Crimson Idol
Caveman
The way I see ppl talk about it I'd rather say it was the most OVERRATED Blaze song >.>
Most underated songs
- Thread starter finalfrontier
- Start date
The way I see ppl talk about it I'd rather say it was the most OVERRATED Blaze song >.>
Cody Cameron
Godzilla Freak
I'm not familiar with Blaze era songs at all. However, when I was looking at the tracklists recently from the X Factor CD, I was like "What the hell? I've never heard of this one."
I just don't follow the Blaze stuff. Not that he wasn't a good singer, I just don't think he fit well with Maiden. Bruce is just way better!
Andrew
Prowler
I confess that when I first heard Blaze I was largely unimpressed because Bruce is simply a better vocalist but when I revisited his albums years later I found that X Factor was superb and rates as one of my favourite Maiden albums. His voice always seems to me like something of a halfway house between Bruce and DiAnno.
DiAnno era songs are also largely under appreciated imo. I remember when I first saw Maiden it was the Killers world tour and the song that really impacted on me more than any others was Purgatory.
DiAnno era songs are also largely under appreciated imo. I remember when I first saw Maiden it was the Killers world tour and the song that really impacted on me more than any others was Purgatory.
maidenpriest
Trooper
Yep, totally agree
loved The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner when i first spun the record new, and love it now although the 1998 remasters totally spoil the sound you have to hear the original Cd or Vinyl to fully appreciate the song IMO
Cody Cameron
Godzilla Freak
Always wondered why they never played New Frontier or The Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
Andrew
Prowler
That just goes to show that it's horses for courses. I can't imagine how it's possible to underrate 'Quest For Fire' as it's so bloody awful. Not just the worst Maiden song I've ever heard but one of the worst songs of any sort I've ever heard! Still, it would be a boring world if we all thought the same
Crimson Idol
Caveman
I think that's pushing it a bit... I'm pretty sure I've heard more songs that I would class as worse than QFF than I would class as better...
Andrew
Prowler
lol, I don't know, there's a lot of songs in the world 
There's plenty Maiden songs I simply don't like, such as 'Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter' , but I just choose not to listen to them. No other song that Maiden have done stirs up my hatred of it like QFF and that feeling has never changed. I hated it when I first heard it back in 1983 and if anything, that feeling has only grown stronger over the years.
There's plenty Maiden songs I simply don't like, such as 'Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter' , but I just choose not to listen to them. No other song that Maiden have done stirs up my hatred of it like QFF and that feeling has never changed. I hated it when I first heard it back in 1983 and if anything, that feeling has only grown stronger over the years.
maidenpriest
Trooper
That just goes to show that it's horses for courses. I can't imagine how it's possible to underrate 'Quest For Fire' as it's so bloody awful. Not just the worst Maiden song I've ever heard but one of the worst songs of any sort I've ever heard! Still, it would be a boring world if we all thought the same
Or had the same Avatars, Lol
Ray K.
Invader
I always felt that only the good die young is overlooked and back in the village. Never or should I say rarely ever hear people talk about them. I also think that bring your daughter to the slaughter is a song that is too quickly pushed aside. i feel like it is deliciously naughty, dark and kind of fun.
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
"Only The Good Die Young" is definitely one of Maiden's most underrated, and hideously neglected songs. It would be a perfect set closer, especially on a tour such as their current one, which is based around the 7th Son era. I've always loved "Back In The Village", so it's sad for me to see how much it's been overshadowed by other songs on "Powerslave". But I love everything on that album, it has to be said. BITV certainly doesn't let the side down though, it's an intense little number!
As for "Bring Your Daughter..." it's so weird how much the band have neglected that song, considering it's their biggest ever hit single (at least in the UK, I'm not sure about anywhere else). It is a very dark song, which has been unfairly maligned, I think mainly due to many people percieving the song to be misogynistic, which is something I've never really felt about the song at all... For me, the song deserved to remain a constant fixture in the band's setlist over the years, and it's a shame that it has been been for the most part, sidelined post-1993.
