Iron Maiden's worst song (AKA the Head to Head results thread)

Songs that should've been higher :

The Thin Line Between Love & Hate
Lord of Light
Public Enema Number One

Songs that should've been lower :

Wasting Love (way lower)
Different World
Out of the Shadows
Virus (way lower)
 
Lord of Light, Virus and Thin Line seem to be dividing songs — people seem to like them a lot, or not much.
Most of the rest seem to fit the good-but-not-special category.
 
I'm a big fan of Lord Of Light and Public Enema. Should've been higher.

Final Frontier should be much lower, I can't stand that song. Could be my least favorite song of the reunion era.
 
Lord of Light was one I used to love on AMOLAD but now its around the middle.

Thin Line I expected higher - although it's my lowest on the album
Wasting Love, I think this song gets far too much hate :(
Alchemist deserves higher, as does MotE
 
And we reach the final songs of the second half:
144) The Apparition
(S: none, W: none, L: 2 a.m., Age of Innocence, Hooks in You, Wildest Dreams, Chains of Misery)
143) Chains of Misery
(S: none W: The Apparition L: Bring Your Daughter, The Unbeliever, Angel and the Gambler, Weekend Warrior)
142) Weekend Warrior
(S: none, W: Chains of Misery, L: Eyes of a Stranger, Back in the Village, Gangland, Wildest Dreams)
141) Wildest Dreams
(S: none, W: The Apparition, Weekend Warrior L: The Assassin, The Mercenary, The Fallen Angel)
140) Angel and the Gambler
(S: none, W: Chains of Misery, L: Quest For Fire, Fear is the Key, Gangland, Hooks in You)
139) Hooks in You
(S: none, W: The Apparition, Angel and the Gambler L: Judgement of Heaven, Gates of Tomorrow, The Assassin)
138) The Assassin
(S: none, W: Wildest Dreams, Hooks in You L: Can I Play With Madness, Sanctuary, Gangland)
137) Gangland
(S: none, W: Weekend Warrior, Angel and the Gambler, Assassin L: Different World, Innocent Exile)
136) Fear is The Key
(S: one round, W: Angel and the Gambler, L: Final Frontier, From Here to Eternity, Quest For Fire, Iron Maiden, The Fugitive)
135) The Fugitive
(S: none, W: Fear is the Key, L: Tailgunner, Judgement of Heaven, New Frontier, Age of Innocence, Eyes of a Stranger, Gates of Tomorrow)
134) Iron Maiden
(S: one round, W: Fear is the Key, L: Face in the Sand, The Alchemist, 2 a.m., Fallen Angel, Holy Smoke, Gates of Tomorrow)
133) Gates of Tomorrow
(S: none, W: Hooks in You, The Fugitive, Iron Maiden L: Man Who Would Be King, When Two Worlds Collide, Another Life)
132) Don’t Look to the Eyes of a Stranger
(S: none, W: The Fugitive, Weekend Warrior L: Como Estais Amigos, Fates Warning, Back in the Village, Another Life, Quest For Fire)
131) Quest for Fire
(S: none, W: Angel and the Gambler, Fear is the Key, Don’t Look to the Eyes of a Stranger L: The Journeyman, Lightning Strikes Twice, The Unbeliever, Holy Smoke)

130) Another Life
(S: one round,, W: Gates of Tomorrow, Don’t Look to the Eyes of a Stranger L: Déjà vu, Different World, Look for the Truth, Innocent Exile, Holy Smoke)
129) Holy Smoke
(S: one round, W: Iron Maiden, Quest For Fire, Another Life L: Only the Good Die Young, Can I Play With Madness, Invaders, Sanctuary)
128) Drifter
(S: one round, W: From Here to Eternity, L: Virus, Final Frontier, Back in the Village, Losfer Words, Invaders, Innocent Exile)
127) Innocent Exile
(S: none W: Gangland, Another Life, Drifter L: Losfer Words, Fates Warning, From Here to Eternity, Look For The Truth)
126) Look for the Truth
(S: one round, W: Another Life, Innocent Exile L: El Dorado, Out of the Shadows, The Unbeliever, Age of Innocence, Invaders)
125) Invaders
(S: one round, W: Holy Smoke, Drifter, Look For the Truth L: Thin Line, The Mercenary, When Two Worlds Collide, Sanctuary)
124) From Here to Eternity
(S: one round, W; Fear is the Key, Innocent Exile, L: Sun and Steel, Bring Your Daughter, Drifter, New Frontier, Age of Innocence, Sanctuary)
123) Sanctuary
(S: none W: The Assassin, Holy Smoke, Invaders, From Here to Eternity L: The Alchemist, Lightning Strike Twice, Losfer Words)
122) Age of Innocence
(S: none W: The Apparition, The Fugitive, Look For the Truth, From Here to Eternity L: When Two Worlds Collide, 2 a.m.)
121) Losfer Words
(S: none W: Innocent Exile, When Two Worlds Collide, Drifter, Sanctuary, Age of Innocence L: Heaven Can Wait, Fallen Angel)

