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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: KevShmev on May 22, 2022, 07:37:15 PM
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Similar to the DT, Rush and Van Halen threads, we will now to a top songs countdown for Iron Maiden, and we will do a top 75.
I will count down the top 75 songs songs in order, and they will be taken from lists of anyone who wants to send me theirs via PM. Do not post them on the forum here. Send them to me via PM. I will take all of the lists and come up with a top 75 based off all lists cumulatively and count the songs down from 75 to 1.
The rules:
-Songs must be listed from 75 to 1 in order (in reverse order), with no ties. No having three songs at number 1 or anything like that. 75 songs, listed from 75 to 1. DO NOT list your songs with the points total. List them in your order (I will figure out the points on my end). Any list submitted with the songs not numbered will be ignored.
-Anyone wanting to submit a list must do so by the end of day, Monday, June 20th. I will then begin the countdown the following week. This should give anyone and everyone time to listen to the band's songs.
-The list will be tallied numerically in a simple way. On each list, whatever song is at number 1 gets 75 points, number 2 gets 74 points, number 3 gets 73 points, etc.
-Like last time, no more Mr. Nice Guy on my part. PROOFREAD YOUR LISTS BEFORE SENDING THEM. Any list with the same song mentioned twice will be not be counted.
Feel free to post in this thread as well that you have PM'd me, if for no other reason than to bump this back up for others who may want to participate who may not have seen the thread yet.
This ranking engine link below works great. You can input all of the songs, and then you pick your favorite of every 1 on 1 matchup and then it spits out your list.
https://rankingengine.pubmeeple.com/
Top 75:
75 Death of the Celts
74 The Duellists
73 Can I Play with Madness
72 Rainmaker
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
70 Out of the Silent Planet
69 No Prayer for the Dying
68 Deja Vu
67 Judas Be My Guide
66 Heaven Can Wait
65 These Colours Don't Run
64 If Eternity Should Fail
63 Prodigal Son
62 Wratchchild
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
60 Brave New World
59 Only the Good Die Young
58 The Wicker Man
57 Still Life
56 The Nomad
55 Remember Tomorrow
54 Killers
53 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
52 Dream of Mirrors
51 Isle of Avalon
50 Montsegur
49 Lord of Light
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
47 Starblind
46 The Book of Souls
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue
44 Blood Brothers
43 The Longest Day
42 The Red and the Black
41 Run to the Hills
40 The Clansmen
39 The Evil That Men Do
38 22 Acacia Avenue
37 Coming Home
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
35 The Parchment
34 2 Minutes to Midnight
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
32 The Prisoner
31 Empire of the Clouds
30 The Legacy
29 Ghost of the Navigator
28 Dance of Death
27 The Talisman
26 The Clairvoyant
25 Hell On Earth
24 Fear of the Dark
23 For the Greater Good of God
22 Stranger in a Strange Land
21 Alexander the Great
20 To Tame a Land
19 The Trooper
18 Children of the Damned
17 Sea of Madness
16 Sign of the Cross
15 Flight of Icarus
14 The Number of the Beast
13 Wasted Years
12 Phantom of the Opera
11 Revelations
10 Infinite Dreams
09 Moonchild
08 Paschendale
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
06 Where Eagles Dare
05 Powerslave
04 Aces High
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
01 Hallowed Be Thy Name
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Gonna be a lot if eyerolls and OMGs at the songs that don’t get ranked. Looking at my 76-100, I’m already appalled at myself. :lol
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Yeah, this is going to be tough. Can see a lot of diversity between lists.
Gonna be a lot if eyerolls and OMGs at the songs that don’t get ranked. Looking at my 76-100, I’m already appalled at myself. :lol
Shows how amazing they are.
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This will be harder than VH for sure, but I’m up to the challenge. My Leppard write ups will be done by the start of next week, then I shall start listening to the Maiden discography all over again (man, that’ll be a bummer)
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7TKVSE5isogWqnwk/giphy.gif)
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This will be harder than VH for sure, but I’m up to the challenge. My Leppard write ups will be done by the start of next week, then I shall start listening to the Maiden discography all over again (man, that’ll be a bummer)
I'm not doing any listening session prior, don't need to, I'll just rank them. I'll probably go back through some songs and albums to split hairs if need be.
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This will be harder than VH for sure, but I’m up to the challenge. My Leppard write ups will be done by the start of next week, then I shall start listening to the Maiden discography all over again (man, that’ll be a bummer)
I'm not doing any listening session prior, don't need to, I'll just rank them. I'll probably go back through some songs and albums to split hairs if need be.
I certainly don’t need to. But I like to anyway. This is just a good excuse to do so.
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This is going to be tough....Looking forward to it. :metal
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Also sent a PM with the song list.
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Yes, really looking forward to this one. Yes it will be tough. Now are there 75 songs in total on the first 7 albums? Otherwise it will be really tough.... haha (only joking).
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HERE. WE. GO.
:metal
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Also sent a PM with the song list.
Thanks again!
First post in the thread has the song list you sent me copied and pasted. :tup :tup
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, they don't belong and I understand why, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
As for the rest of the covers (again, clearly out and I accept that), "All In Your Mind" (a Sway cover) would have absolutely made my top 75, maybe even top 25.
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
As for the rest, "All In Your Mind" (a Sway cover) would have absolutely made my top 75, maybe even top 25.
I definitely think Burning Ambition and Invasion should be in and quite possibly Women in Uniform.
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I'm in on this.
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Hey guys, let's agree ahead of time not to derail this thread with constant discussion of friggin Blaze Bayley. Kev had a great thread going awhile back while he was doing his Maiden discography binge and it kept getting sidetracked :\. 90% of Maiden fans don't care about Bayley; you're going to have to get over it.
Had my list pretty much ready for awhile, just gotta tweak it maybe after another once-over. Should be fun . . . and interesting if HOF participates.
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I mean, you're the one bringing him up. But if you think I and others are not going to talk about him when songs he sang on show up in the ranking, I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
Also, I could very easily counter with this: Some Maiden fans like Blaze Bayley and want to talk about him; you're going to have to get over it.
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I mean, you're the one bringing him up. But if you think I and others are not going to talk about him when songs he sang on show up in the ranking, I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
Also, I could very easily counter with this: Some Maiden fans like Blaze Bayley and want to talk about him; you're going to have to get over it.
Awesome parry! ::). I said CONSTANT discussion of friggin Bayley, if you noticed. In other words, it doesn't have to go on for 5 pages like when it kept polluting Kev's thread.
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Hey guys, let's agree ahead of time not to derail this thread with constant discussion of friggin Blaze Bayley. Kev had a great thread going awhile back while he was doing his Maiden discography binge and it kept getting sidetracked :\. 90% of Maiden fans don't care about Bayley; you're going to have to get over it.
Had my list pretty much ready for awhile, just gotta tweak it maybe after another once-over. Should be fun . . . and interesting if HOF participates.
I have very little knowledge of or interest in Maiden, so I couldn't even formulate a top 10. Will keep an eye on the thread though probably.
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Geez this is going to take hours to rate. But it's fun! never thought of comparing tracks vs tracks.
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I mean, you're the one bringing him up. But if you think I and others are not going to talk about him when songs he sang on show up in the ranking, I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
Also, I could very easily counter with this: Some Maiden fans like Blaze Bayley and want to talk about him; you're going to have to get over it.
Awesome parry! ::). I said CONSTANT discussion of friggin Bayley, if you noticed. In other words, it doesn't have to go on for 5 pages like when it kept polluting Kev's thread.
I mean, again, other people will sometimes talk about things that do not personally interest you. I don't really appreciate the presumption that you're going to tell us what we can and can't talk about, and that if we don't listen to you then we're "polluting" the thread.
Also, it's not like Kev had a separate thread for his Iron Maiden discography. He was talking about Iron Maiden in the Iron Maiden thread. People talking about Blaze's work with Iron Maiden were also talking about Iron Maiden in the Iron Maiden thread. That's not derailing. That's precisely on topic.
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Also, I could very easily counter with this: Some Maiden fans like Blaze Bayley and want to talk about him; you're going to have to get over it.
Indeed. Whether people like it or not, '"friggin" Blaze Bayley is part of Maiden's history.
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Geez this is going to take hours to rate. But it's fun! never thought of comparing tracks vs tracks.
Interesting... my approach for this is to separte the songs in groups of (losely): top 10 - 15; top 16 - 25; top 26 - 50 and top 51 - 75. In Maiden's case, since I've heard them all my life, I can clearly identify, beetween my fave songs, the groups of my "most faves" and my "less faves". So, I think to compare the songs within each group is faster and easier to do.
And sorry if what I tried to say made zero sense in english!! :D
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I can tell you right now that I am going to have several Blaze songs on my list, and I’m positive that one will be in the top 3…so ya, the discussion will happen.
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Geez this is going to take hours to rate. But it's fun! never thought of comparing tracks vs tracks.
Interesting... my approach for this is to separte the songs in groups of (losely): top 10 - 15; top 16 - 25; top 26 - 50 and top 51 - 75. In Maiden's case, since I've heard them all my life, I can clearly identify, beetween my fave songs, the groups of my "most faves" and my "less faves". So, I think to compare the songs within each group is faster and easier to do.
And sorry if what I tried to say made zero sense in english!! :D
That does make sense, I just pasted all the tracks in the list and started, there are over 700 comparisons to go through! Now I'm so far in I don't want to redo.
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Exciting stuff! I'll start working on my ranking in a little while...I see we have some time anyway :)
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Geez this is going to take hours to rate. But it's fun! never thought of comparing tracks vs tracks.
Interesting... my approach for this is to separte the songs in groups of (losely): top 10 - 15; top 16 - 25; top 26 - 50 and top 51 - 75. In Maiden's case, since I've heard them all my life, I can clearly identify, beetween my fave songs, the groups of my "most faves" and my "less faves". So, I think to compare the songs within each group is faster and easier to do.
And sorry if what I tried to say made zero sense in english!! :D
I did my DT and Rush on spreadsheets by putting '0' in a column in front of what I thought were top ten, '10' for the next group, '20' for the twenties, and so on. Once I got to 50, that's what all the rest were labelled. Didn't mean a song couldn't move twenty places at the end.
So, yeah, it made sense to me. :tup
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, they don't belong and I understand why, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
So, yes, the original DiAnno tracks should be included.
But Reach Out is no more a cover as Bring Your Daughter. BYD was professionally recorded by Bruce and RELEASED. Jaunita and That Girl ARE covers though.
Reach Out is on my list..
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If any original are missing from the list Puppies... sent me, feel free to PM and tell me (I cannot keep track with all of the posts), but I will say that covers will not be included unless they were part of an actual studio album, similar to how the only covers that could be ranked in the VH countdown were the ones on studio albums.
I will give it to tomorrow night and then the list is locked in as is, as I don't want to turn this into a big thing over what to include and what not to include.
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If any original are missing from the list Puppies... sent me, feel free to PM and tell me (I cannot keep track with all of the posts), but I will say that covers will not be included unless they were part of an actual studio album, similar to how the only covers that could be ranked in the VH countdown were the ones on studio albums.
I will give it to tomorrow night and then the list is locked in as is, as I don't want to turn this into a big thing over what to include and what not to include.
Cool!
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, they don't belong and I understand why, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
So, yes, the original DiAnno tracks should be included.
But Reach Out is no more a cover as Bring Your Daughter. BYD was professionally recorded by Bruce and RELEASED. Jaunita and That Girl ARE covers though.
Reach Out is on my list..
That Girl is insanely different from the original that it's almost a new song, but yeah it's a cover.
Reach Out is amazing.
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, they don't belong and I understand why, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
As for the rest of the covers (again, clearly out and I accept that), "All In Your Mind" (a Sway cover) would have absolutely made my top 75, maybe even top 25.
I have no idea how I missed Burning Ambition and Invasion. I swore I wrote those on the list I sent to Kev. :dunno: But yeah they should be on the list.
I intentionally left all the covers off the list I sent, since none were on a studio album.
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I did PM Kev about those two tracks, but I also recommended listing Women In Uniform and Reach Out.
I think Women In Uniform stands on its own as it was an officially released single and video.
I don't consider Reach Out a cover at all.
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I did PM Kev about those two tracks, but I also recommended listing Women In Uniform and Reach Out.
I think Women In Uniform stands on its own as it was an officially released single and video.
I don't consider Reach Out a cover at all.
That's true. Even though none of the Maiden guys wrote it, it's not a cover in any way.
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I'll be joining in with this one too.
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I'll be joining in with this one too.
This makes me happy!! :metal
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
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Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
No problem. It's not on my list anyway. :)
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Yeah, I suspect all of these "should it be on there or not" songs wouldn't get enough support to have a shot at the top 75, so quibbling over them seems pointless, if you ask me. :D
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Not to quibble, but I said that! ;D
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Yessss, Reach Out!! :coolio
Maiden recorded it first, right?
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
Yes, because they were on actual studio albums.
Were any of these Maiden covers on actual studio albums? If the answer is no, then there is your answer.
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
Yes, because they were on actual studio albums.
Were any of these Maiden covers on actual studio albums? If the answer is no, then there is your answer.
Ok boss, jeez. ;D
The original was better anyway. Great band Skyhooks were.
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I am just saying, don't make me regret doing this by bitching about what isn't being included. :lol
This is supposed to be fun, after all. ;)
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Just yanking ya chain.
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All good. :tup :tup
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
Yes, because they were on actual studio albums.
Were any of these Maiden covers on actual studio albums? If the answer is no, then there is your answer.
Ok boss, jeez. ;D
The original was better anyway. Great band Skyhooks were.
Yes, the original definitely better, awesome Aussie band Skyhooks.
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
Yes, because they were on actual studio albums.
Were any of these Maiden covers on actual studio albums? If the answer is no, then there is your answer.
Ok boss, jeez. ;D
The original was better anyway. Great band Skyhooks were.
Yes, the original definitely better, awesome Aussie band Skyhooks.
:metal
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I'm going through all the songs in ranking engine and I'm having a hell of a time picking between some songs.... this is hard... :corn
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Yes, this is very hard and I also think we are all in for some major shocks judging by the previous countdowns. Also hoping we can get a bit more participation in this one, I know there are a few big Maiden fans (some new, some old) around who aren't really Rush or VH fans, its different perspectives that make these countdowns so great.
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Hehe, I'll give you a perfect example of the conundrum I'm having....
How do you pick between Where Eagles Dare and Ghost of the Navigator?
Those are from 2 different eras of the band, but also 2 amazing songs. How do I even compare them?
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Good one, yes it is hard. I guess for me, I am old school so if I am up against what I feel is a really tough choice, I am probably going to favour the older track as I have more history with it. So I would be choosing Where Eagles Dare in that match up, but to be honest I am probably choosing Where Eagles Dare over most songs....however in general comparing reunion v classic era songs is pretty tough and this is where I feel we will get some pretty different results in the countdown.
I can actually see someone or more than one person ranking Ghost of the Navigator top 10 and not even ranking Where Eagles Dare (and same with the reverse).
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(https://i.ibb.co/19jsGrx/choice.png) (https://ibb.co/brDH5sn)
Oh, come on :tdwn
:lol
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Hehe, I'll give you a perfect example of the conundrum I'm having....
How do you pick between Where Eagles Dare and Ghost of the Navigator?
Those are from 2 different eras of the band, but also 2 amazing songs. How do I even compare them?
Just think which song you'd prefer to listen to.
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Both of the above are easy for me.
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Hehe, I'll give you a perfect example of the conundrum I'm having....
How do you pick between Where Eagles Dare and Ghost of the Navigator?
Those are from 2 different eras of the band, but also 2 amazing songs. How do I even compare them?
Just think which song you'd prefer to listen to.
Both, back to back :lol
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See, I didn't really have a hard time with the Maiden Ranker. The Rush one was brutal. But I'm more of a hardcore Maiden fan, so I guess I know pretty clearly how I see each song. I'm a lot less hardcore when it came to Rush, especially cross eras.
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Both of the above are easy for me.
Same.
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See, I didn't really have a hard time with the Maiden Ranker. The Rush one was brutal. But I'm more of a hardcore Maiden fan, so I guess I know pretty clearly how I see each song. I'm a lot less hardcore when it came to Rush, especially cross eras.
I havne't done one of these rankers before, but might give it a go with Maiden to see what comes out. How long does it take?
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Depends how many songs you want to rank. I did an eyeball cut down to 106 tracks. I ran those through the ranker. Took like 15 minutes at about 400 head to heads.
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400 H2H's at 15 minutes, fuck that seems damn quick!!
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400 H2H's at 15 minutes, fuck that seems damn quick!!
How long it takes depends on how much you agonize over each choice. It could’ve been 15-20 mins. I don’t remember.
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I'll have a crack, probably on the weekend.
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It does most if the work for you. Gives your list a general outline. You can always fine tune it manually.
I am SHOCKED at the songs that didn’t make the The Top 75.
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We did that song countdown thread in 2020, so I've just gone back and found the top 60 I did. There will be a few changes off the bat and will be interesting to see how the ranker does. Plus Senjutsu has come along since then.
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Any chance of fitting 40 songs in the top 20? This is far harder than Rush and VH for me.
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400 H2H's at 15 minutes, fuck that seems damn quick!!
How long it takes depends on how much you agonize over each choice. It could’ve been 15-20 mins. I don’t remember.
I did agonize quite a bit over certain head-to-head choices when I did it for Rush. I had the list down to 100 names before I put them in the ranker. It's kinda fun, actually, although there were moments when I almost literally screamed no way I can pick one :biggrin: But that's the point, I guess. I don't remember how long it took me, my guesstimate is between 20 and 30 minutes.
I'm still in the process of cutting the Maiden list to 100 songs...
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The song list in the OP is locked in, Excel spread sheet is ready to rock, and away we go! :metal :metal
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I’m going to try to be a little smarter on this one. I’m not gonna put myself through the torture of ranking every single song. I don’t see the need to put things like TAATG on the list. Sometime this week I will come up with a rough list of probably a little over 100 songs and then throw that into the ranking engine.
EDIT - I am however, going to spend some time the remainder of this week trying to refamiliarize myself with the reunion material. I know the old stuff like the back of my hand but I need to give some fresh ears to some of the newer stuff
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EDIT - I am however, going to spend some time the remainder of this week trying to refamiliarize myself with the reunion material. I know the old stuff like the back of my hand but I need to give some fresh ears to some of the newer stuff
Only a real man makes such a shameful admission like this. :lol
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I’m going to try to be a little smarter on this one. I’m not gonna put myself through the torture of ranking every single song. I don’t see the need to put things like TAATG on the list. Sometime this week I will come up with a rough list of probably a little over 100 songs and then throw that into the ranking engine.
EDIT - I am however, going to spend some time the remainder of this week trying to refamiliarize myself with the reunion material. I know the old stuff like the back of my hand but I need to give some fresh ears to some of the newer stuff
Same here. Given how many songs there are, the ones I know have zero chance of making my top 75 will get chucked when I enter the songs into the ranking engine, meaning almost every song from the 90s except Fear of the Dark. :lol :lol
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I would never rank every song. For all of the countdowns, I just do a nomination process. Nominate just enough to cover how many songs the countdown is. I ranked 106 songs for this.
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EDIT - I am however, going to spend some time the remainder of this week trying to refamiliarize myself with the reunion material. I know the old stuff like the back of my hand but I need to give some fresh ears to some of the newer stuff
Only a real man makes such a shameful admission like this. :lol
It’s not that I don’t know it. But some of it I know more than others and it’s just not imprinted into my psyche the way that the first six or seven albums are. I could practically recite every song from those albums note for note. Especially IM-PS.
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Yeah, I never quite understood why people went through ranking all the songs. That seems like unnecessary work.
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The laziness in me requires I whittle down the list to the appropriate length before activating the ranking engine*. If I know a song won't make the final rankings, why am I bothering to determine where it will fall outside the list?
*That is getting cumbersome to type out. Can we give it a name, like "Ranky"?
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I have long called it The Ranker.
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I'm interested in how many reunion songs make it in my list in comparison to the rest of the catalogue.
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I am not sure any songs from the last two albums will make my top 75, as both albums seem like blurs to me, and the songs I did think were good seem good but not really notable, but I will give them fresh spins as I work through this exercise, so time will tell.
I am pretty sure at least half of the songs from A Matter of Life and Death will make it for me.
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I do hope everyone participating at least know and have an idea of the entire catalogue. I guess if people don't like the reunion era and never bothered and just rank on the classic era I guess that's their prerogative but that would be a shame. I hope people give the Blaze albums a fair assessment too.
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I'm interested in how many reunion songs make it in my list in comparison to the rest of the catalogue.
My Top 75 at this point looks like this...
Dianno...7
Classic..37
Blaze...9
Reunion...22
...though I still make make a manual adjustment or two...
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I gave the Blaze albums fair shots last fall when I went through my Maiden binge. They aren't getting any more time with me. Even the two 90s albums with Bruce were mostly pretty dodgy; I don't see me returning to those either.
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That's a nice spread Tim.
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Even the two 90s albums with Bruce were mostly pretty dodgy; I don't see me returning to those either.
9 of my 37 Classic era tracks come from those two albums.
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Tim's all over this. There will be about the same for me, perhaps more.
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I realize not everyone will love every album, however, every album has a handful of great songs.
I have 4 tracks from V11. One may be controversial, but the other three are simply great songs.
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I'm interested in how many reunion songs make it in my list in comparison to the rest of the catalogue.
My Top 75 at this point looks like this...
Dianno...7
Classic..37
Blaze...9
Reunion...22
...though I still make make a manual adjustment or two...
Mine is shaping up like this so far...
Dianno - 4-6
Blaze - 1-2
Then it's probably going to be a 50/50 split between the classic and reunion eras.
Unfortunately the Blaze albums just never clicked with me. I also doubt anything will make it from Senjutsu.
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You should really check out Senjutsu. It's pretty good.
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Even the two 90s albums with Bruce were mostly pretty dodgy; I don't see me returning to those either.
I haven't listened to those two albums in ages before this week, and doubt I will again anytime soon. I had actually forgotten I never got around to buying NPftD. I didn't even care to buy it for completionist's sake.
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You should really check out Senjutsu. It's pretty good.
I've listened to it a handful of times and it's not bad by any means, but it hasn't really resonated yet.
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Still working on my list but I will have minimal songs from the blaze era and minimal songs from Fear of the Dark and No Prayer for the Dying. All other albums will be fairly well represented I'd say. Not that there aren't good songs on those albums but we are only looking for a top 75.
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Song listed updated with Burning Ambition, Invasion and Reach Out.
Sorry, Tim, obscure or not, Women in Uniform is a cover, so I did not add it.
But VH's covers were included?
Not that it's going anywhere near my list, but still.
Yes, because they were on actual studio albums.
Were any of these Maiden covers on actual studio albums? If the answer is no, then there is your answer.
"Women In Uniform" was included on some releases of "Killers", in place of "Twilight Zone". :) :) :)
All three of those songs are potentials for my list. I like those songs.
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I can tell you right now that I am going to have several Blaze songs on my list, and I’m positive that one will be in the top 3…so ya, the discussion will happen.
I'm already gearing up for the "The Angel And The Gambler" discussion.
That's another question; what about different versions? The edit of TAATG is very different than the album version. There's a version of Wrathschild that is a little slower and more... rhythmic than the album version... is that on us to determine?
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So.... "Burning Ambition" is missing (it's the b-side to the first single, Running Free) as is "Invasion", one of the songs from their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes" and a b-side to their third single.
I would suggest that "Women In Uniform" should be on there, since while it wasn't written by the band (it's a Skyhooks cover) it was released as a single (the third single I mentioned above), and they performed it on Top Of The Pops. It was a mistake that Harris has admitted, but it was a conscious effort by the band to release a non-album single to promote a British tour they were on.
I get it, they don't belong and I understand why, but I'm bummed that the Reach Out/Juanita/That Girl b-sides aren't there either; they are technically covers, but it's a fine line, since some are from the side project by Adrian and Nicko ("The Entire Population of Hackney").
So, yes, the original DiAnno tracks should be included.
But Reach Out is no more a cover as Bring Your Daughter. BYD was professionally recorded by Bruce and RELEASED. Jaunita and That Girl ARE covers though.
Reach Out is on my list..
That Girl is insanely different from the original that it's almost a new song, but yeah it's a cover.
Reach Out is amazing.
As is "King Of Twilight"; clearly a cover, but a medley of "Crying In The Dark" and "King Of Twilight". Great tunes and the way I discovered Nektar, a great band (at least the original version).
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I have the run from Number of the Beast to Seventh Son, and then all of the reunion albums. I don't have any of the 90's material, nor do I have the first two albums. That still is about 109 songs, counting the b-sides.
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Yeah, I never quite understood why people went through ranking all the songs. That seems like unnecessary work.
I'm that guy. I kind of like seeing the bottom. It's fascinating to me that VHIII has 11 of the bottom 14 tracks. There are songs in my head that I think I LOVE and songs in my head that I think I HATE but it's interesting on both ends to see where they ultimately fall.
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I realize not everyone will love every album, however, every album has a handful of great songs.
I have 4 tracks from V11. One may be controversial, but the other three are simply great songs.
That's average; 17 albums, 75 songs, that's just over 4 per album. I'll definitely have at least two from every record except possibly The X Factor.
I'm definitely going to do a listen of all the albums before I do a final ranking.
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That's another question; what about different versions? The edit of TAATG is very different than the album version. There's a version of Wrathschild that is a little slower and more... rhythmic than the album version... is that on us to determine?
From the rules:
Any list with the same song mentioned twice will be not be counted.
Multiple versions of the same song cannot be counted. You can list any song just once using any version you want (studio, live, alternate, whatever). :)
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Ran it through the ranker and I don’t know how accurate I find it. Will still be listening to everything again before I run it.
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I can tell you right now that I am going to have several Blaze songs on my list, and I’m positive that one will be in the top 3…so ya, the discussion will happen.
I'm already gearing up for the "The Angel And The Gambler" discussion.
I suspect it won't be in the top 75 (although it is in mine) so I don't think there'll be any need for discussion. Phew.
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Yeah, I never quite understood why people went through ranking all the songs. That seems like unnecessary work.
I'm that guy. I kind of like seeing the bottom. It's fascinating to me that VHIII has 11 of the bottom 14 tracks. There are songs in my head that I think I LOVE and songs in my head that I think I HATE but it's interesting on both ends to see where they ultimately fall.
I've rated every song, too. Even had to hunt one down that I never knew existed (the Bayswater one. That's eight minutes I'm never getting back. And it finished bottom!).
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There's no way The Angel and the Gambler makes it.
As someone who did a top 60 list before Senjutsu came out, let me just say that 75 is a lot less than you probably think it is with Iron Maiden. It's less than half. A lot of songs that a lot of people like are going to be left out.
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Draft album count ahoy! Wonder if I'll get the highest score for The X Factor and Virtual XI combined?
A Matter of Life and Death 2
Brave New World 8
Dance of Death 4
Fear of the Dark 7
Iron Maiden 3
Killers 4
Piece of Mind 5
Powerslave 5
Senjutsu 7
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 3
Somewhere in Time 7
The Final Frontier 2
The Number of the Beast 5
The X Factor 8
Virtual XI 5
Nothing from The Book of Souls. Only just noticed. Interesting. I imagine people will go gaga over Empire of the Clouds but no, not me. I find it overly long and repetitive*. Sorry, Bruce.
* says the guy who's included most of TXF and VXI :lol
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There's no way The Angel and the Gambler makes it.
As someone who did a top 60 list before Senjutsu came out, let me just say that 75 is a lot less than you probably think it is with Iron Maiden. It's less than half. A lot of songs that a lot of people like are going to be left out.
I did rank it, fairly low tho.
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I can tell you right now that I am going to have several Blaze songs on my list, and I’m positive that one will be in the top 3…so ya, the discussion will happen.
I'm already gearing up for the "The Angel And The Gambler" discussion.
I suspect it won't be in the top 75 (although it is in mine) so I don't think there'll be any need for discussion. Phew.
Turns out I lied. It's not in mine :lol
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I'm thinking about participating in this one, I haven't done that with the previous ones. I gotta figure out how the ranking engine works, but first I have to narrow it down to 75 songs :lol
Edit: I think I got it now, the ranking engine wasn't that difficult.
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That's another question; what about different versions? The edit of TAATG is very different than the album version. There's a version of Wrathschild that is a little slower and more... rhythmic than the album version... is that on us to determine?
From the rules:
Any list with the same song mentioned twice will be not be counted.
Multiple versions of the same song cannot be counted. You can list any song just once using any version you want (studio, live, alternate, whatever). :)
No, no, I didn't mean list it twice; you answered my question. "Wratchschild" may be 100 if I use the album version, it may be 65 if I use the early version, but clearly that's up to me, but I can ONLY use one.
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I don't think I've ever heard an alternate version of Wrathchild. Only that redo with Bruce around Ed Hunter time.
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That's another question; what about different versions? The edit of TAATG is very different than the album version. There's a version of Wrathschild that is a little slower and more... rhythmic than the album version... is that on us to determine?
From the rules:
Any list with the same song mentioned twice will be not be counted.
Multiple versions of the same song cannot be counted. You can list any song just once using any version you want (studio, live, alternate, whatever). :)
No, no, I didn't mean list it twice; you answered my question. "Wratchschild" may be 100 if I use the album version, it may be 65 if I use the early version, but clearly that's up to me, but I can ONLY use one.
Yep, yep, all good. :tup :tup
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I always forget how fun the first 2 albums are to listen to when I go back to them.
Also as a side note, I think I prefer Clive Burr's drumming to Nicko's. Not that Nicko is a bad drummer, I just prefer Clive.
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I love Clive's drumming. I also love the first two Maiden albums. Still working through my list but I'm looking like having around 14 dianno tracks in my top 75. Pretty sure at least half of them won't make the overall top 75 though but I love them.
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Totally in for some controversial picks :metal I'm not into older albums that much anymore but my all time favorite might be a song from one of the older ones
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I have the curiosity to know what happened if Clive stayed in Maiden... his playing would be still interesting or become too predictable after many albums with the band? Anyway, I think Clive was great at his time with the band - I love his creativity, precision and sense of time, although I think Nicko has a broader repertorie of drums techniques. Anyway, I've already heard some recordings of both outside Maiden and I think they play MUCH better with Steve.
