Is it sacrilege not to like # of the beast or RTT Hills ?!

Hawkmoon

Hawkmoon

Prowler
I've only recently got into Maiden, though I'm a hard rock/classic rock fan in my early 40s. I remember Number of the Beast and Run To The Hills when they came out and I just thought at the time I didn't like them much and it put me off Maiden. But now I lap up all the Maiden my ears can listen to, but I still look at those two singles and think they really aren't that great, compared to tracks like ROTAM and HBTN - am I not a true Maiden fan? Have I committed sacrilege?!
 
Certainly not. RTTH is an overplayed and overrated song which most of us "die-hard" fans actually don't like that much. NOTB is pretty good though. Check out the Iron Maiden Commentary subforums dedicated to each albums and find our opinions about these songs there.

Welcome to the forum!
 
Thanks for your welcome ! I do think NOTB rocks live, I have to admit...

Ranko said:
Certainly not. RTTH is an overplayed and overrated song which most of us "die-hard" fans actually don't like that much. NOTB is pretty good though. Check out the Iron Maiden Commentary subforums dedicated to each albums and find our opinions about these songs there.

Welcome to the forum!
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Yes, NOTB is great live, very energetic, and flows very well. On the other hand, i can't stand RTTH anymore, live or studio track. It's overplayed and somewhat annoying (the singing on the chorus).
 
I actually find the whole album over-rated, and simultaneously one of the most important metal albums ever recorded.  Great songs live though.  I just feel that Maiden is "more" than their hit singles.
 
chaosapiant said:
I actually find the whole album over-rated, and simultaneously one of the most important metal albums ever recorded.  Great songs live though.  I just feel that Maiden is "more" than their hit singles.
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I don't think it's all that overrated. It seems to usually sit around middle of the pack on the forums here (I'd put it around that as well, #7 or maybe #8), but if you closely at the songs by themselves, there are a bunch of good songs on there. Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, 22 Acacia Ave range from very good to excellent, Hallowed in a class of it's own, with Invaders and Total Eclipse not half bad. Gangland and Run to the Hills are the 2 weakest off the album for me but they aren't that bad, and while I'm not a fan of Number of the Beast, I know there's a lot of love for it here.

Hawkmoon said:
I've only recently got into Maiden, though I'm a hard rock/classic rock fan in my early 40s. I remember Number of the Beast and Run To The Hills when they came out and I just thought at the time I didn't like them much and it put me off Maiden. But now I lap up all the Maiden my ears can listen to, but I still look at those two singles and think they really aren't that great, compared to tracks like ROTAM and HBTN - am I not a true Maiden fan? Have I committed sacrilege?!
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I'm not a fan of Run to the Hills or Number of the Beast either. However, if you don't like Rime of the Ancient Mariner or Hallowed Be Thy Name, then you've committed sacrilege  :D
 
Yes indeed - Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Hallowed Be Thy Name are just sublime.

Unknown One said:
I don't think it's all that overrated. It seems to usually sit around middle of the pack on the forums here (I'd put it around that as well, #7 or maybe #8), but if you closely at the songs by themselves, there are a bunch of good songs on there. Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, 22 Acacia Ave range from very good to excellent, Hallowed in a class of it's own, with Invaders and Total Eclipse not half bad. Gangland and Run to the Hills are the 2 weakest off the album for me but they aren't that bad, and while I'm not a fan of Number of the Beast, I know there's a lot of love for it here.

I'm not a fan of Run to the Hills or Number of the Beast either. However, if you don't like Rime of the Ancient Mariner or Hallowed Be Thy Name, then you've committed sacrilege  :D
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Yeah, I really do love The Number of the Beast, but I agree on Run to the Hills - though I still like it, I doubt it cracks my top 50.

Rime, Hallowed, Paschendale, Powerslave - that's the real apex of Maiden. Do most people who only casually know the band get that? Of course not. Who cares. Fuck 'em.
 
