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

It strikes me more often these days that people who like complexity (or variation) are given the idea that they overfocus on that aspect. That picture is too black and white. So, in that regard, I have to agree with Flash here.

Though I'm perhaps a little more flexible than him. Besides atmosphere I can admire many different kind elements. And for me, melody is the most important one in Maiden's music. So, a song does not need to be terribly complex or does not need to have a zillion different parts, as long as there are other "powerful" aspects to the song. I find that Run to the Hills lacks some of these aspects and therefore I find it one of the least good rockers in Maiden's catalog.

Still, the complexity/variation aspect should not be underrated. Rhythm and tempo changes, having different parts in songs, is the reason why Steve Harris founded Iron Maiden. He did not want to form Maiden to create AC/DC II. He wanted to have a band in which his ideas could be formed and played.
 
The Flash said:
I never said that I judge songs solely based on complexity. Where did you get that from ? Also, yeah. It DOES matter. For me, at least. I simply hate basicness. I like searching and finding out aspects in music.
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You sort of implied it by writing "It's not a creative song at all, a pretty basic one. Guitar melodies aren't special, bass playing and vocals are great". It seemed a fairly logical inference from where I'm sitting. I think it's quite pretentious to dislike music simply because it's not a complex, technical, sweeping masterpiece, and it represents one of the worst stereotypes of a Metal fan. There's a lot of great music that is basic, and being able to write a short, catchy song is a talent itself. If it's complex music with different aspects that you're looking for then perhaps you should listen to more Tool after all.
 
Black Wizard said:
You sort of implied it by writing "It's not a creative song at all, a pretty basic one. Guitar melodies aren't special, bass playing and vocals are great". It seemed a fairly logical inference from where I'm sitting. I think it's quite pretentious to dislike music simply because it's not a complex, technical, sweeping masterpiece, and it represents one of the worst stereotypes of a Metal fan. There's a lot of great music that is basic, and being able to write a short, catchy song is a talent itself. If it's complex music with different aspects that you're looking for then perhaps you should listen to more Tool after all.
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I don't know what "complexity" means in your dictionary. But it certainly is not "technical" in mine.

By the way you don't seem to care the second part of my post. There's stuff I like that are basic. But they all have tremendous atmospheres. I don't have a Maiden reference for that matter, but Wait for Sleep or Space-Dye Vest from Dream Theater are perfect examples.

I hate pretentious "technical" stuff as much as I do the basic stuff, so your argument about me being a representative of "one of the worst stereotypes of a Metal fan" is total nonsense. I don't call myself a metal fan anyway, I call myself a progressive music fan.

Complexity without specialness doesn't worth a thing.

Run to the Hills is not complex, its guitar melodies are not special, it doesn't have a great atmosphere. Bass playing and vocals are great but that's about it. If you're doing a basic song, it has to have a great atmosphere and creative ideas. And that's why I don't like it as much as you do, not just because it's not complex.
 
LooseCannon said:
Which is why I think Dream Theater isn't that great. *ducks*
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Pretty much agree with that, they are technically really good, but their songs really do little for me. The same applies to many of the "shredder" guitarists that were popular in the 80s.
 
LooseCannon said:
Which is why I think Dream Theater isn't that great. *ducks*
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Agreed 100%

The Flash said:
Run to the Hills is not complex, its guitar melodies are not special, it doesn't have a great atmosphere.
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Disagree. It is essentially two songs in one, told from two different perspectives, and it goes back and forth from the wary and atmospheric Native American perspective to the galloping White Man perspective. While neither part is particularly complex in itself, the combination of two musical themes to represent two different points of view is fairly unique, or at least unusual. I have never understood the bashing of Run to the Hills that goes on in this forum. It is the song that "broke" Iron Maiden to the world, and for that reason alone should be revered. I think it's a pretty damn good song to boot. Do I occasionally get weary of it? Yes. But when I first heard it I thought it was fookin' awesome.
 
Cornfed Hick said:
It is essentially two songs in one, told from two different perspectives, and it goes back and forth from the wary and atmospheric Native American perspective to the galloping White Man perspective. While neither part is particularly complex in itself, the combination of two musical themes to represent two different points of view is fairly unique, or at least unusual.
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Agreed.
 
А song's level of complexity is about the last thing I care about. As long as the song is catchy, it excites me and I can relate to the lyrics, I don't care even if it's the simplest track conceivable. That's why I like Running Free and The Final Frontier - they may be simple but they work nice for me. I'm not a musician and I don't know a thing about playing, maybe that's the reason why I don't worry about such things.
 
