Back in the Village

How good is Back in the Village on a scale of 1-10?

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T

The Ancient Mariner

Ancient Mariner
Back In The Village is, as you probably know, about the cult 1960's TV series The Prisoner. But it could also be about the book and film named "1984" by George Orwell in 1948. In the book, the world is made into a prison, with ID cards, cameras, new languages-no-one is free. Everyone is a prisoner, and can't break out without Big Brother knowing. In the TV series The Prisoner, everyone is kept in The Village and can't escape, no-one is free. The song could be about the book 1984, but described in a similar vein to The Prisoner-the 1984 thing could be because of the year of Powerslave's release.

It's quite a silly idea with little merit, but it's just a thought.
 
'back In The Village'

"shellshock in the kitchen
tables start to burn"


I think kitchen refers to the politicians who 'cooked' up the war
and the tables shows the battlefield and its burning showing a disaster happened there

Tell me your views and if i'm not correct i should just give up on discussion and watch Loosecanon and Maverick discuss
 
'back In The Village'

Well, I have almost always thought this to be about the German invasion of Poland, 1939. But the connections to "The Prisoner" seem...undenyable.
 
'back In The Village'

Don't give up wrathchild! thinking is a good thing! but read the commentary, also mav mentioned a very unique interpretation e-mailed to him, i don't know if it's up on the rants or what, but it's interesting.
 
'back In The Village'

[!--QuoteBegin-LooseCannon+Mar 7 2004, 04:07 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(LooseCannon @ Mar 7 2004, 04:07 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] Well, I have almost always thought this to be about the German invasion of Poland, 1939.  But the connections to "The Prisoner" seem...undenyable.

wrathchild's point is very clever, it certainly gives a meaning to an otherwise meaningless lyric! [/quote]
please tell more, why do you think so, it sounds intresting...
 
'back In The Village'

[!--QuoteBegin-Wrathchild666+Mar 7 2004, 03:41 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Wrathchild666 @ Mar 7 2004, 03:41 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] "shellshock in the kitchen
tables start to burn"


I think kitchen refers to the politicians who 'cooked' up the war
and the tables shows the battlefield and its burning showing a disaster happened there

Tell me your views and if i'm not correct i should just give up on discussion and watch Loosecanon and Maverick discuss [/quote]
i really like this explanation, it certainly gives meaning to an until now meaningless lyric...
 
'back In The Village'

Now you can read other visitors' comments on 'Back In The Village' as well as post your own. Any contribution to the commentary will be much appreciated, may it be cultural references relevant to the song (links to related websites, interpretations that may have been overlooked in the Commentary, and the like) or personal essays related to the topic of the song. Just be aware that messages that are either off-topic or too wacky may be deleted.
 
Here, you can read other visitors' comments on 'Powerslave' as well as post your own. Any contribution to the commentary will be much appreciated, may it be cultural references relevant to the song (links to related websites, interpretations that may have been overlooked in the Commentary, and the like) or personal essays related to the topic of the song. Just be aware that messages that are either off-topic or too wacky may be deleted.
 
'back In The Village'

I think Back In The Village is a very underrated song. It has one of my favorite riffs in a Maiden song and the solos are also very good. I think it's based on The Prisoner just because it's most obvious, too. I give it 4.5 stars.
 
'back In The Village'

A solid song, but it somehow lacks something. I can't tell exactly, I just think the song is weaker than the rest of the album.
 
'back In The Village'

In "The Prisoner" from Number of the Beast, Number 6 escapes the village. "Back in the Village" is Number 6's return to the village, for some revenge. Either this, or he is in the Village and the planes have come to rescue him.

This is what I get out of the song anyways
 
'back In The Village'

I am trying to find what a "paper cat" is. It certainly means sth, it wasn't put there by chance. after some google search, i found 3 possible meanings:

1.a masturbation device designed by Marquis de Sade (highly unlikely that this is its meaning in this song)
2.apparently a phrase meaning "submissive coward" in Iraqi. I have only found [a href=\'http://www.memri.de/uebersetzungen_analysen/laender/persischer_golf/irak_saddamfestn_II_17_12_03.html\' target=\'_blank\']this[/a] refference.
3. Paper Cat. As in Paper Catalog. does this ring a bell in connection to the Vietnam war to anyone?
 
'back In The Village'

I'd heard of the expression "paper tiger", but not "paper cat", although both are felines. Maybe an English linguist can clear this up...
 
'back In The Village'

Sadly, I have never heard the expression. Also, it doesn't appear on any of the phrase message boards that I frequent. Thus, it either doesn't exist or is very regional.
James Briggs

linguist's reply
 
'back In The Village'

I find the evil singing and energy appealing, as well as the great pumping guitars.
All the solo parts are steadily rocking and the happy shift part is a nice counterpoint.
As for the lyrics and the "fox" thing I can only agree with the more general interpretation. A fox among the chickens simply refers to a villain.
But I've always thought the "shellshock in the kitchen" refers to the state of my home after a raid by my family members. [!--emo&:blink:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
After this rather sad joke, I gave the song four and a half.
 
'back In The Village'

"Back In The Village and Hooks In You were Smith's only authentically weak contributions."
Just found this in the Adrian Smith bio on this site. I know, it is an opinion, probably of Andy Law or Neil Gibson, and I have stated mine above. But "authentically"? [!--emo&:unsure:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/unsure.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'unsure.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'back In The Village'

[!--QuoteBegin-charlotte+Jul 2 2005, 04:23 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(charlotte @ Jul 2 2005, 04:23 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]As for the lyrics and the "fox" thing I can only agree with the more general interpretation. A fox among the chickens simply refers to a villain.
[/quote]
Almost the same line is also used in Run Silent Run Deep: "A Cunning Fox In Chickens Lair"
 
Re: 'back In The Village'

Some of the similiarities to the TV series "The Prisoner" are uncanny (ie, "I see sixes all the way", and "Questions are a burden..."), but some of the lyrics come out of nowhere, like "shellshock in the kitchen".  Regardless, it was a strange TV show, and it makes sense in a funny way that this song should also follow its own unique logic.  I think the enigmatic nature makes the song even more powerful.
 
Re: 'back In The Village'

I've got the remastered compact disc edition from Sanctuary (dated 1998), and on my copy of Powerslave, the beginning of Powerslave 'leaks' over into the end of 'Back In The Village'. All the howling and Halloween-type sounds, as well as Bruce's evil laugh and Nicko's drum roll, are all at the end of the Back In The Village track; the song 'Powerslave' starts with the crashing first chord. Does anyone else have this 'problem'?
 
Re: 'back In The Village'

That's how it is with the '98 remasters.
 
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