Worst Iron Maiden Song

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The boys are all excellent songwriters, but no one can deny that over the course of thirteen studio albums there have been a few duds. Come on, admit it - no matter how much we love the band, any free-thinking, open-minded Iron Maiden fan will have those few songs that make them cringe. Here's my definitive list:

Quest For Fire - Embarrassingly cheesy. I understand that it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek but it's still just bad.

Deja Vu - A fairly decent sounding song, but with some very juvenile lyrics. "Ever had a conversation / That you realise you've had before / Isn't it strange? / Have you ever talked to someone / And you feel you know what's coming next / It feels pre-arranged!" *groan*

Alexander the Great - Again, not TOO bad musically, but the lyrics are horribly simplistic and lack any kind of skilful use of words or imagery. Come on, it just lists everything Alexander did, straight out of a textbook. Not a speck of originality.

Assassin - Corny, hokey and silly. All apparently unintentional. "Better watch out/Better watch out..." ...Santa Claus is coming to town. [!--emo&:)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

The Apparition - Worst... Iron Maiden... song... ever. Lots of man-to-man advice but is there even a tune here?

Lightning Strikes Twice - Or, Fear of the Lightning. Dull, dull, dull. It seems to attempt a deeper meaning but the lyrics offer no insight whatsoever and it doesn't stand out much musically either.

The Nomad - Long, boring and completely uninteresting. By this point Maiden should have matured past writing a pointless song about some non-specifically frightening figure wandering the desert. I know a lot of people like this one, but I just don't see it.

Age of Innocence - A good sounding tune but I hate the narrow-minded, thinly-veiled right-wing lyrics because they make Steve sound like Alf Garnet. With lines like "Assailants know just how much further they can go / They know the laws are soft, conviction chances low" he is in danger of sounding like the editor of the Daily Mail.


I don't want to sound like I'm knocking Maiden here. They're my favourite band. Eight stinkers in thriteen albums isn't too bad I reckon.

What about you guys?
 
I never really liked "Sun and Steel". Although bad for a Maiden song is generally still not a bad song, this song is indeed one that makes me cringe. The lyrics are lame(Sunlight falling on your steel/death in life is your ordeal/life is like a wheel/rolling on and on), the tune is sub par, and the solo is just brutal. Other than this, however, I can't think of any other Maiden songs I truly dislike. I can agree that "Quest For Fire" is cheesey, but that chorus is catchy as hell... I'm going to be humming it all day [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--] .
 
Space Station No. 5.
Aside form the rant at the end, it's devoid of any semblance of quality and effort.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-IronDuke+Sep 9 2005, 04:54 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(IronDuke @ Sep 9 2005, 04:54 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Space Station No. 5.
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It's a cover, Dukey. [!--emo&:rolleyes:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/rolleyes.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'rolleyes.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
Interesting list, Krakenslayer. I note that most of your direct complaints about these songs are based on the lyrics. I personally consider the music to be of greater importance. This is why I think that "Alexander The Great" and "The Nomad" are two of Maiden's best songs. Musically, I think they are fascinating tracks.

Not that I'm questoining the validity of your list for you. I just think it's interesting to note how different fans have different standards by which they judge the songs.

I was tempted to move this topic to the "best of / worst of" forum, but then I saw 2 other mods had been here and seen no cause to move it. Is it just me, or doesn't this thread belong over there?
 
Interesting list, Krakenslayer. You're listing some of my favourite and some of my least favourite songs there.

My list would perhaps look something like this (and I'm not really saying they're bad songs, I'm just saying I don't like them that much):

Gangland- Boring. This is the only Maiden song I actually skip. I don't do that anymore, but it still isn't exciting to the least to me.

Back In The Village- I used to hate this song. Now it's grown on me, yet I wouldn't consider it their best.

Can I Play With Madness- Same as Back In The Village.

Hooks In You- Same thing as above, but the other way around. I used to love it, now I consider it average at best.

The Apparition- Krakenslayer basically summed it up.

Weekend Warrior- If it wasn't for the awful vocals, I'd consider it quite good.

Fallen Angel- I really, really tried to get into this one, but it just didn't happen. I like the chorus, but that's it.