Well all of you guys who can't get into DT are just missing out. That's all I'm saying. :D

Actually DT is the only "technical" progressive metal band I'm into. (I've recently discovered Opeth as a great band on that matter, but they're a different story) Because they have the power, they use their technicality when its needed, they actually can produce great calm songs and they have emotional power. I don't like Symphony X and stuff because of their lack of those things.

By the way Cornfed Hick, the points you've made (lyrics), bass playing and vocals are what saves Run to the Hills from being a horrible song and makes it a good song in my case. Don't think I hate the song to the bits, I just consider it doesn't worth the credit it gets. (not on this forum, majority of this forum are on the right track about this matter)
 
Run to the hills is a very good song and I agree with Cornfed's take.
It's just that there are about 70 maiden songs I think are better.
 
To take it a step further, look at RttH in the context of when it was released.
The drum intro had been done, but not that particular catchy pattern.
The big chorus had been done, but not that big.
And the gallop was virtually brand new, especially in the context of an anthemic single like that.
Add that to Cornfeds post and I think from a songwriting perspective there was some pretty creative stuff happening there.
 
I actually find the extreme subjectivity on these forums to be rather bizarre.

We all love the same band...
yet we almost never seem to concur on specific opinions about the band's output.

Meanwhile, the band rarely deviates very far from their own handful of formulas...
so how is it possible that we all hear and interpret these individual songs sooooo differently ??

:fencing:
:fencing:
 
averycopeland said:
I actually find the extreme subjectivity on these forums to be rather bizarre.

We all love the same band...
yet we almost never seem to concur on specific opinions about the band's output.

Meanwhile, the band rarely deviates very far from their own handful of formulas...
so how is it possible that we all hear and interpret these individual songs sooooo differently ??

:fencing:
:fencing:
Click to expand...

There's not true consensus, but there is general consensus at the top and bottom.
We're in the middle now, where the biggest deviations are bound to occur.
The band has 150 songs, for a lot of people the difference between great and good can be 80 spots in the ranking.
 
averycopeland said:
We all love the same band...
yet we almost never seem to concur on specific opinions about the band's output
Click to expand...
This is one of the great things about Maiden I think. There are so many different things that people love about this band, and the favorites among individuals vary so highly. Compare them to a band like Judas Priest, most people would agree on what the absolute best Judas Priest albums and songs are. But with Maiden, there are people who think the "Golden Era" was the best, people who like the reunion albums, even people who really like the 90's material. There's just such a large spectrum of tastes with this band, it's cool.
 
I've been running a spreadsheet for several years that includes the rankings this forum/website has come up with. I don't have the survivor rankings yet, but I'm going to try to dig those out and add them as well.
 
Thanks for your patience. We're into the top 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)


70) The Duellists
(S: three rounds W: Run Silent, Run Deep L: Only the Good, The Legacy, Lord of the Flies)
69) Lord of the Flies
(S: four rounds W: Running Free, The Duellists L: Flash of the Blade, Purgatory)
68) Purgatory
(S: three rounds W; Lord of the Flies, L: Déjà vu, Out of the Silent Planet, The Legacy)
67) The Legacy
(S: four rounds W: The Duellists, Purgatory L: Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Sea of Madness)
66) Out of the Silent Planet
(S: one round W: Fates Warning, Montsegur, The Final Frontier, Man on the Edge, Mother Russia, Running Free, Purgatory L: Flight of Icarus, Sea of Madness)
65) Sea of Madness
(S: two rounds W: Total Eclipse, Running Silent, The Legacy, Out of the Silent Planet L: Die With Your Boots On)
64) Genghis Khan
(S: six rounds L: Only the Good Die Young, El Dorado, Prodigal Son, Strange World)
63) Strange World
(S: five rounds W: Genghis Khan L: Die With Your Boots On, For the Greater Good of God, The Talisman)
62) Prodigal Son
(S: six rounds W: Genghis Khan L: Flash of the Blade, Déjà vu, The Talisman)
61) The Talisman
(S: five rounds W: Strange World, Prodigal Son L: Moonchild, Coming Home)
 
Most notable out of this one is Silent Planet, which made a huge climb out of the bottom seeds.
Sea of Madness also climbed a fair amount, although not as much as it should.
Most of the rest were high seeds that dropped.
 
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