Crimson Idol
Caveman
I was under the impression it was released on December 24th, I was always gutted it got #1 the week AFTER christmas... cos I think it'd be hilarious to have a christmas #1 of BYDTTS (especially with it not being a facebook campaigned crap like Killing in the name of a few years ago.). I think it's success had more to do with it being on the movie soundtrack.
425
Starblind
Underrated songs… Hmm...
Only the Good Die Young - As stated, would be an awesome closer. I mean, the line "So until the next time, have a good sin" just screams "closer" to me. Spiteful while somewhat mystical lyrics and awesome guitar and bass parts. I rank the concept album's closer higher than its much-lauded opener.
All of The X Factor except Sign of the Cross, Lord of the Flies and Man on the Edge (not that these aren't great, just not underrated)
All of Virtual XI except The Clansman and Futureal (once again, great, but not that underrated)
- In my opinion, Blaze, while not a technically brilliant operatic singer, is an awesome emotional and powerful singer. There's some special relatable quality to his voice, to me, which makes him one of my favorite vocalists. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for Bruce's soaring vocals, and for those times I know that I have TXF and VXI available. Just a quick rundown of some that I feel are especially unfairly slighted:
Look for the Truth - True, this is no Hallowed or Paschendale, but it's a very powerful introspective and even empowering song on TXF.
2 A.M. - I don't understand why this one gets any hate at all, unless it's from people who have never felt what it describes and cannot understand it, for whatever reason. The music and vocals perfectly capture those times when you're just not sure what it's all for. "Do you just let go, or carry on and try to take the hurt?" Almost haunting, this one is.
The Unbeliever - This song has it's proponents, but it's generally considered nothing special. When I first heard TXF, I agreed. I considered it a good album except The Unbeliever. I remember (this was when I lurked this forum) reading where Forostar named this as one of Maiden's best tracks. At the time I thought that such an assessment was crazy, but I continued to listen to it, trying to find that special something. And eventually it clicked, and while I wouldn't say it's top ten, it's definitely right up there with the best of this album. I got into this because of the lyrics and Blaze's vocals, but the music clicked soon after.
The Angel (yes, this one) and the Gambler - Even in my short time here, I've defended this one no less than twice. But I'll briefly go over it again: Repeating chorus isn't so bad in the first section because of music changes. It has long verses, so it's not like it's 9 minutes of don't you think. Yes, it probably could have been a minute or so shorter, cutting some of the second chorus section. Lyrics are interesting. Blaze does an awesome job (I think most should have gleaned by now that I have a bit of a soft spot for him)
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger - Apparently the knock on this one is repetition. I had read such criticisms before hearing this one, so I wasn't sure what to think. When I first heard it, though, my response to my recollection of such criticisms was "are you f***ing kidding me?" Yes, the lyrics "don't look…" are used a lot. But in my opinion the hate on this song is one of those hypocrisies. While many will jump to the defense of Alexander the Great or Deja Vu, which, let's face it, don't have the best lyrics written, because of their musical genius, few seem prepared to defend DLttEoaS when it is faced with the same attack. Yes, I'll admit that it's not exactly at the same level as Alexander in music, I think it's still very good in that respect. My favorite part is the frantic section, which I think conveys the one emotion related to this subject matter that is lacking in Fear of the Dark. I won't go so far as to say Don't Look is a better song, but I would say they're closer than a lot of people act.
Wildest Dreams - Okay, this song isn't high art. But I don't see anything offensive about it at all to deserve the level of hate it gets. It's a fun, upbeat, "I feel like kicking some ass" song which I will listen to on its own from time to time. As far as Maiden goes, I won't actively talk down about a song unless there's some musical part or line that I find to be stupid. Like "Better watch out… Cause I'm the assassin" or "Hooks in the ceiling for the well hung feeling"
Montsegur - This song is awesome! It's heavy as all hell. It's fast. It has a good solo from Janick. Also, the lyrics and delivery are (I think) quite excellent. Yeah, it does have the famous "same line four times" chorus, but the verses are interesting and sung excellently by Bruce. I especially love the part: "…..Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust/The eye in the triangle smiling with sin….", that whole verse. As for it sounding too happy, I think that complaint is on "as we kill them all so god will know his own," yes? Well, think about the context. Perhaps these killers weren't exactly feeling like the soldiers in "ATSS" about the whole thing. Religious fervor can do that to a person when taken too far.
