Your favourite Iron Maiden song and why?

Highway Road In Time - because most people, me included, have never heard it, so it should be fresh and clean on one's ears.
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son - because this is where Maiden really knew what they were doing, and were doing it well.
Phantom Of The Opera - because this is where Maiden started really knowing what they were doing, and were doing it well.
Strange World - because it is a really unique and fantastic song and thank you so much Paul Mario Day.

I know that's four instead of one but some peeps above have taken such liberties that I thought it might be acceptable.
 
The Book of Souls. I think it is the perfect Maiden song. When I first listened to the album, I fell asleep. It was an INSET day at work and I was knackered. I stupidly listened to the album lying down on the bed. When I went back to it after a good night’s sleep, I realised what I had missed!

I just love how they layer the melodies and solos at the end. It is just stunning.
 
I'll do 3 per era too because I find it too difficult to choose one...maybe it's CSIT. That's the first that crossed my mind. Or maybe Hell on Earth.
Early Days (Debut - POM)
22 Acacia Avenue
Hallowed be thy name
Still Life
Golden Years (Powerslave - SSOASS)
Caught somewhere in time
Moonchild
Infinite Dreams
The 90´s (No Prayer - Virtual XI)
No prayer for the dying
Fear of the dark
Sign of the cross
(these are not my favs. I would choose 20-30 songs from other eras instead of them)
Reunion Era (BNW - Senjutsu)
Ghost of the navigator
Dance of Death
Hell on Earth
 
The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner

The guitar tone, the overall atmosphere especially during the intro, awesome drumming. I just love it and has been my favourite song by Maiden for quite a long time. I actually find the lyrics a bit metaphorical for my own self. Life goes on, sometimes you feel you're halfway there to your dreams, sometimes you just find the process futile. But to dream and to aspire is the most important.

Talking about the subject matter, it is based on a short story of the same name (which was also later adopted into a movie). Again, the band went with a loosely based concept, not much rigid and open to listeners' own interpretation.
The lyrics, remind me a lot of the life of Indian sprinter Milkha Singh (though not a long-distance runner, but a movie has been made on him as well). He escaped the mutiny and violence during India's partition in 1947 (considered largest mass migration in human history, also formed the separate nation of Pakistan) at a very small age. Later, he joined the army where his talent was recognized and went on to win several medals in many international events including the Olympics.

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Also, recently watched a video on 'Iron Maiden in the strangest places' thread, the song being mentioned by Paula Radcliffe (British long-distance runner) which I find amazing!


Has been performed live only once, during Somewhere In Time Tour '86.

 
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Paul english said:
It's got to be hell on earth....pure classic.
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From start to finish it's a great great song....proves the maiden have still got the skills to stay relevant. I'm into bands like fugazi, slint, sebadoh, sufjan Stevens, vampillia and June of 44, Rodan, but iron maiden are still my first love and when I heard hell on earth I thought this is just so good. I hope they do another album next year to celebrate 50 years. Steve Harris just keeps on writing classic songs. He's never lost it. Which is not as common as you think.
 
I used to say it is Revelations, but the last years my opinion has changed to Rime of the ancient mariner. Epic song, nice drive through the song, I love the tempo changes, the scream from Bruce, classic guitar solos. Add the superb production and all of the band in their prime. I don’t know how Steve can play this song in the middle of the set with the two second break there!
 
Some of my all-time favorites have been mentioned here. For a long while To Tame a Land has been my favorite. I do really like Phantom of the Opera, Hallowed Be Thy Name, and Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, too. And I do see the appeal of Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger. Alexander the Great is up there, and Rime is a classic, but I have to let that one rest between playings. In the later era, The Nomad is a favorite, with honorable mentions to Brighter Than a Thousand Suns and The Red and the Black. But after the first couple listens to the two closing tracks of Senjutsu, I was so impressed that they may have just written their best two consecutive songs. At first, I thought The Parchment was better, the way it builds and progresses into mesmerizing brilliance. Eventually though I realized Hell On Earth was the best, for a lot of the reasons mentioned by others, and I think it is now my favorite, though I think it is augmented when you first listen to The Parchment and transition to Hell on Earth. In fact, I just listened to Senjutsu, and upon its conclusion I searched for "best Iron Maiden song", because I wanted to see if anyone else thought so too. And that is how I landed in this thread, and glad to see I'm not alone.
 
