Number of the Beast songwriting

mckindog

Living for Sanctuary from the law
Staff member
I know what the credits say, and I've read how Bruce was legally prevented from contributing.
But I also seem to recall hints that he quietly participated anyway — specifically on Children of the Damned, The Prisoner, and Run to the Hills.
Does anyone have any insight or info on this, or is it a figment of my imagination?
 
Maybe this?

After a few gigs to ‘break him in’, the band started writing new material for their third album. This was the first time the band had decided to write an entire new album; The two released previously basically consisted of songs the band had been playing for years, with a couple of exceptions, on Killers. The album, The Number of the Beast, was put together in five weeks. In the wake of Samson’s  contractual problems, Dickinson could not be credited on the songs to which he had contributed. “I think you could say I had a very big moral contribution to certain songs, like “Children of the Damned”, “Run to the Hills” and “The Prisoner”. Those three songs were the songs in which I had the biggest moral contribution.” “Moral contribution” refers to the fact that the contribution that he had made was equal to those of the other band members.

http://livinglegendsmusic.com/library.php?personID=583
 
Ah, then it wasn't the drunken ramblings of some old buddy.
Thanks Vala.
 
I have never read any official source saying something about it, neither anyone of the band or the crew.

Not that I don't believe it. I just wonder how it all started.
 
Forostar said:
I have never read any official source saying something about it, neither anyone of the band or the crew.

Not that I don't believe it. I just wonder how it all started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXArX6bw ... re=related this is where I'm getting it from 7:07 into the clip. I'm not really sure what Rod is saying but he mentions The Prisoner and Bruce in close proximity. Can anyone clear up what exactly he says here please? Sounds like "Ad and Bruce on Number of the Beast had a song called The Prisoner"  :S
 
I think he might have said Adrian and Bruce, but that doesn't make sense since The Prisoner is a Steve song.
 
Invader said:
I think he might have said Adrian and Bruce, but that doesn't make sense since The Prisoner is a Steve song.

Quite right. Maybe Bruce had a hand in it but couldn't officially take a credit for legal reasons?
 
Maybe it helps to know that Bruce played both The Prisoner and Run to the Hills in solo gigs.
 
snake plissken said:
Quite right. Maybe Bruce had a hand in it but couldn't officially take a credit for legal reasons?

No, I meant Adrian.  Adrian had no legal obligations to his former band, so even though in the video it sounds a bit like "Adrian", it's probably something else.
 
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