120) New Frontier
(S: one round, W: The Fugitive, From Here to Eternity, L: The Aftermath, Man Who Would Be King, Different World, The Mercenary, Como Estais Amigos, 2 a.m.)
119) 2 a.m.
(S: none W: The Apparition, Iron Maiden, Age of Innocence, New Frontier L: Fortunes of War, Heaven Can Wait, Judgement of Heaven, The Pilgrim)
118) Como Estais Amigos
(S: one round, W: Eyes of a Stranger, New Frontier L: Montsegur, The Prophecy, Lightning Strikes Twice, Bring Your Daughter, The Pilgrim)
117) The Pilgrim
(S: none W: The Fallen Angel, Lightning Strikes Twice, 2 a.m. Como Estais Amigos L: Journeyman, The Unbeliever, The Fallen Angel*)
116) Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter
(S: none W: Chains of Misery, From Here to Eternity, Como Estais Amigos L: Final Frontier, Fates Warning, The Mercenary, Judgement of Heaven)
115) Judgement of Heaven
(S: none W: Hooks in You, The Fugitive, 2 a.m., Bring Your Daughter L: The Man Who Would Be King, Back in the Village, The Fallen Angel)
114) The Fallen Angel
(S: none W: Wildest Dreams, Iron Maiden, Losfer Words, The Pilgrim* Judgement of Heaven L: The Pilgrim, Fortunes of War, The Mercenary)
113) The Mercenary
(S: none W: Wildest Dreams, Invaders, Can I Play With Madness, New Frontier, Bring Your Daughter, The Fallen Angel L: When Two Worlds Collide)
112) The Educated Fool
(S: one round, W: When Two Worlds Collide, Heaven Can Wait, L: Mother of Mercy, Fates Warning, Lightning Strikes Twice, Fortunes of War, The Unbeliever)
111) The Unbeliever
(S: none W; Chains of Misery, Quest For Fire, Look For the Truth,The Pilgrim, The Educated Fool L: Out of the Shadows, Out of the Shadows* Heaven Can Wait, When Two World’s Collide)

110) When Two Worlds Collide
(S: none W: Age of Innocence, Gates of Tomorrow, Invaders, The Mercenary The Unbeliever L: Educated Fool, Losfer Words, The Final Frontier, Can I Play With Madness, Fortunes of War)
109) Fortunes of War
(S: one round, W: 2 a.m., Fallen Angel, The Educated Fool, When Two Worlds Collide L: Flash of the Blade, The Alchemist, The Journeyman, Back in the Village)
108) Lightning Strikes Twice
(S: one round, W: Quest for Fire, Sanctuary, Como Estais Amigos, The Educated Fool, L: Lord of Light, The Pilgrim, The Prophecy, Back in the Village, Can I Play With Madness)
107) Can I Play With Madness
(S: none W: The Assassin, Holy Smoke, When Two Worlds Collide, Lightning Strikes Twice L: The Mercenary, Different World, Heaven Can Wait)
106) Back in the Village
(S: none W: Weekend Warrior, Eyes of a Stranger, Drifter, Judgement of Heaven, Fortunes of War, Lightning Strikes Twice L: The Prophecy, Man Who Would Be King, Heaven Can Wait)
105) Heaven Can Wait
(S: one round, W: Losfer Words, 2 a.m. The Unbeliever, Can I Play With Madness, Back in the Village L: Total Eclipse, The Educated Fool, The Alchemist)
104) Tailgunner
(S: one round, W: The Fugitive, L: The Aftermath, The Alchemist, Sun and Steel, Mother of Mercy, Fates Warning)
103) Fates Warning
(S: one round, W: Eyes of a Stranger, Innocent Exile, Bring Your Daughter, The Educated Fool, Tailgunner L: Out of the Silent Planet, The Prophecy, Thin Line, Journeyman, Montsegur)
102) Montsegur
(S: one round, W: Como Estais Amigos, Fates Warning L: Out of the Silent Planet, The Man Who Would Be King, Face in the Sand)
101) Mother of Mercy
(S: one round, W: The Educated Fool, Tailgunner L: Total Eclipse, Different World, The Prophecy)

