Iron Maiden lyrics tournament final: Empire of the Clouds rises above all
- Thread starter mckindog
- Start date
CriedWhenBrucieLeft
Meme Only Account
How did that make you feel?
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Stranger. The vagueness and "awkward" awkwardness of Breeg doesn't do much for me, even though the lyrics fit well within the song.
Beast is simple and a bit amateur, but I enjoy the simple story more than the overt message of The Aftermath.
Beast is simple and a bit amateur, but I enjoy the simple story more than the overt message of The Aftermath.
I'm going against the grain on both of these.
Breeg is a superb taste of a tortured character that leaves me asking questions and wanting more.
Stranger has some nice phrasing but ultimately falls short as both a narrative and a metaphor.
I love the percussive Phrasing on Beast and the horror images and the paranoia.
Aftermath is solid but it doesn't move me as much as the topic matter should.
I bet a lot of you would struggle to come up with all the words to Aftermath, yet could bellow out every syllable to Beast.
That means something.
Breeg is a superb taste of a tortured character that leaves me asking questions and wanting more.
Stranger has some nice phrasing but ultimately falls short as both a narrative and a metaphor.
I love the percussive Phrasing on Beast and the horror images and the paranoia.
Aftermath is solid but it doesn't move me as much as the topic matter should.
I bet a lot of you would struggle to come up with all the words to Aftermath, yet could bellow out every syllable to Beast.
That means something.
Breeg and NOTB are classic Harris lyrics but they're overshadowed by much more unique and interesting lyrics. I love all four by I appreciate how adventurous SIASL and The Aftermath are slightly more. The Aftermath has some of my favorite imagery in Maiden lyrics.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Adding a shitpost just to get to the next page so that every time I come to this thread it doesn't default to those damn minions...
I have to go for Stranger in the first pair. I find it a lot more scene-setting and visual, while I still to this day can't work out who or what the story is meant to be with Breeg. Maybe the anonymity is meant to be the point, but it just doesn't capture my imagination as much.
NOTB from the second pair. It spins a good yarn with a bit of flair. Aftermath is a lot more serious but somehow lacks the emotion and gravity that the subject could evoke. The questioning reminds me of the questioning that appears in Como Estais Amigos and a couple of other songs during the Blaze era. I wondered if it was Blaze's influence, but looking through a few other songs, it looks like it's one of Steve's songwriting habits too.
NOTB from the second pair. It spins a good yarn with a bit of flair. Aftermath is a lot more serious but somehow lacks the emotion and gravity that the subject could evoke. The questioning reminds me of the questioning that appears in Como Estais Amigos and a couple of other songs during the Blaze era. I wondered if it was Blaze's influence, but looking through a few other songs, it looks like it's one of Steve's songwriting habits too.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Really? I hear it as one of the more emotional Blaze deliveries. At least the last bit... "I am just a soldier!" (and the preceding "After the War...").
It doesn't come across as heartfelt and sufficiently personal, to me. We've all read war poetry and it's difficult to come up with something original in that vein. I find the descriptive observations a little detached. By comparison, Paschendale throws you right in the thick of the horror of war, Como Estais Amigos is speaking from the heart - although the delivery contributes to that as well.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Paschendale does automatically well for the explicit description and the horror (of that particular) WWI (battle). Without anyone singing these words yet, such type of lyrics will always have a certain advantage over anything else, for most people.
The Aftermath is less descriptive, and that was probably the point. It is more philosophical.
The Aftermath is less descriptive, and that was probably the point. It is more philosophical.
Aftermath (6-3) and Stranger (7-2) move on.
Our next battles:
RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER
versus
THE PRISONER
Our next battles:
RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER
Hear the rime of the Ancient Mariner
See his eye as he stops one of three
Mesmerizes one of the wedding guests
Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the Sea
And the music plays on, as the bride passes by
Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale
Driven south to the land of the snow and ice
To a place where nobody's been
Through the snow fog flies on the albatross
Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings
And the ship sails on, back to the North
Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on
The Mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he's done
But when the fog clears they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime
Sailing on and on and North across the sea
Sailing on and on and North 'til all is calm
The albatross begins with its vengeance
A terrible curse a thirst has begun
His shipmates blame bad luck on the Mariner
About his neck the dead bird is hung
And the curse goes on and on at sea
And the curse goes on and on for them and me
"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."
(SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE)
There, calls the Mariner, there comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide?
See... onward she comes, onward she nears, out of the sun
See... she has no crew, she has no life, wait but there's two
Death and she Life in Death, they throw their dice for the crew
She wins the Mariner and he belongs to her now
Then... crew one by one, they drop down dead, two hundred men
She... She Life in Death, she lets him live, her chosen one
"One after one by the star dogged moon, too quick for groan or sigh
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, and cursed me with his eye
Four times fifty living men, (and I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, they dropped down one by one."
(SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE)
The curse it lives on in their eyes
The Mariner he wished he'd die
Along with the sea creatures
But they lived on, so did he
And by the light of the moon
He prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them
God's creatures all of them too
Then the spell starts to break
The albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the Sea
Then down in falls comes the rain...
Hear the groans of the long dead seamen
See them stir and they start to rise
Bodies lifted by good spirits
None of them speak and they're lifeless in their eyes
And revenge is still sought, penance starts again
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on
Now the curse is finally lifted
And the Mariner sights his home
Spirits go from the long dead bodies
Form their own light and the Mariner's left alone
And then a boat came sailing toward him
It was a joy he could not believe
The Pilot's boat, his son and the hermit
Penance of life will fall onto Him
And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea
And the hermit shrieves the Mariner of his sins
The Mariner's bound to tell of his story
To tell his tale wherever he goes
To teach God's word by his own example
That we must love all things that God made
And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man
And the tale goes on and on and on...
See his eye as he stops one of three
Mesmerizes one of the wedding guests
Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the Sea
And the music plays on, as the bride passes by
Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale
Driven south to the land of the snow and ice
To a place where nobody's been
Through the snow fog flies on the albatross
Hailed in God's name, hoping good luck it brings
And the ship sails on, back to the North
Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on
The Mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he's done
But when the fog clears they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime
Sailing on and on and North across the sea
Sailing on and on and North 'til all is calm
The albatross begins with its vengeance
A terrible curse a thirst has begun
His shipmates blame bad luck on the Mariner
About his neck the dead bird is hung
And the curse goes on and on at sea
And the curse goes on and on for them and me
"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."
(SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE)
There, calls the Mariner, there comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide?
See... onward she comes, onward she nears, out of the sun
See... she has no crew, she has no life, wait but there's two
Death and she Life in Death, they throw their dice for the crew
She wins the Mariner and he belongs to her now
Then... crew one by one, they drop down dead, two hundred men
She... She Life in Death, she lets him live, her chosen one
"One after one by the star dogged moon, too quick for groan or sigh
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, and cursed me with his eye
Four times fifty living men, (and I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, they dropped down one by one."
(SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE)
The curse it lives on in their eyes
The Mariner he wished he'd die
Along with the sea creatures
But they lived on, so did he
And by the light of the moon
He prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them
God's creatures all of them too
Then the spell starts to break
The albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the Sea
Then down in falls comes the rain...
Hear the groans of the long dead seamen
See them stir and they start to rise
Bodies lifted by good spirits
None of them speak and they're lifeless in their eyes
And revenge is still sought, penance starts again
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on
Now the curse is finally lifted
And the Mariner sights his home
Spirits go from the long dead bodies
Form their own light and the Mariner's left alone
And then a boat came sailing toward him
It was a joy he could not believe
The Pilot's boat, his son and the hermit
Penance of life will fall onto Him
And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea
And the hermit shrieves the Mariner of his sins
The Mariner's bound to tell of his story
To tell his tale wherever he goes
To teach God's word by his own example
That we must love all things that God made
And the wedding guest's a sad and wiser man
And the tale goes on and on and on...
versus
THE PRISONER
We want information... information... information...
Who are you? – The new number two.