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I always forget how fun the first 2 albums are to listen to when I go back to them.
Also as a side note, I think I prefer Clive Burr's drumming to Nicko's. Not that Nicko is a bad drummer, I just prefer Clive.
Great word: FUN. Neither one is my favorite Maiden album (though Killers is close) but there's such a youthful exhuberance in some of those songs, it's always a great time listening to them. I'm actually surprised sometimes how well the first album has held up. That's a solid record.
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Still working on my list. Top 25 is a lock for sure: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=36365.msg1583486#msg1583486
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I bet I know without looking :lol.
I wonder if it would be interesting to see who ranked each song the lowest as well as the highest? Might invite some unwelcome scrutiny though . . .
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I think that would be interesting, and I welcome the scrutiny. :lol I plan to share my ranking for each song that shows up, like I did in the Dream Theater thread, and encourage others to do the same.
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I'm game. But only if I can take the opportunity in each post to bash Blaze.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
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There are three, and only three, types of people: People like me who want to praise Blaze, people like bosk who want to bash Blaze, and people like Dream Team who want everyone to please stop talking about Blaze.
I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
Me either.
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Why anyone would come in to bash Blaze is beyond me.
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I don't really want to bash Blaze. I just want to trigger Dream Team. :biggrin:
And I don't romanticize the first two albums while criticizing the Blaze albums. I don't like either. And I have listened to them and given them a chance. I'm quite happy with just NOTB through Somewhere in Time and the reunion albums, and I don't begrudge anyone their opinion if they disagree with any part of that.
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You're so vain, you probably thought that post was about you. ;D
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Well, I have to cry for attention somewhere since no one is even acknowledging my posts in the Def Lep thread, even when they practically scream "this is posted solely to trigger TAC and get a response from him."
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Well, I have to cry for attention somewhere since no one is even acknowledging my posts in the Def Lep thread, even when they practically scream "this is posted solely to trigger TAC and get a response from him."
I'm actually on vacation so I plan on reengaging in the Def Leppard thread when we get home. I was participating a lot before I left, and I do want to hear these latter albums, though I have read a few of your posts and thought WTF?? :lol
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I don't really want to bash Blaze. I just want to trigger Dream Team. :biggrin:
And I don't romanticize the first two albums while criticizing the Blaze albums. I don't like either. And I have listened to them and given them a chance. I'm quite happy with just NOTB through Somewhere in Time and the reunion albums, and I don't begrudge anyone their opinion if they disagree with any part of that.
:D Oh I’m not triggered at all. Bruce Dickinson has taken shits that sound better than Blaze Bayley so we’re all good here.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
Well, I guess I sort of do that, but for me it has nothing to do with the singer. It's the band; they were muscular and almost... punkish on the first record, and the second was the best Deep Purple record that Deep Purple didn't make. I really don't care for The X Factor much, but I like Virtual XI more than most and that's because except for TAATG, it's a step back to those early days compared to TXF.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
The first 2 albums started it all, they created Iron Maiden and helped introduce the band to the world. These albums are also full of great songs, sure I get they aren't for everyone and I also get some people don't like Dianno but these 2 albums are integral in Iron Maiden history. Blaze came into the band to replace one of the greatest metal frontman/vocalist of all time and ultimately the experiment failed. Whether you like and or don't like Blaze isn't that relevant but what can't be denied is that his vocals are very different to Bruce and the style of music, especially on The X Factor was also different. Then Bruce came back to the band and the reunion era was born. So from that point on the Blaze era became pretty easy to just gloss over and move on from whereas the self titled debut and Killers will always be 'where it all began'.
The first 2 albums are just so much more important in the history of the band than The X Factor and Virtual XI.
I am not a Blaze fan, far from it but I won't be bashing him or any songs from his albums that appear in the 75. I expect at least 2, maybe more will show up. And if that is the case, they will deserve to be there.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
Well, I guess I sort of do that, but for me it has nothing to do with the singer. It's the band; they were muscular and almost... punkish on the first record, and the second was the best Deep Purple record that Deep Purple didn't make. I really don't care for The X Factor much, but I like Virtual XI more than most and that's because except for TAATG, it's a step back to those early days compared to TXF.
This is really interesting because I don't see it that way at all. I see those two albums together, but VXI probably even more so than TXF, as a step forward into the future of Maiden as a less aggressive, more progressive band. I would call Brave New World an iteration on VXI, and I think each reunion album is in some sense an iteration on the previous, so I'd draw a straight line from VXI through Senjutsu, and I'd do so much sooner than I'd draw a line from VXI back to the Di'Anno albums.
If anything, I see NPftD and FotD as their attempt to step back to the early days, which I think mostly didn't work, and then they had to reinvent themselves on TXF (doubly so because they lost the long-time voice of the band).
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I don't think I've ever heard an alternate version of Wrathchild. Only that redo with Bruce around Ed Hunter time.
From Metal For Muthas (1980):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZbbsEJOaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omvLch8Z1qk
This version of Sanctuary is also an earlier one.
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I don't think I've ever heard an alternate version of Wrathchild. Only that redo with Bruce around Ed Hunter time.
From Metal For Muthas (1980):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZbbsEJOaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omvLch8Z1qk
This version of Sanctuary is also an earlier one.
He just doesn't sound committed to being a Wrathchild in the chorus. :biggrin:
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
I've always struggled with this too.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
Well, I guess I sort of do that, but for me it has nothing to do with the singer. It's the band; they were muscular and almost... punkish on the first record, and the second was the best Deep Purple record that Deep Purple didn't make. I really don't care for The X Factor much, but I like Virtual XI more than most and that's because except for TAATG, it's a step back to those early days compared to TXF.
I think it has to do a little with the singers, as Dianno does a good job, while Blaze was pretty mediocre on his two records, but, as still a relatively new fan, the songs on the first two albums are just way better than the ones from The X Factor and Virtual XI. I guess we will see how it plays out here, but just by eye balling it, I see six songs from the first two albums that will easily make my top 75 (vs 0 from the two with Blaze), with a couple more having a shot as well.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
For me it's harder to understand people loving the reunion albums and hating the Blaze albums. There's a lot more in common between the albums after 1995 than between all the albums that came before, including the Di'Anno ones. I see the reunion albums as if they improved the Blaze era.
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I see the reunion albums as if they improved the Blaze era.
That's a massive understatement :biggrin:
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Ok then ;D ;D
My first version of my top 75 is done and there's 55 songs from 80 to 92 and 20 from 95 to 2021. I think it represents well how much I like each era. 12 songs from Di'Anno albums and 2 from TXF. Still it can change a little, let's see.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
Well, I guess I sort of do that, but for me it has nothing to do with the singer. It's the band; they were muscular and almost... punkish on the first record, and the second was the best Deep Purple record that Deep Purple didn't make. I really don't care for The X Factor much, but I like Virtual XI more than most and that's because except for TAATG, it's a step back to those early days compared to TXF.
I think it has to do a little with the singers, as Dianno does a good job, while Blaze was pretty mediocre on his two records, but, as still a relatively new fan, the songs on the first two albums are just way better than the ones from The X Factor and Virtual XI. I guess we will see how it plays out here, but just by eye balling it, I see six songs from the first two albums that will easily make my top 75 (vs 0 from the two with Blaze), with a couple more having a shot as well.
I agree with most of the points made here...I certainly wouldn't want to shit on the Blaze albums - in fact I do have a fair amount of appreciation for The X Factor. I don't particularly like Virtual XI, but I'm not offended by it :) I also think most would agree Blaze's performance on both albums is not the greatest. As discussed many times, that's not all his fault. While I don't think he's the most amazing singer, I think he's pretty great on his solo records (not familiar with Wolfsbane).
But, most importantly, for me it boils down to the songs. I got into Maiden around the time Fear of the Dark came out, so it's not even like I'm attached to the Dianno albums because "I was there". I might not like them as much as the Bruce-fronted album of the 80s, but I think they are full of fantastic tunes, pretty amazing stuff for such a young band. So much energy and urgency. To me, many of those songs deserve the iconic status they attained, beyond the "historical" considerations.
I do agree, too, that the Blaze albums were somewhat transitional - not all was "forgotten" when Bruce came back, and in some ways the seeds were planted for the style of the reunion albums. Which, however, had a better singer and, generally, better songs too :)
As for what will make my top 75 - haven't started yet, but I'm pretty sure at least one of the Blaze songs will make it...maybe more...
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I just listened to Killers (with Twilight Zone) and it's really excellent, sure Purgatory and Drifter are a bit inferior, but still... and Martin Birch gave the band excellence the band needed. :hefdaddy
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I just listened to Killers (with Twilight Zone) and it's really excellent, sure Purgatory and Drifter are a bit inferior, but still... and Martin Birch gave the band excellence the band needed. :hefdaddy
Agreed on Drifter, but I personally LOVE Purgatory!
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Yeah, Purgatory is one of the most most underrated cuts.
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
I've always struggled with this too.
+1
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I bet I know without looking :lol.
I wonder if it would be interesting to see who ranked each song the lowest as well as the highest? Might invite some unwelcome scrutiny though . . .
I really like that idea. Because let's face it, some opinions are just wrong :biggrin:
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I have a Top 75 pretty much complete now, I'm just fine tuning it a bit before I submit it to Kev.
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I don't think I've ever heard an alternate version of Wrathchild. Only that redo with Bruce around Ed Hunter time.
From Metal For Muthas (1980):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZbbsEJOaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omvLch8Z1qk
This version of Sanctuary is also an earlier one.
He just doesn't sound committed to being a Wrathchild in the chorus. :biggrin:
Hahaha! I like the backing track better on the MfM version, though.
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;D Is it Doug Sampson on drums on those versions, right?
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It's my understanding that Sampson is on The Soundhouse Tapes, he's on the song "Burning Ambition" (the b-side to the first single "Running Free") and Metal For Muthas. The timing is really tight on that last one, though. Burr came in around Christmastime in 1979, and Metal For Muthas came out in early 1980.
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Oooh, I’ll join on this :)
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It's my understanding that Sampson is on The Soundhouse Tapes, he's on the song "Burning Ambition" (the b-side to the first single "Running Free") and Metal For Muthas. The timing is really tight on that last one, though. Burr came in around Christmastime in 1979, and Metal For Muthas came out in early 1980.
:tup It makes sense and it does sound like it isn't Clive on those recordings.
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I guess we will see how it plays out here, but just by eye balling it, I see six songs from the first two albums that will easily make my top 75 (vs 0 from the two with Blaze), with a couple more having a shot as well.
Well, you have access to the numbers, not me. But I will be genuinely shocked if Sign of the Cross doesn't at least make it to a top 75.
(Man on the Edge and The Clansman seem to be well liked as well, although I could see those just missing and not making a lot of lists)
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I think SotC and Clansman likely make it. Futureal has a chance, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think that's probably it.
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I am more curious to see how the top spots pan out. I have an idea of what songs will finish at or near the top, but the order is what interests me.
I did my run through last night and my top 7 spots are all from 1982-1988, but then three of my next four spots were all from 2006. ;)
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I guess we will see how it plays out here, but just by eye balling it, I see six songs from the first two albums that will easily make my top 75 (vs 0 from the two with Blaze), with a couple more having a shot as well.
Well, you have access to the numbers, not me. But I will be genuinely shocked if Sign of the Cross doesn't at least make it to a top 75.
(Man on the Edge and The Clansman seem to be well liked as well, although I could see those just missing and not making a lot of lists)
I find Sign of the Cross to be pretty dull. :dunno:
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I guess we will see how it plays out here, but just by eye balling it, I see six songs from the first two albums that will easily make my top 75 (vs 0 from the two with Blaze), with a couple more having a shot as well.
Well, you have access to the numbers, not me. But I will be genuinely shocked if Sign of the Cross doesn't at least make it to a top 75.
(Man on the Edge and The Clansman seem to be well liked as well, although I could see those just missing and not making a lot of lists)
I find Sign of the Cross to be pretty dull. :dunno:
Ya know as much love as I have for The X Factor I've always understood the reasons for folks not liking that record as the reasons were rather obvious. From to the production, the long-ass intros the plodding speed repetition and Blaze not singing in his comfort zone, I could appreciate the dislike even if on a different page.
But having only come to the Maiden catalog a few years earlier I had no real pre-conceived idea of what Maiden should or shouldn’t be and while heard its flaws, I was drawn to the albums darkness and remoteness in a grunge-filled world and found great comfort in many of its songs. And Blaze's delivery regardless his limitations was about connecting emotional fer these ears...
Sure there's a few things I'd still change if able but all in all X Factor remains one of a few desert island Maiden albums suffice to say a couple songs will definetely feature in my own 75 ;)
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I’m in the minority of thinking that Blaze sings TSOTC better than Bruce (while we’re at it, I also prefer Blaze’s version of ATSS over Bruce’s). There’s just something about his delivery (esp the “Why then is God still protecting me…” lines) that just puts layers of conviction and a feeling of desperation to those lyrics that I don’t get from Bruce’s cleaner delivery.
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So Iron Maiden are one of the most important bands in my life. So important in fact that, like my other favourite bands, I actually rarely listen to them, because I feel like I know every song intimately. There are some albums of theirs I haven't felt the need to listen to in years (in 2 cases, in literally decades).
From tomorrow I'm going to be binge-listening nothing but Iron Maiden for the next 2 weeks, until I send my list to Kev. I'm going to start from the debut and work through to Senjutsu. Each album will get at least 2 attentive listens. But for my own interest I've just gone through the tracklists of their albums and come up with a top 75 (not in order), purely from my memory of the albums. I'm interested to see how it changes 2 weeks from now when I've revisited them all. Here is the album representation of how many songs made my preliminary list (all albums are the originals without any b-sides added) based only on my recollection of the songs:
Iron Maiden: 2 (from 8)
Killers: 0 (from 10)
Number of the Beast: 7 (from 8)
Piece of Mind: 6 (from 9)
Powerslave: 5 (from 8)
Somewhere In Time: 8 (from 8)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 8 (from 8)
No Prayer For The Dying: 3 (from 10)
Fear of the Dark: 3 (from 12 - my most 'WTF' pick will be from this album)
The X Factor: 1 (from 11)
Virtual XI: 1 (from 8)
Brave New World: 4 (from 10)
Dance of Death: 6 (from 11)
A Matter of Life and Death: 7 (from 10)
The Final Frontier 4 (from 10)
The Book of Souls: 6 (from 11)
Senjutsu: 5 (from 10)
Like I said that's all from memory of the songs, I'm really curious to see how that changes between now and mid-June when I've revisited all the albums and submitted my list.
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I can tell my tentative list will change as I listened to a few songs today and already thought, "Okay, that is way too high/low."
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From tomorrow I'm going to be binge-listening nothing but Iron Maiden for the next 2 weeks, until I send my list to Kev.
That's what I'm in the middle of doing, for similar reasons. I haven't listened to TNOTB full through in easily ten years. I need to do that now (reassess things like "Gangland").
I'm most interested in your list to see if that "Killers" assessment changes. I get it if it's not at the level of, say, Number... or Somewhere..., but for that to be the ONLY record that has zero entries is fascinating to me. No judgement, taste is taste, but still fascinating.
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Gangland is awesome!
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Dave's breakdown looks eminently reasonable, except I'd have a couple from Killers.
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Having a crack at the ranking engine. It's pretty easy, instinct leads you to the right choice. Justice of the Peace vs Judgement Day made me chuckle, appropriate matchup.
But now, Judas Be My Guide vs 22 Acacia Avenue...........god damn.......hmm...
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Damn, this ranker thing is pretty good. The top 20 odd look pretty on point to what I had in mind. There will be a few adjustments but I'm impressed.
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Having a crack at the ranking engine. It's pretty easy, instinct leads you to the right choice. Justice of the Peace vs Judgement Day made me chuckle, appropriate matchup.
But now, Judas Be My Guide vs 22 Acacia Avenue...........god damn.......hmm...
I know you're a big JBMG guy, but... this would be an easy choice for me.
Damn, this ranker thing is pretty good. The top 20 odd look pretty on point to what I had in mind. There will be a few adjustments but I'm impressed.
It's a great tool.
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Having a crack at the ranking engine. It's pretty easy, instinct leads you to the right choice. Justice of the Peace vs Judgement Day made me chuckle, appropriate matchup.
But now, Judas Be My Guide vs 22 Acacia Avenue...........god damn.......hmm...
I know you're a big JBMG guy, but... this would be an easy choice for me.
Damn, this ranker thing is pretty good. The top 20 odd look pretty on point to what I had in mind. There will be a few adjustments but I'm impressed.
It's a great tool.
Yeah, I reckon for most it would be an easy choice. If I stick with this top 10, it will shock many.
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I expect everyone to have “Women In Uniform :laugh:”.?
….. I like it, shhhhh!
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I expect everyone to have “Women In Uniform :laugh:”.?
Just you and Stadler. :lol
If I stick with this top 10, it will shock many.
Look forward to it!
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I don't understand why everyone romanticizes the first two albums with Dianno, yet shit on the two albums with Blaze.
I've always struggled with this too.
+1
What's the struggle? The two with Di'Anno are great with one or two duds. The two with Blaze are just the opposite.
I expect everyone to have “Women In Uniform :laugh:”.?
I'll take That Girl over it and more than half of Maiden's catalog. I think it's that good and one of those situations where the band not only made the cover their own (very different from the original) but also vastly superior.
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I spun Reach Out and That Girl this morning actually. I still prefer FM's orginal, that's perfect 80's AOR, but Maiden did a fantastic version also.
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I spun Reach Out and That Girl this morning actually. I still prefer FM's orginal, that's perfect 80's AOR, but Maiden did a fantastic version also.
All In Your Mind, Black Bart Blues, Rainbows Gold and Cross Eyed Mary are excellent b-sides as well.
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I spun Reach Out and That Girl this morning actually. I still prefer FM's orginal, that's perfect 80's AOR, but Maiden did a fantastic version also.
All In Your Mind, Black Bart Blues, Rainbows Gold and Cross Eyed Mary are excellent b-sides as well.
Black Bart Blues is good without the extra non-music crap in the track. But I totally agree with the others - especially All In Your Mind *and* Kill Me Ce Soir. It's funny - I remember all the talk hyping up how Maiden was going back to the basics with their next album after SSoaSS, and I was so disappointed when I picked up the pre-release CD single for Holy Smoke. What a load of crap that song is, but the B-sides were killer!
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I spun Reach Out and That Girl this morning actually. I still prefer FM's orginal, that's perfect 80's AOR, but Maiden did a fantastic version also.
All In Your Mind, Black Bart Blues, Rainbows Gold and Cross Eyed Mary are excellent b-sides as well.
Black Bart Blues is good without the extra non-music crap in the track. But I totally agree with the others - especially All In Your Mind *and* Kill Me Ce Soir. It's funny - I remember all the talk hyping up how Maiden was going back to the basics with their next album after SSoaSS, and I was so disappointed when I picked up the pre-release CD single for Holy Smoke. What a load of crap that song is, but the B-sides were killer!
I agree. I love Kill Me Ce Soir, even though I'm not crazy about Bruce on it.
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I haven’t tried using the Ranker yet. It must take awhile to type all songs in?
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I haven’t tried using the Ranker yet. It must take awhile to type all songs in?
No, just copy and paste the list of songs you want to rank.
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I don't know any of these B-sides.
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I don't know any of these B-sides.
I bought the flac here. Been using this site for years.
https://flacit.com/album/17945/Iron_Maiden_The_Singles_Collection_1996
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I haven’t tried using the Ranker yet. It must take awhile to type all songs in?
I did the entire list. Took me maybe 30-45 minutes, but there was only a handful that I needed to sit back and think about. Most I flicked through in a couple of seconds each.
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I don't know any of these B-sides.
I bought the flac here. Been using this site for years.
https://flacit.com/album/17945/Iron_Maiden_The_Singles_Collection_1996
Hey thanks!
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Sure, I'll contribute my list. Iron Maiden is my #1 band!
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Sure, I'll contribute my list. Iron Maiden is my #1 band!
Another participant!! :tup :tup
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I have all the pre-reunion songs sorted in to tiers and ready to rank. The reunion albums are going to be tougher. There just isn't a big separation between the songs I like and the songs I love. And there are a lot of both.
I am also anticipating the poor representation of two albums on my list is going to ruffle a bunch of feathers here.
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Putting on Brave New World today. I'm up to Nomad and I'm not finding the choruses nearly as tiresome as I did in the past. I'm willing to concede that after the abysmal VXI, I was a bit hyper-sensitive to over-repetition and not being fair towards the mild improvements on this album.
Also checking out my collection and being reminded that NPFTD is the only Iron Maiden album I don't own. So I'll have to get that refresher online.
Oh God......Out of the Silent Planet just started and now I *AM* getting flashbacks of VXI. My eye is twitching....we'll see if I get through it. LOL
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I love Out of the Silent Planet and actually think it's one of the top songs on BNW... but I also love VXI, so we might just not be a match.
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I love Out of the Silent Planet and actually think it's one of the top songs on BNW... but I also love VXI, so we might just not be a match.
At least it was only 6 minutes and not one of the 9 minute monsters. (although fully half of those 6 minutes involved the repetition of the title ;D ) It's all good. In some ways I'm overselling it to be facetious.
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Wow! The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a jewel that I have been missing out on. I guess I never enjoyed the album enough until now to give a fair shake to the final track. Bruce sounds amazing on that last little bit! Fantastic song!!
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Wow! The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a jewel that I have been missing out on. I guess I never enjoyed the album enough until now to give a fair shake to the final track. Bruce sounds amazing on that last little bit! Fantastic song!!
Yes! That's a great song, and Bruce is fantastic on the quiet part...I've said it a couple of times in here, already, but his delivery there reminds me a bit of Ray Alder...
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Wow! The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a jewel that I have been missing out on. I guess I never enjoyed the album enough until now to give a fair shake to the final track. Bruce sounds amazing on that last little bit! Fantastic song!!
Great song.
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I don't want to say that The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is saved by the ending, as that implies that everything before it sucked, but the last three minutes elevate what was up to that point a pretty solid solid, but not really notable, tune.
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My 2 favorite Maiden tunes are Phantom of the Opera and To Tame A Land.
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My 2 favorite Maiden tunes are Phantom of the Opera and To Tame A Land.
Come up with 73 more and send me your list (see the rules in the OP). :)
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Wow! The Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a jewel that I have been missing out on. I guess I never enjoyed the album enough until now to give a fair shake to the final track. Bruce sounds amazing on that last little bit! Fantastic song!!
yeah, Dave knocked it out of the park with this tune.
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My 2 favorite Maiden tunes are Phantom of the Opera and To Tame A Land.
One of those may noy not have made my list.
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My 2 favorite Maiden tunes are Phantom of the Opera and To Tame A Land.
One of those may noy not have made my list.
TTAL.
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Looking through what the ranker gave me, I don't think there's much need for too many alterations. A couple I've brought into the 75 at the easy expense of a couple but all in all, I'm pretty happy. I'll spend a few days going back to it though and see if any minor adjustments are needed but again, very impressed with the ranker.
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Still working through my list and doing some re-listens just to be sure and one album that I have been appreciating more than I thought I would is Fear of the Dark. That one has aged pretty well. I'm definitely going to have more songs from FotD in my top 75 than I thought I would.
The reunion albums are really tough. Ultimately there are a ton of great songs but it is hard for me to really narrow it down to ultimate favourites and so in many cases the nostalgia combined with growing up idolising those 80s albums is winning the day.
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Still working through my list and doing some re-listens just to be sure and one album that I have been appreciating more than I thought I would is Fear of the Dark. That one has aged pretty well. I'm definitely going to have more songs from FotD in my top 75 than I thought I would.
:metal
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FOTD would still make my top 5 Maiden albums. It's just brilliant.
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FOTD would still make my top 5 Maiden albums. It's just brilliant.
I agree. I feel like Fear of the Dark was ahead of its time. Which is why it seems to have aged well.
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FOTD would still make my top 5 Maiden albums. It's just brilliant.
I agree. I feel like Fear of the Dark was ahead of its time. Which is why it seems to have aged well.
Yes, especially considering I really didn't like it upon release. It was Maiden of course, so I listened to it many, many times but my memory is that I really wasn't much of a fan. Now though, many of those songs do sound pretty fresh, kind of an album full of hidden gems. Will be interesting to see how it performs overall in the countdown, I am still predicting not too well but you never know.
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Still working through my list and doing some re-listens just to be sure and one album that I have been appreciating more than I thought I would is Fear of the Dark. That one has aged pretty well. I'm definitely going to have more songs from FotD in my top 75 than I thought I would.
The reunion albums are really tough. Ultimately there are a ton of great songs but it is hard for me to really narrow it down to ultimate favourites and so in many cases the nostalgia combined with growing up idolising those 80s albums is winning the day.
It’s like you’re in my head. I was just thinking the exact same thing as I was listening to the reunion albums today.
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Still working through my list and doing some re-listens just to be sure and one album that I have been appreciating more than I thought I would is Fear of the Dark. That one has aged pretty well. I'm definitely going to have more songs from FotD in my top 75 than I thought I would.
The reunion albums are really tough. Ultimately there are a ton of great songs but it is hard for me to really narrow it down to ultimate favourites and so in many cases the nostalgia combined with growing up idolising those 80s albums is winning the day.
It’s like you’re in my head. I was just thinking the exact same thing as I was listening to the reunion albums today.
Yeah, well ultimately I am thinking there may be some reunion songs that end up fairly high overall that I didn't rank at all and I'll be saying - 'yeah that is a great song, but I didn't rank it' over and over...
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FOTD would still make my top 5 Maiden albums. It's just brilliant.
I agree. I feel like Fear of the Dark was ahead of its time. Which is why it seems to have aged well.
Another fan here.
I suspect much of my list won't ultimately be featured in the top 75, partly for this reason. The other being the sheer number of tunes from The X Factor and Virtual XI present although I'm yet to do a proper manual pass on the full ranking I did.
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I haven't heard much of Iron Maiden. I have listened to most of the albums once, mainly the reunion albums. My favorite is Seventh Son of A Seventh Son. My favorite classic song is Flight of Icarus. Favorite song of them is SSOASS. Favorite Reunion song is a tough one for me.
Using the Ranking Engine, I will listen to each song and make my choice from there. Going to be fun to take on this task.
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
After you've entered the songs, click on "Rank" to start the 1 v 1 matchups.
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
After you've entered the songs, click on "Rank" to start the 1 v 1 matchups.
Yeah I did that but it's greyed out.
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
After you've entered the songs, click on "Rank" to start the 1 v 1 matchups.
Yeah I did that but it's greyed out.
Hmm that's weird, I tested now with two different browsers but can't replicate the error you have encountered.
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
Did you click "Add" on the bottom of the list. It then adds them and the Rank button flashes, at least it did for me.
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I entered the songs in the ranker, but it wouldn't let me go to the next step. What is a technologically ignorant person like myself missing?
Did you click "Add" on the bottom of the list. It then adds them and the Rank button flashes, at least it did for me.
Thanks :facepalm:
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Submitted my list. Top 10 represent 10 different albums. Breakdown:
IM - 5
Killers - 2
TNoTB - 7
PoM - 7
P - 5
SiT - 7
SSoaSS - 6
NPFTD - 3
FoTD - 6
TXF - 0
VXI - 1
BNW - 3
DOD - 5
AMoLAD - 4
TFF - 8
TBOS - 3
Senjutsu - 3
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Wow, Dream Team, 8 from TFF!!
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I also turned in my list a couple days ago. Here's my breakdown - keeping in mind they lost me after DoD. Pretty sure about half my choices won't make the top 75 conglomerate list! :P
My top 10 consists of 5 albums, although slanted towards two in particular.
IM - 5
Killers - 11
TNoTB - 8
PoM - 6
PS - 7
SiT - 7
SSoaSS - 7
NPFtD - 6
FotD - 3
TXF - 1
VXI - 1
BNW - 8
DoD - 5
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I also turned in my list a couple days ago. Here's my breakdown - keeping in mind they lost me after DoD. Pretty sure about half my choices won't make the top 75 conglomerate list! :P
My top 10 consists of 5 albums, although slanted towards two in particular.
IM - 5
Killers - 11
TNoTB - 8
PoM - 6
PS - 7
SiT - 7
SSoaSS - 7
NPFtD - 6
FotD - 3
TXF - 1
VXI - 1
BNW - 8
DoD - 5
IMO…you’re missing out on the two best reunion albums. AMOLAD and Senjutsu.
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I also turned in my list a couple days ago. Here's my breakdown - keeping in mind they lost me after DoD. Pretty sure about half my choices won't make the top 75 conglomerate list! :P
My top 10 consists of 5 albums, although slanted towards two in particular.
IM - 5
Killers - 11
TNoTB - 8
PoM - 6
PS - 7
SiT - 7
SSoaSS - 7
NPFtD - 6
FotD - 3
TXF - 1
VXI - 1
BNW - 8
DoD - 5
IMO…you’re missing out on the two best reunion albums. AMOLAD and Senjutsu.
And the best one, TFF.
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I also turned in my list a couple days ago. Here's my breakdown - keeping in mind they lost me after DoD. Pretty sure about half my choices won't make the top 75 conglomerate list! :P
My top 10 consists of 5 albums, although slanted towards two in particular.
IM - 5
Killers - 11
TNoTB - 8
PoM - 6
PS - 7
SiT - 7
SSoaSS - 7
NPFtD - 6
FotD - 3
TXF - 1
VXI - 1
BNW - 8
DoD - 5
Love it. :tup
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IMO…you’re missing out on the two best reunion albums. AMOLAD and Senjutsu.