I half want to put Gates of Tomorrow, because though I'll agree it's one of the worst on the album, it gets a lot of undeserved hate, I would put it in the "nothing special" category rather than the "has bad/annoying elements" category.
Age of Innocence - Another song that isn't great, but it doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets. The music is interesting while not being a classic. The lyrics seem to be a point of contention, and I understand politics and that sort, but I think insulting the lyrics just because you disagree is a shade too far, as there's nothing wrong with them just as far as prose goes (once again, I will bring up Alexander (which by the way is probably a top 20 song for me, so it's not as though I hate it), which certainly is lyrically worse than Age of Innocence). Another point of contention seems to be "You can't protect yourself… Judicial system lets them do it, a disgrace," where Bruce reverts to the raspy vocal style of the early 90s. I'm not a huge fan of that era or of that vocal style, but I think that it is interesting to see that he will occasionally bring it back out when he (or Steve?) feels it would be good to do so. Though I think it's best in moderation.
Only the Good Die Young - As stated, would be an awesome closer. I mean, the line "So until the next time, have a good sin" just screams "closer" to me. Spiteful while somewhat mystical lyrics and awesome guitar and bass parts. I rank the concept album's closer higher than its much-lauded opener.
All of The X Factor except Sign of the Cross, Lord of the Flies and Man on the Edge (not that these aren't great, just not underrated)
All of Virtual XI except The Clansman and Futureal (once again, great, but not that underrated)
- In my opinion, Blaze, while not a technically brilliant operatic singer, is an awesome emotional and powerful singer. There's some special relatable quality to his voice, to me, which makes him one of my favorite vocalists. Sometimes I'm not in the mood for Bruce's soaring vocals, and for those times I know that I have TXF and VXI available. Just a quick rundown of some that I feel are especially unfairly slighted:
Look for the Truth - True, this is no Hallowed or Paschendale, but it's a very powerful introspective and even empowering song on TXF.
2 A.M. - I don't understand why this one gets any hate at all, unless it's from people who have never felt what it describes and cannot understand it, for whatever reason. The music and vocals perfectly capture those times when you're just not sure what it's all for. "Do you just let go, or carry on and try to take the hurt?" Almost haunting, this one is.
The Unbeliever - This song has it's proponents, but it's generally considered nothing special. When I first heard TXF, I agreed. I considered it a good album except The Unbeliever. I remember (this was when I lurked this forum) reading where Forostar named this as one of Maiden's best tracks. At the time I thought that such an assessment was crazy, but I continued to listen to it, trying to find that special something. And eventually it clicked, and while I wouldn't say it's top ten, it's definitely right up there with the best of this album. I got into this because of the lyrics and Blaze's vocals, but the music clicked soon after.
The Angel (yes, this one) and the Gambler - Even in my short time here, I've defended this one no less than twice. But I'll briefly go over it again: Repeating chorus isn't so bad in the first section because of music changes. It has long verses, so it's not like it's 9 minutes of don't you think. Yes, it probably could have been a minute or so shorter, cutting some of the second chorus section. Lyrics are interesting. Blaze does an awesome job (I think most should have gleaned by now that I have a bit of a soft spot for him)
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger - Apparently the knock on this one is repetition. I had read such criticisms before hearing this one, so I wasn't sure what to think. When I first heard it, though, my response to my recollection of such criticisms was "are you f***ing kidding me?" Yes, the lyrics "don't look…" are used a lot. But in my opinion the hate on this song is one of those hypocrisies. While many will jump to the defense of Alexander the Great or Deja Vu, which, let's face it, don't have the best lyrics written, because of their musical genius, few seem prepared to defend DLttEoaS when it is faced with the same attack. Yes, I'll admit that it's not exactly at the same level as Alexander in music, I think it's still very good in that respect. My favorite part is the frantic section, which I think conveys the one emotion related to this subject matter that is lacking in Fear of the Dark. I won't go so far as to say Don't Look is a better song, but I would say they're closer than a lot of people act.