Who is number one? – You are number six.
I am not a number! I am a free man!
I'm on the run I kill to eat
I'm starving now feeling dead on my feet
Going all the way I'm nature's beast
Do what I want I'll do as I please
Run, fight, to breathe it's tough
Now you see me now you don't break the walls I'm coming out
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going... Out!
If you kill me it's self defence
If I kill you then I call it vengeance
Spit in your eye I will defy
You'll be afraid when I call out your name
Run, fight, to breathe it's gonna be tough
Now you see me now you don't break the walls, I'm coming out
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going
Not a number I'm a free man I'll live my life how I want to
You'd better scratch me from your black book 'cause I'll run rings around you
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going
Who are you? – The new number two.
Who is number one? – You are number six.
I am not a number! I am a free man!
I'm on the run I kill to eat
I'm starving now feeling dead on my feet
Going all the way I'm nature's beast
Do what I want I'll do as I please
Run, fight, to breathe it's tough
Now you see me now you don't break the walls I'm coming out
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going... Out!
If you kill me it's self defence
If I kill you then I call it vengeance
Spit in your eye I will defy
You'll be afraid when I call out your name
Run, fight, to breathe it's gonna be tough
Now you see me now you don't break the walls, I'm coming out
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going
Not a number I'm a free man I'll live my life how I want to
You'd better scratch me from your black book 'cause I'll run rings around you
Not a prisoner I'm a free man and my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was I know where I'm going
and
PASCHENDALE
versus
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
PASCHENDALE
In a foreign field you lay
Lonely soldier unknown grave
On his dying words he prays
Tell the world of Paschendale
Relive all that he's been through
Last communion of his soul
Rust your bullets with his tears
Let me tell you about his years
Laying low in a blood-filled trench
Killing time 'til my very own death
On my face I can feel the falling rain
Never see my friends again
In the smoke, in the mud and lead
Smell the fear and the feeling of dread
Soon be time to go over the wall
Rapid fire and the end of us all
Whistles, shouts, and more gun fire
Lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire
Battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb
Be reunited with my dead friends soon
Many soldiers eighteen years
Drown in mud, no more tears
Surely a war no-one can win,
Killing time about to begin
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away but the war, no chance to live again
The bodies of ours and our foes
The sea of death it overflows
In no man's land God only knows
Into jaws of death we go
Crucified as if on a cross,
Allied troops they mourn their loss
German war propaganda machine
Such before has never been seen
Swear I heard the angels cry
Pray to God no more may die
So that people know the truth
Tell the tale of Paschendale
Cruelty has a human heart
Every man does play his part
Terror of the men we kill
The human heart is hungry still
I stand my ground for the very last time
Gun is ready as I stand in line
Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go
Blood is falling like the rain
Its crimson cloak unveils again
The sound of guns can't hide their shame
And so we die in Paschendale
Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire
Running straight at cannon fire
Running blind as I hold my breath
Say a prayer, symphony of death
As we charge the enemy lines
A burst of fire and we go down
I choke a cry but no-one hears
Feel the blood go down my throat
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
See my spirit on the wind
Across the lines, beyond the hill
Friend and foe will meet again
Those who died at Paschendale
Lonely soldier unknown grave
On his dying words he prays
Tell the world of Paschendale
Relive all that he's been through
Last communion of his soul
Rust your bullets with his tears
Let me tell you about his years
Laying low in a blood-filled trench
Killing time 'til my very own death
On my face I can feel the falling rain
Never see my friends again
In the smoke, in the mud and lead
Smell the fear and the feeling of dread
Soon be time to go over the wall
Rapid fire and the end of us all
Whistles, shouts, and more gun fire
Lifeless bodies hang on barbed wire
Battlefield nothing but a bloody tomb
Be reunited with my dead friends soon
Many soldiers eighteen years
Drown in mud, no more tears
Surely a war no-one can win,
Killing time about to begin
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away but the war, no chance to live again
The bodies of ours and our foes
The sea of death it overflows
In no man's land God only knows
Into jaws of death we go
Crucified as if on a cross,
Allied troops they mourn their loss
German war propaganda machine
Such before has never been seen
Swear I heard the angels cry
Pray to God no more may die
So that people know the truth
Tell the tale of Paschendale
Cruelty has a human heart
Every man does play his part
Terror of the men we kill
The human heart is hungry still
I stand my ground for the very last time
Gun is ready as I stand in line
Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go
Blood is falling like the rain
Its crimson cloak unveils again
The sound of guns can't hide their shame
And so we die in Paschendale
Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire
Running straight at cannon fire
Running blind as I hold my breath
Say a prayer, symphony of death
As we charge the enemy lines
A burst of fire and we go down
I choke a cry but no-one hears
Feel the blood go down my throat
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
Home, far away from the war, a chance to live again
See my spirit on the wind
Across the lines, beyond the hill
Friend and foe will meet again
Those who died at Paschendale
versus
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
Can't understand what is happening to me
This isn't real this is only a dream
But I never have felt, no I never have felt this way before
I'm looking down on my body below
I lie asleep in the midst of a dream
Is it now could it be the Angel of Death has come for me?