I think Run to the Hills gets a bad rap on this forum, frankly.  It's a great song.  Is it on par with Rime or Hallowed?  Of course not.  But it is more than just a simple "hit single" track, despite the catchy chorus.  I always liked the fact that it is two songs in one. Not only do the lyrics shift perspective from the Native Americans to the invading "white man," the musical style and tempo shift as well, with the horse-mounted Caucasians warranting Maiden's signature "galloping" sound.  It was revolutionary at the time of its release.  I think people are now just sick of it.  But, perhaps this forum would never exist were it not for that song, which launched Iron Maiden to international superstardom.   

All that said, Hawkmoon is by no means alone, and certainly no less of a fan, by recognizing that Iron Maiden has a rich catalog of awesome tracks that he likes better than RTTH.  Welcome, and enjoy the forum, as well as the Iron Maiden Commentary.
 
They're brilliant songs to hook someone onto Iron Maiden, which is why they're so popular. Obviously the more you listen to Maiden though the more you'll appreciate the longer, more complex and (indisputably) better songs. I still love listening to both NOTB and RTTH.
 
cornfedhick said:
I think Run to the Hills gets a bad rap on this forum, frankly.  It's a great song.  Is it on par with Rime or Hallowed?  Of course not.  But it is more than just a simple "hit single" track, despite the catchy chorus.  I always liked the fact that it is two songs in one. Not only do the lyrics shift perspective from the Native Americans to the invading "white man," the musical style and tempo shift as well, with the horse-mounted Caucasians warranting Maiden's signature "galloping" sound.  It was revolutionary at the time of its release.  I think people are now just sick of it.  But, perhaps this forum would never exist were it not for that song, which launched Iron Maiden to international superstardom.   

All that said, Hawkmoon is by no means alone, and certainly no less of a fan, by recognizing that Iron Maiden has a rich catalog of awesome tracks that he likes better than RTTH.  Welcome, and enjoy the forum, as well as the Iron Maiden Commentary.
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I'm with cfh on this one.  I don't think RTTH is a bad song, just overplayed.  I love the Rock in Rio version.  Sure, most of the tracks on the album are better, but that doesn't make it bad.
 
Yeah, it is a sacrilege.  Both are good songs, more or less.  Admittedly, Maiden have many better songs.  But these songs are metal classics, absolutely recognizable and good live songs - more so than most of what they put out these days.  Cool riffs, blistering vocal lines, upbeat, signature choruses - RTTH as well as TNOTB always feel missed when not played on a tour - it's 2 of those songs that just needs to be there.  I mean, can you call yourself a metal fan if you rather listen to Janick noodling on his acoustic for 2 minutes in the beginning of The Legacy or Dance Of Death , than Nicko firing up that drum intro to RTTH or Dave & Steve cramming out the intro riff of TNOTB?? 
 
I'd take either over Paschendale any day of the week. Plus those two singles (especially RTTH) are among the best of Riggs' Eddies.
 
Well, the opening post specifically compared those songs to Hallowed or Rime, not The Legacy or Dance of Death.
 
Play Classics! said:
Yeah, it is a sacrilege.  Both are good songs, more or less.  Admittedly, Maiden have many better songs.  But these songs are metal classics, absolutely recognizable and good live songs - more so than most of what they put out these days.   Cool riffs, blistering vocal lines, upbeat, signature choruses - RTTH as well as TNOTB always feel missed when not played on a tour - it's 2 of those songs that just needs to be there.  I mean, can you call yourself a metal fan if you rather listen to Janick noodling on his acoustic for 2 minutes in the beginning of The Legacy or Dance Of Death , than Nicko firing up that drum intro to RTTH or Dave & Steve cramming out the intro riff of TNOTB?? 
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Yes, you can call yourself a metal fan.  Metal is an art that is definitely subjective, and one man's metal isn't another's. 
 
  Obviously, the songs are played out, but are great songs.  I still listen to both regularly.  But as you will find on this sight, tastes differ greatly.  Of course you can not like them, and still be a Maiden fan.  I pretty much skip over a few songs myself.  Welcome brother!!
 
I despise Fear is the Key, most of Virtual XI and I find The X Factor flat. It's not sacrilege to dislike some of Maiden's songs, there's so many it'd be impossible to love them all. As for TNOTB and RTTH. I still love them but I rarely listen to them these days.
 
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