Can I Play With Madness?

How good is Can I Play With Madness? on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    13
I worked in Korea for 4.5 years until a year or so ago. Karaoke is big over there and I was regularly belting out Can I Play With Madness in the pubs, full of the demon drink. It was one of my signature tunes.

They have some rather unexpected choices available in those places. Number of the Beast got a few goes as well.
 
This one makes me think so much about my 2 daughters. We have had so much fun with the video of it. My youngest loves it when she sees our man hold his insides aloft. She waves to him.
 
I feel like the only reason they made this song is so that SSOASS would get airplay, given that the other songs aren't nearly as catchy or commercial sounding. Moonchild is pretty commericial too, but at least it's quality and not so blatantly poppy and sellout. The riff is repetitive and not really that inspired. But the worst part is that god-awful chorus.

2/10

I know this is a fan favorite, sorry guys :(
 
5/10

I like the clarity (in the sense of sound quality) of the first "CAN I PLAY WITH MADNEEEESS", however the song feels awkward and loses me quite quickly.
 
The song is incredibly awkward and feels really sloppy to me. Not to mention the worst chorus I've ever heard, only rivaled by "Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday".
 
I'd say this Madness is a very good song. In fact, I gave it a 9. The only thing that brought it down was Bruce's voice at 1:36. I'm not quite so sure what happened there, but we can only assume that Steve liked it and thought it was a great idea.
 
I think this song's got to much shit, as I think it's a good rocker with nice delivery from the band. Love the short but crazy solo, and the unusual and sometimes artistic vocal performance. The whole vibe on the song is nice. But I think its maybe the worst song on one of Maidens best album.

7/10
 
I wonder if anyone agrees with me when I say that the verses of this song remind me a lot of The Cult, even to the point that Bruce almost sounds like he is doing an Ian Astbury impression in places. (1min 17 seconds - "Too blind to see")? But mostly the guitars, to me they sound like stuff the Cult was doing around that time but CIPWM is heavier.

I'd give it a 7/10. Rest of album 10.
 
7/10

Weakest song on the album. Nice solo by Adrian, but it's too short. Not the greatest chorus..
 
9. I love this song and don't care if it's "poppy". It's great throughout and the chorus is infectious.


Rankings:

Previous Albums:

Iron Maiden - 6.67

8 - Prowler
6 - Sanctuary
7 - Remember Tomorrow
6 - Running Free
9 - Phantom Of The Opera
7 - Transylvania
4 - Strange World
6 - Charlotte The Harlot
7 - Iron Maiden

Killers - 5.91

6 - The Ides Of March
6 - Wrathchild
6 - Murders In The Rue Morgue
5 - Another Life
5 - Genghis Khan
5 - Innocent Exile
8 - Killers
5 - Prodigal Son
8 - Purgatory
6 - Twilight Zone
5 - Drifter

The Number Of The Beast - 7.56

6 - Invaders
7 - Children Of The Damned
8 - The Prisoner
7 - 22 Acacia Avenue
9 - The Number Of The Beast
10 - Run To The Hills
6 - Gangland
5 - Total Eclipse
10 - Hallowed Be Thy Name

Piece Of Mind - 7.44

8 - Where Eagles Dare
9 - Revelations
9 - Flight Of Icarus
7 - Die With Your Boots On
8 - The Trooper
7 - Still Life
6 - Quest For Fire
6 - Sun And Steel
7 - To Tame A Land

Powerslave - 6.75

8 - Aces High
7 - 2 Minutes To Midnight
3 - Loss Fer Words
7 - Flash Of The Blade
5 - The Duellists
6 - Back In The Village
9 - Powerslave
9 - Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

Somewhere In Time - 8.00

8 - Caught Somewhere In Time
9 - Wasted Years
8 - Sea Of Madness
8 - Heaven Can Wait
8 - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
7 - Stranger In A Strange Land
8 - Deja Vu
8 - Alexander The Great

Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

7 - Moonchild
9 - Infinite Dreams
9 - Can I Play With Madness
 
I don't care what other people say, I absolutely love this song. This is my go-to Seventh Son track. Addictive, with great vocals and a classic solo.
10/10
 
10/10

Can I Play With Madness is the obligatory album single. It’s bright and rather cheery despite the subject matter, which apparently deals with the seventh son’s father slipping into violent insanity (the story really is quite loose). Madness gets a perfect rating from me because, up to this point, it is the only upbeat, happy Maiden song that I truly love. It’s catchy, it’s fun, and it truly serves its purpose on the album.
 
A perfectly acceptable, commercial song, which would be the prelude for other made-for-singles from later albums. 7/10.
 
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