Hallowed Be Thy Name

How good is Hallowed Be Thy Name on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    15

Onhell

Infinite Dreamer
This thread was started in the "General" forum but quickly ignored. this is a great song and a good discussion was going on before getting sidetracked. what i did was copy all the posts that delt with the song so it can be discussed again.

MigDaimon Posted: Mar 7 2004, 07:51 PM



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It's not needed to say how wonderful this song is. Its my favourite above all Maiden songs. It has loads of feeling.
However, there are two questions stuck in my head.
First One
'Cos at fice o'clock
They'll take me to the Gallows Pole
What time will be the hang ? Will it be at FIVE AM OR FIVE PM ?
Is there a way to know the exactly time ? I mean, since i'm a brazilian guy who has not the cultural knowledegment that living with the idiom gives, I believe that YOU guys can tell my what was the exactly time. Can you ?
Five AM is the one I'd bet. I think is more powerful this way. The guy in the song has spent the whole night thinking of his life and so.
However, since for me at least, the song has a medieval mood, is very possible that the time is Five PM. The people had worked all day long and in the end of the day they'll have some fun watching the "heretic" die.
What do you think ?
Question two
Hallowed by Thy Name
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The last phrases. What are the meaning of this words ? Why Hallowed Be Thy Name ?
The Mockery Theory : The guy in the song thinks God has betrayed him. So saying this is almost like saying "Hey look at me you bastard, look to what have you done. In your name I will be killed. So Hallowed Be Thy Name" His mockering, leaving the guilt of his murder to God
The Honor Theory : The guy accept his fate and really don't care about this world anymore (saints and sinners... ). He knows that only God can save him. That the only truth is God's truth. So he say Hallowed Be Thy Name in the honor of God.
The Third and most absurd theory : This came to mind lately. In the first "Hallowed Be Thy Name" the guy is mockering God. His is really anger with the almighty Lord that has left him die in such a stupid way. But in the second "Hallowed Be Thy Name" his realizes that his death is not God's fault. It's a human fault. Also he realizes that dying he will be joining God, his is going to be better there, outside that world that has gone so wrong for him.
This theory came when I realize that Bruce give a more relaxed mood in the second phrase, instead of the rage in the first one.
So. What do you think ?
P.S.: Excuse me for my poor english.




Peaveyraptor Posted: Mar 7 2004, 07:58 PM



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Five o' clock in the morning. Traditionally people were hung at dawn.
Hallowed Be Thy Name refers to the Our Father prayer, I suppose. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name" and so on. I'm not sure what the significance is in relation to the song. Repentance, I suppose.


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I am the friend of the dancing bananas.




mercury Posted: Mar 7 2004, 10:06 PM



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thats what i think Its five in the morning.

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LIFE IS SHORT ROCK HARD




Atvarussmak Posted: Mar 12 2004, 10:36 AM



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I would proberly make it worse if they were being hung at 5 AM.
They would proberly be up all night.
Also they would proberly leave the body on the rope to scare the other prisioners.
Why he says hallowed by thy name. I could be he was saying the lords prayer just before he dies. Many heretics beleave in god, just not the cristian god.

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"Day after day, day after day,
we stuck nor breath nor motion
as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean
Water, water everywhere and
all the boards did shrink
Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink."




huxley Posted: Mar 12 2004, 12:04 PM



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damned what a bad night

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the good that men do is often interred with their bones but the evil that men do lives on