That's all I can think of at the moment.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Krakenslayer+Sep 9 2005, 12:53 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Krakenslayer @ Sep 9 2005, 12:53 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]The boys are all excellent songwriters, but no one can deny that over the course of thirteen studio albums there have been a few duds. Come on, admit it - no matter how much we love the band, any free-thinking, open-minded Iron Maiden fan will have those few songs that make them cringe. Here's my definitive list:

Quest For Fire - Embarrassingly cheesy. I understand that it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek but it's still just bad.

Deja Vu - A fairly decent sounding song, but with some very juvenile lyrics. "Ever had a conversation / That you realise you've had before / Isn't it strange? / Have you ever talked to someone / And you feel you know what's coming next / It feels pre-arranged!" *groan*

Alexander the Great - Again, not TOO bad musically, but the lyrics are horribly simplistic and lack any kind of skilful use of words or imagery. Come on, it just lists everything Alexander did, straight out of a textbook. Not a speck of originality.
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First some reactions to your list. Deja-Vu and ATG belong to my favorite songs (even in my top 15, I'd say).

Deja-Vu might have shitty lyrics, but I love the harmonies and the atmosphere of the song. I also like the chorus a lot and the drums. With Alexander The Great I don't only hear stuff. I "see" a big army coming over a hill top, ready to attack. Again great atmosphere :)

Lightning Strikes Twice is my favorite song from Virtual XI. It has imo one of the best Maiden intros from the nineties, and a really nice mid-section.

My own worst Maiden song(s)?

Let me see. I'd go for:

"Sanctuary" (boring, compared to other songs from that era)
"The Angel & The Gambler" (the ever repetitive chorus line),
"Don't Look to the Eyes Of A Stranger" (see comment previous song),
"When Two Worlds Collide" (the chorus is a rip-off from the couplets of "That Girl")
"Wildest Dreams (shitty chorus)",
"Montsegur" (a WAY TOO HAPPY sounding song for such a subject),
"No More Lies" (a great intro but further a very disappointing song without inspiration),
"New Frontier" (no interesting melodies at all)
 
Of course everybody has their own opinions on this subject and a few of the above selections have raised a few eyebrows but that is normal. I will not be any different...

I would have to say that one of my least favourit songs is "Run to the Hills". It is Miaden's most commercial song and in my opinion a bit boring. People who don't know anything about heavy metal claim that the love this song. I just think it's a bland song on an otherwise mercurial album.

Another one I don't particually love too much is "Moonchild". Like "Run to the Hills" it's a bit boring and the chorus isn't at all catchy.

Others that aren't up to the usual Maiden standard would be "The Apparition", "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" and "The Assasin".
 
Another Life - Sounds like something they just wanted to get down on record as quickly as possible. Lacks all real inspiration and Steve could have done better than the same verse repeated three times.

Invaders - I can't see why an excellent song like Total Eclipse had to be cut from the original album with this around.

Public Enema Number One - Same as Another Life. Bruce can write better lyrics than this and the music sounds strained.

The Assassin - Like Public Enema Number One, this one just isn't up to the mark. Shame those two were included because the album is quite good otherwise IMO.

From Here to Eternity - Tired, unspired and boring.

Fear is the Key - See above.

Weekend Warrior - Once more, see above.

The Angel and the Gambler - Terrible song in all aspects, especially the chorus.

The Educated Fool - See From Here to Eternity.

Gates of Tomorrow - Here we go, the worst Maiden song ever. I used to bash it at every possible opportunity back in 2003 and I still do. Terrible everything.

New Frontier - I can't get past the lyrics and the song itself sounds very much like a first attempt at songwriting.

Age of Innocence - Another reason why I don't consider Steve to be particularly great as a lyricist.
 
The one song I can't stand and potentially hate....The Appartion.

I know everyone put that already.