AMoLaD is actually where they lost me. I remember picking that album up and listening to it several times and couldn't get into it at all. I can't even remember what any of the songs sounded like. I remember I checked out El Dorado when it was first released before TFF, but since that didn't do anything for me, I never bothered checking out any more of their new stuff. Actually I take that back - I have heard a couple tracks such as The Writing On the Wall when it first came out, Empire in the Clouds and one or two others from BoS, but none of them grabbed me. So I've never bothered buying the whole albums or even committing time to listening to everything since on YouTube or wherever else. As I said, they lost me after DoD, and even then, some of DoD felt like a bit of a slog for me.
Killers - 11
Love it. :tup
Me too! :biggrin: Very underrated album, IMO.
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IMO…you’re missing out on the two best reunion albums. AMOLAD and Senjutsu.
AMoLaD is actually where they lost me. I remember picking that album up and listening to it several times and couldn't get into it at all. I can't even remember what any of the songs sounded like. I remember I checked out El Dorado when it was first released before TFF, but since that didn't do anything for me, I never bothered checking out any more of their new stuff. Actually I take that back - I have heard a couple tracks such as The Writing On the Wall when it first came out, Empire in the Clouds and one or two others from BoS, but none of them grabbed me. So I've never bothered buying the whole albums or even committing time to listening to everything since on YouTube or wherever else. As I said, they lost me after DoD, and even then, some of DoD felt like a bit of a slog for me.
AMOLAD, released the same day as Score!, took me a number of listens. That album was not immediate at all. Tons to take in on it, but that's the beauty of it.
El Dorado blows. One of, if not, the worst tracks of the Reunion Era.
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Wow, Dream Team, 8 from TFF!!
Yes, that’ll make Bosk happy :lol.
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IMO…you’re missing out on the two best reunion albums. AMOLAD and Senjutsu.
And the best one, TFF.
I agree with both of these posts.
Wow, Dream Team, 8 from TFF!!
Yes, that’ll make Bosk happy :lol.
And me, too, despite our other disagreements! TFF is my favorite Maiden album, and I'll probably have 9 songs from it in my top 75.
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A week and a half since this thread started, and only three lists have been submitted. I suspect many are doing run throughs to fine-tune their lists, but I expected more submissions early on.
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I'm in the "still doing my run-through" category, but you can 100% count on a list from me.
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A week and a half since this thread started, and only three lists have been submitted. I suspect many are doing run throughs to fine-tune their lists, but I expected more submissions early on.
This ain't easy Kev! You only gave us 75 songs, so narrowing it down is really tough but you will definitely get a list from me. Nearly there...
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Listened to the B-sides again today, some fun stuff there although none made my 75 (I don’t consider Total Eclipse a B-side). Oh and nice job Mr. Harris leaving one of the better songs with Blaze off the album (Judgement Day). ::)
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A week and a half since this thread started, and only three lists have been submitted. I suspect many are doing run throughs to fine-tune their lists, but I expected more submissions early on.
My list has been done for weeks. But I'm going to scrutinize it a bit more.
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Listened to the B-sides again today, some fun stuff there although none made my 75 (I don’t consider Total Eclipse a B-side). Oh and nice job Mr. Harris leaving one of the better songs with Blaze off the album (Judgement Day). ::)
TXF would have been received a lot better if Judgement Day and Justice of the Peace and to a lesser extent I Live My Way were included. They could have fit the former two on there.
I know Virus was recorded after but you throw that in along with those other 3, you've got a fantastic double album.
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If they had added Judgement Day and took out one of the brooding tracks, it would've given the album more balance. Sure I think that could've helped, but not by a lot. Personally, the album has more issues than that.
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If they had added Judgement Day and took out one of the brooding tracks, it would've given the album more balance. Sure I think that could've helped, but not by a lot. Personally, the album has more issues than that.
I may be wrong, but I think at the time they thought those tracks disrupted the mood and feel of the album. You've got Man on the Edge so I could be wrong.
I mean, hey I think the album is perfect but yeah, you take out say JOH and LFTT and add Judgement Day and Justice, you'd see a vast change in opinion I think.
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I hold the probably unpopular opinion that Man on the Edge shouldn't have been on the album for precisely the reason that it feels out of place and disrupts the mood. It's also one of my least favorite songs of the Blaze era (probably an even more unpopular opinion).
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I hold the probably unpopular opinion that Man on the Edge shouldn't have been on the album for precisely the reason that it feels out of place and disrupts the mood. It's also one of my least favorite songs of the Blaze era (probably an even more unpopular opinion).
That and LOTF are among the weaker songs on the album IMO. I'd take both Judgement and Justice over both of them.
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I like Lord of the Flies better than MotE and don't feel like it disrupts the mood of the album, but it's not among my favorites, either.
As for the b-sides, I have not heard them enough to have an opinion. I've listened to them a few times on YouTube, but for me it's hard to get anything into my rotation unless I own it, and they're so hard to track down at this point. I really don't see why the band doesn't give Best of the B-Sides a re-release in some form. I get not wanting to undo the exclusivity of the whole Eddie's Archive package, but they've essentially kept all that material inaccessible to anyone who became a fan in the last 20 years.
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I thought those 3 CD's that came with Eddie's Archive did get their own release at some stage?
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Beast Over Hammersmith and BBC Archives are available on streaming services and as digital downloads, but not Best of the B-Sides.
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Huh, that's strange.
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It is.
More generally, I think Maiden is really missing an opportunity by not doing more archival releases the way bands like DT and Metallica have done. They have to have a lot of unreleased live material that a good number of people would pay for, on top of stuff like the b-sides that is just sitting there, inaccessible.
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A week and a half since this thread started, and only three lists have been submitted. I suspect many are doing run throughs to fine-tune their lists, but I expected more submissions early on.
Most of my college papers were easier than this, lol! I love this but man it's tough. I'm on my 3rd draft.
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Beast Over Hammersmith and BBC Archives are available on streaming services and as digital downloads, but not Best of the B-Sides.
Check this out!
https://flacit.com/album/17945/Iron_Maiden_The_Singles_Collection_1996
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Thanks for the link, but that doesn't seem to be a legitimate (as, in copyright respecting) website. I'm pretty rigid in my personal conduct about intellectual property stuff.
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Thanks for the link, but that doesn't seem to be a legitimate (as, in copyright respecting) website. I'm pretty rigid in my personal conduct about intellectual property stuff.
I respect that. :metal
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A week and a half since this thread started, and only three lists have been submitted. I suspect many are doing run throughs to fine-tune their lists, but I expected more submissions early on.
I'll send mine in just a bit. It's ready to go.
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Beast Over Hammersmith and BBC Archives are available on streaming services and as digital downloads, but not Best of the B-Sides.
My streaming service is YouTubeMusic and they have it.
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I know I had my Rush list in super early, but I'm going to be pushing right up against the deadline with my Maiden list. Need a few more listens!
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I'm in the "still doing my run-through" category, but you can 100% count on a list from me.
Me too; I'm 100% submitting a list, but I have some listening to do.
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Same. I will most likely submit my list on the 18th or 19th.
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Mine is sent now.
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Beast Over Hammersmith and BBC Archives are available on streaming services and as digital downloads, but not Best of the B-Sides.
My streaming service is YouTubeMusic and they have it.
Huh, you're right. I wonder why it's only there, and not on Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon.
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Yeah, my list will be coming down to the wire I expect. This has been the hardest list to compile so far.
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I’m working on my list by listening to some stuff I haven’t heard in years :)
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425, your mailbox is full.
I have four playlists on my iPod:
B-Sides: The Di'Anno Years 1979-1981
B-Sides: The Dickenson Years 1982-1992
B-Sides: The Bayley Years 1993-1998
B-Sides: The Dickinson Years 1999-Present
I listen to those (at least the first two) as much as any album.
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425, your mailbox is full.
.
Aww..
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Thanks for the heads-up. It's un-full now.
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Same. I will most likely submit my list on the 18th or 19th.
Same here, my list will be submitted just before the deadline because there's so much material to revisit. I've been listening to nothing but Iron Maiden for almost a week and the more I listen the harder it becomes to nail down a top 75, let alone put them in some kind of order. It's enormous fun though, revisiting all these old (and not so old) tunes. Just when I think I've got a rough outline of 75 songs to paste into the ranker I'll come across some deep cut I'd completely forgotten about (The Fallen Angel, Childhood's End, Rainmaker, Mother Russia) and it's back to the drawing board. But like I said, great fun. DT may get there in 2 albums' time but for now I don't know of any band that has been this consistently great across 17 albums.
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Why don't you put more than 75 songs in the ranker and then take the top 75 from the end result? That's what I would do, but maybe there's some reason not to do that?
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Why don't you put more than 75 songs in the ranker and then take the top 75 from the end result?
That's what I'll end up doing, I'll put around 90 to a hundred tunes into the ranker. Right now on this first re-listen of all the albums I'm just booting out the songs that I know won't make the cut. Some of their post-reunion stuff can be a bit samey so I need to be more familiar with it before ranking it all.
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Let me ask a question here, how many of you didn't need to think much about your #1 pick? Because unlike other ranking challenges, where I can usually come up with my top 10 very quickly and spots 11-75 are where the problems lie, here I'm struggling to even decide on a #1. My favourite Maiden album is very easy to decide (Somewhere In Time) but I'm no nearer to deciding on a favourite Maiden song a week into this. I've narrowed it down to a list of 8 candidates and they span the debut to The Book of Souls.
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Why don't you put more than 75 songs in the ranker and then take the top 75 from the end result?
That's what I'll end up doing, I'll put around 90 to a hundred tunes into the ranker. Right now on this first re-listen of all the albums I'm just booting out the songs that I know won't make the cut. Some of their post-reunion stuff can be a bit samey so I need to be familiar with it before ranking it all.
That makes sense.
I know what my #1 has been historically (for many years), and I expect that will still be it #1, but there are 2-3 other candidates that I'll be keeping an eye out for when I get there in the discography.
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My number 1 song was pretty clear to me last fall when I went through the whole catalogue and got into the band (I am sure my answer is somewhere in that thread), and recent listens have not changed that. I suspect my number 1 will be a top 10 song, but I doubt it will finish at 1 cumulatively.
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My number 1 was pretty clear. There is some nostalgia involved but I think it's too difficult to look past that.
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I think I know what my number 1 song is, but we'll see what the ranker spits out. I'll probably make some adjustments as well...
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I think I know what my number 1 song is, but we'll see what the ranker spits out. I'll probably make some adjustments as well...
The ranker nailed my number 1 and even what was floating in my head for top 10, it was surprisingly accurate.
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AMOLAD is breaking the crap out of my nostalgia. It was already top 5…now it might be top 3.
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I think I know what my number 1 song is, but we'll see what the ranker spits out. I'll probably make some adjustments as well...
The ranker nailed my number 1 and even what was floating in my head for top 10, it was surprisingly accurate.
I've been relistening to a lot of the songs coming up in the ranker and on a number of occasions I was surprised by how much I've enjoyed certain songs, especially stuff from The Final Frontier and Senjutsu. So I have no idea what it's going to spit out at this point. :corn
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Let me ask a question here, how many of you didn't need to think much about your #1 pick? Because unlike other ranking challenges, where I can usually come up with my top 10 very quickly and spots 11-75 are where the problems lie, here I'm struggling to even decide on a #1. My favourite Maiden album is very easy to decide (Somewhere In Time) but I'm no nearer to deciding on a favourite Maiden song a week into this. I've narrowed it down to a list of 8 candidates and they span the debut to The Book of Souls.
My number 1 is always between 4 songs, and I decided to go with the one I’ve enjoyed the most lately.
I did something different, after compiling a list on my own I used the ranker a couple weeks later and more or less averaged the rankings for submission. I was shocked a few times by some large differences between “gut” and ranker.
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Let me ask a question here, how many of you didn't need to think much about your #1 pick? Because unlike other ranking challenges, where I can usually come up with my top 10 very quickly and spots 11-75 are where the problems lie, here I'm struggling to even decide on a #1. My favourite Maiden album is very easy to decide (Somewhere In Time) but I'm no nearer to deciding on a favourite Maiden song a week into this. I've narrowed it down to a list of 8 candidates and they span the debut to The Book of Souls.
My number 1 song is also my favourite song of all time by any artist so number 1 is the easiest pick for me. After that it becomes very hard. I am still struggling with nostalgia over some of the more recent reunion stuff but overall my list is pretty close, will only be a couple of changes at most from here I'd say.
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Yep, I've always known what my #1 was going to be and, not surprisingly, that's what the ranker spit out. I suspect it's not a particularly controversial choice. Not sure if it'll be the aggregate #1, of course, but I'd be shocked if it's not top 10...
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I have a favorite song easily. My Top 10 was pretty easy actually.
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I have two "favorite" songs, though I am not sure which is going to be #1 and which will be #2.
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They have a lot of best songs, mine changes daily now. I can say Phantom of the opera, to tame a land, the prisoner, powerslave, sea of madness, are my favorites right now. There's no one Maiden song that is miles ahead of another, no fucking way.
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I do have one particular song that I’m extra keen on that I’m almost sure is my #1. But with as much as I’m enjoying some of this reunion stuff, it might be at risk.
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So I've pulled my list and looked at it for a number of nights now. Tonight I WORKED on it, moving things around, and keeping The Ranker honest. Moved some things in and out.
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My list has been sent!
Final Distributions
Dianno...7
Classic...38
Blaze...8
Reunion...22
Albums:
IM...4
Killers....3
TNOTB...7
PoM....6
PS....5
SiT....4
SSOASS....5
NPFTD....2
FOTD.....7
TXF....4
VXII....4
BNW....5
DoD...4
AMOLAD....3
TFF...3
BoS...3
Sen...4
B-Sides...2
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IM...4
Killers....3
TNOTB...7
PoM....6
PS....5
SiT....4
SSOASS....5
NPFTD....2
FOTD.....7
TXF....4
VXII....4
BNW....5
DoD...4
AMOLAD....3
TFF...3
BoS...3
Sen...4
B-Sides...2
FOTD has more songs than Killers and AMoLaD combined?
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.picturequotes.com%2F2%2F647%2F646204%2Fapocalypse-now-quote-12-picture-quote-1.jpg&hash=f94b7421f578a729848cc0709335aff2107b5686)
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My list has been sent!
Final Distributions
Dianno...7
Classic...38
Blaze...8
Reunion...22
Albums:
IM...4
Killers....3
TNOTB...7
PoM....6
PS....5
SiT....4
SSOASS....5
NPFTD....2
FOTD.....7
TXF....4
VXII....4
BNW....5
DoD...4
AMOLAD....3
TFF...3
BoS...3
Sen...4
B-Sides...2
Solid.
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FOTD has more songs than Killers and AMoLaD combined?
And the problem is?
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FOTD has more songs than Killers and AMoLaD combined?
And the problem is?
Actually the real problem is he has 8 Blaze songs in his list :biggrin:
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FOTD has more songs than Killers and AMoLaD combined?
And the problem is?
Actually the real problem is he has 8 Blaze songs in his list :biggrin:
I was thinking the same thing, well not that it is a problem but that it is a surprise.
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Let me ask a question here, how many of you didn't need to think much about your #1 pick? Because unlike other ranking challenges, where I can usually come up with my top 10 very quickly and spots 11-75 are where the problems lie, here I'm struggling to even decide on a #1. My favourite Maiden album is very easy to decide (Somewhere In Time) but I'm no nearer to deciding on a favourite Maiden song a week into this. I've narrowed it down to a list of 8 candidates and they span the debut to The Book of Souls.
This is me. I didn't do the DT one, but for Rush and Van Halen, I knew going in what number one would be, and I had a rough idea of the next nine, but I'm like you. I have no idea what will be No. 1, and while I know SOME songs will get in the top ten, I can't tell you what the full list will be.
I will say this: I'm up to NPFTD, and this is literally the first album where I have a song I KNOW unequivocally will not be in the Top 75. Even the two songs I've always viewed as clunkers - Gangland and Quest For Fire - were better than I remember them being, and I've already written about TLOTLDR, and as it's hard to envision "75 songs", I'm reluctant to just say "OUT" at this stage, only having re-listened to half the catalogue.
This is going to be TOUGH. I'm hoping to get my listening done next week so I have a couple days to play with the rankings once I have them. And I'm not going to make any edits before I put them in; I'm ranking all the songs at this point. I might even rank "Mission From 'Arry". :) :) :)
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Speaking of "that song's not nearly as bad as I remembered", a couple of tunes I'd dismissed back in the day but for which I've got a new appreciation after the first relisten: Weekend Warrior from FOTD (like a musical Frankenstein's monster of half a dozen 80s bands; that vocal entry is pure AC/DC), and The Angel and the Neverending Chorus from Virtual XI. That latter one's a hoot. It's not something I'd listen to often, primarily because one listen feels like a lifetime, but there's some nifty guitar work going on and the opening reminds me a bit of The Who. I don't think it'll make my list but I had an unexpectedly good time with it.
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Speaking of "that song's not nearly as bad as I remembered", a couple of tunes I'd dismissed back in the day but for which I've got a new appreciation after the first relisten: Weekend Warrior from FOTD (like a musical Frankenstein's monster of half a dozen 80s bands; that vocal entry is pure AC/DC), and The Angel and the Neverending Chorus from Virtual XI. That latter one's a hoot. It's not something I'd listen to often, primarily because one listen feels like a lifetime, but there's some nifty guitar work going on and the opening reminds me a bit of The Who. I don't think it'll make my list but I had an unexpectedly good time with it.
I haven't heard it lately (maybe someone complained!) but the local Fox news station (the network, not the news organization) used the intro of "The Angel..." as their bumper (advertisement) music for a while. I watch them often as the weatherwoman (Heather Frank) is fantastic.
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Let me ask a question here, how many of you didn't need to think much about your #1 pick? Because unlike other ranking challenges, where I can usually come up with my top 10 very quickly and spots 11-75 are where the problems lie, here I'm struggling to even decide on a #1.
No struggle at all. I'm using the ranking engine, but if the song that has LONG been my favorite doesn't come in at #1 (which I think will be impossible), then I'll make a manual adjustment. The top 3 for me is really easy.
I didn't do DT or VH. #1 VH is easy, and #1 DT probably would be too. There are several Rush songs that could've been #1.
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That intro to AATG, along with From Here to Eternity, Gates of Tomorrow and probably other Gers work, is the kind I can't stand. 100% rock, 0% metal.
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IM...4
Killers....3
TNOTB...7
PoM....6
PS....5
SiT....4
SSOASS....5
NPFTD....2
FOTD.....7
TXF....4
VXII....4
BNW....5
DoD...4
AMOLAD....3
TFF...3
BoS...3
Sen...4
B-Sides...2
FOTD has more songs than Killers and AMoLaD combined?
So even I was surprised to see this as I typed up that post, but in a way, I'm not surprised. I predicted I'd have 7 Fear songs.
I flat out rate FOTD higher than Killers. Sorry. It's not even close.
However I do rate AMOLAD higher than FOTD. It's one thing to have an album with a lot more singular songs that I rate higher than another, but AMOLAD, in its totality as a listening experience really cannot be beat. There are two AMOLAD tracks that I rate extremely high though.
Actually the real problem is he has 8 Blaze songs in his list :biggrin:
We love the Reunion Era don't we? I would argue that The Blaze Era is to The Reunion Era as The Dianno Era is to The Classic Era.
The Blaze Era has many issues that I totally get, but it doesn't lack ideas or great material.
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The Blaze Era has many issues that I totally get, but it doesn't lack ideas or great material.
Agree with this. I was very surprised when relistening to Virtual XI to discover how solid a lot of the material is. In fact everything except the opener is now firmly in contention for a top 75 spot. I wouldn't exchange the reunion albums for anything but it's tempting to wonder what might have been if the Blaze iteration of the band had kept on going. It sounds like it was heading in an interesting direction.
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Actually the real problem is he has 8 Blaze songs in his list :biggrin:
We love the Reunion Era don't we? I would argue that The Blaze Era is to The Reunion Era as The Dianno Era is to The Classic Era.
The Blaze Era has many issues that I totally get, but it doesn't lack ideas or great material.
The difference for me is I really don't Blaze's vocals and I like Dianno's. Tastes!
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I love Paul DiAnno's voice. Probably more than Blaze's actually, but we're ranking songs, not voices. :P
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Dianno...7
Blaze...8
So, without showing the song, or the position, this is how I ranked the Dianno and Blaze songs against each other.
Dianno
Blaze
Dianno
Blaze
Dianno
Blaze
Dianno
Dianno
Blaze
Blaze
Dianno
Blaze
Blaze
Dianno
Blaze
They each have a song in The Top 10, and they each have another in The Top 20.
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The Blaze Era has many issues that I totally get, but it doesn't lack ideas or great material.
Agree with this. I was very surprised when relistening to Virtual XI to discover how solid a lot of the material is. In fact everything except the opener is now firmly in contention for a top 75 spot. I wouldn't exchange the reunion albums for anything but it's tempting to wonder what might have been if the Blaze iteration of the band had kept on going. It sounds like it was heading in an interesting direction.
I think to a large degree the reunion era, especially the Harris and Gers compositions, is where the Blaze era was going. Obviously Blaze is no longer the singer and no longer a contributor as a songwriter post-BNW, and he did play his own part in the sound and songwriting of that era, but I think there's a real continuity in terms of how Steve and Janick were developing as songwriters. The formula for BNW, I think, amounts to VXI - Blaze's voice + Bruce and Adrian's songwriting and performances + improved production quality.
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I love Paul DiAnno's voice. Probably more than Blaze's actually, but we're ranking songs, not voices. :P
True and I guess for me, I just don't find the majority of the Blaze songs very interesting and his voice definitely doesn't help matters.
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The Blaze Era has many issues that I totally get, but it doesn't lack ideas or great material.
Agree with this. I was very surprised when relistening to Virtual XI to discover how solid a lot of the material is. In fact everything except the opener is now firmly in contention for a top 75 spot. I wouldn't exchange the reunion albums for anything but it's tempting to wonder what might have been if the Blaze iteration of the band had kept on going. It sounds like it was heading in an interesting direction.
I think to a large degree the reunion era, especially the Harris and Gers compositions, is where the Blaze era was going. Obviously Blaze is no longer the singer and no longer a contributor as a songwriter post-BNW, and he did play his own part in the sound and songwriting of that era, but I think there's a real continuity in terms of how Steve and Janick were developing as songwriters. The formula for BNW, I think, amounts to VXI - Blaze's voice + Bruce and Adrian's songwriting and performances + improved production quality.
Yeah, I think there's a lot of truth to this. The repetitive 'epics' on Virtual XI (Gambler, Clansman and Don't Look To The Eyes of A Stranger) are basically rough drafts of stuff like Brave New World and Dream of Mirrors. And the beautiful closer Como Estais Amigos is, to my ears, a prototype of Journeyman from Dance of Death.
I'm happy Bruce came back, and Blaze is not a suitable voice for Maiden in my opinion, but I still think another couple of albums would have yielded something pretty great from this line-up (I write that while now thinking Virtual XI is actually a damn great album).
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Yeah, I think there's a lot of truth to this. The repetitive 'epics' on Virtual XI (Gambler, Clansman and Don't Look To The Eyes of A Stranger) are basically rough drafts of stuff like Brave New World and Dream of Mirrors. And the beautiful closer Como Estais Amigos is, to my ears, a prototype of Journeyman from Dance of Death.
I'm happy Bruce came back, and Blaze is not a suitable voice for Maiden in my opinion, but I still think another couple of albums would have yielded something pretty great from this line-up (I write that while now thinking Virtual XI is actually a damn great album).
VXI has a number of great songs. If I could wish for one Blaze Era track to bet the Bruce treatment, it'd be The Educated Fool. Bruce would slay that chorus.
And I bolded "rough drafts" because the material on the two Blaze albums is outstanding. But they feel like demos honestly. Both albums are in need of an actual producer, and a refining of some of the parts/transitions.
I mean, the intro to Lightning Strikes Twice is just one example of the fucking brilliance of these albums. And the ending to DLTTEOAS (Damn, the abbreviation of that song needs an abbreviation!) is something the band had never done anything like before.
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Yeah, I think there's a lot of truth to this. The repetitive 'epics' on Virtual XI (Gambler, Clansman and Don't Look To The Eyes of A Stranger) are basically rough drafts of stuff like Brave New World and Dream of Mirrors. And the beautiful closer Como Estais Amigos is, to my ears, a prototype of Journeyman from Dance of Death.
I'm happy Bruce came back, and Blaze is not a suitable voice for Maiden in my opinion, but I still think another couple of albums would have yielded something pretty great from this line-up (I write that while now thinking Virtual XI is actually a damn great album).
VXI has a number of great songs. If I could wish for one Blaze Era track to bet the Bruce treatment, it'd be The Educated Fool. Bruce would slay that chorus.
And I bolded "rough drafts" because the material on the two Blaze albums is outstanding. But they feel like demos honestly. Both albums are in need of an actual producer, and a refining of some of the parts/transitions.
I mean, the intro to Lightning Strikes Twice is just one example of the fucking brilliance of these albums. And the ending to DLTTEOAS (Damn, the abbreviation of that song needs an abbreviation!) is something the band had never done anything like before.
Chinese water torture?
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You're doing it wrong.
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I’m not sure there’s a way to do Chinese water torture right! :rollin
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Yeah, I think there's a lot of truth to this. The repetitive 'epics' on Virtual XI (Gambler, Clansman and Don't Look To The Eyes of A Stranger) are basically rough drafts of stuff like Brave New World and Dream of Mirrors. And the beautiful closer Como Estais Amigos is, to my ears, a prototype of Journeyman from Dance of Death.
I'm happy Bruce came back, and Blaze is not a suitable voice for Maiden in my opinion, but I still think another couple of albums would have yielded something pretty great from this line-up (I write that while now thinking Virtual XI is actually a damn great album).
VXI has a number of great songs. If I could wish for one Blaze Era track to bet the Bruce treatment, it'd be The Educated Fool. Bruce would slay that chorus.
And I bolded "rough drafts" because the material on the two Blaze albums is outstanding. But they feel like demos honestly. Both albums are in need of an actual producer, and a refining of some of the parts/transitions.
I mean, the intro to Lightning Strikes Twice is just one example of the fucking brilliance of these albums. And the ending to DLTTEOAS (Damn, the abbreviation of that song needs an abbreviation!) is something the band had never done anything like before.
What a song. :metal
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I've done some comparing of the Blaze tracks that Bruce performed live and I think I know what my biggest problem with Blaze is.
He sounds absolutely bored singing, there is 0 passion to his vocals.
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I've done some comparing of the Blaze tracks that Bruce performed live and I think I know what my biggest problem with Blaze is.
He sounds absolutely bored singing, there is 0 passion to his vocals.
I have not heard Blaze’s *live* stuff beyond a couple tracks, but I feel 100% the opposite on SOTC (Blaze studio vs Bruce live). Blaze is just straight up nothing but passion on that track. His raw emotion on the studio track completely smokes Bruce. Bruce’s is better performed…but he sounds about as passionate as someone getting paid to perform a cover.
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This is too tough for me. What defines Maiden is so personal and depends how and when you were introduced to their stuff. I grew up with them like a bunch of folks here so to me when Killers first came out I went back to their first and was blown away as their was nothing like them. Now all these decades, members, and styles later its not even the same band on some level. I love all they have done but if someone was handed their entire catalogue today Im pretty sure the first 2 albums wouldn't get a second listen. Once again its all perspective and when you were born if that makes sense. You just can't compare Wrathchild to Sea Of Madness or Stratego, its just wrong, lol.
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I've done some comparing of the Blaze tracks that Bruce performed live and I think I know what my biggest problem with Blaze is.
He sounds absolutely bored singing, there is 0 passion to his vocals.
I have not heard Blaze’s *live* stuff beyond a couple tracks, but I feel 100% the opposite on SOTC (Blaze studio vs Bruce live). Blaze is just straight up nothing but passion on that track. His raw emotion on the studio track completely smokes Bruce. Bruce’s is better performed…but he sounds about as passionate as someone getting paid to perform a cover.
It is a cover to Bruce. :)
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The one Blaze track that Bruce does get invested in is The Clansman.
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I've done some comparing of the Blaze tracks that Bruce performed live and I think I know what my biggest problem with Blaze is.
He sounds absolutely bored singing, there is 0 passion to his vocals.
I couldn't disagree more.
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I've done some comparing of the Blaze tracks that Bruce performed live and I think I know what my biggest problem with Blaze is.
He sounds absolutely bored singing, there is 0 passion to his vocals.
I have not heard Blaze’s *live* stuff beyond a couple tracks, but I feel 100% the opposite on SOTC (Blaze studio vs Bruce live). Blaze is just straight up nothing but passion on that track. His raw emotion on the studio track completely smokes Bruce. Bruce’s is better performed…but he sounds about as passionate as someone getting paid to perform a cover.
The one Blaze track that Bruce does get invested in is The Clansman.
I more or less agree with these. That's definitely part of my problem with Bruce's Lord of the Flies performance, although the main thing is that I just think the song is much better-suited to Blaze's voice.
I mean, kudos to Bruce for being willing to do those songs, especially when they could easily get away with skipping that whole era given its lack of popularity. And I don't want to speculate on his actual feelings toward those songs. But just from listening to them, I always feel like Blaze is all passion, while I don't feel as much passion from Bruce on the Blaze-era songs.
Generally, I think of Blaze as a passionate singer, in a way that at times makes up for his limited range. I've posted this here before, but I always enjoy his performances on Thomas Zwijsen's acoustic covers. Even though he's decades removed from Maiden at this point, and ten albums deep into a solo career, he always seems to be genuinely passionate about the work he did with the band, and always gives his all to singing those songs, and you can see it in these performances. My favorite is Judgment of Heaven (https://youtu.be/OhXtnPZHOh0), which gave me a deeper appreciation for the song than I'd ever had before.
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My favorite is Judgment of Heaven (https://youtu.be/OhXtnPZHOh0), which gave me a deeper appreciation for the song than I'd ever had before.
It's always been a relative favourite of mine, comfortably making my top 75, but I'd somehow never heard this version despite following Blaze's career. Nice arrangement and a wonderful performance. I just don't get the arguments that Blaze had no passion. I mean, what?
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People can talk about whatever they want, but all of this Blaze talk is going to make this thread unbearable. :lol :lol
Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
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Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
Like actually, or? Coz I’m only just starting my listen through, I’m up to Killers.