LooseCannon Posted: Mar 12 2004, 03:02 PM



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That's an interesting question you pose, both of them. Although I would have to go with 5 AM myself, for reasons already given.
As for the line Hallowed Be Thy Name, you have to watch the progression of the lyrics to fully understand this line. As the lyrics go from beginning to end, we have a prisoner who is completely overwhelmed by the fact that, come 5 o'clock, he will be having his neck stretched.
His belief in "never being an end" is sort of a Abrahamic view (That is, the school of religions encompassing Judaeism, Christianity, and Islam) with the belief of a heaven (or hell, I guess) where existence continues. He also makes a reference or two to his soul, which is not a predominantly Christian belief, but it is present.
Only his belief in the afterlife is what keeps this man calm as he is lead out. Two lines are interesting "If there's a God, why has He let me go". "Though the end is near I'm not sorry". The first line is definately anti-Jew/Christian/Muslim, at least. Althought this could be catagorized as the bitterness any condemned man must feel. The second line tells us that he is holding true to his actions, which brings up two suggestions:
1) This person is a hypocrite Jew/Christian/Muslim, who is unable to atone for his sins, but believes he will carry on in the favourable afterlife (although I will admit I am unsure of the structure of the Afterlife in the Islamic faith, I think it's pretty safe to assume we're talking about Christians here). This could be an outlash at the structure of religion, especially certain forms of Christianity, which teaches that salvation is beyond no one's grasp. Or we just could be dealing with an arrogant human. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" makes sense in this context as it is the prisoner's dying prayer, his attempt to gain salvation by providing the base ritual many Christians are indoctrinated with. Not that I am saying anything against the faith, but I believe that if the Christians are right then you can't gain their form of salvation just by saying Our Father every day.
2) This person ISN'T a Jew/Christian/Muslim, and is being persecuted for such. He is steadfast in his own beliefs (his belief that he will continue to exist) and his scream against God is a sarcastic shot at the men executing him in the name of faith. How can someone be Godly when they kill someone for being different? "Hallowed Be Thy Name" makes sense in this context as the condemned's last cry at his captors, turning the prayer into something part-sarcastic and part-reminding. If He is supposed to be gentle and forgiving, and you who execute me are trying to gain access to His plane of existence someday, how come you go against some of His basic tenents?
Okay, that's my take on it. Be aware, I have a tendancy to over analyze songs. There's a huge chance that Steve just thought it would reflect on the confused mind of a condemned man. Or that he picked the lyrics because they flow well together.
And now, if you will excuse me...
Oooohhh yeah.
This post has been edited by LooseCannon on Mar 12 2004, 03:02 PM

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When all has been layed to ruin
And burnination has forsaken the countryside
Only one guy will remain
My money's on TROGDOR!!!




Onhell Posted: Mar 12 2004, 07:41 PM



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QUOTE (Atvarussmak @ Mar 12 2004, 10:36 AM)

Why he says hallowed by thy name. I could be he was saying the lords prayer just before he dies. Many heretics beleave in god, just not the cristian god.

If he says the lords prayer he believes in the Christian God, if not he wouldn't even know it. Something just hit me....This could be an inquisition hanging where the person is not sorry because he is not guilty (as were most if not all of the people who were hung/burnt by the inquisition). He wonders why God let's him go if he even exists because he is innocent. As for Hallowed be thy name.... In the movie The Crucible With Daniel Day Louis and Wynnona Rider, is based on the play of the same title by Arthur Miller. It tells the story of the Witch Trials in Salem Massachussetes in the 1600's and how people simply acused each other because they hated them for one reason or another, not because they were real witches. It was written in the 50's as a critic on McCarthy's Communist witch hunts in the U.S. However, in the Movie D.D.L's Character is going to be hung (at the end of the movie) and before they knock the stool from under him he begins to say the lords prayer and as he says "deliver us from evil...." BAM he disapears from the screen and all you see is the rope swinging back and forth...
The movie was made in 1996...however there have been various version in 1957, 1967 and 1980. There is one silent movie "the crucible" 1914 obviously not based on Miller's book. I believe this correlation with the movie is a coincidence (an eerie one) but still i felt compelled to mention it. and yes how can i forget.... OOOH YEEAH
This post has been edited by Onhell on Mar 12 2004, 07:41 PM

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"We eat Metal and shit chains"-Timmo Tolki






LooseCannon Posted: Mar 18 2004, 02:26 PM



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I thought they burned people during the inquisistion, Onhell. But, I could be wrong. Will check with Duke.
Otherwise, it's a very valid point, one I never really thought of.

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When all has been layed to ruin
And burnination has forsaken the countryside
Only one guy will remain
My money's on TROGDOR!!!




IronDuke Posted: Mar 18 2004, 06:05 PM



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To clarify for LooseCannon et al:
(keep in mind I haven't read any of the posts on this thread yet)
During the inquisition, burning was the standard sentence given to those who quickly confessed to the "crimes" of which they were accused. It was, believe it or not, the most humane punishment offered to heretics, as the victim would usually suffocate from smoke inhalation well before the flames consumed their bodies. Compared to the alternatives, this was relatively painless.
Those who did not confess were not so lucky. The methods of torture varied, but some common ones were the rack (having limbs pulled to the point of seperation from the body), brandings, starvation, and even the iron maiden (hence the nameof the band we all adore!)
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

Now you can read other visitors' comments on '[a href=\'http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/index.php?url=album03_notb/commentary03_notb〈=eng&link=albums#track9\' target=\'_blank\']Hallowed Be Thy Name[/a]' 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.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

My favourite one!!!! It´s got everything that a maiden song needs to have: the first part introduces you inside the main plot of the song and the drumline´s really cool (if you listen to it well there are some coordination errors between clive & dave but it does´t matter)
the guitar parts are just great(imagine steve composing them at a bass guitar!!!)and it´s riff is one of maiden´s best ones
so are the lyrics,it is, as the trooper, one of the best stories told in maiden´s songs
and the song doesn´t need no long chorus to be a good one (despite of most of the metal hits)
And the instrumental final part makes you enter a state of trance until bruce sings "hallowed be thy name"!!!
Any maiden fan who doesn´t like this one ain´t a real maiden fan
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

One of my favourites and one of the best Heavy Metal Songs ever.Great Lyrics and the best of all Maiden Guitar Solos(Along with Phantom of the Opera and The Trooper).Moreover it´s one of the Songs that got me into Maiden.


