I'm not a big fan of Janick's rockers, but with this one he got it right, I really like it, the chorus is immense.  :)
 
^ Different folks, different strokes :p I enjoy the exchanges regarding the songs though.

Jonszat said:
Valacirca, I can't help but feeling this project could be dangerous to your health with crazy fans plotting against you when you don't rank their best songs as highly as they do :p
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I'm calling it, my user rating will be in the negative by the time this project is done :lol:
 
I'll be another one who disagrees with you and calls 'Be Quick or Be Dead' a great rocker.  The song is perhaps Maidens fastest and heaviest, approaching thrash levels.  Quite different from typical Maiden.  Vala's opinion is of the majority on this forum.  As I recall during Mav's days here, the song received a 2/5 rating and was one of the last five or at least bottom ten.
 
valacirca said:
"Be Quick or Be Dead" sounds like a good example of this and how it doesn't work for them. It's a rocker, sure. However, it's a plain, unidirectional rocker that sounds like a metal-by-numbers track without anything distinctive about it. It basically suffers from the same problem as "Gangland" with the tedious drumming and lack of a melodic hook.
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Is this serious? This fucking 'rocker' term annoys me as much as 'the boys'. :mad:

Be Quick Or Be Dead is PEDAL TO THE METAL!!! :shred: Is Maiden's most extreme song, it could be easily covered by any real Death Metal band and it would look like an original Death Metal song. Best album opener!!! (except for The Ides Of March which is an intro in itself)
 
Re: Deconstructing Eddie: My Iron Maiden Songs & Albums Countdown - Song #142

valacirca said:
142. Be Quick or Be Dead (Fear of the Dark) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bATMFeJ2BTI
"...don't matter what's wrong as long as you're alright."

I was examining the top (favorites) part of this list one time and I realized that I really dislike uptempo-high-octane Maiden. Most of the songs floating around in the high places of my rankings can be described as their slow to mid-paced and "restrained" songs. The speed metal-ish fare will appear fairly early since this is a countdown after all.

Like what I've already mentioned before, I feel like Iron Maiden occasionally veer into Motörhead and Judas Priest territory. "Be Quick or Be Dead" sounds like a good example of this and how it doesn't work for them. It's a rocker, sure. However, it's a plain, unidirectional rocker that sounds like a metal-by-numbers track without anything distinctive about it. It basically suffers from the same problem as "Gangland" with the tedious drumming and lack of a melodic hook.
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Alright..
Now I'm sure there's no need to read any further.. :down:
 
^ Oh come on. You react as if I put "Hallowed Be Thy Name" on the Bottom 10 :p

Genghis Khan said:
I'll be another one who disagrees with you and calls 'Be Quick or Be Dead' a great rocker.  The song is perhaps Maidens fastest and heaviest, approaching thrash levels.  Quite different from typical Maiden.  Vala's opinion is of the majority on this forum.  As I recall during You Know Who's days here, the song received a 2/5 rating and was one of the last five or at least bottom ten.
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Interesting. I wonder if those results could still be found in the archives... or where the song placed on previous survivor battles. Also... I should really get in on this whole "You Know Who" thing. I have an idea who you guys are talking about, but I have no idea what happened to make you folks refer to him that way :p

Jeffmetal said:
Is this serious? This fucking 'rocker' term annoys me as much as 'the boys'. :mad:

Be Quick Or Be Dead is PEDAL TO THE METAL!!! :shred: Is Maiden's most extreme song, it could be easily covered by any real Death Metal band and it would look like an original Death Metal song. Best album opener!!! (except for The Ides Of March which is an intro in itself)
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The term "rocker" doesn't imply that the song is rock. It simply means that the song is type of song that you could "rock out to" because it's fast and heavy. I did acknowledge it as a standard metal-by-numbers track. :D
 
^ Very nice! It will be interesting to compare my rankings to this, thanks! What 2nd list btw? Are you referring to the current Daily Songs that he's doing?
 
Those lists are based on the various rankings done by forum members before the Great Forum Crash of July 06, and on the IMC afterwards. They're not mine.

But for reference, that's why I've been running the Daily Song threads - to get new numbers for '10-'11.
 
valacirca said:
^ Very nice! It will be interesting to compare my rankings to this, thanks! What 2nd list btw? Are you referring to the current Daily Songs that he's doing?
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There is a 2nd further down the thread.
 
Be Quick Or Be Dead is very relevant social commentary. It's probably the best lyric of that type that Maiden ever done. And music suits the mood and the theme 100%. And the video is also great, details like that Darwin moving picture and cheque addresed to "Mr. Scumbag", etc...

Therefore just reviewing "flow of music" without even mentioning or considering what this song is all about...is just wrong.
 
Deconstructing Eddie: My Iron Maiden Songs & Albums Countdown - Song #141

Be Quick Or Be Dead is very relevant social commentary... *snip* ...And music suits the mood and the theme 100%.
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I totally agree.

Therefore just reviewing "flow of music" without even mentioning or considering what this song is all about...is just wrong.
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It might have been an oversight for me not to have included what you said about it being a relevant social commentary and the music suiting the mood and the theme considering I feel the same way. However, it's ultimately all about the music for me. A song can have superbly written lyrics about profound and relevant themes; but if the music doesn't get me going, then the lyrics - and the song as a whole - doesn't get me going.
141. Wildest Dreams (Dance of Death) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq3f82A4KxU
"I felt I'd disappeared so deep inside myself..."

It really is one of their worst choruses, ain't it?

In any case, here we go from one uptempo track right into another. Although where BQaBD was a piercingly venomous stab of a song, this one is a lighter and more rousing type of dynamo. And as unfortunate as the chorus is (Bruce just seems to stumble through it and throw out the lines sloppily), it still seems like one of their most anthemic numbers... almost like the type you'd hear on the soundtrack if ever Easy Rider was remade for this generation: A free-spirited and stirringly hopeful kind of song.
 
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