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No, not actually Deadeye. Kev is just trolling his own thread.
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People can talk about whatever they want, but all of this Blaze talk is going to make this thread unbearable. :lol :lol
Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
(https://y.yarn.co/8bbf4a08-0dae-4537-b429-8a1ee7f23ef6_text.gif)
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I was kidding with the 2nd post of my post.
The 1st post was 100% serious. I may have to avoid this thread until all of the lists are submitted and I have to start the countdown. Bummer for me, as I was looking forward to discussing a lot of their stuff being still a relatively new fan and all, but I guess the fans of the shit era have to get the talk about it out of the way now since it is unlikely that much from it makes the top 75.
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...I guess the fans of the shit era have to get the talk about it out of the way now since it is unlikely that much from it makes the top 75.
:biggrin: :biggrin:
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I was kidding with the 2nd post of my post.
The 1st post was 100% serious. I may have to avoid this thread until all of the lists are submitted and I have to start the countdown. Bummer for me, as I was looking forward to discussing a lot of their stuff being still a relatively new fan and all, but I guess the fans of the shit era have to get the talk about it out of the way now since it is unlikely that much from it makes the top 75.
Well, I did predict it was going to happen in the first page of the thread. >:( :facepalm: :sadpanda: ::) :censored
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Only an enlightened Iron Maiden fan appreciates the Blaze Era.
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People can talk about whatever they want, but all of this Blaze talk is going to make this thread unbearable. :lol :lol
Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
I'm holding off until the 19th now because of this comment.
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People can talk about whatever they want, but all of this Blaze talk is going to make this thread unbearable. :lol :lol
Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
I'm holding off until the 19th now because of this comment.
Yeah, let's discuss a different Blaze song every day until then! :lol
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People can talk about whatever they want, but all of this Blaze talk is going to make this thread unbearable. :lol :lol
Can I get everyone to turn in their lists today so we can start the list tomorrow? :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
I'm holding off until the 19th now because of this comment.
Yeah, let's discuss a different Blaze song every day until then! :lol
Todays song of the day, Fortunes of War.
Had a random song mix in the car on the weekend and this popped up. I've always enjoyed this one. When you yourself mentioned when Senjutsu was released that there was heaps of X Factor influence in it, I didn't hear it at first, but it eventually came to light. This song is a perfect example, it screams Senjutsu. It's different, but the whole thing reminds me of Lost World.
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Making a mockery of this, which throwing out your own song of the day is, will only result in me canceling this entire thread and countdown. Up to you guys if you want to ruin the fun for everyone else.
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:huh:
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Kev, Look, we all appreciate the thread, but we have another two weeks to go until the countdown starts. As people go through their listening and put together their lists, people are just sharing their thoughts. And what you are finding out is that the Blaze Era elicits a lot of discussion. It just does.
Always has.
Not sure why that would bother you.
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I’m a bit baffled by the direction this has gone as well. I’ve never seen this much anticipation and participation for a countdown like this one. Barring all discussion of the Blaze era would be akin to violently refusing to include the synth era in the Rush thread.
I mean…there was banter about Tim and a few others (WRONGLY ;D )hating on Power Windows, but it was all very light and in some ways added to my enjoyment of the discussion.
But it just seems ludicrous that we would have closed the thread or canceled the entire countdown because of it.
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No one is looking to ban the talk of any song or album or anything. I just said it was unbearable to see constant chatter of what seems to be widely considered their worst era (every site I have looked at has the two Blaze albums ranked as the two worst of the 17). Unbearable was a bit of hyperbole, so I will substitute "odd" for it.
The Rush synth era is a bit different since that is not the least popular era of the band by a longshot, especially on this forum. A better comparison would be if the entire two weeks leading up to the VH countdown, everyone was talking about nothing but the Cherone stuff.
But, while general chatter will happen of course, and that is good as it will keep the thread active and moving, I did think the idea of "hey, lets do our own song of the day" before the countdown starts was a bit (searching for the right word here................) impolite, even if it was a bit in jest. It would be like if someone started a thread saying we will discuss all of DT's albums starting in three weeks, and then two weeks before it starts, someone say, "Hey, let's discuss Awake now!"
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I did think the idea of "hey, lets do our own song of the day" before the countdown starts was a bit (searching for the right word here................) impolite, even if it was a bit in jest.
It was an obvious joke Kev.
Anyway...
The synth Era from Rush, though popular, has always been the most controversial era of the band, hence the extra discussion. The same can be said about the Blaze Era.
You should sit back and follow it, instead of dismissing the era out of hand. There's a ton of meat on that bone, and it takes years to appreciate. The Blaze Era does not come easy for most, but it is more than rewarding if you (not you personally Kev) are willing to have an open mind.
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The interesting part for me is that my number 1 song from the band has pretty much stayed the same since last fall, but another is now making a strong charge to overtake it. We will see if it does before I lock my down here this week and enter them into the spreadsheet.
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And don't mind my crabbiness at times, music fans. Sometimes, I just need a virtual smack in the head. :lol :lol
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And don't mind my crabbiness at times, music fans. Sometimes, I just need a virtual smack in the head. :lol :lol
Nothing but love my friend.
I’m really excited for this one!
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But, while general chatter will happen of course, and that is good as it will keep the thread active and moving, I did think the idea of "hey, lets do our own song of the day" before the countdown starts was a bit (searching for the right word here................) impolite, even if it was a bit in jest. It would be like if someone started a thread saying we will discuss all of DT's albums starting in three weeks, and then two weeks before it starts, someone say, "Hey, let's discuss Awake now!"
Fucking hell mate, I was just yanking your chain. I thought it was an obvious joke on my part but whatever hey. ::)
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The interesting part for me is that my number 1 song from the band has pretty much stayed the same since last fall, but another is now making a strong charge to overtake it. We will see if it does before I lock my down here this week and enter them into the spreadsheet.
I'm very curious, can't wait to hear when we get there... :)
Is this other song making a run for #1 due to more recent re-listening, or was it always a dark horse just waiting to emerge?
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The interesting part for me is that my number 1 song from the band has pretty much stayed the same since last fall, but another is now making a strong charge to overtake it. We will see if it does before I lock my down here this week and enter them into the spreadsheet.
I'm very curious, can't wait to hear when we get there... :)
Is this other song making a run for #1 due to more recent re-listening, or was it always a dark horse just waiting to emerge?
I bet it's The Aftermath. ;D
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I've let my appreciation known to you Kev for the work you've put into the past countdowns Kev, and it's been massive and I appreciate it once again. I would never try and be a dickhead on purpose just to piss you off.
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Nah, you're good, man. I am just a crabby dude sometimes. :lol :lol
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Is this other song making a run for #1 due to more recent re-listening, or was it always a dark horse just waiting to emerge?
Both, I suppose. It is one I wasn't totally sold on at first, but the light bulb went on, and now I am like, is this the best song? It might be (IMO). :biggrin:
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Nah, you're good, man. I am just a crabby dude sometimes. :lol :lol
I can relate to being crabby lately, so all good.
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I don't talk about the Blaze era to be antagonistic, but because I personally love those two albums (like, they mean a lot to me), and I enjoy discussing them with the good number of other people here who love them, too. Popular opinion might be against them, but I don't particularly care about popular opinion (which would also say, for example, that Dream Theater is soulless musical masturbation). I mean, it makes me a bit sad if talking about them annoys those who don't enjoy them, but on the other hand, it annoys me when people, for example, call the Blaze era "the shit era." Sometimes people are just going to annoy each other by honestly expressing their opinions, I guess.
Anyway, I want to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation to Kev for running these threads!
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Anyway, I want to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation to Kev for running these threads!
:tup :tup
We'll see if y'all keep saying that once I run the Taylor Swift top 200 songs countdown. :P
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If a thread lands in a forum and there's nobody there to read it, does it really happen?
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Anyway, I want to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation to Kev for running these threads!
:tup :tup
We'll see if y'all keep saying that once I run the Taylor Swift top 200 songs countdown. :P
Oh, I most certainly will. I know there probably aren't enough people to do one, but I would absolutely participate.
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Anyway, I want to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation to Kev for running these threads!
:tup :tup
We'll see if y'all keep saying that once I run the Taylor Swift top 200 songs countdown. :P
Oh, I most certainly will. I know there probably aren't enough people to do one, but I would absolutely participate.
Kev will throw another hissy fit if we spend too much time discussing The Puberty Era.
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You joke, but I would put a song from her debut in my top three.
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Anyway, I want to add my voice to the chorus of appreciation to Kev for running these threads!
:tup :tup
We'll see if y'all keep saying that once I run the Taylor Swift top 200 songs countdown. :P
Wait, does Taylor Swift even have that many songs?
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I can get to about 170.
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I count 131 on her nine proper studio albums, and then you have to throw in the bonus tracks from each, non-album singles, the many From the Vault tracks already from the first two TV re-releases. Has to be right around 200.
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KevShmev: "Don't let this thread get bogged down with talk about Blaze..."
...later...
Thread gets bogged down with talk about Taylor Swift...
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Balance needs to be provided to this thread - Blaze talk on one side/Taylor Swift talk on the other side. Once the countdown starts both will be cancelled out and not spoken of again :)
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If a thread lands in a forum and there's nobody there to read it, does it really happen?
The Unknown Comic says yes.
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KevShmev: "Don't let this thread get bogged down with talk about Blaze..."
...later...
Thread gets bogged down with talk about Taylor Swift...
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/152312c3ecbf533cc9670e4f91195598/tumblr_pcz6rfuIKG1ts9leuo3_r1_400.gif)
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I was wondering while revisiting all material how much people let live versions of songs impact their overall ranking of songs. Some Iron Maiden songs are so much better in their live versions compared to the studio recordings, especially early stuff like Iron Maiden, Running Free and I prefer live versions of Wrathchild over the studio recording as well. I also like the Rock in Rio version of Sign of the Cross far better than the studio version , for example.
Due to the live albums existing, at least i my own rankings some songs will go a lot farther than if I only had the studio recordings to go by.
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Fear of the Dark might be better than Hallowed Be Thy Name if the right versions were compared, if I were going with live versions as well. For my rankings, as it was in the Rush countdown, I am ONLY considering the album version.
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Fear of the Dark might be better than Hallowed Be Thy Name if the right versions were compared, if I were going with live versions as well. For my rankings, as it was in the Rush countdown, I am ONLY considering the album version.
But maybe Fear of the Dark IS better than Hallowed be thy Name then, whatever 'right versions' mean. I'm comparing SONGS, not whatever version just so happens to be on the studio album. In my mind, a 'song' is much larger than a 'random' studio recording. It exists beyond that and any and all versions of that song are part of one whole and for that reason, I don't believe a definitive version of a song could exist.
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I agree with Elite on what I compare for these.
However, there does not exist any version of Fear of the Dark that is better than any version of Hallowed Be Thy Name.
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First time commenting in the thread, but I've been playing along in my own way. Just about finished listening through the discography, and I have ~90 of my favorites saved. Now the hard part of getting rid of a few and ranking. So far there's only one album that definitely isn't going to have a song in my list, which really does say a lot: I always consider Rush to be the absolute pinnacle of consistency in longevity, but even they would have more no-shows. (And no, the one album that isn't featured on my list isn't a Blaze album.)
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(https://imgpile.com/images/RGCP8x.jpg)
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I agree with Elite on what I compare for these.
However, there does not exist any version of Fear of the Dark that is better than any version of Hallowed Be Thy Name.
Correct of course. I submit as Exhibit A the Beast Over Hammersmith version.
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En Vivo! version of Fear of the Dark is awesome though :)
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(https://imgpile.com/images/RGCP8x.jpg)
Logic, however, would dictate that Bruce would say, "I have the word 'son' in my name!"
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My favorite live version of Fear Of The Dark is Death On The Road, followed by Book Of Souls Live Chapter.
My favorite live version on Hallowed Be Thy Name is also Death On The Road, followed by Live After Death.
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I do consider the live versions and also the impact songs have had on me when I have seen them performed live. I mentioned a little while back in the Iron Maiden thread how I wasn't a huge fan of the song Dance of Death and when I saw it performed live I was blown away by it and so since then that song has been greatly elevated in my eyes.
Some songs are just better live. As an example I've always preferred the Live After Death versions of Revelations and Flight of Icarus to the studio versions.
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Some songs are just better live. As an example I've always preferred the Live After Death versions of Revelations and Flight of Icarus to the studio versions.
I believe Stave Harris is on record as saying that Flight Of Icarus is way too slow on Piece Of Mind.
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My memory is that Steve and Nicko prefer the faster tempo for Flight of Icarus, and Bruce and Adrian prefer the slower tempo. It sort of makes sense that the songwriters would win that battle on the album and the rhythm section would win live.
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My memory is that Steve and Nicko prefer the faster tempo for Flight of Icarus, and Bruce and Adrian prefer the slower tempo. It sort of makes sense that the songwriters would win that battle on the album and the rhythm section would win live.
Yes I believe that’s accurate. Personally I think the album tempo is fine.
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(https://imgpile.com/images/RGCP8x.jpg)
On first glance, I thought that was Kevin McHale in the bottom pic. :lol :lol
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Glancing requires to actually use your eyes..
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My vision isn't what it used to be (used to be 20/15, now I need glasses for driving at night, watching TV and concerts). :censored :censored
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...and looking at internet memes. :lol
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...and looking at internet memes. :lol
:rollin :rollin :rollin
You guys rule!
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In my mind, a 'song' is much larger than a 'random' studio recording. It exists beyond that and any and all versions of that song are part of one whole and for that reason, I don't believe a definitive version of a song could exist.
I've read this twice now and still don't know how I feel about it. I've never heard anyone articulate a notion such as this as clearly and concisely as you did. It is not how I view music, but I won't challenge how you do so.
For the purposes of these Top xx threads, I always use the studio album version for consistency. Again, not because it is the right way to do it; it is just how I prefer to for my rankings.
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In my mind, a 'song' is much larger than a 'random' studio recording. It exists beyond that and any and all versions of that song are part of one whole and for that reason, I don't believe a definitive version of a song could exist.
I've read this twice now and still don't know how I feel about it. I've never heard anyone articulate a notion such as this as clearly and concisely as you did. It is not how I view music, but I won't challenge how you do so.
For the purposes of these Top xx threads, I always use the studio album version for consistency. Again, not because it is the right way to do it; it is just how I prefer to for my rankings.
A lot of times a recorded song doesn't capture how the writer hears the song as envisioned in his or her mind from the inception of it.
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Ironically…I’m having a bit of an opposite reaction to Fear of the Dark. The first time I heard it was on the (now out of print) 2-disc “Best of the Beast”. That live version must have been taken from A Real Live One I’m guessing? But I fell in love with it immediately. It came at a time when I hadn’t heard any IM in a long time, and that 2 disc set was responsible for me finding a new love for the band.
But revisiting the studio album this week seemed to lower my opinion of the song just slightly. It’s still good, but stripped of its audience participation and live energy, you find the song itself lacks the deeper textures of a song like POTO or HBTN or even SOTC. Those songs all shine in their studio versions and FOTD just doesn’t hold up as well, and that would tend to tell me that the song itself is not as strong. It NEEDS the crowd to make it great. The others are great either way.
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I've never been a huge fan of Fear of the Dark (the song), however I've always thought it elevated to another level live but still isn't a favourite. I'd be pretty happy if I turned up to a Maiden gig and it wasn't played but not sure that is ever going to happen.
It is going to be an interesting song to see where it places in the top 75 (assuming it does). My feeling is that it will get ranked on a fair portion of lists but not extremely high overall.
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I’m pretty sure FotD will place in the top 75 and I would be surprised if it doesn’t end high on the final list.
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I've never been a huge fan of Fear of the Dark (the song), however I've always thought it elevated to another level live but still isn't a favourite.
This is my thought on it as well. It's a cool song, but it's one of those that really comes to life in a live setting.
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I’m really puzzled what song will finish at #1 on the final list. I can’t even do it on my own list, and their catalogue is so large that it could go all directions.
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I do consider the live versions and also the impact songs have had on me when I have seen them performed live. I mentioned a little while back in the Iron Maiden thread how I wasn't a huge fan of the song Dance of Death and when I saw it performed live I was blown away by it and so since then that song has been greatly elevated in my eyes.
Some songs are just better live. As an example I've always preferred the Live After Death versions of Revelations and Flight of Icarus to the studio versions.
Blood Brothers is like that for me as well. Meh song until I saw the band just explode with it in Brooklyn at the end of the Book Of Souls tour.
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While I can definitely agree that Blood Brothers on the BoS tour was way better, I can’t say I thought it was a meh song. It’s always been powerful, just not like that.
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Ironically…I’m having a bit of an opposite reaction to Fear of the Dark. The first time I heard it was on the (now out of print) 2-disc “Best of the Beast”. That live version must have been taken from A Real Live One I’m guessing? But I fell in love with it immediately. It came at a time when I hadn’t heard any IM in a long time, and that 2 disc set was responsible for me finding a new love for the band.
But revisiting the studio album this week seemed to lower my opinion of the song just slightly. It’s still good, but stripped of its audience participation and live energy, you find the song itself lacks the deeper textures of a song like POTO or HBTN or even SOTC. Those songs all shine in their studio versions and FOTD just doesn’t hold up as well, and that would tend to tell me that the song itself is not as strong. It NEEDS the crowd to make it great. The others are great either way.
I very much agree with that assessment of the studio version of Fear of the Dark. It's like the crowd participation has become part of the arrangement, something like a choral part that doubles the guitar line over significant parts of the song. It's still the same song, but it's the same song in the way that it's still the same song when an orchestra is added to a song that didn't originally include it (a la Metropolis on Score or Metallica's S&M).
There are plenty of Maiden songs where the crowd energy adds something, but this is more of a musical element than most.
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I can understand being spoiled by the live versions of Fear Of The Dark, but all I know is when that album came out, I don't think I've ever cranked a song more than I did Fear Of The Dark. The song was tremendous when it was released.
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That's an experience that I'll never have. The first version of the song I heard was the Rock in Rio performance, so coming from that to the studio, it felt like a step down.
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Yeah, that track is as much of a Holy Shit! moment as I've ever had with a Maiden album. And it's great to see it take on a life of its own in a live setting.
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The RIFF is amazing. Just fantastic. A perfect Maiden moment. The rest is fine, but lyrically not fantastic, IMO, and has that repeat-the-title-of-the-song thing.
But wow, that riff. :metal
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
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Actually, I do like your version a lot better.
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
:lol
I think yours is nearly there!
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
Made me think of The Wicker Man's alternate version (which is, in fact, far superio)).
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I can understand being spoiled by the live versions of Fear Of The Dark, but all I know is when that album came out, I don't think I've ever cranked a song more than I did Fear Of The Dark. The song was tremendous when it was released.
Even though I am not a massive fan of the song, I do agree with this. I can remember getting the album on release day and sitting through it, not actually really connecting with any of the tracks and when it got to the final song, I was wow! The song Fear of the Dark was just on another level to every other track on the album at that time. However, now I have come to appreciate the album much more as a whole and much of that wow factor has worn off.
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
OK, now I want Bruce to sing these lyrics live. :lol
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Some songs are just better live. As an example I've always preferred the Live After Death versions of Revelations and Flight of Icarus to the studio versions.
I believe Stave Harris is on record as saying that Flight Of Icarus is way too slow on Piece Of Mind.
Yes, I totally remember reading this about Revelations...where, I am not 100% sure :biggrin: I think it might have been band interviews/commentary in some guitar-tab book for the first 4 albums that I bought many, many moons ago. Yep, I believe it was Steve Harris that was never too fond of the slower tempo on the studio version. I actually have a preference for that vs. the faster version on Live After Death. I feel Bruce struggles a bit on that one, while the pace in the studio is a better fit for the song (a song that - spoiler alert - is one of my absolute favorites in the catalog)
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
I got no problem with the ending. But that’s not really the chorus proper anyway.
The actual chorus is:
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that something’s always near
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone’s always there
At least those two lines break things up a bit, so it’s totally fine.
Now, if it had been written during the VXI sessions, we would have gotten:
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark fear of the dark fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark
Fear of the dark fear of the dark fear of the dark
With possibly a doubling of that thrown in for good measure. And THAT would have been annoying.
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Made me think of The Wicker Man's alternate version (which is, in fact, far superior)).
Ooooh, no, no, no!* Hard disagreement on that! :biggrin:
https://www.discogs.com/release/2035285-Iron-Maiden-The-Wicker-Man in case anyone's interested.
* unintentional Metallica quote
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It would be interesting to track when they used the repeated choruses most often, and who wrote songs that do that (my sense is it's almost entirely Steve).
From memory, I think they first really started doing it on Somewhere in Time, continued it on Seventh Son, then did it sparingly through the early to mid 90s before going all in on it for VXI and BNW, then gradually decreased the frequency over the subsequent albums to the point where I believe TBOS and Senjutsu don't do it at all.
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It would be interesting to track when they used the repeated choruses most often, and who wrote songs that do that (my sense is it's almost entirely Steve).
From memory, I think they first really started doing it on Somewhere in Time, continued it on Seventh Son, then did it sparingly through the early to mid 90s before going all in on it for VXI and BNW, then gradually decreased the frequency over the subsequent albums to the point where I believe TBOS and Senjutsu don't do it at all.
Yeah, I'd agree with that. Definitely has to be Steve who is mainly responsible for it.
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
I had a mate who thought it was "Vera the Dog, Vera the Dog..." I still hear it that way now.
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I have now run the songs through the ranker twice and achieved very different results. Anyone have a good way to merge these together to make a much more accurate list, because I sure don’t know how to.
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I have now run the songs through the ranker twice and achieved very different results. Anyone have a good way to merge these together to make a much more accurate list, because I sure don’t know how to.
Well, I'd assume that at least your Top 20 would've stayed the same, no?
You could always run songs 21-75 through the ranker for a third time and go with that. Maybe assign point totals to all three rankings for those songs and average them out.
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I ranked them with ranker but reordered bunch of times. The more I listen, the harder it gets. Fortunately, I have (only) 78 songs I consider for top 75, the order is problem ;D
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
OK, now I want Bruce to sing these lyrics live. :lol
"Let's board the ark!" That's classic. :)
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I do respect everyone's opinion, and I know it's a matter of taste, but I sort of think the "Iron Maiden repeats their choruses beyond all reason" idea to be a little... overblown. Like in TAATG, sure, Blaze is repeating the lyrics, but the MUSIC behind isn't repeating ad infinitum. Does anyone ever complain that drummers playing a 4/4 beat are "repeating themselves"? It's a rhythmic tool like anything else, it's just that we don't expect the vocal to be that device.
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I agree Stads. I think Steve envisions the song titles/choruses being chanted in stadiums when he writes those parts.
Hey, speaking of TAATG, I actually listened to it last week for the first time in YEARS. There is indeed some good shit going on in that song. Weird, as VXI comes across as way more concise than TXF, but for some reason they forgot to edit TAATG.
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I have now run the songs through the ranker twice and achieved very different results. Anyone have a good way to merge these together to make a much more accurate list, because I sure don’t know how to.
Well, I'd assume that at least your Top 20 would've stayed the same, no?
You could always run songs 21-75 through the ranker for a third time and go with that. Maybe assign point totals to all three rankings for those songs and average them out.
No sir, no they did not.
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I do respect everyone's opinion, and I know it's a matter of taste, but I sort of think the "Iron Maiden repeats their choruses beyond all reason" idea to be a little... overblown. Like in TAATG, sure, Blaze is repeating the lyrics, but the MUSIC behind isn't repeating ad infinitum. Does anyone ever complain that drummers playing a 4/4 beat are "repeating themselves"? It's a rhythmic tool like anything else, it's just that we don't expect the vocal to be that device.
This is how I've always felt about The Angel and the Gambler. I think for a while Steve has been playing around with repetition with variety. Angel is one of the earlier experiments in that. The Parchment is a more refined take.
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I don't know why everyone has such a problem with repeating the title in a chorus. It lends itself for a live setting chant like thing.
I mean would it have been any better if the chorus was..
Fear of the dark, Here in the park
Fear of the dark, Bite of a shark
Fear of the dark, Not just a bark
Fear of the dark, Let's board the ark
Fear of the daaaaaarrrrkkkk!
I had a mate who thought it was "Vera the Dog, Vera the Dog..." I still hear it that way now.
I'm guessing Vera the Dog is a companion of Alex the Seal (https://twitter.com/officialgogos/status/1118656459389247489?lang=en)
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
25 of those 36 songs made my list!
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
25 of those 36 songs made my list!
I have 15 of them.
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
25 of those 36 songs made my list!
I have 15 of them.
I have 16 'The' songs on my list at the moment. At a guess, maybe me and TAC have the same 15 and my extra one is on the Somewhere in Time album and there is no way TAC has that one! :)
I think I may have to consider my list final and submit because I could actually look at it forever and never be satisfied.
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
You win THE prize!
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
You win THE prize!
:lol
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
Are you sure it's not "The Iron Maiden" as this is how Bruce always introduces the song live? :)
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Yes! Awesome! This is one of my favourite reunion tracks too. I just love that opening riff, great lyrics and vibe. Very underrated track (unless everyone now responds and says they love it!)
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Yes! Awesome! This is one of my favourite reunion tracks too. I just love that opening riff, great lyrics and vibe. Very underrated track (unless everyone now responds and says they love it!)
I may even respond again! ;D
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
So Brave New World is really THE Brave New World? Piece of mind, killers, seventh son...., what am I missing here??????
Edit: Songs not albums, I'm just shot, sorry. I think.? I need more Ovaltine
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Reread the page carefully, Glasser. ;D
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
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The whole TFF stood out for me, I have 6 (potentially 7) songs off it on my top 75
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Coming Home is glorious. Probably my favorite on that album.
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
Starblind is one of my favorites on TFF. Love the whole mood of the song, great vocal melodies too…
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
Starblind is one of my favorites on TFF. Love the whole mood of the song, great vocal melodies too…
Adrian's adlib soloing in the verses is just incredible.
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Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
Tell me about it. The previous countdowns I did (DT, Rush, VH) I listed the songs in chronological order in the spreadsheet, but for Iron Maiden, I have them listed alphabetically to make it easier to find the songs when inputting everyone's lists (since I don't feel like constantly trying to find a song that I am unsure of where it was chronologically, on the fly), and, yes, there are a ton of songs that being with "The." :lol :lol
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Seems Rush only had 20 of them unless you count The Distant Early Warning and The Limelight.
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
Am I missing something? Am I walking into a joke I'm not part of? Only four of their albums DO start with "The".
Speaking of which (not), I listened to Fear Of The Dark yesterday. Not my favorite, and it hasn't stood the test of time (other than the title track and one or two other songs), but I was thinking... TAC, do you think that's their most "UFO-like" record? I kept getting distinct UFO - especially the Chapman Years - vibes from it. Lyrically, solo-wise, and even musically. Paul Chapman had this knack of writing solo spots that were almost mini-songs within songs. He would put a whole new rhythm part underneath his solo, and there are like four or five songs on FOTD that do exactly that.
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Hey Stads:
Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
25 of those 36 songs made my list!
I have 15 of them.
And then, the two albums that don't contain a song that starts with "The" are Dance of Death and Iron Maiden. That's THE joke. ;)
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
The run from Coming Home to The Talisman is pretty phenomenal, actually. Take out El Dorado and When the Wild Wind Blows and you'd have, arguably, the best album of the reunion era.
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But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
So Brave New World is really THE Brave New World? Piece of mind, killers, seventh son...., what am I missing here??????
Edit: Songs not albums, I'm just shot, sorry. I think.? I need more Ovaltine
"This is The Piece of The Mind!"
But can you guess the albums that don’t contain a “the” title? There are actually 2.
Iron Maiden and Dance of Death! Do I win something as the first? :biggrin:
Am I missing something? Am I walking into a joke I'm not part of? Only four of their albums DO start with "The".
I believe what they were getting at was that those albums don't have a song that starts with "The."
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Hey Stads:
Man, there are so many IM songs that start with the word "The". ;D
A quick looks tells me it's 36 songs over 17 albums, so a little over two per album.
25 of those 36 songs made my list!
I have 15 of them.
And then, the two albums that don't contain a song that starts with "The" are Dance of Death and Iron Maiden. That's THE joke. ;)
Got it. And nice pun. :)
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Speaking of which (not), I listened to Fear Of The Dark yesterday. Not my favorite, and it hasn't stood the test of time (other than the title track and one or two other songs), but I was thinking... TAC, do you think that's their most "UFO-like" record? I kept getting distinct UFO - especially the Chapman Years - vibes from it. Lyrically, solo-wise, and even musically. Paul Chapman had this knack of writing solo spots that were almost mini-songs within songs. He would put a whole new rhythm part underneath his solo, and there are like four or five songs on FOTD that do exactly that.
I read this this morning and I've been chewing on it.
Had this exchange with J-dude last week, as he made a similar observation.
I know everyone talks smack about Weekend Warrior…but is it my imagination, or am I getting a hard UFO vibe from that song? When looked at as an homage to what is obviously one of Steve’s biggest influences, you can almost forgive it.
Dammit, I read this post at 5:15 this morning and it's been at me all day. As soon as I got to work I ran through it 3 times.
I think I'd be stretching big time to say I hear it...but...I'll give you this.
Thinking along the UFO lies, I will say that listening to the intro, the first thing I thought of was the intro to Black And Blue, from Waysted's Save Your Prayers album. It's not exact, or close even....but my mind went right there.
And I think you can kind of get a little Chapman in bits in the solo section.
I ran through Fear Of The Dark today because of this. I can't say I've ever thought of UFO, but I think there's some similarities in Chapman's and Janick's tones when soloing. They can be kind of sloppy, but they also play some wonderful melodic lines when they want.
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but I think there's some similarities in Chapman's and Janick's tones when soloing. They can be kind of sloppy, but they also play some wonderful melodic lines when they want.
That's probably as far as I would go in terms of and IM/UFO connection, and can definitely see this.
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
The run from Coming Home to The Talisman is pretty phenomenal, actually. Take out El Dorado and When the Wild Wind Blows and you'd have, arguably, the best album of the reunion era.