100) Face in the Sand
(S: one round, W: Iron Maiden, Montsegur, L: El Dorado, Out of the Shadows, Journeyman, Sun and Steel)
99) Sun and Steel
(S: one round, W: From Here to Eternity, Tailgunner, Face in the Sand L: Virus, Final Frontier, The Prophecy)
98) Journeyman
(S: one round, W: Quest For Fire, The Pilgrim, Fortunes of War, Fates Warning, Face in the Sand L: Moonchild. Déjà vu, The Prophecy)
97) The Prophecy
(S: none W: Back in the Village, Fates Warning, Como Estais Amigos, Lightning Strikes Twice, Mother of Mercy, Sun and Steel, The Journeyman L: Lord of Light)
96) Charlotte The Harlot
(S: two rounds W: none L: Moonchild, Virus, Public Enema Number One, Twilight Zone, Blood on the World’s Hands)
95) Blood on the World’s Hands
(S: two rounds W: Charlotte the Harlot, L: El Dorado, Wasting Love, Lord of Light, The Aftermath)
94) Twilight Zone
(S: two rounds W: Charlotte the Harlot, L: Only the Good Die Young, Thin Line, Childhoods End, The Aftermath)
93) The Aftermath
(S: one round, W: New Frontier, Tailgunner, Blood on the World’s Hands, Twilight Zone L: Déjà vu, Man on the Edge, Judas Be My Guide)
92) Childhood’s End
(S: two rounds W; Twilight Zone L: Moonchild, Different World, Public Enema, Judas Be My Guide)
91) Judas Be My Guide
(S: two rounds W: The Aftermath, Childhood’s End L: Only the Good, The Final Frontier, Lord of Light)

90) Public Enema Number One
(S: two rounds W: Charlotte the Harlot, Childhood’s End L: Déjà vu, The Alchemist, Lord of Light)
89) Lord of Light
(S: one round, W: Lightning Strikes Twice, The Prophecy, Blood on the World Hands, Judas Be My Guide, Public Enema Number One
L: Moonchild, Only the Good Die Young, Out of the Shadows)
88) The Alchemist
(S: none W: Sanctuary, Iron Maiden, Fortunes of War, Heaven Can Wait, Tailgunner, Public Enema L: Total Eclipse, Thin Line, Virus, The Final Frontier)
87) Final Frontier
(S: none W: Fear is the Key, Drifter, Bring Your Daughter, When Two Worlds Collide, Sun and Steel, Judas Be My Guide, The Alchemist L: Out of the Silent Planet, Man on the Edge, Different World)
86) Virus
(S: two rounds W: Drifter, Sun and Steel, Charlotte the Harlot, The Alchemist L: Man Who Would Be King, Wasting Love, Different World)
85) Different World
(S: none W: Gangland, Another Life, New Frontier, Can I Play With Madness, Mother of Mercy, The Final Frontier, Virus L: Out of the Shadows, El Dorado, Out of the Shadows*)
84) Wasting Love
(S: two rounds W; Blood on the World’s Hands, Virus L: Déjà vu, Thin Line, Out of the Shadows)
83) Out of the Shadows
(S: none W: The Unbeliever, Look For the Truth, Different World, The Unbeliever*, Face in the Sand, Lord of Light, Different World* Wasting Love L: Moonchild, Man on the Edge)
82) Man on the Edge
(S: two rounds, W; The Aftermath, The Final Frontier Out of the Shadows L: Out of the Silent Planet, Thin Line)
81) Thin Line:
(S: one round, W: Invaders, Fates Warning, Twilight Zone, The Alchemist, Wasting Love, Man on the Edge L: Only the Good Die Young, Flash of The Blade)
80) Edge of Darkness
(S: two rounds W: none L: Flash of the Blade, Mother Russia, The Man Who Would Be King, Run to the Hills))
79) Run to the Hills
(S: two rounds W: Edge of Darkness L: El Dorado, Total Eclipse, No More Lies)
78) Man Who Would Be King
(S: none W: Gate of Tomorrow, New Frontier, Judgement of Heaven, Back in the Village, Montsegur, Virus, Edge of Darkness L: The Nomad, Be Quick or Be Dead, No More Lies)
77) No More Lies
(S: two rounds W: Run to the Hills, Man Who Would Be King L: Total Eclipse, The Nomad)
76) Be Quick or be Dead
(S: three rounds W; The Man Who Would Be King L: Flash of the Blade, Mother Russia, Total Eclipse)
75) Total Eclipse
(S: one round, W: Heaven Can Wait, Mother of Mercy, The Alchemist, No More Lies, Run to the Hills, Be Quick or Be Dead L: Sea of Madness, The Nomad)
74) Mother Russia
(S: two rounds W: Edge of Darkness, Be Quick or Be Dead L: Out of the Silent Planet, Nomad)
73) Nomad
(S: two rounds W: The Man Who Would Be King, No More Lies, Total Eclipse, Mother Russia L: Loneliness)
72) Run Silent Run Deep
(S: three rounds W: none L: Moonchild, Sea of Madness, The Duellists, Running Free)
71) Running Free
(S: four rounds W: Run Silent, Run Deep L: El Dorado, Out of the Silent Planet, Lord of the Flies)
 
