Iron Maiden song credits

[Mosh]

This is why we shouldn’t trust the Tidal credits about WOTW folks.

 

[JudasMyGuide]

This is why we shouldn’t trust the Tidal credits about WOTW folks.

I would. The mere thought that Bruce would actually write something as not at all overwritten and down-to-Earth and understandable and would not use Thesaurus even once hadn't even begun to speculate about the merest possibility of crossing my mind.

 

[Perun]

Gee, you don't like Bruce's lyrics, do you?

 

[JudasMyGuide]

Gee, you don't like Bruce's lyrics, do you?

Oh, what gave me away?

 

[Perun]

The one or other breadcrumb you dropped throughout the years...

 

[Ruflux]

This is why we shouldn’t trust the Tidal credits about WOTW folks.

Those same lyrics credits are everywhere else too. They're provided by the band/management/label and there's no reason to doubt them seeing as it's a brand new single that's been uploaded to the system recently and there's no other obvious errors.

The The Alchemist/The Alchemist confusion very likely came from either user-submitted or otherwise poorly sourced lyrics or other error of automation, which is a completely separate issue that has to do with similarly named songs being confused together. I think I've seen The Alchemist's lyrics being given out to the wrong The Alchemist somewhere too.

 

[Forostar]

It's been 26 years since Dave had no writing credit (The X-Factor). Steve Harris had only 3 albums on which he did not have a writing credit in the opening track: Seventh son of a Seventh Son, Fear of the Dark and The Book of Souls. It has been more than 20 years since Janick had such an early writing credit (Ghost of the Navigator on Brave New World), and on Senjutsu, Bruce has his first writing credit in the third track. That is the latest spot when you note that when he had a writing credit, the first was always in the opening or the second track.

Smith/Harris collaborations on albums on which they both played:

Killers: 0
NOTB: 2
POM: 1
Powerslave: 0
SIT: 0
SSOASS: 2
BNW: 2
DOD: 4
AMOLAD: 5
TFF: 6
TBOS: 3
Senjutsu: 1

As you see, Adrian and Steve increased their collaborations from 2000 to 2010. Then, sort of suddenly, the number drops quite a bit. And on Senjutsu, it is the title track that is their only contribution. In fact, the album features the smallest amount of songs on which these main songwriters collaborated since Somewhere in Time!

 

[srfc]

Virtual XI is a real surprise for Janick, considering at the time he would have been the 2nd writer in the band.

 

[Forostar]

Virtual XI is a real surprise for Janick, considering at the time he would have been the 2nd writer in the band.

Yes. Steve worked more with Janick on TXF, and more with Dave on VXI. Virtual XI was created in a (too) short time, according to Blaze. Perhaps Janick didn't have more songs (ready) in that timeframe, and who knows it was decided that all the other stuff was enough (length) and more suitable already. Just guessing of course. Janick did a lot for FOTD and TXF, albums for which they took a long time. Maybe that suits him better, who knows. There are several factors.

 

[TheTalisman]

They had more material redo to finish though if they had wanted, Blaze sang on a demo of Blood Brothers, and propably Dream of Mirrors (Gers/Harris) as well.

The Mercenary (Gers/Harris) was left out as well.

 

[Kalata]

Virtual XI is a real surprise for Janick, considering at the time he would have been the 2nd writer in the band.

Maybe it was not so surprising - given that Dave has 0 credits for TXF (if we don't count the bonus song ''Justice Of The Piece'').

TXF is the album with the most songwriting credits from Janick.

 

[Forostar]

On Senjutsu there seem(s) to be (a) little pattern(s) that is/are repeated:

A: A Smith co-written track
B: Three tracks by certain people
C: A Smith co-written track
D: Three tracks by the same people as in B
E: two Harris tracks


Smith/Harris
= = =
Gers/Harris
Smith/Dickinson
Harris
= = =
Smith/Dickinson
= = =
Gers/Harris
Smith/Dickinson
Harris
= = =
Harris
Harris

or

Smith/Harris
Gers/Harris
Smith/Dickinson
Harris
= = =
Smith/Dickinson
Gers/Harris
Smith/Dickinson
Harris
= = =
Harris
Harris


Could be coincidence, because the flow of the music seems more important, but perhaps these credits and the way songs are written by these combinations were calling for repetition of this pattern, to have as much listening variety as possible, and therefore do have impact on that flow.

Another way of looking at it:

Smith
non-Smith (repeat 3 times)
= =
Smith
non-Smith
= =
Smith
non-Smith
= =
Smith
non-Smith
= = = = = = = = = = =
non-Smith
non-Smith

 

[Kalata]

I've always wondered why Steve and Bruce don't write together more often...

The only songs written by just the two of them (with Adrian in the band) are ''Only The Good Die Young'' and ''Out Of The Shadows'' - two great songs.
The other songs are in the NPFTD album (but not for FOTD, curiously) - ''Tailgunner'', ''Holy Smoke'' and ''Run Silent Run Deep''.

 

[srfc]

I've always wondered why Steve and Bruce don't write together more often...

I think it boils down to Steve writing his own words, which means he has little reason to pair up with Bruce, and Bruce more likely to pair up with a guitar player who needs words added to a song they already have.

 

[____no5]

^That. For Out of the Shadows, not sure what is the contribution of Steve though; I remember back in 2006 Shirley to say in his diary that Out of the Shadows is basically a Bruce song. It sounds to me like if Steve put his name there for being a co-producer.

 

[srfc]

My guess would be the break in the middle before the last chorus

 

[Kalata]

^That. For Out of the Shadows, not sure what is the contribution of Steve though; I remember back in 2006 Shirley to say in his diary that Out of the Shadows is basically a Bruce song. It sounds to me like if Steve put his name there for being a co-producer.

Steve wrote the melody line for the verse.

 

[The_7th_one]

Yeah as @srfc says I think the middle section is the part written by Steve. Steve and Bruce always said that section is very Jethro Tull kind of style

 

[Kalata]

Senjutsu and The Book Of Souls are the only albums since 1992 that do not feature a song written by three members of the band together.

- the first song written by three members (Smith/Harris/Dickinson) was ''Die With Your Boots On'' (after that were CIPWM and TETMD and for the reunion era albums).

 

[Kalata]

Fear Of The Dark is the only album that do not feature a song written by Murray/Harris (in some way).

- Senjutsu and Powerslave are with no writing credits from Dave and for The X Factor, The Number Of The Beast, Killers and Iron Maiden he co-wrote with Steve some of the bonus songs... with Paul and Clive too (for 1980 and 1982).