Yikes, that's my favourite song on the album (and possibly my favourite Maiden closing track). Although Coming Home and Starblind run it very close.
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
The run from Coming Home to The Talisman is pretty phenomenal, actually. Take out El Dorado and When the Wild Wind Blows and you'd have, arguably, the best album of the reunion era.
Yikes, that's my favourite song on the album (and possibly my favourite Maiden closing track). Although Coming Home and Starblind run it very close.
Yes, Yikes for me too! I love When the Wild Wind Blows.
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I do too. Phenomenal build to the climax.
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It's classic Harris and classic Maiden, no issues here. Probably the most classic Maiden song on the album.
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I mentioned this in an earlier post but it's been really fascinating revisiting some of these songs and albums that I hadn't heard in literally decades. As a teenager albums like Number of the Beast and Somewhere in Time were daily listens for me for months on end but in the case of NOTB I hadn't listened to it in something like 15 years before starting this full overview. I'm not going to name names so as not to spoil the list but certain tracks that I loved back then do little for me now and vice versa songs that I paid little attention to then now get the blood pumping.
A few tunes I will name though by way of discussion (without mentioning if or where they appear on my list):
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. Like Steve Harris I'm a working class English lad who grew up in a very deprived area, and the book (and to a lesser extent the film) was a very important part of my youth, as were all the so-called 'Angry Young Men' generation of English writers. But as far as the lyrics of the song are concerned I'm not entirely sure Steve understood the point of the story (it's not about running very long distances Steve). I love the music but I find the lyrics to be a little odd (or at least superficial) considering the subject matter. With that said, it's still a very important tune to me.
22 Acacia Avenue. Speaking of lyrics...yeeeaah, so I found this to be a hoot as a kid but damn it's a rough listen today. Gloriously silly as hell, don't get me wrong, but one or two lines here and there did make me cringe so hard I needed a toilet plunger to get my face back into alignment.
Sea of Madness. It's been driving me up the wall but the riff and opening vocal melody in this remind of something, so help me out if anyone knows of something similar (riff-wise there's a hint of DT's Never Enough but I don't want to open that song's 'inspirational' can of worms even further). But damn what a song this is. Incredible propulsive energy and suitably 'mad' given the subject matter. There isn't a more purely 'exciting' Maiden tune in the catalogue to me.
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Sea of Madness. It's been driving me up the wall but the riff and opening vocal melody in this remind of something, so help me out if anyone knows of something similar (riff-wise there's a hint of DT's Never Enough but I don't want to open that song's 'inspirational' can of worms even further). But damn what a song this is. Incredible propulsive energy and suitably 'mad' given the subject matter. There isn't a more purely 'exciting' Maiden tune in the catalogue to me.
Agreed on how fantastic this song is. The riff and Nicko's drumming opening the song are insane...the combination of heavy and melodic on this tune truly sets it apart...
(sorry I can't help with the vocal melody...)
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So yeah, discussing those songs...
TLLOTLDR is a song that I have never really gotten into. I think it has some cool parts, but the lyrics/vocal lines just feel so crammed in there. I never feel like the song breathes.
I love 22 AA. The lyrics don't bother me at all these days. I think musically, it's one of their most amazing tracks.
And Sea Of Madness has just never clicked for me. I don't not like it, but I don't rate it very high in their catalog. But I love their catalog!
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Sea of Madness. It's been driving me up the wall but the riff and opening vocal melody in this remind of something, so help me out if anyone knows of something similar (riff-wise there's a hint of DT's Never Enough but I don't want to open that song's 'inspirational' can of worms even further). But damn what a song this is. Incredible propulsive energy and suitably 'mad' given the subject matter. There isn't a more purely 'exciting' Maiden tune in the catalogue to me.
I always thought it sounded a little like something Judas Priest could have done. It sounds somewhat similar to Ram it Down ( the song) or some of their Painkiller stuff.
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I mentioned this is an earlier post but it's been really fascinating revisiting some of these songs and albums that I hadn't heard in literally decades. As a teenager albums like Number of the Beast and Somewhere in Time were daily listens for me for months on end but in the case of NOTB I hadn't listened to it in something like 15 years before starting this full overview. I'm not going to name names so as not to spoil the list but certain tracks that I loved back then do little for me now and vice versa songs that I paid little attention to then now get the blood pumping.
A few tunes I will name though by way of discussion (without mentioning if or where they appear on my list):
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. Like Steve Harris I'm a working class English lad who grew up in a very deprived area, and the book (and to a lesser extent the film) was a very important part of my youth, as were all the so-called 'Angry Young Men' generation of English writers. But as far as the lyrics of the song are concerned I'm not entirely sure Steve understood the point of the story (it's not about running very long distances Steve). I love the music but I find the lyrics to be a little odd (or at least superficial) considering the subject matter. With that said, it's still a very important tune to me.
22 Acacia Avenue. Speaking of lyrics...yeeeaah, so I found this to be a hoot as a kid but damn it's a rough listen today. Gloriously silly as hell, don't get me wrong, but one or two lines here and there did make me cringe so hard I needed a toilet plunger to get my face back into alignment.
Sea of Madness. It's been driving me up the wall but the riff and opening vocal melody in this remind of something, so help me out if anyone knows of something similar (riff-wise there's a hint of DT's Never Enough but I don't want to open that song's 'inspirational' can of worms even further). But damn what a song this is. Incredible propulsive energy and suitably 'mad' given the subject matter. There isn't a more purely 'exciting' Maiden tune in the catalogue to me.
I am also someone who spent most of my teenage years feasting on 80s Iron Maiden albums and these 3 songs are also very important to me too. As far as 22 goes, yeah I loved the lyrics as a teenager but now I don't feel the same way (it could have something to do with having a wife and 3 teenage daughters...) but I still love the song.
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Sea of Madness is stellar. I will be finalizing my list this weekend, but that'll be top 20 for sure.
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So yeah, discussing those songs...
TLLOTLDR is a song that I have never really gotten into. I think it has some cool parts, but the lyrics/vocal lines just feel so crammed in there. I never feel like the song breathes.
I love 22 AA. The lyrics don't bother me at all these days. I think musically, it's one of their most amazing tracks.
And Sea Of Madness has just never clicked for me. I don't not like it, but I don't rate it very high in their catalog. But I love their catalog!
That's because it's about long distance running....
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Sea of Madness is stellar. I will be finalizing my list this weekend, but that'll be top 20 for sure.
Happy to see the love for SoM. One of my favorites and definitely an oft-overlooked track on SiT. All 3 Smith-penned tracks on the album are killer!
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Adrian is just fantastic on that album in terms of both performance and songwriting.
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After much deliberation and soul searching, my list is finally in. That was a bit if a challenge I must say.
While I obviously won’t be giving away my list here, I will give off my album tallies.
Iron Maiden - 2, Killers - 3, Beast - 6, PoM - 6, Powerslave - 6, SIT - 6, 7th Son - 6, Prayer - 2, Fear - 2, TXF - 4, VXI - 1, BNW - 7, DoD - 5, AMOLAD - 7, TFF - 4, BoS - 5, Senjutsu - 3.
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I did a pre-selection, basically removing songs I didn't think would enter the top 75. The idea was that I would be left with slightly more than 75 and then run the ranker with those songs, but I'm stuck at 68 songs now :lol
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
I think it’s hard to pinpoint just that section though. The whole song is next level, they really should bring it back with the current lineup.
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
Adrians guitar tricks in the final chorus are incredible.
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Just wow! I have full on fallen in love with Coming Home this last week. What a freaking beast!
Coming Home is amazing. The lyrics are magical and Bruce slays on the chorus. I love Adrian's solo over the drums and bass. Really cool touch.
It's one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks.
That was one of the standout tracks from my re-listen. Although Starblind stood out even more for me for some reason.
The run from Coming Home to The Talisman is pretty phenomenal, actually. Take out El Dorado and When the Wild Wind Blows and you'd have, arguably, the best album of the reunion era.
Yikes, that's my favourite song on the album (and possibly my favourite Maiden closing track). Although Coming Home and Starblind run it very close.
Yes, Yikes for me too! I love When the Wild Wind Blows.
Count me in on the WTWWB love. Then again, I love the whole album a lot. It or Senjutsu are my favorite of the reunion era.
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
I think it’s hard to pinpoint just that section though. The whole song is next level, they really should bring it back with the current lineup.
When I started getting into Maiden a few years ago, that song really stood out to me as well. Definitely one of my favorites from their classic era!
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
The chorus is amazing! One of their best to me.
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My main problem with ...Long Distance Runner is that despite it being a pretty good song (it'll be in my top 75, so clearly it's doing something right for me), I feel like it fails to live up to its premise. I quite like running, and I've been listening to Iron Maiden while running for at least a decade—they're typically a great band to listen to while doing any exercise—and yet, whenever I'm out there and that track comes on, I find myself wanting to skip it.
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My main problem with ...Long Distance Runner is that despite it being a pretty good song (it'll be in my top 75, so clearly it's doing something right for me), I feel like it fails to live up to its premise. I quite like running, and I've been listening to Iron Maiden while running for at least a decade—they're typically a great band to listen to while doing any exercise—and yet, whenever I'm out there and that track comes on, I find myself wanting to skip it.
Ha! I went for a run this morning, I may try and add that song to a playlist and give it a go.
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No one’s mentioned the chorus of Sea of Madness yet which is one of their best. Bruce is also sublime in the bridge/solo section and outro.
The chorus is amazing! One of their best to me.
Same. I get goosebumps when they kick down to that minor key “….on towards the sea we go…”
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List sent!
Here's the breakdown by album of my top 75:
Iron Maiden: 2
Killers: 5
The Number of the Beast: 6
Piece of Mind: 7
Powerslave: 5
Somewhere in Time: 8
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 7
No Prayer for the Dying: 2
Fear of the Dark: 4
The X Factor: 1
Virtual XI: 1
Brave New World: 7
Dance of Death: 4
A Matter of Life and Death: 4
The Final Frontier: 4
The Book of Souls: 3
Senjutsu: 5
Purely in terms of counts, I was a bit surprised by Dance of Death only having 4 songs, but it makes sense: it actually is my favorite reunion album, as those 4 all rank high, and there's a few that just missed the top 75. On the other hand, Fear of the Dark did better than I thought, but again it makes sense: the four songs that made it, for me, stand out quite starkly vs. the rest and I don't find the album very deep. Brave New World is probably my second favorite of the reunion-era and clearly did very well in way of song counts. A bunch made it in the mid-range of the ranking. The X Factor, while certainly not among my favorites, gets a little underestimated by the counts here. It's an album that I like, I guess it suffers vs. the rest of the catalog on a song-by-song basis.
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Still working on my list. It's been slow going. I'll finish it, not like the results, run through the ranker again, listen through some albums again, make some adjustments, still not like the results, and do it all over again.
One thing that surprised me throughout this whole process, is how much I've fallen in love with Senjutsu....considering I pretty much wrote off the album after hearing it a few times when it was released. Granted there are still some clunkers on the albums, but a lot of the songs are really enjoyable and stand up to some of the best of the reunion era.
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I sent my top 75 :partyinpartyinyeah:
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In light of the discussion about the Blaze era, dimeadozen, a safe website where you can download bootlegs for free currently has a 1996 Pro-Shot Maiden show being circulated. On top of that, just today they announced that dimeadozen is having Freeloader days, so you don't need to have a certain share ratio to download it. If you want to check it out, here's the link:
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=731507
FYI, I don't have the show nor do I intend to download it, but I wanted to let you all know about it in case you're interested. ;)
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I'd been working my way slowly through their discography, including all the live albums, thinking I'd have plenty of time, and then I realized that I have a week and I'm only on Live at Donington. So now obviously I'm going to skip the live albums and speed up through the rest of the studio albums. I still think it will be no problem for me to finish a list. I have a top 70 from a few years ago, and I have a sense of where my opinions have changed and where the Senjutsu songs fit in, so once I've finished (or at least gone through TBoS) I'll just run the ranker one or two times, look at my old list for a reality check, and submit.
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In light of the discussion about the Blaze era, dimeadozen, a safe website where you can download bootlegs for free currently has a 1996 Pro-Shot Maiden show being circulated. On top of that, just today they announced that dimeadozen is having Freeloader days, so you don't need to have a certain share ratio to download it. If you want to check it out, here's the link:
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=731507
FYI, I don't have the show nor do I intend to download it, but I wanted to let you all know about it in case you're interested. ;)
I downloaded that years ago, but I'm pretty sure it was during a Christmasdime freeloader event.
With youtube, I haven't downloaded any videos in ages from Dime.
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So Iron Maiden are one of the most important bands in my life. So important in fact that, like my other favourite bands, I actually rarely listen to them, because I feel like I know every song intimately. There are some albums of theirs I haven't felt the need to listen to in years (in 2 cases, in literally decades).
From tomorrow I'm going to be binge-listening nothing but Iron Maiden for the next 2 weeks, until I send my list to Kev. I'm going to start from the debut and work through to Senjutsu. Each album will get at least 2 attentive listens. But for my own interest I've just gone through the tracklists of their albums and come up with a top 75 (not in order), purely from my memory of the albums. I'm interested to see how it changes 2 weeks from now when I've revisited them all. Here is the album representation of how many songs made my preliminary list (all albums are the originals without any b-sides added) based only on my recollection of the songs:
Iron Maiden: 2 (from 8)
Killers: 0 (from 10)
Number of the Beast: 7 (from 8)
Piece of Mind: 6 (from 9)
Powerslave: 5 (from 8)
Somewhere In Time: 8 (from 8)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 8 (from 8)
No Prayer For The Dying: 3 (from 10)
Fear of the Dark: 3 (from 12 - my most 'WTF' pick will be from this album)
The X Factor: 1 (from 11)
Virtual XI: 1 (from 8)
Brave New World: 4 (from 10)
Dance of Death: 6 (from 11)
A Matter of Life and Death: 7 (from 10)
The Final Frontier 4 (from 10)
The Book of Souls: 6 (from 11)
Senjutsu: 5 (from 10)
Like I said that's all from memory of the songs, I'm really curious to see how that changes between now and mid-June when I've revisited all the albums and submitted my list.
Progress report.
So with a week to go I've wrapped up the re-listen stage and the candidates for the top 75 are officially locked in (order still being worked out). The album spread I posted above was based on my memory of the albums. Here for comparison is the final spread after re-visiting all the albums at least twice:
Iron Maiden: 3 from 8 (originally 2)
Killers: 0 from 10 (originally 0 - it's a good album for what it is but nothing at all stands out to me on this one)
Number of the Beast: 6 from 8 (originally 7)
Piece of Mind: 6 from 9 (originally 6)
Powerslave: 6 from 8 (originally 5)
Somewhere in Time: 7 from 8 (originally 8)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 8 from 8 (originally 8)
No Prayer for the Dying: 1 from 10 (originally 3)
Fear of the Dark: 3 from 12 (originally 3)
The X Factor: 1 from 11 (originally 1)
Virtual XI: 3 from 8 (originally 1)
Brave New World: 4 from 10 (originally 4)
Dance of Death: 6 from 10 (originally 6)
A Matter of Life and Death: 4 from 10 (originally 7)
The Final Frontier: 5 from 10 (originally 4)
The Book of Souls: 6 from 11 (originally 6)
Senjutsu: 5 from 10 (originally 5)
So, not much change in terms of numbers (Virtual XI the biggest gain, A Matter of Life and Death the biggest loss) but many of the song selections changed, especially on the reunion albums.
Now I have a week to line the buggers up in order.
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I sent my top 75 :partyinpartyinyeah:
And I feel like my list is pretty weird, but then again I have no idea what other people are going to send! :)
Since everybody is doing this, here's my songs per album list:
Iron Maiden - 4
Killers - 3
The Number of the Beast - 5
Piece of Mind - 6
Powerslave - 7
Somewhere in Time - 4
Seventh Son ... - 7
No Prayer for the Dying - 4
Fear of the Dark - 2
The X-Factor - 2
Virtual XI - 2
Brave New World - 6
Dance of Death - 4
A Matter of Life and Death - 6
The Final Frontier - 2
The Book of Souls - 5
Senjutsu - 6
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I sent my list a week and a half ago so I wouldn't contribute to Kev getting bombarded at the deadline.
I looked it over many nights. I feel like I could still make some switches, but whatever. I mean songs 30-60 are basically interchangeable.
I ranked some great songs pretty low, but I'm sure everyone will.
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I ranked some great songs pretty low, but I'm sure everyone will.
Yeah, that is inevitable.
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I finally turned my own list in to myself :lol, but I had difficult redoing the order, so I went with the list I got from the engine on 5/31 and then tweaked a few songs up and down by eyeballing it. Still sorta in the discovery phase with a lot of this stuff, but I don't want to keep changing it, so I am sure when I list songs in the countdown, I will say, "I should have had this one higher/lower than I did," more than once. :lol :lol
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Yeah, I think we're all going to do that. But to move something up, you gotta move something down.
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I moved a bunch of good songs down :biggrin:
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I sent my list a week and a half ago so I wouldn't contribute to Kev getting bombarded at the deadline.
I looked it over many nights. I feel like I could still make some switches, but whatever. I mean songs 30-60 are basically interchangeable.
I ranked some great songs pretty low, but I'm sure everyone will.
This is so true. You really could look at it forever. I have now submitted my list, so time to move on from the my own list analysis and now look forward to fully analysing the countdown. Really looking forward to this one.
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I'll finalise my list and send off in a few hours.
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List complete. Did more post-Ranking Engine tweaking on this one than I did with the DT or Rush lists. A couple quick takeaways - note I became a fan after Dance of Death, and took a crash course in all the albums that preceded that. So I experienced the first 2 decades of their development in a couple weeks. And as they were not a factor in my musical formative years, I do not have the level of an emotional attachment to them as I do with DT, and to a lesser extent Rush.
* The first two albums are so good. Killers is a bit of a "whole greater than the sum of its parts" which will be reflected in my rankings.
* Whatever you guys hear in SiT and SSoaSS has never resonated with me. It's good, there is just so much more material I enjoy more.
* Those two Blaze albums are... wait, what was he rule for talking about Blaze?
* I love the reunion albums. If the band started in 2000 and just released those 6 albums, they'd still probably be a favorite of mine.
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* I love the reunion albums. If the band started in 2000 and just released those 6 albums, they'd still probably be a favorite of mine.
There's more great music on those 6 albums than in most bands' discographies.
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So Iron Maiden are one of the most important bands in my life. So important in fact that, like my other favourite bands, I actually rarely listen to them, because I feel like I know every song intimately. There are some albums of theirs I haven't felt the need to listen to in years (in 2 cases, in literally decades).
From tomorrow I'm going to be binge-listening nothing but Iron Maiden for the next 2 weeks, until I send my list to Kev. I'm going to start from the debut and work through to Senjutsu. Each album will get at least 2 attentive listens. But for my own interest I've just gone through the tracklists of their albums and come up with a top 75 (not in order), purely from my memory of the albums. I'm interested to see how it changes 2 weeks from now when I've revisited them all. Here is the album representation of how many songs made my preliminary list (all albums are the originals without any b-sides added) based only on my recollection of the songs:
Iron Maiden: 2 (from 8)
Killers: 0 (from 10)
Number of the Beast: 7 (from 8)
Piece of Mind: 6 (from 9)
Powerslave: 5 (from 8)
Somewhere In Time: 8 (from 8)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 8 (from 8)
No Prayer For The Dying: 3 (from 10)
Fear of the Dark: 3 (from 12 - my most 'WTF' pick will be from this album)
The X Factor: 1 (from 11)
Virtual XI: 1 (from 8)
Brave New World: 4 (from 10)
Dance of Death: 6 (from 11)
A Matter of Life and Death: 7 (from 10)
The Final Frontier 4 (from 10)
The Book of Souls: 6 (from 11)
Senjutsu: 5 (from 10)
Like I said that's all from memory of the songs, I'm really curious to see how that changes between now and mid-June when I've revisited all the albums and submitted my list.
Progress report.
So with a week to go I've wrapped up the re-listen stage and the candidates for the top 75 are officially locked in (order still being worked out). The album spread I posted above was based on my memory of the albums. Here for comparison is the final spread after re-visiting all the albums at least twice:
Iron Maiden: 3 from 8 (originally 2)
Killers: 0 from 10 (originally 0 - it's a good album for what it is but nothing at all stands out to me on this one)
Number of the Beast: 6 from 8 (originally 7)
Piece of Mind: 6 from 9 (originally 6)
Powerslave: 6 from 8 (originally 5)
Somewhere in Time: 7 from 8 (originally 8)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 8 from 8 (originally 8)
No Prayer for the Dying: 1 from 10 (originally 3)
Fear of the Dark: 3 from 12 (originally 3)
The X Factor: 1 from 11 (originally 1)
Virtual XI: 3 from 8 (originally 1)
Brave New World: 4 from 10 (originally 4)
Dance of Death: 6 from 10 (originally 6)
A Matter of Life and Death: 4 from 10 (originally 7)
The Final Frontier: 5 from 10 (originally 4)
The Book of Souls: 6 from 11 (originally 6)
Senjutsu: 5 from 10 (originally 5)
So, not much change in terms of numbers (Virtual XI the biggest gain, A Matter of Life and Death the biggest loss) but many of the song selections changed, especially on the reunion albums.
Now I have a week to line the buggers up in order.
Personally I have Prodigal Son from Killers.
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* I love the reunion albums. If the band started in 2000 and just released those 6 albums, they'd still probably be a favorite of mine.
There's more great music on those 6 albums than in most bands' discographies.
Not only that, there is a distinct sound and style that doesn't get repeated and rehashed in each subsequent album. Each album builds on the foundation, adding its own unique layers.
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Reminder for anyone still looking to submit a list (not calling out anyone by name):
-Songs must be listed from 75 to 1 in order (in reverse order), with no ties. No having three songs at number 1 or anything like that. 75 songs, listed from 75 to 1. DO NOT list your songs with the points total. List them in your order (I will figure out the points on my end). Any list submitted with the songs not numbered will be ignored.
Feels like I have to send this reminder every time I do one of these. :facepalm: :lol
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How many lists so far, Kev?
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11 (will be 12 once one submitter numbers their songs and resends).
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That's low.
Let's go people!!!
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I fully expect a bunch of lists next weekend (19th is the cutoff date), and I will be surprised if the total number doesn't hit 20+.
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That's low.
Let's go people!!!
My list is coming, but I've been busy watching the baseball game... I'll work on it more after.
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My list is coming, but I've been busy watching the baseball game... I'll work on it more after.
People still watch baseball? :P
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Personally I have Prodigal Son from Killers.
An outlier in their catalog for sure, but an awesome track! One of my favorites on Killers and one I would love to see DT give their own spin.
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My list is coming, but I've been busy watching the baseball game... I'll work on it more after.
People still watch baseball? :P
Hell yes! I love baseball.
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About to send my list. You know to be honest, I did the ranker what, 2 weeks ago and I've meant to go back through the list, but I'd hardly spent any time on it. I've tweaked a couple of songs here and there but each time I look at it, I just think, they are all good songs and regardless, there's nothing wrong here.
EDIT: Actually, I'm home all day, I might sit on it and keep looking back as I watch footy all afternoon and send tonight.
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My list is coming, but I've been busy watching the baseball game... I'll work on it more after.
People still watch baseball? :P
Why wouldn’t they? The game is eternal.
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Forget what I said about Killers, now that I am looking at my stats it did better than I had anticipated.
Kev, do you just want the list of songs listed 75-1, or do you also want their ranking as well? I forgot how I did it last time.
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I mean songs 30-60 are basically interchangeable.
I ranked some great songs pretty low, but I'm sure everyone will.
I agree with this although I think my range is probably a little broader. I keep tinkering with it but I think the reality is I honestly don't prefer one song over another between about 20 and 70, and there are plenty of occasions where I'd prefer to listen to songs outside of my top 20.
And of that top 20, it's probably only the top five I feel reasonably settled on (not just in terms of this ranking exercise). Basically, it all feels a bit pointless. But it's been great to listen to so much Maiden recently while putting the list together, and it'll be good fun following along with rankings.
Regarding the part in bold, absolutely. Sea of Madness is only just inside the 75 for me and may not make the final revision. Given everyone's positive comments about it recently, I've listened to it so many times in the last week thinking I must be missing something. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a bad song at all but I do think it would have benefitted from alternative production values, particularly in the main riff where I feel a lack of clarity really hurts it.
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OK, I think I've finished my list. Going to give it one last once over.......but man does it hurt with some of the songs I'm leaving out of the top 75... :|
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I'm about halfway done with relistening, and there are a lot of surprises for me. Songs I used to rate in my top 5 didn't click with me, and I found that enjoyment in songs I once didn't care for. For the longest time I considered Somewhere in Time to be my #1 album of all time, and nowadays I don't think it's even my #1 of Iron Maiden. It's pretty wild.
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Here's my breakdown...
Iron Maiden - 4
Killers - 5
Number of the Beast - 7
Piece of Mind - 6
Powerslave - 6
Somewhere In Time - 8
Seventh Son - 8
No Prayer For the Dying - 1
Fear of the Dark - 0
The X Factor - 0
Virtual XI - 0
Brave New World - 6
Dance of Death - 2
A Matter of Life and Death - 9
Final Frontier - 5
Book of Souls - 5
Senjutsu - 3
I was a little surprised nothing came up for Fear of the Dark, but I had some that were close.
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Iron Maiden: 6
Killers: 6
The Number of the Beast: 4
Piece of Mind: 5
Powerslave: 2
Somewhere in Time: 1
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4
No Prayer for the Dying: 0
Fear of the Dark: 1
The X Factor: 1
Virtual XI: 1
Brave New World: 6
Dance of Death: 6
A Matter of Life and Death: 10
The Final Frontier: 5
The Book of Souls: 10
Senjutsu: 7
And if I did the math right, the albums by point distribution:
A Matter of Life and Death: 454
The Book of Souls: 440
Iron Maiden: 275
Dance of Death: 253
Killers: 219
Senjutsu: 208
The Number of the Beast: 202
Piece of Mind: 191
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 148
Brave New World: 128
The Final Frontier: 128
Powerslave: 117
Virtual XI: 36
The X Factor: 21
Fear of the Dark: 8
Somewhere in Time:4
No Prayer for the Dying: 0
Nothing looks too out of whack there. The reunion albums benefit from being a couple songs longer than earlier albums, Book of Souls especially, which I never would have put at my #1, and Dance of Death at #4, which is boosted by a couple very highly ranked songs.
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Ok, and I thought my list is weird...
Still tweaking it a bit, will submit today (probably)
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The reunion albums benefit from being a couple songs longer than earlier albums, Book of Souls especially, which I never would have put at my #1, and Dance of Death at #4, which is boosted by a couple very highly ranked songs.
You can mitigate that by calculating the average based on the number of songs for each album.
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Hey bub, don't make me do math on a Sunday morning!
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Put it the ranker? What is that? Can't I just send a list of 75 songs? :facepalm:
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Put it the ranker? What is that? Can't I just send a list of 75 songs? :facepalm:
Of course you can. The ranker is a tool to help you figure out the order of your 75 songs.
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Put it the ranker? What is that? Can't I just send a list of 75 songs? :facepalm:
Of course you can. The ranker is a tool to help you figure out the order of your 75 songs.
Ok good, thanks. :)
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Put it the ranker? What is that? Can't I just send a list of 75 songs? :facepalm:
Of course you can. The ranker is a tool to help you figure out the order of your 75 songs.
Ok good, thanks. :)
But make sure that you rank them yourself if you don't use the website. Kev expects everything to be ranked, listed from #75 to #1 with no ties or duplicates! If you don't follow his parameters, your list won't be accepted.
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My list is in. Here's my album breakdown;
IM - 1
Killers - 3
TNOTB - 4
POM - 4
PS - 5
SIT - 6
SSOASS - 5
NPFTD - 4
FOTD - 5
TXF - 6
VXI - 3
BNW - 7
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 3
TFF - 4
TBOS - 3
Senjutsu - 4
B sides - 4
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My list is in. Here's my album breakdown;
IM - 1
Killers - 3
TNOTB - 4
POM - 4
PS - 5
SIT - 6
SSOASS - 5
NPFTD - 4
FOTD - 5
TXF - 6
VXI - 3
BNW - 7
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 3
TFF - 4
TBOS - 3
Senjutsu - 4
B sides - 4
Nice! I have some B sides as well!
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I've got two of them myself.
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But make sure that you rank them yourself if you don't use the website. Kev expects everything to be ranked, listed from #75 to #1 with no ties or duplicates! If you don't follow his parameters, your list won't be accepted.
Correct. And I know you didn't say otherwise, but I think my parameters are more than reasonable. It is simple: rank your songs 1 through 75, number them, and no ties or duplicates. Seems like easy instructions to follow, if you ask me. :)
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Kev, do you just want the list of songs listed 75-1, or do you also want their ranking as well? I forgot how I did it last time.
See the post above this one, or the first post in this thread, or the post I made last evening. :biggrin:
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Not sure how I missed that, 3 times. Submitted.
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Finally submitted.
IM - 2
Killers - 1
TNOTB - 3
POM - 4
PS - 3
SIT - 7
SSOASS - 6
NPFTD - 1
FOTD - 4
TXF - 1
VXI - 1
BNW - 8
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 10
TFF - 7
TBOS - 7
Senjutsu - 6
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IM - 6
Killers - 9
TNOTB - 7
POM - 6
PS - 4
SIT - 4
SSOASS - 7
NPFTD - 2
FOTD - 4
TXF - 4
VXI - 2
BNW - 4
DOD - 4
AMOLAD -3
TFF - 3
TBOS - 2
Senjutsu - 3
Wow, I didn't know I liked Killers THAT much :lol
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Zydar - loving the start of your list. Killers is awesome. About time we saw a few songs represented from that album. I don’t have my list handy but I think I have a similar number.