Nine of 10 No Prayer songs gone in the bottom half, 10 of 12 from Fear of the Dark.
Interesting that the forum's most unfairly praised song (Eclipse) and it's most unfairly bashed song (No More Lies) finished so close together.
And I'm happy for Man Who Would be King, a song that has grown on me. It's the highest-rising song from the original bottom seeds.
 
I rate four of those songs somewhat higher than the rest of the forum: Edge of Darkness, Run to the Hills, Man Who Would be King, Total Eclipse.
 
Edge Of Darkness really bores me, not a fan of it at all.

I'm satisfied with this list, although TMWWBK could be a bit higher.
 
I am... um... kind of "happy" that Run to the Hills is so low for an acclaimed classic :) I mean it's extremely overrated, mainly by weekend fans, so I'm glad that we think different.
Running free is way, way too high. I would actually dislike this song if not some live performances... Donnington with Adrian as a guest... Live After Death, En Vivo... It's not a brilliant song, but brings positive feelings nowadays.
 
Just one album has only one track in Maiden(fan)'s 74 least good album selections:
Somewhere in Time (1986): on #105​
 
Running Free is a great song live, to me at least. The Man Who Would Be King easily makes it in my top 20.
 
Songs that should've been higher :

The Man Who Would Be King
No More Lies
Mother Russia
The Nomad
Run Silent Run Deep

Songs that should've been lower :

Running Free (probably the most wrongly placed song in the game so far)
Run to the Hills
The Edge of Darkness
 
Well, that's all that matters really --since SiT is far & away Maiden's best album, in my humble opinion. Any more SiT (& AMoLaD) tracks (soon) & I'll loose all respect for this countdown sham! :p
 
Album popularity based on Maiden(fan)'s 73 least good album selections (organized by mckindog, summer 2012):
Popularity coefficient calculated as follows: added up the positions and divided by the amount of used selections per album. E.g.: The Number of the Beast: 137+125+79+75 = 416 -> 416 / 9 = 46,22

01. Somewhere in Time (13,13)
02. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (25,50)
03. Piece of Mind (25,56)
04. Powerslave (28,38)
05. The Final Frontier (35,40)
06. A Matter of Life and Death (37,40)
07. Brave New World (38,10)
08. The Number of the Beast (46,22)
09. Iron Maiden (47,11)
10. Killers (47,90)
11. Dance of Death (81,18)
12. The X-Factor (84,55)
13. Virtual XI (90,00)
14. No Prayer for the Dying (96,50)
15. Fear of the Dark (97,25)
 
Interesting. If I swap the places of AMOLAD and Piece of Mind, these calculations would almost precisely represent my personal album ranking. :)
 
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