Songs that should have been singles

Starblind definitely... And "When the River Runs Deep". I can't believe how much overlooked that song is.
From earlier releases maybe Powerslave, and I would definitely re-arrange singles on "Dance of Death"
 
Since singles in rock/metal are usually percieved as shorter songs that should've "announce" or "represent" upcoming album and bring awereness to it, Maiden's singles have done a pretty good job. On another note, I've noticed none of the singles in the last 4 albums have been in my top 3 songs from the record:

BOS: Speed of Light and Empire of the Clouds (definitely not in top 3 and I since almost 9 months passed (?!) since the release I doubt we'll get another single)
FF: El Dorado, Final Frontier, Coming Home (all 3 top notch songs but IMO can't surpass When the Wild Wind Blows, Starblind and The Talisman)
AMOLAD: Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg and Different Worlds (The Legacy, Brighter than 1000 Suns, For the Greater Good...)
DOD: Wildest Dreams, Rainmaker, No More Lies (also 3 good singles but Pashendale, Montsegur and title track, for startes, overrun them)

Brave New World is a exception since I can't name a "bad" song on that record.
 
Only the Good Die Young (SSOASS)
Sea of Madness (SIT)
Still Life (POM)
Ghost of the Navigator (BNW)
The Pilgrim (AMOLAD)
 
Forostar said:
Not saying should, but these are fine candidates (and I bet some of them were, like The Fugitive since there was a promo single):

Prowler, Flash of the Blade, The Fugitive, Judas Be My Guide, When Lightning Strikes, The Alchemist, Death or Glory, Tears of a Clown.
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You're right about others on that list being promo singles like The Fugitive--I have a 12" promo single for Flash of the Blade. Used to have The Fugitive promo single, but sold it to a doctor in Wisconsin years ago.
 
Judas Be My Guide should have been a single, and Rainmaker should have been the first single from DOD instead of Wildest Dreams. Other than that they have picked the right songs IMO. Maybe they should have picked If Eternity Should Fail instead of Speed of Light. That would have been cool.
 
I agree with the votes for 'Ghost of the Navigator' - one of my all time favourites.

I'd go for 'Lord of the flies'. I think it's a great little rocker.
 
Deanatron said:
I'd go for 'Lord of the flies'. I think it's a great little rocker.
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"Lord of the Flies" was the second single off The X Factor. It features the covers of "Doctor, Doctor" and "My Generation". ;)
Single29_lordoftheflies_a_small.jpg
 
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These Colours Don't Run would have been a great follow up single to TROBB. Two "non-rocker" singles would have well suited the mood of A Matter Of Life And Death.

A couple of reasons lead me to suspect that Maiden actually considered releasing it as a single:

- it's placement as second song on the album. Aside from Brave New World the last album where track number two was not a single was Piece Of Mind
- artwork was created for the song
- cool tune
 
soundwave said:
Funny you mention Flash of the Blade. When I first heard Powerslave, I thought for sure FOTB would become a 'classic' (or at least be a set choice into the future). I'm surprised that it landed in Maiden's "back catalog bin of obscurity".
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Flash Of The Blade was kind of a single since it was released as a promo in the US
 
I guess "Flash of the Blade", with almost the same tempo as "Aces High", would have sounded like a kind of repetition in the setlist, in which they couldn't find a good place for it. And since they likely found "Aces High" slightly better, it was dropped. It is pure speculation of course, but it would make sense. And I would have the same reasoning as far as its potential single release is concerned.
Where this "theory" fails to function is in the case of "Out of the Silent Planet" though (which was only played live once if I remember well).
 
The Final Frontier: The Alchemist.
Virtual XI: Futureal replacing Angel and the Gambler as the first single and having Lightning Strikes Twice as the second instead.
Fear of the Dark: Judas Be My Guide.
Seventh Son of A Seventh Son: Only The Good Die Young.
 
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Black Bart said:
"Lord of the Flies" was the second single off The X Factor. It features the covers of "Doctor, Doctor" and "My Generation". ;)
Single29_lordoftheflies_a_small.jpg
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It didn't have a proper full release like other Maiden singles though, I think it was only released in France and Canada.

It had been planned to have a proper two cd single release similar to Man in the Edge in the UK, as man on the edge single came with a box big enough to include the cd album and all the cd singles from it.

EDIT:

the futureal single was similar as well. there was advetisements published in the metal press for a 7 inch and 2 cd singles, with different artwork featuring a futuristic version of Powerslave by Riggs but it was never released like that.

In the end there was only a limited 1 cd release that could only be ordered from the fanclub and was not available in shops.
 
srfc said:
It didn't have a proper full release like other Maiden singles though, I think it was only released in France and Canada.

It had been planned to have a proper two cd single release similar to Man in the Edge in the UK, as man on the edge single came with a box big enough to include the cd album and all the cd singles from it.

EDIT:

the futureal single was similar as well. there was advetisements published in the metal press for a 7 inch and 2 cd singles, with different artwork featuring a futuristic version of Powerslave by Riggs but it was never released like that.

In the end there was only a limited 1 cd release that could only be ordered from the fanclub and was not available in shops.
Click to expand...
Being French, I took the availability of this single for granted then! :D
 
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