I cant say I hate really though. Just dislike it enough not to play it.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Maiden Guitarist+Sep 9 2005, 08:22 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Maiden Guitarist @ Sep 9 2005, 08:22 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]That's one song I could never hate! [!--emo&:eek:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/ohmy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'ohmy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
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As I said, it's grown on me. I consider it an OK song, but not up to par with Maidens best [!--emo&:)--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Krakenslayer+Sep 9 2005, 03:53 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Krakenslayer @ Sep 9 2005, 03:53 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Alexander the Great - Again, not TOO bad musically, but the lyrics are horribly simplistic and lack any kind of skilful use of words or imagery. Come on, it just lists everything Alexander did, straight out of a textbook. Not a speck of originality.
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However much i love this song, being greek 'n' all, i must say that i agree with you on the "lyric side". It just sounds like Bruce is reading a history book and trying to fit all the words into the song!!!
 
[!--QuoteBegin-SinisterMinisterX+Sep 9 2005, 03:45 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SinisterMinisterX @ Sep 9 2005, 03:45 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Interesting list, Krakenslayer. I note that most of your direct complaints about these songs are based on the lyrics. I personally consider the music to be of greater importance. This is why I think that "Alexander The Great" and "The Nomad" are two of Maiden's best songs. Musically, I think they are fascinating tracks.
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Until I read your post and re-read my list, I wasn't consciously aware of how much influence the lyrics had over my opinion of the songs. But now I think about it, I think you're right.

I think the reasons for this are twofold:

Firstly, I find almost all of Maiden's songs musically interesting (with a few exceptions, some of which are listed above), while the artistic quality of the lyrics are often the only aspect of the music that varies significantly enough from song to song to allow me to make descisions about which songs I prefer over others.

Secondly, I come from a very literary background - my mother is an English teacher and I grew up reading Burns, Wilde, Shakespeare, Tennyson, Dickens and so forth, and apart from Maiden, I also listen to a lot of music from slightly more emotionally- and poetically-inclined artists such as Morrissey, Cure, etc. As a result, I tend to listen to music lyrics quite intently - I get enjoyment from trying to unpick the themes and meanings of a song, and a poetic kick from amusing wordplay and clever metaphor. This is why I love Bruce's solo material (The Chemical Wedding is still yielding up new things for me), and most of Blaze's stuff too. Maiden also have a lot of very cleverly-written lyrics in their songs, but also quite a few shallow, pointless ones too. This doesn't necessarily lessen my enjoyment of a track, but it does cut its replayability as I get bored hearing the melody and can find no lyrical depth to explore.

They're still my favourite band though.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Shadow+Sep 9 2005, 06:17 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Shadow @ Sep 9 2005, 06:17 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Public Enema Number One - Same as Another Life. Bruce can write better lyrics than this and the music sounds strained.
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I'm kinda torn on this one. The music is uninspired but for me the song is almost rescued by the single line: "California dreaming as the world dies screaming". It just sums up the whole middle-class attitude of: "We'll just immerse ourselves in material possessions and mind-altering substances, and bury our heads in the sand to ignore the escalating problems of poverty and pollution and war and corruption because we can't be bothered dealing with it." That line is like a diamond embedded in a turd.
 
That's a great lyric alright, one of Maiden's lyrics that somehow stuck in my head for the longest time, considering that the song is a bit forgotten. 'People talking about the environment but not doing anything about it' pretty much sums it up. A lot of people can't even be bothered to recycle a lot of their waste. They wouldn't have to take out the proper garbage so often as well!
 
I love all Maiden songs, apart from Wildest Dreams, to me that song just seems annoying cheesy and devoid of life, I even prefer Gangland to it.
 
I hate the beginig of virus... when its soft HARD...soft HARD.... soft HARD... its horrible... but then it kind of gets better
 
Some people dont like songs like moonchild, fear is the key, sanctuary or run to the hills....amazing


Maiden bad songs: Gangland (maybe it looks worse since it appears in such a glorious album), The angel and the gambler (how could they write it...it looks like a bad MSG or whitesnake cut...) The apparition (shitty) Montsegur (what a great theme....what a stupid and annoying choruses) Hooks on you (boring) Back in the village (weird) and there must be so bad songs that i even remember them up the irons the best band ever
 
erm my least fav maiden song...hhhhhmmmm

from the ones ive heard maybe....Hooks in u


its difficult really
 
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