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My list is in. Here's my album breakdown;
IM - 1
Killers - 3
TNOTB - 4
POM - 4
PS - 5
SIT - 6
SSOASS - 5
NPFTD - 4
FOTD - 5
TXF - 6
VXI - 3
BNW - 7
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 3
TFF - 4
TBOS - 3
Senjutsu - 4
B sides - 4
6 Xfactor tracks?
Most excellent \m/
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Yeah was surprised it was only 6 to be honest.
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My breakdown:
Iron Maiden - 0
Killers - 0
NOTB - 6
POM - 5
Powerslave - 5
SiT - 8
SSoaSS - 7
NPFTD - 0
FOTD - 0
X factor - 0
Virtual XI - 0
BNW - 7
DOD - 5
AMOLAD - 10
TFF - 8
TBOS - 8
Senjutsu - 6
The main caveat with my list is that I don't have all of the albums, hence the blanks for the first two albums and the 90's albums. I will likely go back and get them all at some point.
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I have Virus on my list (spoiler, I guess) but I didn't know where to put that on my album list above since it's a standalone single, so it's not there.
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Okay, so here's my final count.
Iron Maiden - 1
Killers - 3
The Number of the Beast - 6
Piece of Mind - 7
Powerslave - 5
Somewhere in Time - 6
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - 6
No Prayer for the Dying - 0 (I actually like this album!)
Fear of the Duck - 3
The X Factor - 7
Virtual XI - 5
Brave New World - 9
Dance of Death - 5
A Matter of Life and Death - 3
The Final Frontier - 4
The Book of Souls - 0 (Not a bad album. Just nothing on it that I like enough)
Senjutsu - 5
B-side - 0 (Several good tracks but none quite good enough to make it. Shame Mission from 'Arry wasn't permitted!)
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From Fear of the Duck can I assume Be Quack or Be Dead made your list?
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:lol
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From Fear of the Duck can I assume Be Quack or Be Dead made your list?
Oh, splendidly done :lol
And, spoiler alert, it missed out but only by a couple of places!
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Nothing looks too out of whack there.
Ummmm......
Somewhere in Time: 1
:omg:
(opinions and all, I know - just have to mess with you a bit! ;))
From Fear of the Duck can I assume Be Quack or Be Dead made your list?
:rollin
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The main caveat with my list is that I don't have all of the albums, hence the blanks for the first two albums and the 90's albums. I will likely go back and get them all at some point.
I almost dare say it here, but there were quite a few albums I had never actually heard in full before doing the run-through for this Top 75. That’s ptobably part of the reason why my list turned out a little strange maybe. I’m glad I listened to everything though and I gave everything fair listens! And I have songs from every album on my list as well :)
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The main caveat with my list is that I don't have all of the albums, hence the blanks for the first two albums and the 90's albums. I will likely go back and get them all at some point.
I almost dare say it here, but there were quite a few albums I had never actually heard in full before doing the run-through for this Top 75. That’s ptobably part of the reason why my list turned out a little strange maybe. I’m glad I listened to everything though and I gave everything fair listens! And I have songs from every album on my list as well :)
Yeah, I thought about at least going in and giving everything a listen, but even with leaving those albums out of the mix, I was still at 103 songs that I had to rank, and I thought that was a daunting enough task. :metal
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Out of curiosity, the top 10 selling Maiden albums:
https://www.metalcastle.net/the-top-10-highest-selling-iron-maiden-albums-until-2022/
And, coincidentally, they are also my top 10 albums in this Top 75:
TNOTB/SIT (including 1 b-side each) – 7 songs
Killers/POM/Powerslave/NPFTD/FOTD/BNW – 6 songs
IM/SSOASS - 5 songs
Some crazy things: Seventh Son is my favorite Maiden album and I have more BNW songs than AMOLAD (4) in my list, which is my fave reunion era album.
And yes, I like No Prayer and Fear that much! Me and a lot of people in the world :hat
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OK, well I decided to do my list without going through the albums. I will complete my list by writing down the songs I love. I'm sure my list would be in different order if I did it again but I'm doing it off the cuff. I'm also sure I will leave songs off accidentally but I'm doing it anyway. Its coming your way soon Kev! :metal
*** I have songs in my top 10 that are not on the list. King of Twilight and Rainbows Gold. :sad:
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So I planned to do this over the weekend, and submit right at the deadline. Man plans, and God laughs, and so I have to travel to Florida on Saturday. So I'm to accelerate my listing; I still have four albums to go - AMOLAD, TFF, TBOS, and Senjutsu. I may just listen to AMOLAD again, then start and just listen to those other three on the fly, since they are so recent and I listen to them a lot anyway.
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So I planned to do this over the weekend, and submit right at the deadline. Man plans, and God laughs, and so I have to travel to Florida on Saturday. So I'm to accelerate my listing; I still have four albums to go - AMOLAD, TFF, TBOS, and Senjutsu. I may just listen to AMOLAD again, then start and just listen to those other three on the fly, since they are so recent and I listen to them a lot anyway.
Speaking of, Senjutsu sounds like a good choice to listen to right now.
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OK, well I decided to do my list without going through the albums. I will complete my list by writing down the songs I love. I'm sure my list would be in different order if I did it again but I'm doing it off the cuff. I'm also sure I will leave songs off accidentally but I'm doing it anyway. Its coming your way soon Kev! :metal
*** I have songs in my top 10 that are not on the list. King of Twilight and Rainbows Gold. :sad:
Covers are not allowed. Please only use the songs listed in the OP, that way we are all pulling songs from the same list.
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So I planned to do this over the weekend, and submit right at the deadline. Man plans, and God laughs, and so I have to travel to Florida on Saturday. So I'm to accelerate my listing; I still have four albums to go - AMOLAD, TFF, TBOS, and Senjutsu. I may just listen to AMOLAD again, then start and just listen to those other three on the fly, since they are so recent and I listen to them a lot anyway.
Speaking of, Senjutsu sounds like a good choice to listen to right now.
I listened to all six Reunion albums today at work.
So good!
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Agreed. All of the reunion era albums are so consistently good.
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This is IMPOSSIBLE. Had to refer to Kevs list.
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OK, well I decided to do my list without going through the albums. I will complete my list by writing down the songs I love. I'm sure my list would be in different order if I did it again but I'm doing it off the cuff. I'm also sure I will leave songs off accidentally but I'm doing it anyway. Its coming your way soon Kev! :metal
*** I have songs in my top 10 that are not on the list. King of Twilight and Rainbows Gold. :sad:
Covers are not allowed. Please only use the songs listed in the OP, that way we are all pulling songs from the same list.
I don't have it on my list, so don't worry, but if we did... Rainbow's Gold would be easily top 15. I LOVE that song.
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I agree Stadler. Top 15 may be a tad high, but it would definitely be firmly entrenched in the top half of the list.
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Nothing looks too out of whack there.
Ummmm......
Somewhere in Time: 1
:omg:
(opinions and all, I know - just have to mess with you a bit! ;))
I've been waiting for the onslaught, which surprisingly hasn't come.
And since others are discussing, I'd never heard most of their b-sides and covers prior to reading about many of them here, but I've always liked Doctor, Doctor and it would be in my Top 50 easily.
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I love how the crowd goes nuts for Doctor Doctor. I couldn't find the video I was looking for, but this one will do! :metal
https://youtu.be/yo_dNzEXFSY?t=51
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The next poster to submit a list and not number your damn songs is getting called out by user name in this thread.
Okay, I am kidding...maybe.
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Instructions are hard.
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Instructions are hard.
Especially if they are numbered.
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The next poster to submit a list and not number your damn songs is getting called out by user name in this thread.
Okay, I am kidding...maybe.
I don't mind being called out for stuffing up my submission, considering I have done it every time so far.....
How many lists do we have so far? And more importantly how many songs are there that appear on every submitted list?
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Instructions are hard.
I know, seriously. They are listed quite clearly in the OP and in several other posts throughout the thread. :dunno:
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
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I’m gonna get smacked for asking this but can I post my list directly in a PM or does it have to be a word pad or note pad attachment? :blush
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I’m gonna get smacked for asking this but can I post my list directly in a PM or does it have to be a word pad or note pad attachment? :blush
I sent as just a PM with a numbered list and it was all good. I may have accidentally sent 1-75, I think Kev wanted 75-1.
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Nice one. 7 songs on all lists is that a record? Although I guess, still waiting for a few submissions so it is bound to go down.
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7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
I was wondering what the over/under would be on songs making everyone's lists. Don't recall the number for DT but for Rush I believe it was 5, which I thought was incredible.
Was also thinking if you gave me 10 songs to choose from for what will ultimately be #1, I have no confidence I would guess correctly.
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Was even less in the Van Halen rankings, iirc.
Hoping they aren’t all staples, and aren’t all 80s.
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I think it was 2 for VH?
In terms of the 7 Maiden songs, one has to be Seventh Son of a Seventh Son right?
My actual guess is that there could be 1 or 2 reunion songs but majority would be from the 80s.
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Was also thinking if you gave me 10 songs to choose from for what will ultimately be #1, I have no confidence I would guess correctly.
I have a pretty confident guess for #1, but I won't say it since I recall Kev preferring that we not do that. Suffice it to say I'll be a little surprised if it's anything other than the song I have in mind.
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Hoping they aren’t all staples, and aren’t all 80s.
Judging by what people have posted regarding how many tracks from each album made their list, it's most likely they all are from the 80s. Only BNW and DoD from the reunion era have songs that could may make the cut, and nothing from the 90s or the Di'Anno years made every person's list. Wouldn't be surprised if one or two fan favorites that wouldn't be considered staples made everyone's lists (I could imagine Where Eagles Dare, To Tame a Land, Alexander the Great and/or SSoaSS being possibilities), but most of them probably are staples.
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I’m gonna get smacked for asking this but can I post my list directly in a PM or does it have to be a word pad or note pad attachment? :blush
Just send me the list. numbered 1-75 (or 75-1 works) and make sure there are no repeats.
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My patience is at an end, so any more lists submitted that do not follow the correct format get deleted. No more courtesy "please fix and resend" PMs. If people can't follow simple rules, then they don't deserve to have their lists used. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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I’m gonna get smacked for asking this but can I post my list directly in a PM or does it have to be a word pad or note pad attachment? :blush
Just send me the list. numbered 1-75 (or 75-1 works) and make sure there are no repeats.
-----------------
My patience is at an end, so any more lists submitted that do not follow the correct format get deleted. No more courtesy "please fix and resend" PMs. If people can't follow simple rules, then they don't deserve to have their lists used. :biggrin: :biggrin:
I think next time, you will need to use an obnoxiously large font in the OP, so people don't miss the instructions.
NUMBER YOUR LISTS!
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You sure that’s large enough?
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You sure that’s large enough?
Eh, I tried to make it bigger but the forum wouldn't let me do larger than 99 font size. :lol
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Oh and....
(https://c.tenor.com/xS9rmU-bfIUAAAAM/thats-what-she-said-what-she-said.gif)
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The next poster to submit a list and not number your damn songs is getting called out by user name in this thread.
Okay, I am kidding...maybe.
I'm going to out myself, I don't care :lol misread it bc I'm stupid
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Nothing looks too out of whack there.
Ummmm......
Somewhere in Time: 1
:omg:
(opinions and all, I know - just have to mess with you a bit! ;))
I've been waiting for the onslaught, which surprisingly hasn't come.
And since others are discussing, I'd never heard most of their b-sides and covers prior to reading about many of them here, but I've always liked Doctor, Doctor and it would be in my Top 50 easily.
I missed it. Since it's my favorite album I do find it a bit bizarre, which makes me more intrigued to see how your ranking pans out. :tup
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My list is in! :tup
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Did I continue or break the streak?
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Wow, I knew it would be hard, but not this hard. I'm pretty confident about my top 10 and songs 65–75, but everything in the middle is a mess. It's so easy to make an argument for any of them being higher than they are.
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Let's fish for some 'obvious' ones..
Hallowed be thy Name
The Trooper
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Number of the Beast?
Run to the Hills?
Basically the bunch of 80s tunes they play all the time.
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You're going to get in trouble Rich. I wouldn't.
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I’m just excited for the countdown! :)
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I’m just excited for the countdown! :)
You're having a premature calculation.
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Wow, I knew it would be hard, but not this hard. I'm pretty confident about my top 10 and songs 65–75, but everything in the middle is a mess. It's so easy to make an argument for any of them being higher than they are.
100% agree! I would have had a few b sides in my top 10 that were not options but it I'm happy with my top 10 overall. In doing this list I realized even more how much I truly love Maiden.
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Let's fish for some 'obvious' ones..
Hallowed be thy Name
The Trooper
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Number of the Beast?
Run to the Hills?
Basically the bunch of 80s tunes they play all the time.
We don't name songs before the countdown but I am pretty sure most of those songs won't be in the 7.
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I’m just excited for the countdown! :)
You're having a premature calculation.
:rollin
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I haven't input the last three submitted lists yet, but with only five days left to submit, I am answering no more questions about this, that or the other. Countdown should start early next week.
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Let's fish for some 'obvious' ones..
Hallowed be thy Name
The Trooper
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Number of the Beast?
Run to the Hills?
Basically the bunch of 80s tunes they play all the time.
Actually I would expect a particular song from the debut, Seventh Son, and Dance of Death to be on everyone’s list.
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16 lists submitted and accepted thus far.
7 songs have been on all 16 lists.
Let's fish for some 'obvious' ones..
Hallowed be thy Name
The Trooper
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
The Number of the Beast?
Run to the Hills?
Basically the bunch of 80s tunes they play all the time.
Actually I would expect a particular song from the debut, Seventh Son, and Dance of Death to be on everyone’s list.
I’ve only two songs from the debut album, and one of them almost doesn’t count at times. This shall be interesting.
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Actually I would expect a particular song from the debut, Seventh Son, and Dance of Death to be on everyone’s list.
Except....
Judging by what people have posted regarding how many tracks from each album made their list, it's most likely they all are from the 80s. Only BNW and DoD from the reunion era have songs that could may make the cut, and nothing from the 90s or the Di'Anno years made every person's list.
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Someone strayed from the narrow way?
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Once the countdown is over, it'd be fascinating if we all made our lists available whether here or elsewhere.
From 8 to about 25 in my list are all interchangeable, really. And then from there to probably 60ish. So much consistently good output and I found it virtually impossible to rank one song against another. We've been so lucky to be here to enjoy Maiden's career while it's happened.
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PM'd you KevShmev (although don't think I gave message a topic LOL but hopefully have listed them right) ;)
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Once the countdown is over, it'd be fascinating if we all made our lists available whether here or elsewhere.
Sure, but maybe not all 75 songs, but just compare top 15 or so.
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Actually I would expect a particular song from the debut, Seventh Son, and Dance of Death to be on everyone’s list.
Except....
Judging by what people have posted regarding how many tracks from each album made their list, it's most likely they all are from the 80s. Only BNW and DoD from the reunion era have songs that could may make the cut, and nothing from the 90s or the Di'Anno years made every person's list.
Oh right, missed that. That’s a travesty regarding the Di’anno years.
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Only one song from the 90s made my top 75, and that song has been left off of several lists so far, so there ya go. ;)
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I bet it's Nodding Donkey Blues :P
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(https://media2.giphy.com/media/QTrG6mjkHEkpFR3DqX/giphy.gif)
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Once the countdown is over, it'd be fascinating if we all made our lists available whether here or elsewhere.
Sure, but maybe not all 75 songs, but just compare top 15 or so.
My intention is to share my ranking of each song as it comes along, and then at the end do a post listing all the songs that made my list but not the overall list.
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Once the countdown is over, it'd be fascinating if we all made our lists available whether here or elsewhere.
Sure, but maybe not all 75 songs, but just compare top 15 or so.
My intention is to share my ranking of each song as it comes along, and then at the end do a post listing all the songs that made my list but not the overall list.
Yep, that's what people were generally doing, at least for the Rush countdown - the only one I participated in. It's a cool thing to discuss the overall ranking vs. your own.
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One thing I do like that Kevin does is that he lists the highest ranker of each song.
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One thing I do like that Kevin does is that he lists the highest ranker of each song.
Yeah, I like that too.
After this countdown, DTF will have 4 (DT, Rush, Van Halen, Iron Maiden)...it'd be interesting to take a look at certain metrics and see how the rankings compare in terms of dispersion etc....for example, the number of unique #1 songs among participants...things like these...
I can't quite predict whether, say, Iron Maiden vs. Rush have more variability in terms of fans' favorite songs (not just #1). Probably the latter, but who knows.
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I am fairly confident my #1 and #2 won't rank that high for anyone else, and that there is a Top 10 song that didn't make my list.
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HA! I'll be shocked if one of my Top5 and at least one or more others in my Top10 are even in anyone elses 20 LOL...
But we like what we like 😏
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I’ll be putting my list together on Saturday. I’m almost certain what my #1 will be. I’m also almost certain that it’s a song that will be on more than 80% of all the lists, but I’m the only one who will have it in the #1 spot.
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I am fairly confident my #1 and #2 won't rank that high for anyone else, and that there is a Top 10 song that didn't make my list.
I have a feeling this applies to me as well. I have some weird stuff in the top 10 too.
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My first two will likely be high in many lists. My 3rd and 4th are where it will get interesting.
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Well, I did it. PM sent.
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I am fairly confident my #1 and #2 won't rank that high for anyone else, and that there is a Top 10 song that didn't make my list.
I feel like no one else will have my #1 at #1 (might not even make the top 10), and there's one song that lots of folks REALLY seem to like that didn't make my list. Also, I'm fairly confident that I'll be the high ranker for at least one other song in my top 15 and another that I have in the 30s (although, with respect to the latter song, it won't surprise me if it doesn't make the top 75 at all).
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I'm fairly confident that I will share my number one with at least one other person, if not more. In fact, I would be surprised if my top ten wouldn't be well represented in other people's top tens. Beyond that though, I think anything goes. But, I'm really interested in seeing this play out.
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I think it's likely that I'll have the highest ranking for a number of songs, since my favorite era of the band is not most people's favorite, but we'll see how it pans out.
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I am fairly confident my #1 and #2 won't rank that high for anyone else, and that there is a Top 10 song that didn't make my list.
I feel like no one else will have my #1 at #1 (might not even make the top 10), and there's one song that lots of folks REALLY seem to like that didn't make my list. Also, I'm fairly confident that I'll be the high ranker for at least one other song in my top 15 and another that I have in the 30s (although, with respect to the latter song, it won't surprise me if it doesn't make the top 75 at all).
And that is the beauty of Iron Maiden. *drops the mic*
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Finally sent my list in. Looking forward to the results!
IM 4
Killers 0
TNotB 4
PoM 6
Powerslave 5
SiT 6
SSoaSS 7
NPftD 1
FotD 8
TXF 5
VXI 5
BND 4
DoD 4
AMoLaD 6
TFF 3
TBoS 5
Sen 2
A curious spread considering that AMoLaD is definitely not my favorite reunion-era album, and neither is FotD my favorite album of them all.
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I ran the ranker last night, narrowed it to about 100, then ran it again over lunch today. I'm 90% sure I have my 75, I just need to mess with the order a little bit. I had to make some really tough choices; there are a lot of great songs sitting in my 76-85 range,
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Ranking now. Holy CRAP are some of these choices hard. It's literally a coin flip.
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That's how I felt. This was a case where I really felt the limits of the ranking engine (or, at least, the limits of my ability to use it). When I end up regretting one of those coin flips, it throws all my subsequent choices out of whack and gives me a weird list.
I don't know how I would have done it if I didn't have a list from 2020 to compare it to. What I ended up doing was comparing the close non-Senjutsu choice to my placements on the old list, and thought about whether my opinion was strong enough to reverse my old choice or not.
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Ranking now. Holy CRAP are some of these choices hard. It's literally a coin flip.
I'm glad you are!!!
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Submitted my list. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to do this Kev.
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Thanks again to everyone who is participating and for the nice words about me running this. We are likely to end up having more participants for this than we did for the Dream Theater one.
Ranking now. Holy CRAP are some of these choices hard. It's literally a coin flip.
If you need a few extra days or whatever to finish your list, I am more than willing to extend the submissions period to give you time to finish up. :)
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Thanks again to everyone who is participating and for the nice words about me running this. We are likely to end up having more participants for this than we did for the Dream Theater one.
Being fair, I wasn’t in the forum when we did that countdown. I hope it gets revisited sometime if AVFTTOTW songs weren’t in the lists back then.
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My patience is at an end, so any more lists submitted that do not follow the correct format get deleted. No more courtesy "please fix and resend" PMs. If people can't follow simple rules, then they don't deserve to have their lists used. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Quoting myself to say that I sadly had to enforce this tonight. I had not entered any of the lists submitted in the last few days, and I had to disqualify one for wasting my time entering nearly their entire list only for there to be duplicates near the end. :censored :censored
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Thanks again to everyone who is participating and for the nice words about me running this. We are likely to end up having more participants for this than we did for the Dream Theater one.
Ranking now. Holy CRAP are some of these choices hard. It's literally a coin flip.
If you need a few extra days or whatever to finish your list, I am more than willing to extend the submissions period to give you time to finish up. :)
Just putting this out there. I’m going to be working on my list tomorrow, but I actually also have a memorial to go to for my new grandchild‘s other grandfather. (Very sad that he died just a couple of weeks after getting the grandchild he always wanted)
But I just happen to be in a job where Juneteenth is a paid holiday and I’ll have a total “relax in my PJ’s” day. If you saw fit to extend it to the end of the day on Monday that would be totally cool
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Just sent mine! I had a lot of fun making it, and I'm hoping the countdown will be just as enjoyable!
Here's my album breakdown. See if you can guess my top four Maiden albums: :P
IM: 2
Killers: 0
TNotB: 1
PoM: 5
PS: 3
SiT: 4
SSoaSS: 7
NPftD: 0
FotD: 2
TXF: 5
VXI: 6
BNW: 6
DoD: 5
AMoLaD: 7
TFF: 9
TBoS: 4
Senjutsu: 8
Non-album: 1
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VXI 5
TFF 3
:|
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TNotB: 1
Give me a second here, I've never really checked out what emojis this place has.
:o
That'll do.
???
That one too. Oh and this one:
:eek
Love it though, the diversity in tastes that these 'album breakdowns' are showing up. The earlier threads on DT, Rush and Van Halen I was able to predict with fairly high accuracy what the final aggregate top tens would look like, but for this one I have no idea. I'm not even sure some of the sacred cows (naming no names) will make the top ten.
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Thanks again to everyone who is participating and for the nice words about me running this. We are likely to end up having more participants for this than we did for the Dream Theater one.
Ranking now. Holy CRAP are some of these choices hard. It's literally a coin flip.
If you need a few extra days or whatever to finish your list, I am more than willing to extend the submissions period to give you time to finish up. :)
Just putting this out there. I’m going to be working on my list tomorrow, but I actually also have a memorial to go to for my new grandchild‘s other grandfather. (Very sad that he died just a couple of weeks after getting the grandchild he always wanted)
But I just happen to be in a job where Juneteenth is a paid holiday and I’ll have a total “relax in my PJ’s” day. If you saw fit to extend it to the end of the day on Monday that would be totally cool
Works for me! :tup :tup
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VXI 5
TFF 3
:|
Without giving any of the specifics away, I think the highs of TFF are great, but a pretty big drop off after that, while I think the Blaze stuff is really solid across the board
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I'm most of the way through; I fly tomorrow and hope I can finish before then. The wildcard will be if I look at the list and want to do a ton of tweaking. Thank you for the offer; WORST CASE, I will have it in my Monday morning, but I hope not to avail myself of that luxury.
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The amount of songs people have in their lists from the Blaze era is concerning... :trainwreck:
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The amount of songs people have in their lists from the Blaze era is concerning... :trainwreck:
:rollin :rollin :rollin
And that is the beauty of Maiden!
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I did my part to make sure the aggregate ranking on Blaze songs are low.
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I have 4, but I said previously that I take all versions of songs into account :corn
And I have other weird stuff on my list anyway.
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The amount of songs people have in their lists from the Blaze era is concerning... :trainwreck:
Bask in the glory of Blaze!
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He is the BLAZE OF GLORY :metal
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I have 4, but I said previously that I take all versions of songs into account :corn
And I have other weird stuff on my list anyway.
I take all version into account as well. And when I did my preliminary list, before I used the ranker, I thought I would have 1 or 2 Blaze songs. Turns out none of them ended up close to the top 75. :corn
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I philosophically wish we were all somehow ranking the same version of each song, but I appreciate Kev for setting up the rules as he sees fit.
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I philosophically wish we were all somehow ranking the same version of each song, but I appreciate Kev for setting up the rules as he sees fit.
Well, if hearing Bruce do The Clansman makes one see the greatness of the track, then that's ok. I likely would've never had a song like Brave New World on a list like this, but the Death On The Road version made me realize what a great song it actually is.
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I philosophically wish we were all somehow ranking the same version of each song, but I appreciate Kev for setting up the rules as he sees fit.
Well, if hearing Bruce do The Clansman makes one see the greatness of the track, then that's ok. I likely would've never had a song like Brave New World on a list like this, but the Death On The Road version made me realize what a great song it actually is.
I think I'm going to have at least two songs that fit that bill, maybe three.
EDIT: So through a confluence of events - a social gathering at the assisted living and a thunder storm - I've finished my list and submitted it. WOW was that hard. I looked at the list of songs that didn't cut the mustard and I was embarassed there were so many good - no, great - songs left out.
I copped out on number one; I picked the safe song, but honestly, it could just as easily be number five, and any of the top five could be number one.
Album breakdown:
Iron Maiden: 3
Killers: 7
TNOTB: 5
Piece Of Mind: 2
Powerslave: 4
Somewhere In Time: 3
SSOASS: 7
NPFTD: 3
Fear Of The Dark: 3
X Factor: 2
Virtual XI: 2
Brave New World: 5
Dance of Death: 6
AMOLOD: 3
The Final Frontier: 7
The Book Of Souls: 3
Senjutsu: 8
B-Sides: 2
Di'Anno: 11
Dickinson, Part I: 28
Bayley: 4
Dickinson, Part II: 32
Frankly, I'm surprised at some of that myself.
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S/T - 1
Killers - 3
TNotB - 2
PoM - 5
PS - 8
SiT - 6
SSoaSS - 6
NPftD - 1
FotD - 2
TXF - 4
VXI - 1
BNW - 7
DoD - 3
AMoLaD - 8
TFF - 8
TBoS - 8
Senjutsu - 2
Wow this was hard. I had to adjust some things after running it through the ranker (one of the songs I pulled up about 40 ranks! I have no idea how it ended up where it did initially...)
It somehow feels wrong and right at the same time. I really tried to rank based on my opinion after rehearing all the albums, and not let my old opinions influence the ranking process. But it feels extra weird to see songs I considered top 10 barely clinching a spot in the top 75. But I had a good time doing this! So thanks KevShmev for organizing this :)
Also, Kev if you could confirm you got the list? I never used PMs here.
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Spending today in my man cave doing a lot of A/B song comparisons for my first pass through the ranking. I deleted a handful of songs from the list that I was absolutely positive would never make the cut, and ended up with a final list of a little over 130 songs.
I'm about 1/4th of the way through and I'm making some interesting discoveries. I've gained a new appreciation for Alexander the Great and TLOTLDR and a couple tracks from NPFTD that I never thought would have a chance. They still might not make the final cut, but it's nice to know that there are some new gems to dig into. Also, listening to a few tracks from VXI that I haven't heard in almost 20 years, and I think The Educated Fool is FAR better than I remember. That one stands a pretty good chance of making the final list.
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TNotB: 1
May not be a bigger shock in the whole countdown than this. I'd say the only thing that could top this is if that one song is Gangland.
All good though. Going to be a fascinating countdown.
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Also, listening to a few tracks from VXI that I haven't heard in almost 20 years, and I think The Educated Fool is FAR better than I remember. That one stands a pretty good chance of making the final list.
Virtual XI was the biggest revelation for me when doing this comprehensive re-listen. It's by no means their best album but I do think there's a case to be made that it's their most interesting, daring and original. I'll say more on this when the countdown begins and (or more likely if) its songs come up.
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Also, listening to a few tracks from VXI that I haven't heard in almost 20 years, and I think The Educated Fool is FAR better than I remember. That one stands a pretty good chance of making the final list.
Virtual XI was the biggest revelation for me when doing this comprehensive re-listen. It's by no means their best album but I do think there's a case to be made that it's their most interesting, daring and original. I'll say more on this when the countdown begins and (or more likely if) its songs come up.
I put 4 songs from it on the list, so, I think it's underrated.
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Yeah, I mean the production is a bit flat but the songs are great. Really interesting, underrated album.
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TNotB: 1
May not be a bigger shock in the whole countdown than this. I'd say the only thing that could top this is if that one song is Gangland.
This was one of the few albums where I was genuinely curious how it would shake out. It's always been in the top half of my album rankings, but has only 4 songs represented, 3 very high, one barely making the list.
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I philosophically wish we were all somehow ranking the same version of each song, but I appreciate Kev for setting up the rules as he sees fit.
Well, if hearing Bruce do The Clansman makes one see the greatness of the track, then that's ok. I likely would've never had a song like Brave New World on a list like this, but the Death On The Road version made me realize what a great song it actually is.
That sort of thing is exactly what I mean, yes.
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We are up to 26 total lists, with the most recent 3 still subject to review (I still have to enter them and make sure they are valid lists, meaning no duplicates, etc.; I just entered a few as I am way behind in updating the spread sheet).
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Take your time Kev. Thank you for doing this!
Any truth to the rumor that you're not actually entering anything, and you'll be using my list exclusively for the countdown? ;D
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TNotB: 1
May not be a bigger shock in the whole countdown than this. I'd say the only thing that could top this is if that one song is Gangland.
All good though. Going to be a fascinating countdown.
I'll just say that if you were to look at the numbers I chose from each of the rest of the albums and try to guess which song I chose from TNotB, you would probably not be wrong.
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I’m betting that everyone here has at least one highly praised song (think: one of the half dozen or so that seem to get played at every show) that did not make their personal top 75.
I’m not quite finished yet, but I know of at least one often praised classic that I am doubtful will make my list.
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I’m betting that everyone here has at least one highly praised song (think: one of the half dozen or so that seem to get played at every show) that did not make their personal top 75.