Up the Irons!!!
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

This is just another song I honestly got tired of long ago, just like The Trooper, Run To The Hills, The Number of the Beast, Wrathchild and 2 Minutes To Midnight.

For the song itself, I rate it 4 out of 5. The intro and the first verse (I'm waiting in my cold cell...) is the best, then the song speeds up a little too much. But still it's a very good and memorable song.

Clive's drumming is brilliant, possibly the best on the entire song (with the exception of the mid song guitar parts). Sadly, Nicko speeded up the drumming in a way that I think destroys the feel, and that makes the original studio version far better than most of the live recordings of this song.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

We had to write a paper based on a song or a poem, stating metaphors for life, I decided on "Hallowed Be Thy Name". The numbers are the line numbers of the song, but you guys should all know it anyway...

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Many poems about life that we study, such as "The Road Not Taken" by Ray Bradbury, symbolize life as a choice, a path, or even a journey. I considered a couple of these types, but when picking a final song, I wanted to find something that takes the next step, perhaps the end of this journey, either in an abrupt or reflective ending. So came to the conclusion that a combination of both these elements would be the most interesting. This song, "Hallowed be Thy Name", takes us on a trip through the final hours of one man's "journey", and his realization of life as an "illusion".

It begins by setting the scene in a cell, with a man awaiting his own execution (1-4). Suddenly, we are given an extremely detailed and realistic first-person narrative description of the course of events through his eyes, beginning with the priest coming to read his last rites (5-7) which quickly evolve into denial (8-10), panic, and horror (11-14) that we can relate with by simply imagining it. In these lines he questions the reality of his own eventual demise, is it a dream? Is this terror real? (10)

Perhaps he is trying to convince himself of something, because in the next few lines, he claims that he's not actually afraid of death in the first place! (15-16) This begins the trend of him contrasting his knowledge of life as a temporary thing, and his fear that he can't suppress any longer. It's an inner-struggle of sorts.

Then comes the walk that every man fears or at least thinks about at some point: the march to his own grave. (17-20) On his way, another prisoner shouts "God be with you!” which makes him question the existence of one, (18-19) which ties in the religious aspect of life and what comes after it. He knows death is near and during the climax of the song we get the idea of fast-paced thought, anticipation, and extreme fear, all leading to an eventual acceptance and a final message to the listener pertaining to the value of life. (23-28)

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Thanks for reading. Comments, hate, etc. appreciated.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

"...as I walk my life drifts before me"

Hypermnesia is a state which is characterised by automatic surfacing of memories, that results in the person's reexperiencing, in a very short time-span, a smaller or larger part of its past life. It is observed in epilepsy, loss of consiousness, after drug abuse (phsycho-active drugs), as well as during near-death experiences (threat of execution, falling from height, etc). In this last occasion, there occurs a state during which the person experiences a panoramic reliving of its whole life.

translated from the book: Neurology - Dimitris Vasilopoulos (Paschalidis Editions), ©2003, which is the neurology book for general medicine in Athens....
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

An interesting thing about this song for me is that capital punishment was no longer a reality in the UK when it was written. Although it was formally abolished only in 1998, the last execution took place in 1964. So, it could either be about an execution in a place where the death penalty still exists, or about a historical execution.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

You're being picky, Perun. Can't you see it IS historical? [!--emo&:p--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

Well, most things about this song have already been said. The opening is very atmospheric, the lyrics are very thoughtful, and then it takes off in the second part. This is one of the few songs where I like the studio recording much better than the live versions, simply because Bruce always has some problems hitting the notes correctly.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

[!--QuoteBegin-Shadow+Apr 27 2004, 02:16 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Shadow @ Apr 27 2004, 02:16 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]This is just another song I honestly got tired of long ago, just like The Trooper, Run To The Hills, The Number of the Beast, Wrathchild and 2 Minutes To Midnight.

Clive's drumming is brilliant, possibly the best on the entire song. Sadly, Nicko speeded up the drumming in a way that I think destroys the feel, and that makes the original studio version far better than most of the live recordings of this song.
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I am quite with you as for the studio version being far better than live versions of this Maiden favourite!I maintain that all 'Number of the Beast' songs sound better on the album than live.One of the reasons may be Nicko, yet I think it's also about Bruce who seldom was and is able to top his studio recordings.