Wildest Dreams - Okay, this song isn't high art. But I don't see anything offensive about it at all to deserve the level of hate it gets. It's a fun, upbeat, "I feel like kicking some ass" song which I will listen to on its own from time to time. As far as Maiden goes, I won't actively talk down about a song unless there's some musical part or line that I find to be stupid. Like "Better watch out… Cause I'm the assassin" or "Hooks in the ceiling for the well hung feeling"
Montsegur - This song is awesome! It's heavy as all hell. It's fast. It has a good solo from Janick. Also, the lyrics and delivery are (I think) quite excellent. Yeah, it does have the famous "same line four times" chorus, but the verses are interesting and sung excellently by Bruce. I especially love the part: "…..Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust/The eye in the triangle smiling with sin….", that whole verse. As for it sounding too happy, I think that complaint is on "as we kill them all so god will know his own," yes? Well, think about the context. Perhaps these killers weren't exactly feeling like the soldiers in "ATSS" about the whole thing. Religious fervor can do that to a person when taken too far.
I half want to put Gates of Tomorrow, because though I'll agree it's one of the worst on the album, it gets a lot of undeserved hate, I would put it in the "nothing special" category rather than the "has bad/annoying elements" category.
Age of Innocence - Another song that isn't great, but it doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets. The music is interesting while not being a classic. The lyrics seem to be a point of contention, and I understand politics and that sort, but I think insulting the lyrics just because you disagree is a shade too far, as there's nothing wrong with them just as far as prose goes (once again, I will bring up Alexander (which by the way is probably a top 20 song for me, so it's not as though I hate it), which certainly is lyrically worse than Age of Innocence). Another point of contention seems to be "You can't protect yourself… Judicial system lets them do it, a disgrace," where Bruce reverts to the raspy vocal style of the early 90s. I'm not a huge fan of that era or of that vocal style, but I think that it is interesting to see that he will occasionally bring it back out when he (or Steve?) feels it would be good to do so. Though I think it's best in moderation.
Crimson Idol
Caveman
I can relate to the lyrics very easily, far more than I'd like infact - but I find the whole song to be ... well, dull. Whilst I am not a fan of the majority of blaze's material with maiden, I can't say I'd enjoy this one with Bruce singing it either. It's not that long a song but it feels (to me) like it drags on forever ... it's not just compared to other maiden that I dislike the song, I simply dislike it as a song in general. However compared to what maiden had done up to that point, it is fairly underwhelming - 2 verses and a lot of chorus. Whilst in my own attempts to write songs and looking further at other songs I have come to realise lyrics don't have to be overwhelmingly cryptic and often straight forward is just fine.... it really doesn't work for me here.
So certainly for me, it's nothing to do with a lack of understanding the lyrics, I just think it's a terrible song
Ariana
Black-and-white leopard
I certainly agree with most of what you say about songs from Dance of Death. I've been listening to this album quite a lot lately and I've started to find a lot of interesting stuff. Montsegur was one of songs that instantly grabbed me - I just love the guitars throughout, especially during the chorus.
Although Wildest Dreams and Age of Innocence are not the best that Maiden have written, I don't find anything wrong with them and they have definitely grown on me a lot! I even enjoy New Frontier, the verse is a bit weak, but the bridge, the chorus and the solo are all great.
In fact the only song from the album that I still can't get is Gates of Tomorrow, but overall the album has become far more enjoyable to me than it used to be.
Sara
Not even Wensleydale?
I have noticed a great deal of negativity directed towards "The Age Of Innocence" from a lot of Maiden fans here, which I guess makes me a very small minority, as I loved the song from the first moment I heard it. From day one of buying "Dance Of Death", that song was one of my favourite songs on the album, and my feelings about that have never wavered in the ensuing years. The lyrics seem to be a major area of contention, and point of attack for much of the negativity to the song. For me, living on an urban council estate blighted by so-called "anti-social" behaviour (AKA by it's more fitting name, "crime"), violence, and gangs of youths causing misery for the law abiding residents, I immediately took the lyrics to my heart, and agree with them completely. Musically, the song is absolutely stunning, with it's impassioned, sorrowful intro, leading into a biting, crushing riff which perfectly accompanies the scathing social commentary about the decline of values and respect in British society, and the tolerance of vile actions and behaviours which the powers that be seemingly have no desire to eradicate, despite the shallow lip service they serve to the general public. I find this to be a very misunderstood, and indeed, very underrated song, and it's certainly one of my favourite Maiden songs of the decade.