I’m not quite finished yet, but I know of at least one often praised classic that I am doubtful will make my list.
There is definitely 1 that didn't make my list. Not even close. :corn
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Kev, the lists that were not used because of errors were the folks notified of it? I just want to make sure mine wasn’t tossed out. Thank you again for doing this as I’m sure it’s tons of work. :metal
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I’m betting that everyone here has at least one highly praised song (think: one of the half dozen or so that seem to get played at every show) that did not make their personal top 75.
I’m not quite finished yet, but I know of at least one often praised classic that I am doubtful will make my list.
*Laughs nervously* Yeah, I have one or two or...
I had another post about including only one song from TNotB that I wrote on Friday but never sent, so I'll just add this point now:
It's really not that I don't like that album. I think it's a fantastic album. But I think they have about 14 fantastic albums, and 75 is pretty selective. To get the 9 songs I adore from TFF, and the 7 from AMOLAD (and honestly, there's an 8th that I'm very sad I couldn't get in there), and the 7 from Seventh Son, etc., some albums have to have relatively few songs. And a lot of those decisions in the end come down to what aspect of their sound I like best, and I think I've made no secret of the fact that I most love their progressive, epic, serious side. That's a side that I think was present on the first three albums, but didn't really come to the fore on the scale of a full album until Piece of Mind. Hence the presence of only three songs from the first three albums combined on my list.
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Take your time Kev. Thank you for doing this!
Any truth to the rumor that you're not actually entering anything, and you'll be using my list exclusively for the countdown? ;D
Hmmm, I hadn't heard that rumor, but it sounds like fiction. :P
Kev, the lists that were not used because of errors were the folks notified of it? I just want to make sure mine wasn’t tossed out. Thank you again for doing this as I’m sure it’s tons of work. :metal
Yours made it. I have only had to discard one, and I hope that poster doesn't think I'm a dick for doing so, but I made it clear at a point that any list submitted that had duplicates (or did not follow the other small number of simple rules) would be discarded and that I was done giving the courtesy "please fix your list and send it back" PM. It is what it is.
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We are up to 26 total lists, with the most recent 3 still subject to review (I still have to enter them and make sure they are valid lists, meaning no duplicates, etc.; I just entered a few as I am way behind in updating the spread sheet).
So based on your last post, there are 25 lists that made the cut, correct? Can you tell us how many songs actually made it to every single list?
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No, 26 have made the cut.
With the countdown to begin in a few days (I assume jammindude will be the last to send a list, so I once get his, I can tally it up and work to start it), I will resist giving any more info about how many songs made every list and whatnot. :biggrin:
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I have a small request... is there a way we can not confirm when all an album's songs in the Top 75 have been revealed?
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Just for the sake of suspense? I agree, would be cool to keep guessing.
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Countdowns are always better when suspense is maintained. Hope it gets agreed.
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I finished a rough draft tonight. I’m going to work on tweaking it tomorrow. I can say that I’m pretty happy with my top 40 but everything after that is a complete mess. 41-120 is nothing short of a nightmare. Too much to cram into the last 35 slots. There was a lot of “how did THAT get in there?” and “how did THAT end up so far down?”
Obviously I have a bit of work to do.
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I have a small request... is there a way we can not confirm when all an album's songs in the Top 75 have been revealed?
Absolutely. Works for me!
It may ruin some of the fun for pg1067, who did a great job with his "the score so far" updates in the past countdowns, but I am sure he will adjust. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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In hindsight, I'm thinking back and... the number of songs from each album doesn't really reflect what I think of those albums. In my listen through, it's pretty clear I like the reunion era better than the original eras. I like the extended songs, I like the repetition (some of it) and I like the flow of the later work. And even when there's a shorter song, it sort of works as a counterpoint to the longer epics.
I had a conversation about "Killers" in the catalogue, and while I have I think seven songs from Killers in my list, it's really an anomaly in the catalogue, even in the classic period. It's really nothing like anything that came after; it's sort of the "Queen II" of the Maiden catalogue. I still love the songs, but I think when I think of Maiden, their real accomplishments come later, when they figured out how to string the sections together in a way that seemed seamless (as opposed to some of the earlier works, where you could almost picture the different sections pushed together).
I think on my list, an album like Somewhere In Time, or AMOLAD, aren't really fairly represented; they are not my least favorite Maiden albums by a long shot.
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What I found interesting is that I have said for a while now that Powerslave was my favorite, but recently Somewhere in Time had snuck up to being 1b. However, when looking at how much points each record got cumulatively on my list (every song from both albums made my top 75), Somewhere in Time was actually ahead of Powerslave by quite a bit, and that is even with Powerslave having two songs that, let's just say, rank extremely high for me.
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In hindsight, I'm thinking back and... the number of songs from each album doesn't really reflect what I think of those albums. In my listen through, it's pretty clear I like the reunion era better than the original eras. I like the extended songs, I like the repetition (some of it) and I like the flow of the later work. And even when there's a shorter song, it sort of works as a counterpoint to the longer epics.
I think "inclusion on the list" is a pretty low-info statistic. It tells you how many songs are in your top 75, but it doesn't tell you how high they are or where the album's other songs are. An album with three songs on the list, all in the top 30, and then five songs that would fall into the 75-90 would probably be an album the person likes more than one with five songs in the 45-75 range and the rest outside the top 100, but that wouldn't show up in the raw number of songs included on the list.
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What I found interesting is that I have said for a while now that Powerslave was my favorite, but recently Somewhere in Time had snuck up to being 1b. However, when looking at how much points each record got cumulatively on my list (every song from both albums made my top 75), Somewhere in Time was actually ahead of Powerslave by quite a bit, and that is even with Powerslave having two songs that, let's just say, rank extremely high for me.
I had a similar revelation some time ago with my own personal DT album rankings based on my feelings for each individual song and what percentage of the album they took up time wise. And I was surprised to discover I actually prefer DT's s/t album over ADToE. Now that I think about it, I could also extend that to who my favorite band is; up until 1998, I always said Rush was my favorite, but that year I realized I was listening to, thinking about and focused more on DT than Rush, which made me realize that DT surpassed Rush in my book.
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What I found interesting is that I have said for a while now that Powerslave was my favorite, but recently Somewhere in Time had snuck up to being 1b. However, when looking at how much points each record got cumulatively on my list (every song from both albums made my top 75), Somewhere in Time was actually ahead of Powerslave by quite a bit, and that is even with Powerslave having two songs that, let's just say, rank extremely high for me.
I had a similar revelation some time ago with my own personal DT album rankings based on my feelings for each individual song and what percentage of the album they took up time wise. And I was surprised to discover I actually prefer DT's s/t album over ADToE. Now that I think about it, I could also extend that to who my favorite band is; up until 1998, I always said Rush was my favorite, but that year I realized I was listening to, thinking about and focused more on DT than Rush, which made me realize that DT surpassed Rush in my book.
I get that, but I do think it is worth noting that having a cumulative higher ranked song list doesn't always mean I like the album better, as simply ranking the songs doesn't take into account things like cohesiveness or album flow. In the case of Dream Theater, I am pretty sure that I&W did a little better cumulatively than Scenes for me in the DT top 100, but I slightly prefer Scenes as a record. In the case of concept albums like that, there will always be songs that may not rank super high when isolated on their own, ala One Last Time or Through My Words, but are fantastic within the flow of the record and add a key element.
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I have a small request... is there a way we can not confirm when all an album's songs in the Top 75 have been revealed?
Absolutely. Works for me!
It may ruin some of the fun for pg1067, who did a great job with his "the score so far" updates in the past countdowns, but I am sure he will adjust. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Somehow I'll manage. :biggrin:
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What I found interesting is that I have said for a while now that Powerslave was my favorite, but recently Somewhere in Time had snuck up to being 1b. However, when looking at how much points each record got cumulatively on my list (every song from both albums made my top 75), Somewhere in Time was actually ahead of Powerslave by quite a bit, and that is even with Powerslave having two songs that, let's just say, rank extremely high for me.
I had a similar revelation some time ago with my own personal DT album rankings based on my feelings for each individual song and what percentage of the album they took up time wise. And I was surprised to discover I actually prefer DT's s/t album over ADToE. Now that I think about it, I could also extend that to who my favorite band is; up until 1998, I always said Rush was my favorite, but that year I realized I was listening to, thinking about and focused more on DT than Rush, which made me realize that DT surpassed Rush in my book.
I get that, but I do think it is worth noting that having a cumulative higher ranked song list doesn't always mean I like the album better, as simply ranking the songs doesn't take into account things like cohesiveness or album flow. In the case of Dream Theater, I am pretty sure that I&W did a little better cumulatively than Scenes for me in the DT top 100, but I slightly prefer Scenes as a record. In the case of concept albums like that, there will always be songs that may not rank super high when isolated on their own, ala One Last Time or Through My Words, but are fantastic within the flow of the record and add a key element.
No argument, and that's a great point. :tup
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List is finally finished and sent. More details later but my wife is getting annoyed with me because I put off my honey do stuff to do this.
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I hope your list is formatted properly, numbered and no repeats, because I'd hate for your wife to be mad at you and Kev rejects your list on top of it!
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I hope your list is formatted properly, numbered and no repeats, because I'd hate for your wife to be mad at you and Kev rejects your list on top of it!
That would be EPIC! :rollin
Just kidding my Jammindude! :)
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I saw her list; she has "The Angel And The Gambler" at number one. Are you sure that's not why she's mad?
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:rollin :rollin :rollin
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Okay, the submissions period is over!
I will try to enter the last list tonight and see if I can get the countdown started tomorrow. Get ready... :metal :metal
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After it’s over, maybe we can have a contest for “weirdest list”. I think I’d be in the running. :rollin :rollin
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After it’s over, maybe we can have a contest for “weirdest list”. I think I’d be in the running. :rollin :rollin
Gonna be a tight one between Stadler West and Stadler East.
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I might contend for "most controversial list," at least in some quarters, but I don't think mine is weird in that it's largely pretty predictable once you know my general preferences.
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My top 10 I feel is pretty controversial.
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My top 10 I feel is pretty controversial.
I don't think so. It's pretty solid. You have one real controversial pick at 6 and 10 might be a little stretch, but other than those, it stands up.
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Pretty sure my top 10 would raise some eyebrows. Especially my #1. :xbones
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Pretty sure my top 10 would raise some eyebrows. Especially my #1. :xbones
I can guess what album it's from.
.
.
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.
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.SiT
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Pretty sure my top 10 would raise some eyebrows. Especially my #1. :xbones
So your number 1 IS The Angel and the Gambler :lol
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After it’s over, maybe we can have a contest for “weirdest list”. I think I’d be in the running. :rollin :rollin
Gonna be a tight one between Stadler West and Stadler East.
:rollin
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Pretty sure my top 10 would raise some eyebrows. Especially my #1. :xbones
I can guess what album it's from.
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.SiT
Pretty sure my top 10 would raise some eyebrows. Especially my #1. :xbones
So your number 1 IS The Angel and the Gambler :lol
Both wrong! :metal :metal :metal
This is gonna be so much fun!!
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My top 10 I feel is pretty controversial.
I don't think so. It's pretty solid. You have one real controversial pick at 6 and 10 might be a little stretch, but other than those, it stands up.
Fair.
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178 songs total, and only six songs were left off every list. That's interesting.
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178 songs total
:omg:
This is going to be intense. Gonna have to go to the P/R forums to cool down! :lol
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178 songs total, and only six songs were left off every list. That's interesting.
Wow, that IS kinda crazy.
Can't wait for this to start :)
Thanks again, Kev!!
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So 103 songs were included on somebody's list but did not make the final list. Wow.
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So 103 songs were included on somebody's list but did not make the final list. Wow.
Yup. 75 of Kev's and 28 others. :lol
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I will post the first songs tomorrow morning.
Also, I want to give props to everyone who submitted a list and managed to follow the simple rules when doing so. :lol :P Thanks again for participating! :tup :tup
The top 75 will be based off of the lists from the 27 posters:
toro
Setlist Scotty
Dream Team
TAC
Zydar
devieira73
romdrums
Deadeye21
nick_z
Elite
Puppies_On_Acid
The Realm
wolfking
Cool Chris
nobloodyname
Glasser
Tomislav95
pg1067
DTA
Ben_Jamin
senecadawg2
Dave_Manchester
425
Stadler
Shalev Amir
jammindude
KevShmev
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That is truly amazing. Here’s my final album representation:
IM - 4
K - 6
NOTB - 5
POM - 6
PS - 7
SIT - 7
SSOASS - 2
NPFTD - 1
FOTD - 3
TXF - 5
VXI - 2
BNW - 2
DOTD - 1
AMOLAD - 7
TFF - 5
TBOS - 5
Sen - 6
B- Side - 1
Yes…I’m as shocked as you are that SIT is so well represented. But my bottom 20 were so interchangeable with the 20 that came after that it could have been VERY different.
I will stand by the list that I submitted wholeheartedly. SIT has aged extremely well. But if I had to do it again, I’d probably sacrifice a couple of lower end SIT tracks to give BNW more representation. I’d probably take a couple off TBOS and give them to BNW as well. But it is what it is now. Other than SIT and TBOS being over represented, and SSOASS and BNW being under represented…I’m happy with the rest.
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After it’s over, maybe we can have a contest for “weirdest list”. I think I’d be in the running. :rollin :rollin
I guess we have to define "weirdest" :biggrin:
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SIT has aged extremely well.
Not for me as an album. But I will say that Heaven Can Wait has aged very well, considering I never cared for it or understood why it stayed in their live sets for so long.
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With every little tidbit of information we get, whether from Kev's comments or from people posting their album breakdowns, I feel like I have less of an idea what to expect. There are probably 50 songs Kev could post tomorrow morning as #75 where I would not be surprised.
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Fun little spoiler in that regard: number 75 is a song where I thought, wait, which album is that from again? :lol :lol
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Fun little spoiler in that regard: number 75 is a song where I thought, wait, which album is that from again? :lol :lol
Two thoughts..
1. You're too new, or
2. B side!!!!!!
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SIT has aged extremely well.
Not for me as an album. But I will say that Heaven Can Wait has aged very well, considering I never cared for it or understood why it stayed in their live sets for so long.
(https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/001/007/WAT.jpg)
Everything in your post is wrong Timmy. :facepalm:
SiT rules except for HCW.
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I'll say this, every song from Iron Maiden, Piece Of Mind, and Powerslave made my list.
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I know we said that the final songs off of albums will not be labelled as such, but can we please identify the songs that were on all lists as they come up?
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Fun little spoiler in that regard: number 75 is a song where I thought, wait, which album is that from again? :lol :lol
That was me in the Rush countdown, I think I'll be ok for Maiden, really looking forward to the countdown.
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178 songs total, and only six songs were left off every list. That's interesting.
Wow! Just six songs in the entire catalogue that didn’t make it to anyone’s list. I’m sure you’ll reveal those aa well at the end, right? :biggrin:
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That is an utterly brilliant thing! Only six songs not making it into the top 75 of, what, 26 people? Wonder what the probability of that was? What an amazing testament to Maiden's consistency of output.
Fairly confident three of them would be:
Pass the Jam
More Tea Vicar
Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be
And I'd probably add these three, too:
Sheriff of Huddersfield (which I actually quite like but it certainly would not get anywhere remotely near even a top 150 for me!)
Black Bart Blues
Nodding Donkey Blues
Going to be fascinating to see if one of those six made someone's 75 :biggrin:
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That is an utterly brilliant thing! Only six songs not making it into the top 75 of, what, 26 people? Wonder what the probability of that was? What an amazing testament to Maiden's consistency of output.
Fairly confident three of them would be:
Pass the Jam
More Tea Vicar
Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be
And I'd probably add these three, too:
Sheriff of Huddersfield (which I actually quite like but it certainly would not get anywhere remotely near even a top 150 for me!)
Black Bart Blues
Nodding Donkey Blues
Going to be fascinating to see if one of those six made someone's 75 :biggrin:
If I was more familiar with it, maybe Sheriff of Huddersfield would've gotten close to making it. This song is hilarious :lol
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(https://c.tenor.com/PD4A2WhtUbcAAAAM/the-goon-dodgeball.gif)
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And away we go!!
75 Death of the Celts
Appeared on 11 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (jammindude)
This is one of the newer songs that is still a bit of a blur for me. I gave it a fresh listen last night when I saw that it made the list, and to be honest, I am still not sure what I think of it. A late top 10 ranking from jammindude got it into the top 75, just barely!
74 The Duellists
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Setlist Scotty)
I had this one at 41, but this is one that could have been 20 spots lower had you asked me a day later. It's from Powerslave, so you know it's good.
73 Can I Play with Madness
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Zydar)
This one was right near the bottom of my initial list, but once I tweaked it a bit, it fell out, so it just missed the cut for me. Good song, oddly catchy.
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Duellists is wonderful. Don't have my list handy to see where it ranked. That middle instrumental section is glorious.
The other two didn't rank. Celts is a worthy Clansman follow up and Madness is a fun tune. Nothing wrong with it at all, great chorus.
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Wondering if 'Death of the Celts' became popular recently in the Bay Area? ;)
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Yeah I really like CIPWM. It's a catchy, rocking, fun tune - and it's got Graham Chapman in the video :P
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And we're off! :metal :biggrin:
41 Death of the Celts - every time I tried to rank this lower, it climbed back up. It's a wonderful example of latter day Maiden. The only thing that lets it down is the abruptness of one of its transitions. As I said earlier in this thread, it literally sounds like they stopped recording for the day, picked up again after the weekend and some clown had slightly tweaked every setting on every amp (8m 4s). Or opened the curtains.
45 The Duellists - if you asked me off the cuff for my top 100 Maiden tunes, this track wouldn't make it. Then I'd go away, listen to it and realise that, for the umpteenth time, my memory was playing tricks on me and it's actually very worthy indeed of being my 45th best Iron Maiden track because it contains an absolutely prototypical and par excellence instrumental section. A section that feels far too long to be part of a six-minute song but which serves to make the tune that much better because of it.
62 Can I Play with Madness - a great example of a shorter Maiden track. Yes, the video is an eternal embarrassment but I'd have had to have discounted half their catalogue if I'd been taking videos into account.
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Yeah I really like CIPWM. It's a catchy, rocking, fun tune - and it's got Graham Chapman in the video :P
Didn't know that, I'll have to check it out. Big Python fan.
My rankings of the songs:
Death of the Celts: not ranked (suffers for me by being by far the weakest of the 3 consecutive closing 'epics').
The Duellists: not ranked.
Can I Play With Madness?: #54
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75 Death of the Celts
Appeared on 11 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (jammindude)
74 The Duellists
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Setlist Scotty)
73 Can I Play with Madness
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Zydar)
Good start.
Death of the Celts - unranked by me and never any serious consideration to make my top 75. A good song but one of the weaker tracks on Senjutsu.
The Duellists - also unranked by me but this is a great song with an awesome intrumental section. It is let down by the chorus which I just don't really like that much.
Can I Play With Madness - number 63 for me. A catchy rocker that I have always really enjoyed. I can still remember the day I first saw that video..
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Neither made my list :-[ all of them are more than fine though, Death and Madness were close
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None of them also didn't make my list...
Like many of us think, Dance of Celts reminds a lot The Clansman which I'm not a big fan, but I still think it's better than its predecessor.
Can I Play with Madness is just a very fun song, very commercial, but still really works as a Maiden song.
The Duellist is a good song with a cool instrumental section, but it's my least favorite from Powerslave, sounding a bit generic in the context of the album.
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75. Death of the Celts (42). I dig the twists and turns this one goes on.
74. The Duellists (not ranked). If I redid my list again, this might make it.
73. Can I Play With Madness (not ranked). This one just missed the cut.
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75. Death of the Celts - Me #6
I’m a little surprised at the lukewarm response to this one. It’s my second favorite from Senjutsu and an excellent example of the modern epics Maiden are known for in the reunion era. But maybe some of this is still “new car smell” because I while I had given it some passive spins and liked it, I didn’t really do a deep dive into Senjutsu until this last couple of weeks.
74. The Duelists - Me: Didn’t rank
The only song from Powerslave that didn’t make my list. Still a great song, just the least best from its album, and there’s too much greatness from Maiden to squeeze this one in.
73. Can I Play With Madness - Me: Did not rank
This is one that I’m disappointed in myself for not putting it on the list. As I said before, I actually like SS better than SIT as an album, but they do have a similar feel to them. And I feel like some lower end SIT tracks could have been swapped out for some SS tracks (like this one). But ya, in spite of the fact that it is a bit cheesy, it’s still catchy and fun.
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Duellists is wonderful. Don't have my list handy to see where it ranked. That middle instrumental section is glorious.
You had it at #63.
I’ll respond when I get home from work. This is already interesting.
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Does anyone else think of A Change Of Seasons when Death Of The Celts begins?
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Does anyone else think of A Change Of Seasons when Death Of The Celts begins?
No, but now that you said… yeah, a bit of that intro.
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Death of the Celts - 28 - I actually love this song, my second highest ranked from the Senjutsu album. The instrumental is really catchy and I think it provides a great sequel to The Clansman.
The Duellists - not ranked - Great song, but one of the two songs from Powerslave that didn’t make my ranking.
Can I Play With Madness? - 30 - second lowest of my Seventh Son rankings, but it’s just too catchy to sink below the halfway line!
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So...
Death of the Celts: #26 - I've been pretty clear I'm all in on Senjutsu, and this is one of the reasons why. I just love the way this song unfolds.
The Duellists: #93 - A victim of both numbers - too many good songs - and the songs around it on the record. It's not a BAD song, but there are better. I originally got the vinyl, and I spent far more of my time on Side B.
Can I Make A Sandwich: #130 - The song doesn't suck, I just think it sticks out like a sore thumb on an otherwise exemplary record. I was deep into prog at the time SSOASS came out and I was a little... bummed isn't the word, but I wish the story was more cohesive. SSOASS was far more "The Elder" than, say, "The Lamb..." or "Thick As A Brick". And CIPWM? seemed to be the biggest culprit of that. Plus, my friend used to always sing it as "Can I Make A Sandwich?" and that has stuck in my head for decades.
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:lol did you and your friends come up with any further lyrics beyond "can I make a sandwich?"
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"....the prophet stared at his casseroll".
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:lol did you and your friends come up with any further lyrics beyond "can I make a sandwich?"
HAHA, no. That's where it ended. :)
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We had a bit of an NSFW version when our cat got neutered. “Can I Play With Nadless?”
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"....the prophet stared at his casseroll".
Very nice!
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We had a bit of an NSFW version when our cat got neutered. “Can I Play With Nadless?”
...the cat keeps pawing at his phantom balls.
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We had a bit of an NSFW version when our cat got neutered. “Can I Play With Nadless?”
...the cat keeps pawing at his phantom balls.
Exactly, but “Buster” instead of t”he cat”.
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Death of the Celts - #57
Nice track
The Duellists - didn’t rank
Nice track, but didn’t make the cut
Can I Play With Madness - #22
This is too low!
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We’re off to a nice start though! :corn
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Death Of The Celts was somewhere between #75 and #80 great song just couldn't get in there.
The Duelist not ranked
Had Madness at #41, regardless its a little nonsense it worked and still works well the live version with all the harmonies I mean what's not too love? Way too low on this finals list IMO
Yes we are away bring it on and keep the comments coming also love reading everyone's thoughts and reasons on placings ;)
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Never expected to see this much support for CIPWM - it's easily the worst song on the album, and one of the worst songs of the 80s. ???
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That is an utterly brilliant thing! Only six songs not making it into the top 75 of, what, 26 people? Wonder what the probability of that was? What an amazing testament to Maiden's consistency of output.
Fairly confident three of them would be:
Pass the Jam
More Tea Vicar
Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be
And I'd probably add these three, too:
Sheriff of Huddersfield (which I actually quite like but it certainly would not get anywhere remotely near even a top 150 for me!)
Black Bart Blues
Nodding Donkey Blues
Going to be fascinating to see if one of those six made someone's 75 :biggrin:
I can personally guarantee you that one of them did. :biggrin:
75 Death of the Celts
Appeared on 11 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (jammindude)
...
74 The Duellists
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Setlist Scotty)
...
73 Can I Play with Madness
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Zydar)
...
I ended up with Celts at #54, but it'd probably have been lower if I'd paid more attention to the bottom third of the rankings. It's a song that just begs for some editing.
The Duellists came in at #27. It's much better than the other sword song on Powerslave and has a great amount of intensity all the way through.
Madness...ugh. It ended up at #70 for me, but it's really quite a dud. A very disappointing lead single from a very disappointing album.
:lol did you and your friends come up with any further lyrics beyond "can I make a sandwich?"
"Can I Play with Matches"
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#120 Death of the Celts - it's not bad at all, I really like a lot of the instrumental bridge, but it's far too long.
#68 The Duellists - weakest song on Powerslave and still slays. That prechorus is one of my favourite Maiden moments. I sometimes get lost between all the solos.
#65 Can I Play With Madness - while my liking for the album has gone down quite dramatically, CIPWM is the one song from that I like more now. I love Bruce's delivery of the lyrics. The chorus is maybe a little cheesy and we don't talk about that beginning, but it's still a lot of fun.
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I can personally guarantee you that one of them did. :biggrin:
:eek :lol
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And we are off!
Death of the Celts (not in my top 75)
This one did get ranked, just not in the top 75. It's actually a very good song, but it's probably my least favorite of the long ones on Senjutsu and ultimately didn't make it
The Duellists (not ranked)
As we discussed here before, this has some fantastic solo parts, with all sorts of cool harmonies, but the song itself...not among my favorites. It starts ok, but then I always thought the verse vocals reminded me too much of Where Eagles Dare and the chorus is just not very good.
Can I Play With Madness (#75)
This one just snuck in at the very end. I debated whether I should have in the top 75, and eventually it got in ;D There are certainly better songs (in the catalog and in the album) of course, but there is something about it...I always find it to be an enjoyable listen.
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"....the prophet stared at his casseroll".
:rollin
This is perfect!
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And away we go!!
75 Death of the Celts
Appeared on 11 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (jammindude)
74 The Duellists
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Setlist Scotty)
73 Can I Play with Madness
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Zydar)
I had Death Of The Celts at #106. I nominated 106 songs for the Top 75, and this one came in at #106. Like Dave M. said, it's definitely the weakest of the 3 epics on Senjutsu. If this was the closing epic though, I'd have been very disappointed. It's classic Maiden though and still a good song.
I had The Duellists at #30. I was expecting the high score for this one. I love this song, and it's all about the musical part. It is just amazing to lose yourself in. Without it, the song is just ok.
@ Nick, I never made the connection to Where Eagles Dare in the verses. You know what...you're right.
I had Can I Play With Madness as Not Rated. I will say that I just watched the Rock Am Ring 2014 show the other night, and it really has become a great live song.
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The Duellists (not ranked)
As we discussed here before, this has some fantastic solo parts, with all sorts of cool harmonies, but the song itself...not among my favorites. It starts ok, but then I always thought the verse vocals reminded me too much of Where Eagles Dare and the chorus is just not very good.
At least it's not
Oh, oh, they are duellists!
They are the duellists!
They are the DOOOOOlists!
Oh, oh, they are duellists!
They are the duellists!
They are the DOOOOOlists!
#68 The Duellists - weakest song on Powerslave and still slays. That prechorus is one of my favourite Maiden moments. I sometimes get lost between all the solos.
Where is there a prechorus in The Duellists?
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#68 The Duellists - weakest song on Powerslave and still slays. That prechorus is one of my favourite Maiden moments. I sometimes get lost between all the solos.
Where is there a prechorus in The Duellists?
Well, I wasn't sure if to call it a prechorus because I personally hear it as the final part of the verse.
He'll tear you apart, as soon as you start
You know you don't have a chance
I love the movement from the palm muted notes to the strumming, it's all so smooth!
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My wife would refer to The Duellists as The To Do List. :lol
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My wife would refer to The Duellists as The To Do List. :lol
:lol
Fight for the honour!
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My wife would refer to The Duellists as The To Do List. :lol
:lol
Fight for the honour!
I'd rather Fight For The Pleasure! :)
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My wife would refer to The Duellists as The To Do List. :lol
:lol
Fight for the honour!
I'd rather Fight For The Pleasure! :)
Pretty sure that's the whole point of The To Do Lists.
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The Duellists came in at 63 for me.
I can kind of see what Nick is saying about the verses in WED but it's a bit of a stretch for me.
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Death of the Celts did not rank
As I've said previously, they lost me with AMoLaD, so nothing from that album or anything since made the cut. But I'll keep tabs on what songs make the cut to see what to check out when I'm in the mood.
The Duellists - 14
As you can see, I ranked it the highest. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have ranked it so high if I hadn't given it a recent listen. Both this and Flash of the Blade are so much better than I remember, and so therefore ranked much higher than if I went just by memory. I have a feeling I'll be appearing as high ranking person for a bunch of other tunes that make the cut (especially from Killers, but let's see how things go...)
Can I Play with Madness - 24
Very much a fun track with a great hooky chorus. I still remember seeing the video for the first time and loving it. SSoaSS was the first album that came out after I became a fan (SiT was released just before I was first introduced to Maiden), so CIPWM will always have a special place in my heart for that reason alone (first new Maiden song to sink my teeth into).
Yeah I really like CIPWM. It's a catchy, rocking, fun tune - and it's got Graham Chapman in the video :P
I had no clue - gonna have to go back and watch that video now...
The Duellists - not ranked - Great song, but one of the two songs from Powerslave that didn’t make my ranking.
Back in the Village being the other?
I was deep into prog at the time SSOASS came out and I was a little... bummed isn't the word, but I wish the story was more cohesive.
So does the band or at least (IIRC) Bruce. I remember reading an interview with him and he said that when he (or maybe it was the whole band?) heard Operation: Mindcrime, he/they said that *that* was the right way to do a concept album and was put together way better than SSoaSS.
Never expected to see this much support for CIPWM - it's easily the worst song on the album, and one of the worst songs of the 80s. ???
