I'm terrible at making definitive rankings and stuff like that, but in this case, the challenge is very intriguing; how to choose 10 favourites from a band with such exstensive and relatively diverse discography. I'm still not sure if these are my
absolute top ten Maiden songs for every single moment from now on, but after listening to their full discography with rather open mind for many years now and noticing how certain albums and songs have become very special and important for me... I guess it's appropriate to finally participate in this kind of discussion, haha.
I'm also breaking the trend here by actually preaching
why I ended up picking these songs and what makes this bunch the one I decided to go with in this thread. ;D
Infinite Dreams
Some might feel that the painful omission of this one during Maiden England tour has highlighted Infinite Dreams' almost mythical status in Maiden song catalogue, but all the crying for it's omission in past (and future) sets really says something. I've wondered many times what really makes this song so special, since there are many songs with more or less similar elements in their discography, released both before and after this one. It's one of those instances where music is so much more than just the sound of it. Combined with SSOASS impressive and intriguing visual themes and fitting - even if not unquestionably their very best - mix and production, it's one of the most otherworldly Maiden songs and experiences ever. The whole album, despite the concept being there for only halfway through, is very captivating and magical experience and it's just magnificent and beautiful how Infinite Dreams
manages to capture so much for about 6 minutes of music. Any faults? Nah. Arguably, Bruce's scream might be a bit dry and you the pacing of the lyrics might be a bit uncomfortable, which is one of those #steveharris songwriting traits, but in the end, this song makes such a perfect use of them that it's almost ridiculous.
In a nutshell, Infinite Dreams has definitely deserved it's legendary status among Maiden fans and while it might not feel the most ingenious thing if you "break it down to pieces", it's a perfect example of one of the strongest elements in Maiden's music that has been present on every single album, even in the very worst; it's a very strong experience with enough narrative to give you a glimpse of something defined but also cryptic enough to just let your thoughts fly. The song is structured perfectly. There's enough everything with absolutely no needless stretching at all and the original album tempo is pretty much perfect; as much as I like those live versions of it, speeding it up does choke it a little bit and it would have been very interesting to hear the current line-up give this one a try.
Sign of the Cross
This might be one of the more controversial picks here and it also brings up an interesting question: is a recent live performance good enough reason to include this, or should I judge it by original studio version only? And if I should, would it be here then? I don't know. But what I do know is that Sign of the Cross, in all of it's dark glory, is another example of Steve's excellent songwriting. Even if the instrumental break might have worked as a bit shorter too, it really fits the narrative of the song perfectly and the chorus is one of the most powerful they've ever come up with. It's a bit challenging song to a listener and I admit that it does not
take you there every single time, but when it does, it's one hell of an experience. I've loved the song for ages, but recent live performances have really highlighted it for me; I still remember hearing the intro tape in Tallinn... I got chills. I mean, I was thrilled with the set from the very beginning, but SOTC was definitely one of the biggest highlights for me. The theatrics and Bruce's insanely powerful take on it really did the trick. Sign of the Cross is a classic for me, and mind you, I do not overuse that c-word...
What I'm trying to say that it's an outstanding song even in it's original studio form, but Bruce holding that cross and singing the chorus with those flames lighting up it's one of the most epic Maiden moments for me, and that's definitely saying a lot.
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
There has been a lot of discussion about Maiden being proggy and/or "proggy" and this one is a real crown jewel of the first mentioned category; it's one of the best examples of Maiden "maturing" and looking forward instead of trying to duplicate some of the golden classics. It's another captivating and rather heavy song that really carries it's whole length perfectly, with no needless bloating and stretching. AMOLAD has it's production issues, like most albums since... well, Seventh Son, but with AMOLAD you can actually understand what's behind the decision to release it in such a raw form; you
can hear and feel the outstanding intensity they had in those sessions. Some bits and bobs in the album that might feel stretched and more uninspired, but overall, it's a very strong record that can really stand comparison with some of the classic albums. And Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is one of those songs that represent the power, self-confidence and vibe Maiden had at the time. And it really says something that they played the whole thing live and still praise the record whenever it pops up in an interview or something.