Nevertheless, I insist that 'Hallowed be thy Name' should always be in the band's setlist whereas I could easily do without the songs you mentioned above.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

that should sum it all up: [!--emo&:bow:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/bowdown.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'bowdown.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
Awesome track, atmospheric and musically brilliant, this will always be one of my favourite Maiden tracks! 5 stars easily!
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

Nothing more to say that this song is, for me, the absolute musical perfection in the history of rock music !

5 stars, of course ! [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

[span style=\'color:purple\']The lyrics of this song make me think about a Victor Hugo's book I read a few years ago, "Le Dernier Jour d'un Condamné" ( "A Condemned's Last Day" ?), especially the end of the book, when the man is prepared before the execution, prays God on the way that leads to the guillotine to forget the crowd, and relates his last feelings...
Am I the only one to make this relation ? [/span]
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

Why do you think I illustrated the commentary with a Hugo painting? [!--emo&^_^--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/happy.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'happy.gif\' /][!--endemo--]


You could also think of Albert Camus's "The Stranger" ("L'Etranger"), but I would suspect that it is more based on British literature, like Oscard Wilde's '[a href=\'http://emotionalliteracyeducation.com/classic_books_online/rgaol10.htm\' target=\'_blank\']Ballad of Reading Gaol[/a]'.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

[span style=\'color:purple\']Ok, I didn't know it was a Hugo's painting... [!--emo&:blush:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blush.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blush.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
And thanks for the link, I try to read this poem, but it's a little dificult...[/span]
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

[!--QuoteBegin-Médusa666+Apr 5 2005, 07:34 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Médusa666 @ Apr 5 2005, 07:34 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--][span style=\'color:purple\']The lyrics of this song make me think about a Victor Hugo's book I read a few years ago, "Le Dernier Jour d'un Condamné" ( "A Condemned's Last Day" ?), especially the end of the book, when the man is prepared before the execution, prays God on the way that leads to the guillotine to forget the crowd, and relates his last feelings...
Am I the only one to make this relation ? [/span]
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I think of George Orwell's short story 'A Hanging' [!--emo&:D--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

Added my humble five stars to the result of this poll after having waited several weeks for the right mood to evaluate this song.

Won't say anything new if I mention that the energy, build-up, shift of motifs, solos and Bruce are exceptional. This is one of the few songs where the short solos by Dave and Adrian are somewhat similar (to my non-expert ears) and I actually like Dave's more.

My favourite parts are the melody break after the intro and the instrumental cascade in the very end with some superb Clive Burr, just before the last verse sung by Bruce. Also my beloved two-guitar parts (sorry, don't know the musical expression), one of Maiden's trademarks.

As for the lyrics, I think there are prettier pieces of poetry in the Maiden catalogue, but hardly any deeper. There are a few lines which will always ring in my ears. Here they are:

It's not easy to stop from screaming
But words escape me when I try to speak

If there's a god then why has he let me go?

And though the end is near I'm not sorry
Catch my soul it's willing to fly away

I've gone beyond to see the truth


EDIT: There has been some debate about the "life down here is just a strange illusion" line. I think the key to understanding this is the expression "down here". Preceded by the last of my favourite verses (above), this gives me the impression of a religious moment. Life down here is an illusion, while up there (heaven?) real life begins. This is one of the Catholic dogmas, or even Christian beliefs as such.
Of course "down here" might just mean a prison cell, but the other explanation makes more sense to me.
 
'hallowed Be Thy Name'

[!--QuoteBegin-charlotte+Aug 19 2005, 04:14 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(charlotte @ Aug 19 2005, 04:14 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] This is one of the Catholic dogmas, or even Christian beliefs as such
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Ok, I see this WAY too often and it bugs me every time, not to be mean or belittle anybody but the following explanation is rendered in such a way EVERYONE will understand it since a lot of people with different mental, linguistic and logical understandings may come across it. Now after making a bigger deal than what it really is here I go:

Catholics ARE Christians!

Think of it in terms of music: Heavy Metal is the Parent genre branched out into Power, Thrash, Speed, Progressive etc. In the End they are ALL Heavy Metal.

In such a Case Christianity is the parent denomination followed by Eastern Orthodox, Catholicism, Protestantism (Lutherans, Calvinists, Baptists, Anabaptists, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Presbityrians, Methodits). In the end they are ALL Christians. What makes them all Christians? they all agree In the belief of ONE God and in the mystery of the Trinity. That's why NONE, of the above mentioned denominations consider The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) Christian even if they themselves do.

Again, sorry if I insulted anybody's intelligence, it wasn't my intention.
 
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