which Maiden song reveals the worst difference compared studio version <-> live version?

Dick Brucinson

Dave Sustaine
for me there's two: I think Can I Play With Madness is a good track, while Wasted Years even is a great track. in their studio versions. but somehow they both never really sounded as strong when performed live. with Wasted Years for example all the melancholy gets lost.
discuss.
 
Alright, I have to admit, I've barely heard live Maiden. But... The Wicker Man always lacked energy in the studio for me, and it sounds great on RiR.
And I guess FotD is the same, though I know it's agreed upon.
 
Caught Somewhere in Time sounded weak live, especially in the intro. It really needed three guitarists, two playing the harmony, one on rhythm. It'd be absolute magic now with the current line-up, but the tempo would be way too hard on Nicko and I don't want to hear it slowed down.

Can I Play With Madness... never really sounded as strong when performed live.

For me it was the chorus, Adrian + Steve just don't have the same power as Bruce's multi-layered vocals.
 
Caught Somewhere in Time sounded weak live, especially in the intro. It really needed three guitarists, two playing the harmony, one on rhythm. It'd be absolute magic now with the current line-up, but the tempo would be way too hard on Nicko and I don't want to hear it slowed down.
Absolutely this and agree with you, I would have loved to hear CSIT and Infinite Dreams played live with the current line-up. Too bad that they didn't pick either of these songs to the setlist on Somewhere Back In Time World Tour or Maiden England World Tour.
Both of these songs work for me on the album but also live recordings..but I would like to hear these songs live in concert someday.
 
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FTGGOG is my pick - one of the rarest examples for Maiden when the song sounds better in the studio version than when it's played live imo.
 
The Clairvoyant. Not really a fan of the song to begin with, but it sounds awful live
 
for me there's two: I think Can I Play With Madness is a good track, while Wasted Years even is a great track. in their studio versions. but somehow they both never really sounded as strong when performed live. with Wasted Years for example all the melancholy gets lost.
discuss.
Agree. I would add The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg.
 
The Legacy is one that springs to mind. The ending just wasn’t as good live and it didn’t quite have the same atmosphere. I thought it was quite a ballsy song to do live (the whole album was to be fair!)

On the flip side, The Red and the Black came to life in the live environment. The instrumental section was so good! Bruce struggled a bit but it was so much better than the studio version.
 
It has to be Fear Of The Dark, surely? It strikes me as the most obvious example.

I mean, for starters, how many casual Maiden and metal fans in general actually know the studio version compard to the infamous 1992/93 live version?

And I don't blame them. The live version is full of life, vigeor, excitement and is well performed. It actually makes the song itself come to life and gives a powerful and believable edge to the song's lyrics and subject matter.

The studio version, in comparison, is utterly flat and lifeless and suffers from that Barn Yard sound and production that Maiden had throughout the '90's ('though I still enjoy 90's Maiden very much, I hasten to add). Meh.
 
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The studio version of Revelations is heavier because of the slower tempo. The vocal lines work better as well. Recent live versions are closer to album tempo though.
 
Can I Play With Madness--I've never heard a good live version of it. From Here to Eternity worked well in the studio for what it is, came out garbage in a live setting, IMO.

As for Wasted Years...yeah, live it loses the melancholy bend to it, though I still think it works live. The definitive live version for me is off Flight 666 where Bruce trades chorus vocals with Adrian.
 
I like Dave’s solo in Powerslave but the version played live at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, is outstanding in my opinion.
 
Pretty much every live version of The Trooper sounds more intense, heavier, just better than the studio version, which in my opinion, is due to the lackluster production of Piece of Mind.
 
"From Here To Eternity" and "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter" sound much better live. As well, of course, as anything from the first album, except "Phantom of the Opera" - Dennis Stratton's backing vocals partake of the legendary feel of the song, in my opinion.
@CA Bryers Interestingly, you think the reverse about FHTE. Can you explain? ;)
 
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