Aces High
I wanted to include one of the shorter and faster songs here and while I honestly appreciate and enjoy The Trooper, RTTH and all those quite a lot, Aces High felt like an appropriate choice. Why? It's the king of the openers. And this comes from a huge Moonchild fan who still considers Maiden opening with the mentioned song in Helsinki 2013 as one of the best concert moments ever. Aces High is a bitch to sing live, no doubt, but I also love how it's like quite a different song in a live setting. The beautiful vocal harmonies on the studio version are amazing and I'm still amazed of the young band's power every single time I hear the original studio version and that relentless tempo, but I also love the slower, recent takes (alright, 2012-14 wasn't that good...) on the song; the way Bruce's voice soars during the last "fly to live, aces high!" is so amazing and it's actually pretty cool how different that approach is to the studio version. Naturally, the high-tempo performances during Ed-Huntour are amazing too. It's truly spectacular how such a challenging song with such demanding vocal lines translates so well into live setting and how they, Bruce especially, make it work even with a much slower tempo. And considering how the relentless tempo is actually pretty essential part of the original recording makes the trick even cooler.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
This is a perfect example of Steve's abilities with musical storytelling and one of those instances where direct, narrating lyrics work very well. It's a long one, but it keeps you captivated to the very end. Since it's relatively simple when it comes to arrangement, it works very well live and the Flight 666 is my favourite version of the song; Bruce's delivery is amazing there and the rest of the band does perfect work too.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Another masterpiece by mr. Harris. It's a powerful, dramatic piece and the calm part with Bruce narrating about the birth of the seventh son is magical. The instrumental section is full of amazing guitar work. Witnessing this one live in 2013 was a dream come true and while the tempo was on the slower side, the performance was outstanding nonetheless; heavy, magical and intense work by all of the guys. As it was with ROTAM, Bruce's intense delivery really has a huge effect in the live performances.
Paschendale
The song might feel just a little bit disjointed with all the breaks and changes around, but it works perfectly from the storytelling point of view and once again, the way music, lyrics and Bruce's delivery of them works together is phenomenal. The theatrical nature of the LOTB show would have fitted almost too well with this one, but I understand that there just wasn't room for it; however, I feel that Bruce and the guys considered this one to be played and while I don't
expect it to be played in the future, I think it's also a song they might realistically give one more go in the set - with appropriate theatrics and effects included. You'll never know. Anyway, a true modern classic.
Revelations
Musically, it's not the most complex or ingenious thing ever and it relies on rather simple structures and overall, it does not seem that exciting. But it is. It's yet another song that sounds very good on it's original studio form, but reaches another dimension by live performances and, naturally, Bruce's intense delivery of (this time his own) lyrics; no matter how many times I hear him doing "O God of Earth and altar, bow down and hear our cry..." in all those little variations and emphasis on different words, it always has a huge effect. The lyrics are wonderful combination of recycling G. K. Chesterton's original hymn and moving it to a completely different context and Bruce's own thoughts and showcasing both, his wonderful sense of drama and excellent songwriting skills. As I said, it might not be the most musically ingenious thing Maiden has recorded, but it has a huge effect on me and there's always so much power in Bruce's delivery that, for me, gives it a lot of special edge to it.
For the Greater Good of God
Another controversial pick. First of all, I understand why there's a big bunch of fellow fans who don't enjoy this song that much - some do not at all. I acknowledge it's faults and structural pitfalls. The solos might be a bit uninspired too and the lyrics, as intensly as they are once again delivered, are not the most complex or poetic they've come up with over the years. But this song, and I truly mean it, is a very evoking one. I'm sure you see the trend here, but yes, the recent live performances of this song have been amazing; the slight drop on tempo gives Bruce a bit more room to breathe, which really benefits the delivery of the lyrics, which really
hit you, as obvious as the message might be. It's one of those songs that manages to be much more than just the sum of it's parts by just having such a great personal impact.
Wasted Years
This was actually rather hard choice! It's a classic, no doubt, it's a brilliant song, no doubt, but is it a better than so many others? Hard to say. Why did I choose it, in the end? Well, I guess there's just so strong message in the lyrics and in the music that it deserves to be in this list. But to be fair, I'm not sure if it really beats runner-ups, like Children of the Damned, Hallowed be Thy Name, Fortunes of War (yes!), Brave New World, The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg, The Book of Souls, Still Life, To Tame a Land, Stranger in a Strange Land... But there you go.
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If I did this all over again, one or two songs might change, but overall, I think this is pretty sincere look at my very favourite Maiden songs. Let's put it this way: if I should make a 10-track album/playlist of my favourite Maiden songs for someone not familiar with the band, I'd proudly stand with this selection. Even if I'd also welcome a couple of changes - there's always a bit of controversy when making this kind of lists - I think this bunch really captures the essence and power of their music and showcases the different styles and periods of the band very well.