Hallowed be thy Name and the whole Somewhere in Time album will always be my favourites, but Hell on Earth is such a good song. Every time I listen to it I like it more. IMO it's their best song in the reunion era or at least since 2003. Dance of Death and Ghost of the Navigator/Out of the silent planet are the only ones that come close.
 
Siddharth said:
Enough with the lists!

Yes, I know its tough to pick just a single song but I want you to mention that one Maiden track which you absolutely love. If possible, do post a write-up/essay on it. You may mention your own interpretation to the song, popular/cultural references to it, related live performances etc.
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Sea of madness is my favorite maiden song. With its unique and kickass riff, beautiful solo, and amazing vocals. Its so good
 
Kalata said:
There are some aspects I can use to decide: ''Powerslave'' (because it has everything we love about Maiden), ''Rime Of The Ancient Mariner''/''Hallowed Be Thy Name''/''The Talisman'' (because of the epic structures, intros, lyrics, instrumentals and the unmatched storytelling vibe), ''The Wicker Man''/''The Evil That Men Do''/''Out Of The Silent Planet''/''Stratego''/''Rainmaker''/''Aces High'' (the melodic classic metal hit songs) or a song like ''Hell On Earth'' (a song that brings so many and different emotions).

They all complement each other perfectly, but I will choose - Hell On Earth. The emotion that combines other aspects too! This is very important and special for me. I just love this song and there aren't many songs that can bring such emotions from me or the listener. A near perfect Maiden song.
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I really agree with you about Hell On Earth: I know it has its flaws (it's not perfect like Rime, Powerslave, Infinite Dreams or Hallowed), but the emotions that I felt since the first time I heard it, specially with the chorus melody, are beyond words to be described. Probably it's due to personal reasons. I went through the most difficult time of my life months after the release of Senjutsu and Hell on Earth was the song I used to escape from my pain, crying in almost all the times that I heard its chorus in that particular period.
 
I've liked "Hell on Earth" more and more over the years since Senjutsu dropped. It was absolutely the highlight (among highlights) when I saw Maiden on The Future Past Tour. Absolutely transcendent experience, I wish I could go back (will never be the same again) and exist in that moment again.
 
Diesel 11 said:
I've liked "Hell on Earth" more and more over the years since Senjutsu dropped. It was absolutely the highlight (among highlights) when I saw Maiden on The Future Past Tour. Absolutely transcendent experience, I wish I could go back (will never be the same again) and exist in that moment again.
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And that's why I wouldn´t mind Senjutsu being their final album. Ending with such a masterpiece.
 
Infinite Dreams.
I think it's so ahead of its time. Has all my favorite Iron Maiden ingredients, a good slow intro, great vocal melodies both in verse, bridge and chorus, Maidenesque guitar melodies-harmonies, great solos, a nightmare-ish scream, time changes, the progressive yet very natural song-structure and most of all maybe the best lyrics of Harris, it's philosophical and poetic. There is no line repeating in Infinite Dreams, even the chorus lines are all different. Which is rulebreaking and challenging.
Other than these, the the feeling that fits the lyrical theme of the song is out of this world. I especially love the Maiden England video version, with some emotional faces of fans the song's spirit gets higher.
I really hope they play this tune in Run For Your Lives.

Other than Infinite Dreams, two of my favorites are Hallowed and Alexander. Just because of that legal case I broke some points from Hallowed, but still I don't care as much as some people do. Art is a remix.
 
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