I can't believe that really my time has come
I don't feel ready there's so much left undone
And it's my soul and I'm not gonna let it get away
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
I have a lust for the earth below
And hell itself is my only foe
'Cause I've no fear of dying, I'll go when I'm good and ready
I snatch a glimpse of the light's eternal rays
I see a tunnel I stand amazed
At all of the people standing there in front of me
Into the paths of rightness I'll be led
Is this the place where the living join the dead?
I wish I knew this was only just a nightmare
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
Take my hand I'll lead you to the promised land
Take my hand I'll give you immortality
Eternal youth I'll take you to the other side
To see the truth the path for you is decided
My body tingles and I feel so strange
I feel so tired I feel so drained
And I'm wondering if I'll ever be the same again
Is this in limbo or Heaven or Hell?
Maybe I'm going down there as well
I can't accept my soul will drift forever
I feel myself floating back down to Earth
So could this be the hour of my rebirth?
Or have I died or will I wake from dreaming?
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
This isn't real this is only a dream
But I never have felt, no I never have felt this way before
I'm looking down on my body below
I lie asleep in the midst of a dream
Is it now could it be the Angel of Death has come for me?
I can't believe that really my time has come
I don't feel ready there's so much left undone
And it's my soul and I'm not gonna let it get away
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
I have a lust for the earth below
And hell itself is my only foe
'Cause I've no fear of dying, I'll go when I'm good and ready
I snatch a glimpse of the light's eternal rays
I see a tunnel I stand amazed
At all of the people standing there in front of me
Into the paths of rightness I'll be led
Is this the place where the living join the dead?
I wish I knew this was only just a nightmare
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
Take my hand I'll lead you to the promised land
Take my hand I'll give you immortality
Eternal youth I'll take you to the other side
To see the truth the path for you is decided
My body tingles and I feel so strange
I feel so tired I feel so drained
And I'm wondering if I'll ever be the same again
Is this in limbo or Heaven or Hell?
Maybe I'm going down there as well
I can't accept my soul will drift forever
I feel myself floating back down to Earth
So could this be the hour of my rebirth?
Or have I died or will I wake from dreaming?
Heaven can wait, heaven can wait, heaven can wait
Heaven can wait 'til another day
No thought needed here.
A lot of talk about Steve's lyrics lately. I find it interesting that in the order of Harris penned epics, Rime is sandwiched between two of the worst lyrics based on a story or historic event (TTAL/Alex). Rime does a masterful job at -literally- taking elements from the original poem while also having a clear voice from the lyricist adapting the story for a Metal song. It's engaging and fits the music perfectly.
A lot of talk about Steve's lyrics lately. I find it interesting that in the order of Harris penned epics, Rime is sandwiched between two of the worst lyrics based on a story or historic event (TTAL/Alex). Rime does a masterful job at -literally- taking elements from the original poem while also having a clear voice from the lyricist adapting the story for a Metal song. It's engaging and fits the music perfectly.