Speaking of misunderstood songs, I could easily say the same thing for 2A.M., which is another song I think can turn people off if they don't agree or identify with the lyrics. It's a mournful, desperate song, with great melodic qualities, and is definitely of my fave songs from the Blaze Bayley era. The mid-section depressive harmonies, and a great solo by Janick just give the song the final touch it needs to make it a very underrated classic in my eyes. xD
Speaking of misunderstood songs, I could easily say the same thing for 2A.M., which is another song I think can turn people off if they don't agree or identify with the lyrics. It's a mournful, desperate song, with great melodic qualities, and is definitely of my fave songs from the Blaze Bayley era. The mid-section depressive harmonies, and a great solo by Janick just give the song the final touch it needs to make it a very underrated classic in my eyes. xD
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
The problem isn't that the lyrics are week or repetitive, but that the second half of the song basically is just one musical theme repeated over and over and over. It's like The Clansman should rcontain the line "nooo, we can't let them take any more, we can't let them take any more, we're the land of the free" 15 times or so, instead of four.
"... not exactly at the same level as Alexander in music ..." is the understatement of the week. Lyrics not considered, Alex the Great is a top five in my book. More twists and turns than most other long songs Harris has written. No, declaring love for AtG while hating on DLttEoaS is far from hypocrisy in my book. The only thing the songs have in common is that they are both over 8 minutes long. The latter shouldn't have been.
425
Starblind
Regarding 2 A.M.:
Thinking about it again, I guess I can see being bored by the music. I'm not, but I can understand how one could be. And yes, I think it could have used another verse, which probably would have raised up from the 8th on the album I currently place it.
Regarding DLttEoaS:
I have a question, and I'm not trying to be rude or insulting with it, but I need to ask anyway: How familiar are you with DLttEoaS? Some of your description is accurate, but there are also errors in it. First, the quiet section is nowhere near half the song, nor is it in the second half, nor is it as repetitive as The Clansman's quiet section (in a way).
The Clansman (quiet section): 5:09 - 6:17 = 1:08
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (quiet section): 3:19 - 5:22 = 2:03
So, yes, DLttEoaS has a quiet section twice as long as The Clansman's. I will readily admit that if you are bored by quiet sections and you just want smashing riffs and speed, then this is not the song for you. However, I think it should be noted that the quiet section of The Clansman is essentially the same music repeated 4 times. DLttEoaS is musically similar through its quiet section, but it continues to build tension, getting louder as it progresses through. So it's really not comparable to just doubling the length of Clansman's mid section.
As it turns out, DLttEoaS's fast, frantic section is nearly 2 minutes, nearly as long as the slow section. As my little chart down there shows, if we split the song into fourths, about 1/4 is the intro and conclusion with their choruses, about 1/4 is the slow, building section, 1/4 is the frantic section with the solos, and 1/4 is the verses and choruses following them. I don't really think that any one part of that song is too repetitive.
DLttEoaS breakdown:
0:00 - 1:27 intro (first two choruses), slow, dramatic music
1:27 - 2:32 verses, faster, less dramatic
2:32 - 3:19 choruses, reprise of the earlier dramatic music
3:19 - 5:22 slow, building section behind "Don't look to..."
5:22 - 5:56 fast, exciting, frantic section
5:56 - 6:05 solo
6:05 - 6:18 fast riff again
6:18 - 6:32 solo
6:32 - 6:59 fast section continues
6:59 - 8:03 conclusion (similar to intro, 2 choruses)
Now that I've spent 20 minutes breaking down Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger, it's time for me to use this part of your post to make the point that I'm not suggesting anything radical here. As I said, Alexander is a top 20 song, and Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger might crack my top 100, but not much more. However, I very much enjoy both songs and feel that one has been unfairly slighted. My only point in including Alexander is to point out the hypocrisy that some (not all) participate in by saying "Alexander doesn't have the best lyrics, but that's okay, we'll just ignore them" and then turn around and attack DLttEoaS, which (at least I think) is musically interesting, for not having good lyrics. The intention was not to suggest that these songs have anything in common besides: 1) being written by Steve Harris and performed by Iron Maiden 2) having below average lyrics 3) being 8 minutes long and 4) being good at their 8 minute length.
I can relate to the lyrics very easily, far more than I'd like infact - but I find the whole song to be ... well, dull. Whilst I am not a fan of the majority of blaze's material with maiden, I can't say I'd enjoy this one with Bruce singing it either. It's not that long a song but it feels (to me) like it drags on forever ... it's not just compared to other maiden that I dislike the song, I simply dislike it as a song in general. However compared to what maiden had done up to that point, it is fairly underwhelming - 2 verses and a lot of chorus. Whilst in my own attempts to write songs and looking further at other songs I have come to realise lyrics don't have to be overwhelmingly cryptic and often straight forward is just fine.... it really doesn't work for me here.
So certainly for me, it's nothing to do with a lack of understanding the lyrics, I just think it's a terrible song
Thinking about it again, I guess I can see being bored by the music. I'm not, but I can understand how one could be. And yes, I think it could have used another verse, which probably would have raised up from the 8th on the album I currently place it.
Regarding DLttEoaS:
I have a question, and I'm not trying to be rude or insulting with it, but I need to ask anyway: How familiar are you with DLttEoaS? Some of your description is accurate, but there are also errors in it. First, the quiet section is nowhere near half the song, nor is it in the second half, nor is it as repetitive as The Clansman's quiet section (in a way).
The Clansman (quiet section): 5:09 - 6:17 = 1:08
Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger (quiet section): 3:19 - 5:22 = 2:03
So, yes, DLttEoaS has a quiet section twice as long as The Clansman's. I will readily admit that if you are bored by quiet sections and you just want smashing riffs and speed, then this is not the song for you. However, I think it should be noted that the quiet section of The Clansman is essentially the same music repeated 4 times. DLttEoaS is musically similar through its quiet section, but it continues to build tension, getting louder as it progresses through. So it's really not comparable to just doubling the length of Clansman's mid section.
As it turns out, DLttEoaS's fast, frantic section is nearly 2 minutes, nearly as long as the slow section. As my little chart down there shows, if we split the song into fourths, about 1/4 is the intro and conclusion with their choruses, about 1/4 is the slow, building section, 1/4 is the frantic section with the solos, and 1/4 is the verses and choruses following them. I don't really think that any one part of that song is too repetitive.
DLttEoaS breakdown:
0:00 - 1:27 intro (first two choruses), slow, dramatic music
1:27 - 2:32 verses, faster, less dramatic
2:32 - 3:19 choruses, reprise of the earlier dramatic music
3:19 - 5:22 slow, building section behind "Don't look to..."
5:22 - 5:56 fast, exciting, frantic section
5:56 - 6:05 solo
6:05 - 6:18 fast riff again
6:18 - 6:32 solo
6:32 - 6:59 fast section continues
6:59 - 8:03 conclusion (similar to intro, 2 choruses)
Now that I've spent 20 minutes breaking down Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger, it's time for me to use this part of your post to make the point that I'm not suggesting anything radical here. As I said, Alexander is a top 20 song, and Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger might crack my top 100, but not much more. However, I very much enjoy both songs and feel that one has been unfairly slighted. My only point in including Alexander is to point out the hypocrisy that some (not all) participate in by saying "Alexander doesn't have the best lyrics, but that's okay, we'll just ignore them" and then turn around and attack DLttEoaS, which (at least I think) is musically interesting, for not having good lyrics. The intention was not to suggest that these songs have anything in common besides: 1) being written by Steve Harris and performed by Iron Maiden 2) having below average lyrics 3) being 8 minutes long and 4) being good at their 8 minute length.