Ummmm....The Evil That Men Do would like to have a word with you with lyrics that go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. :facepalm:
The Duellists (not ranked)
As we discussed here before, this has some fantastic solo parts, with all sorts of cool harmonies, but the song itself...not among my favorites. It starts ok, but then I always thought the verse vocals reminded me too much of Where Eagles Dare and the chorus is just not very good.
At least it's not
Oh, oh, they are duellists!
They are the duellists!
They are the DOOOOOlists!
Oh, oh, they are duellists!
They are the duellists!
They are the DOOOOOlists!
:rollin
True!!
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Death of the Celts did not rank
As I've said previously, they lost me with AMoLaD, so nothing from that album or anything since made the cut. But I'll keep tabs on what songs make the cut to see what to check out when I'm in the mood.
Wow. Such a missed opportunity. So many great songs. If you like The Duellists, try The Red And The Black from The Book Of Souls. It also has a long amazing instrumental part surrounded by an ok song.
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I ranked every song from Powerslave. I absolutely love every second of every song.
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Speaking of Powerslave, it's weird that in a few cases, I ranked more songs from albums I like less and less songs from albums I like more.
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Speaking of Powerslave, it's weird that in a few cases, I ranked more songs from albums I like less and less songs from albums I like more.
I'd probably relate to that. Sometimes the whole package just elevates the ranking of an album.
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Alright, excited to get going with this! I mentioned that I could imagine about 50 songs ending up in these spots that wouldn't surprise me, and these three are definitely part of that 50, so no surprises for me so far.
75. Death of the Celts
My ranking: #48
Glad to see this one made it, although somewhat lower than I put it. And it's awesome to see some high ratings from Deadeye and Stadler, plus a really high rating from jammindude! This song could end up in the 20s for me, too. I tried to be a little conservative in my placements of the Senjutsu songs. Not to put them below songs I thought they were clearly better than, but when there was a tough decision, to err a little bit on the lower side. I love the album and I have every reason to believe that it's going to remain in my top 5 for good, but it's less than a year old, so some caution is warranted.
This is one of those reunion Maiden songs where there's a long instrumental section that's really well put-together and you can just get lost in the music. Love it. The vocal parts are solid, too. A little repetitive, melodically, but that's something 'Arry was clearly going for, and it largely works. The best vocal parts are the opening quiet part and the initial heavy lines. I don't really know what "The burden of blood, the breaketh of bone" means, but it's one of those lines that sounds good when it's sung.
74. The Duelists
My ranking: Unranked (well outside top 100)
I am among those who think that the middle section of Powerslave really drags the rest of the album down, and this is one of the worst offenders. I don't think this is a bad song. But I think it's just okay, which translates to a low ranking when you look at Maiden's discography.
I can hear what TAC and others like about the instrumental side of this song. I don't think there's anything wrong on that side of things, and there's some really interesting stuff in the middle section. But I think the vocal melodies are all rather poor. I can hear the WED comparison on the verses if I really squint, but... WED is way better! These verses feel a bit awkwardly crammed in. And the chorus is uninteresting.
Interestingly, I don't think it helps that this is the second song in a row about swordfighting. I know that when guys are kicking around ideas in the studio, sometimes two lyricists get inspired by the same idea. It can be interesting to compare the results (A View from the Top of the World/Awaken the Master, anyone?). But in this case, it makes it harder for me to distinguish a song I already don't find that interesting, and makes me naturally compare it unfavorably to Flash of Blade, which is already far from my favorite.
73. Can I Play With Madness
My ranking: Unranked (85-100 range)
Since I've already said I included seven songs from Seventh Son on my list, you now know a total of eight of my entries!
I like this song. It's fun, it actually fits in surprisingly well on the album, and it works really well live. It's one of these songs that just isn't as good as a lot of others.
I particularly enjoy Bruce's really emphatic acting on the verses, which is actually one of the great things about this whole album. Really fun to sing along to those verses. And while I get why some would find the choruses a little cheesy, I like the approach and find it fun to sing those, too. I don't think it's unworthy of this list or of Seventh Son, even though it didn't make my entry and finishes last on my ranking of the album.
My list so far:
48. Death of the Celts
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The Duellists - 14
As you can see, I ranked it the highest. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have ranked it so high if I hadn't given it a recent listen. Both this and Flash of the Blade are so much better than I remember, and so therefore ranked much higher than if I went just by memory. I have a feeling I'll be appearing as high ranking person for a bunch of other tunes that make the cut (especially from Killers, but let's see how things go...)
Judging by how many lists I saw submitted that had zero songs from Killers, I am not sure many/if any will make the cut but if so I could be a chance to rival you for highest ranking.
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So, I was just listening to Death of the Celts, because why not...
More than just because it has an overall Clansman vibe, this songs feels to me it's one of the most "Blaze-era-like" of the whole reunion catalog. The section that starts around 8:20, in particular. I could totally see/hear Blaze sing the reprise of "Dying, a warrior celt has no fear"...
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I agree with that. It feels like a more mature revisiting of the Virtual XI approach. And I could definitely hear Blaze on it.
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Sure, no issue with that.
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75 Death of the Celts
Appeared on 11 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (jammindude)
This is one of the newer songs that is still a bit of a blur for me. I gave it a fresh listen last night when I saw that it made the list, and to be honest, I am still not sure what I think of it. A late top 10 ranking from jammindude got it into the top 75, just barely!
74 The Duellists
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Setlist Scotty)
I had this one at 41, but this is one that could have been 20 spots lower had you asked me a day later. It's from Powerslave, so you know it's good.
73 Can I Play with Madness
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Zydar)
This one was right near the bottom of my initial list, but once I tweaked it a bit, it fell out, so it just missed the cut for me. Good song, oddly catchy.
Death of the Celts - This ended up at #114 for me. It's not a bad song, but as many other have stated, among the epics on Senjutsu, this one doesn't quite stack up. I do hear the Blaze-era-ish sound to it, which is probably what drags it down a bit for me.
The Duellists - I'm a little surprised I didn't rank highest on this one. I had it at #17. I love this song. I really don't see what is wrong with either the verses or chorus. And that instrumental break is fantastic.
Can I Play With Madness - This one was at #35 for me. Just a catchy and fun song. Are there better songs on the album? Sure, but this one is definitely not a dud.
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The Duellists - I'm a little surprised I didn't rank highest on this one. I had it at #17. I love this song. I really don't see what is wrong with either the verses or chorus. And that instrumental break is fantastic.
I feel like anyone who put The Duellists on their list figured they'd be the highest ranker as did I at #30. :lol
I've always felt that this was such an underrated gem. I'm glad people have ranked it and that it made the list.
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I had the Duelists at 72, so pretty spot on with the crowd. Didn't rank Death of the Celts, and I had Can I Play with Madness all the way up at 21.
I initially didn't think The Duelists would make the cut; I guess I've just always overlooked it a bit, mainly because of the strength of the songs around it.
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So even though there are no Blaze songs so far, the discussion turned to him anyway. :lol Maybe we can talk about Bruce if a Bayley song makes the cut.
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So even though there are no Blaze songs so far, the discussion turned to him anyway. :lol Maybe we can talk about Bruce if a Bayley song makes the cut.
Senjutsu is strongly reminiscent of X Factor, Death of the Celts is a sequel to Clansman. Easy how Blaze would come up.
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So even though there are no Blaze songs so far, the discussion turned to him anyway. :lol Maybe we can talk about Bruce if a Bayley song makes the cut.
Could be a good chance we never talk about Bruce then... ;D
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So even though there are no Blaze songs so far, the discussion turned to him anyway. :lol Maybe we can talk about Bruce if a Bayley song makes the cut.
Could be a good chance we never talk about Bruce then... ;D
:lol
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I agree with that. It feels like a more mature revisiting of the Virtual XI approach. And I could definitely hear Blaze on it.
The real question is, why would anyone want to hear Blaze on them?
I mean, seriously? I went back and listened to a few of the songs from his two albums that got the most love in this exercise and they were painful to get through because of how bad his vocals are. Going from Bruce to him might be the biggest drop-off in rock or metal history when it comes to changing singers.
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Serious answer? Because some of us have a different opinion than you do.
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I agree with that. It feels like a more mature revisiting of the Virtual XI approach. And I could definitely hear Blaze on it.
The real question is, why would anyone want to hear Blaze on them?
I mean, seriously? I went back and listened to a few of the songs from his two albums that got the most love in this exercise and they were painful to get through because of how bad his vocals are. Going from Bruce to him might be the biggest drop-off in rock or metal history when it comes to changing singers.
While I 100% agree with this, Blaze does have his fans which I very much respect (while not agreeing with). I'm actually happy that Blaze has some really genuine support and I am also genuinely sorry that I am not one of his supporters. I have tried many, many times over the years but his vocals do not work for me in Maiden.
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I agree with that. It feels like a more mature revisiting of the Virtual XI approach. And I could definitely hear Blaze on it.
The real question is, why would anyone want to hear Blaze on them?
I mean, seriously? I went back and listened to a few of the songs from his two albums that got the most love in this exercise and they were painful to get through because of how bad his vocals are. Going from Bruce to him might be the biggest drop-off in rock or metal history when it comes to changing singers.
So far in listening closely to the Blaze albums I notice their are some songs he sounds fine on and then some songs are absolutely horrendous. Not connecting with the huge inconsistency. I shouldn't have to try this hard to like something. :|
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Blaze doesn’t have a bad voice. Just not the voice you want from Maiden. However, I’ve come to really respect X Factor and Virtual XI. I think Blaze doing Lord of the Flies and Man on the Edge is way better than Bruce’s live versions. That said, Clansman and Sign of the Cross are way better with Bruce.
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
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I really like his voice, but I fully acknowledge that others don't. I can understand why and I have no problem with that. What does annoy me is when people more or less act like the pro-Blaze opinion is invalid, like there's no reason why anyone could possibly like him.
Honestly, really the same issue as when people say stuff like "Dream Theater is talented, but I don't know how anyone listens to them when the singer is so terrible!"
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Love it, first 3 songs, all Bruce tunes.....turns into a Blaze discussion. :lol
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You could have set your watch to it. :lol :lol
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For those who want to minimize Blaze discussion, I think this most recent round has made clear the best way to achieve that. The initial discussion, mainly among people who like Blaze, was like four posts long and featured such innocuous comments as "I could imagine Blaze singing this." The subsequent 15 much more contentious posts about Blaze occurred only because people who don't like Blaze started complaining that people dared to mention his name.
So the clear takeaway should be that if you want to minimize how much he is talked about, just ignore his fans' occasional mentions of him rather than jumping down their throats.
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Not jumping down anyone's throat, and I never complained about him being discussed, but I think it's only fair that if some want to talk about how much they like him, then those who do not can say how much they do not, no? Or is criticizing him off limits? Can we look forward to a song from the debut being featured and inevitable "OMG, this is like the precursor to a song they did with Blaze that finished as the 148th best song on this countdown!"-type posts? :P :P
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I don't think criticizing him is off limits, but I don't think it makes much sense to criticize him in the harshest terms possible anytime anyone makes the mildest, most inoffensive reference to him, and then turn around and say "why do we keep talking about him?" Obviously when you make strongly worded comments that some people disagree with, those people are going to... express their disagreement.
People are going to share their thoughts and observations about the songs listed in the countdown. Many of those thoughts won't be interesting to everybody. When I see one thought among the great many that are posted that doesn't interest me, I find it best to ignore it instead of basically confronting the person and saying something like "why would you even post this?" Especially because if I confront them in that manner, that's likely to create a prolonged discussion about the topic that doesn't interest me, which is the opposite of what I want.
Also, I don't plan on making comments like the one you suggest about a song on the debut, but that type of comment would be much more interesting than the 1,389th rendition of "Blaze sucks" because that comment might lead me to learn something new.
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
I'm with you there. I don't like his voice, I don't think it's good and I don't understand how Iron Maiden picked him to replace Bruce... I've said before that I think his vocals lack interest in what he is singing and/or passion. Then everyone disagreed with me :lol
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For those who want to minimize Blaze discussion, I think this most recent round has made clear the best way to achieve that. The initial discussion, mainly among people who like Blaze, was like four posts long and featured such innocuous comments as "I could imagine Blaze singing this." The subsequent 15 much more contentious posts about Blaze occurred only because people who don't like Blaze started complaining that people dared to mention his name.
So the clear takeaway should be that if you want to minimize how much he is talked about, just ignore his fans' occasional mentions of him rather than jumping down their throats.
Regardless of my comment, I love and am very pro Blaze. It was a mere humorous observation. Nothing more than that.
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I hear you, and I'm not referring to you.
I don't mean to be contentious, and I apologize to Kev if my post comes off as excessively confrontational. It's not my intention to say you shouldn't be able to express your own thoughts in your own terms or anything like that.
I just get annoyed with this cycle where I feel like people are treating me and other Blaze fans like a terrible annoyance for talking about subjects that I think makes perfect sense to talk about (in this case, the similarity of a song to other songs on a previous album).
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Honestly, really the same issue as when people say stuff like "Dream Theater is talented, but I don't know how anyone listens to them when the singer is so terrible!"
This is pretty much exactly right.
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I guess I can't talk, right of the bat I called Celts, The Clansman 2.0. :lol
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My mind plays tricks on me when I listen to Death of the Celts and tells me "that's Blaze singing".
Honestly, really the same issue as when people say stuff like "Dream Theater is talented, but I don't know how anyone listens to them when the singer is so terrible!"
This is pretty much exactly right.
I think that unlike DT with LaBrie, Blaze in IM just doesn't really fit stylistically. You can't say he just sucks though. His solo albums, which are heavier and more riff based than TXF and VXI, really empower his voice, even if he still isn't "technically good".
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I don't think criticizing him is off limits, but I don't think it makes much sense to criticize him in the harshest terms possible anytime anyone makes the mildest, most inoffensive reference to him, and then turn around and say "why do we keep talking about him?" Obviously when you make strongly worded comments that some people disagree with, those people are going to... express their disagreement.
I... I think I :heart you. Almost as much as I :heart Blaze (for far more than just his brief stint in Maiden), in fact.
So, anyway, come on... where are the next two or three? :corn :biggrin:
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I don't think of Blaze as an objectively great, or even particularly good, vocalist, so I get the critique. It just so happens that I often like his performances anyway. A bit like Bob Dylan, maybe, whose weird voice I've come to adore.
TXF and VXI might have some duds, but even those are not all down to Blaze, for me. And I'm sure other fans of those two albums would disagree with me about which are the duds.
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425, no need to apologize, it's all good. :tup :tup
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Next three are locked and loaded...and fire!
72 Rainmaker
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (wolfking)
I had this at 63, so not far off its landing spot. Good song, one that works well with the short running time.
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Cool Chris)
This is one that could have been a bit higher had I done my list a different day, but I ultimately had it at 53. I am a big fan of A Matter of Life and Death, so you can't go wrong with anything from that record.
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (Shalev Amir)
This could be one that eventually grabs me, but for now it feels like an overly repetitive song thanks to the name of the song seemingly appearing 205 times in it.
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Yes, the overall repetitiveness of BNW has REALLY dropped it in my rankings over the years. OOTSP is one of the chief offenders.
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72 Rainmaker
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (wolfking)
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Cool Chris)
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (Shalev Amir)
Wow! Three songs that I ranked today (and none a Blaze song.. ;D)
Rainmaker - ranked 70 for me so pretty much with the consensus. Always really liked this song, was struggling to get it in my top 75 at one stage but it made it in the end. Really upbeat, great guitar and vocal melodies.
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - ranked 52 for me. A bit like Kev, I love this album so can't really go wrong with any song from it. This one just has a monster verse riff that is kind of a bit unMaiden like but it works.
Out of the Silent Planet - ranked 74 for me, I just got this one in there and like Rainmaker was a late arrival into my top 75 but thought it had to be there. Absolutely loved the Brave New World album upon release but it hasn't aged that well, or isn't really a go to album for me these days but when I listened to it recently I forgot how good some of the tracks are so this one made the cut. Lots of repetitive stuff but still a great track.
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I had Rainmaker at #31
Fun little rocker!
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg at #66
This song is a werid one as it has some awesome stuff and then some parts of it that don't really interest me. I also feel the lyrics are a little bit unlike other Iron Maiden stuff, but that may be me. Probably got as high as it did because AMOLAD was the first 'new' Maiden album I ever bought and I liked it and still do.
and Out of the Silent Planet at #17
... and I kind of expected that I would be alone in ranking it pretty high, but I'm glad to see it actually got a top 10 finish! To me this song sounds the most 'Power Metal' the band has ever done. I like it a lot.
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Love it, first 3 songs, all Bruce tunes.....turns into a Blaze discussion. :lol
:rollin :rollin :rollin
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I had none of these in my Top 75. But hey, I'm the guy who also loves CIPWM :P
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Can I Glaze Your Panties?
(I didn't make that one up)
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:zydarscouch:
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72 Rainmaker
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (wolfking)
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Cool Chris)
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (Shalev Amir)
I had Rainmaker at #90. I actually love the song, but it just couldn't crack the Top 75. One of the nicer short tracks of the Reunion Era.
I had The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg as Not Rated. It wasn't one of the 106 nominated tracks. It's a cool enough song and I don't not like it. The intro is really freaking awesome.
I had Out Of The Silent Planet as Not Rated. The best thing about this song is the solo section, especially when it shows down a bit. Really cool. I like the verses. The repeating choruses never really bothered me, but the vocals in the chorus feel really processed. It's the one thing about the song that I don't like.
Of the 6 songs so far in the countdown, I only have 1 listed. :lol
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Rainmaker (#29)
LOVE this one. It's one of the first songs from Dance of Death that struck me, and it felt like Maiden nailing a classic short, melodic and punchy tune again. Really like the chorus and the guitars under it, and the harmonized guitar part around 2:25 is Maiden through and through.
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (not in my top 75)
Had this ranked in the nineties...It's a pretty cool song, and I liked that it was different for a single. Just didn't quite make it up there
Out of the Silent Planet (#52)
I might have ranked it a tad too high, but this is very good. Cool intro and I really like the vocal lines on this one. Sure, the repetition is a bit much, but it was great to hear some gallop :)
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Rainmaker (-) - Nothing great, but stil it's a cool, melodic and short song. I tend to like a lot Murray's songs.
The Reincarnation... (-) - It could be a Top 75 for me, but I think this one is truly an example of "boring intros" from modern Maiden (just to be clear, I don't think that ALL slow intros from this era are boring). Murray's again, right?
Out of the Silent Planet (#60) - Such a great catchy tune, with amazing verses and a great simple and very melodic solo by Janick. It really does have a repetitive chorus, but I still love it.
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72. Rainmaker (not ranked). This one just missed my list. A cool, straight ahead rocker.
71. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (48). That riff when the whole band comes in is tasty, and I love how the whole band is just 100% locked in. A bit of Stranger in a Strange Land vibes in there.
70. Out of the Silent Planet (not ranked). I think it was close, but the repetitive nature of this song kinda drags it down.
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Next three are locked and loaded...and fire!
72 Rainmaker
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Rainmaker is actually the only one of these that appeared in my list, making it’s way to number 41. Great fast rocker for Dance of Death and an absolute killer live!
Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg is by far my least favourite song in one of my favourite albums. This thing is overlong and doesn’t really go anywhere IMO. I do love the intro though.
Out of the Silent Planet was almost in my list, but through only making it in at 96 first time around, the math actually lowered it down to about 83rd overall. Shame too. This is a song that I actually prefer the album version of, since the single version kicking into the duggaduggada pattern immediately kills a beautiful intro for me. Soloing on this one is mega awesome, and I actual live the fast repeated title vocal pattern.
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Speaking of Powerslave, it's weird that in a few cases, I ranked more songs from albums I like less and less songs from albums I like more.
I'd probably relate to that. Sometimes the whole package just elevates the ranking of an album.
That's what I was going for in a previous post. I think I only ranked two songs from SiT, but that's one of the more complete albums in the catalogue. There's really not a skippable song on that disk, even TLOTLDR.
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Next three are locked and loaded...and fire!
72 Rainmaker
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (wolfking)
I had this at 63, so not far off its landing spot. Good song, one that works well with the short running time.
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Cool Chris)
This is one that could have been a bit higher had I done my list a different day, but I ultimately had it at 53. I am a big fan of A Matter of Life and Death, so you can't go wrong with anything from that record.
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (Shalev Amir)
This could be one that eventually grabs me, but for now it feels like an overly repetitive song thanks to the name of the song seemingly appearing 205 times in it.
Rainmaker: #114 - I LOVE Dance of Death, and there are just so many great tunes on that record that this one gets lost in the shuffle. One of those songs that I can't see higher, but then again, I can't understand why it's so low! The Maiden Paradox. :)
TROBB: #145 - Yeah, this one doesn't do it for me. AMOLAD was a slow burner for me, though I'm finally coming to appreciate how good it really is, but this (and "Different World", which I think is insipid) are not part of that. I still don't quite get why it was the single (except that there aren't really any great singles on that record).
OOTSP: #76 - A very good song that was just defeated by numbers. Any of the songs from say, 60 to 80 could be interchanged and I wouldn't complain. I like this song and I will say that BNW is one of those records that under current listening is WAY better than I remember it being. This song is one of the reasons why.
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TROBB: #145 - Yeah, this one doesn't do it for me. I still don't quite get why it was the single (except that there aren't really any great singles on that record).
Oh I totally agree. Different World is basically the only single length song, and then every thing else is a bit long. Still, Pilgrim and Out of the Shadows maybe could’ve worked, even though they don’t usually release a ballad as a single (except for Wasting Love for no good reason).
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Reincarnation came in at 75 for me. While I like it, it's definitely one of the less memorable songs on that album. On the other hand, I think Rainmaker and Out of the Silent Planet are somewhat underrated, 48 and 49 on my list respectively. I wouldn't describe either of them as greats, but they each work really well for me. In fact, now that I think about it more, I kind of wish I would've ranked Rainmaker higher.
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Had Rainmaker at #59 and honestly until I checked back over my numbers I thought I had it way higher as love the tune. Remember finding Wildest Dreams lacklustre and thought Rainmaker the much better rocker.
Benjamin didn't make my list but dig it a ton.
At #69 Silent Planet also surprised me that far down my list because I think it's epic and was one of my favorites when BNW was released and listening again now think I screwed up having it so low ugh. And is it any more repetitive than other later-period era Maiden because I certainly don't notice it great great song!
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TROBB: #145 - Yeah, this one doesn't do it for me. I still don't quite get why it was the single (except that there aren't really any great singles on that record).
Oh I totally agree. Different World is basically the only single length song, and then every thing else is a bit long. Still, Pilgrim and Out of the Shadows maybe could’ve worked, even though they don’t usually release a ballad as a single (except for Wasting Love for no good reason).
100% agree on The Pilgrim. It's a fantastic song, and one that could have worked great as a single...
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72. Rainmaker - Me : did not rank.
In my revisiting the reunion era, the entire DOD album did almost nothing for me outside 3-4 songs. Sorry folks, but to my ears this one is just kinda meh.
71. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - Me #31
Just a wonderfully gritty song. Hearing this single (and subsequently this album) was what got me back into Iron Maiden after being mostly disappointed with the previous 3 albums.
70. Out of the Silent Plant - Me: Did not rank
A pretty good song that gets stuck in my head sometimes…but the repetition really wears thin.
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Yeah I really like CIPWM. It's a catchy, rocking, fun tune - and it's got Graham Chapman in the video :P
I had no clue - gonna have to go back and watch that video now...
I had no clue who Graham Chapman was until I googled him this morning.
I was deep into prog at the time SSOASS came out and I was a little... bummed isn't the word, but I wish the story was more cohesive.
So does the band or at least (IIRC) Bruce. I remember reading an interview with him and he said that when he (or maybe it was the whole band?) heard Operation: Mindcrime, he/they said that *that* was the right way to do a concept album and was put together way better than SSoaSS.
I didn't realize there was a concept to SSOASS until YEARS after it was released. Since I don't think it's a particularly good album (outside of Moonchild and the title track), I've never bothered to delve too deeply into the concept, but my sense is that it's more of a loose, thematic concept (in the way that Neil Peart sometimes had an underlying theme for some Rush albums), as opposed to a story concept like 2112 or O:M.
As for today's songs, the only one I ranked is Breeg (at 64). It doesn't sound too much like a Maiden song, but but it's got a nice groove. I wish it had some tempo changes, though.
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Yeah I really like CIPWM. It's a catchy, rocking, fun tune - and it's got Graham Chapman in the video :P
I had no clue - gonna have to go back and watch that video now...
I had no clue who Graham Chapman was until I googled him this morning.
You're playing my side of the street. :lol
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#92 Rainmaker - it's a fun little rocker, but I'm not too keen on it personally.
#5 Out of the Silent Planet - so yeah, I ranked this song very high. I love it to bits. It slowly ramps up until it reaches the energetic chorus, and the solos are effective in carrying the momentum to the last chorus. I love the lyrics and the layered vocals, which I feel fit the lyrics. You could maybe cut the last two repetitions, I feel that two times is enough once the drums slow down. But that doesn't hinder it from being one of the most epic and exciting compositions they made!
#15 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - another song I really love! It's kind of opposite to OOTSP. It's driven by a steady riff and standard backbeat it and doesn't flinch, for sure one of the heaviest songs in their discography. So I disagree with you Setlist Scotty, I think a tempo change would hurt this one, the midtempo pace is what makes it feels so unstoppable. I was also always a big fan of the solo and its placement here.
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I didn't realize there was a concept to SSOASS until YEARS after it was released. Since I don't think it's a particularly good album (outside of Moonchild and the title track), I've never bothered to delve too deeply into the concept, but my sense is that it's more of a loose, thematic concept (in the way that Neil Peart sometimes had an underlying theme for some Rush albums), as opposed to a story concept like 2112 or O:M.
See, to me, DoD and AMOLAD are more in line with the "thematic" angle. SSOASS is sort of in no man's land. There's more there than just a general theme, but not enough there to be a concise narrative like Misplaced Childhood. That's why I rated it "The Elder", because that's the problem with that record as well. They dipped their toe in the concept record waters, but didn't dive right in.
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30 Rainmaker - excellent rocker with a unique feel. Main motif is so simple and so wonderful.
43 Out of the Silent Planet - look, Brave New World is my kryptonite. I think it's because it came along at such a strange time in my life. So many memories attached to it. This for me is one of the 'weaker' tracks on the album and yet it still manages to make 43. Others have mentioned the repetition but I never notice it. Love the riffing.
147 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - for years, I considered A Matter of Life and Death to be the weakest reunion album and by quite some distance. This track is entirely emblematic of that. Plodding and ponderous.
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for years, I considered A Matter of Life and Death to be the weakest reunion album and by quite some distance. Plodding and ponderous.
Wow!
That echoes what Scotty said as well..
As I've said previously, they lost me with AMoLaD, so nothing from that album or anything since made the cut.
I will admit, AMOLAD took me a number of listens to break it all down. There was just so much to take in. I thought it was considered the representative Reunion Era album. We're two updates in and it's been slagged twice. :lol
This thread will be full of surprises!
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I thought it was considered the representative Reunion Era album. We're two updates in and it's been slagged twice. :lol
This thread will be full of surprises!
Oh, I certainly think many, if not the majority, see it that way. For the longest time, I simply could not understand it. If you look at how often I've listened to it on last.fm, it exceeds every other album! That's how much I listened over the years to try to hear what everyone else was hearing. In the last couple of years, I've come to appreciate it more and I no longer consider it their reunion nadir. No, that accolade belongs to The Book of Souls :biggrin:
And yes, I do hope it'll be full of surprises because I think that makes it all the more entertaining while also providing interesting insights into fellow forumers :metal
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
:lol I wonder who was Maidens second choice after Blaze? Danzig? :lol
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
:lol I wonder who was Maidens second choice after Blaze? Danzig? :lol
Supposedly it was Doogie White, who ended up joining the '95 version of Rainbow after Maiden chose Blaze.
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I seem to remember that there was another one in the running that was briefly considered, but not chosen because he was American and Steve wanted IM to remain a fully British band.
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I seem to remember that there was another one in the running that was briefly considered, but not chosen because he was American and Steve wanted IM to remain a fully British band.
I don't know who that was. And yes, Steve wanted a British singer.
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But not a good singer.
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But not a good singer.
Knock it off.
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
:lol I wonder who was Maidens second choice after Blaze? Danzig? :lol
Supposedly it was Doogie White, who ended up joining the '95 version of Rainbow after Maiden chose Blaze.
I heard about the American too, but I can't recall who it was (he/she may not have been named). I just listened to the "Stranger In Us All" record the other night. Better than I remember, still not as good as I had hoped it would be.
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I believe the American was Mike Lee from Barren Cross. He wasn't a finalist as Steve mentions that Blaze and Doogie each recorded songs and the band decided from there.
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Since it came up in a couple of relatively recent interviews, I know JL was given some consideration, and I recall that Angra's original vocalist, Andre Matos, was also given some thought, but yeah, 'Arry wanted a British vocalist. That worked out perfectly! ::)
As for my thoughts on the next batch of tracks...
Rainmaker - 48
One of the better shorter tracks from the reunion era (that I'm familiar with) that doesn't overstay its welcome. One of the better tracks on DoD, IMO.
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - didn't rank
Out of the Silent Planet - 40
Good mid-paced song and unique enough to hold my attention. Maybe a bit repetitious, but one of those situations where it's not annoying (at least to me). In hindsight, I probably like Rainmaker more, but that's the way they ended up on my list. :P
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But not a good singer.
Knock it off.
Knock what off? ???
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Since it came up in a couple of relatively recent interviews, I know JL was given some consideration, and I recall that Angra's original vocalist, Andre Matos, was also given some thought, but yeah, 'Arry wanted a British vocalist. That worked out perfectly! ::)
I can't remember what James said, but I feel like that was some fishing by someone in the Maiden (management) camp. Personally, I don't think Steve would've ever considered James.
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Kev updates the thread this morning, and then BAM! More Blaze talk. :lol
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Kev updates the thread this morning, and then BAM! More Blaze talk. :lol
Exactly. I am ready for this countdown and thread to be over already. The others were all a lot more fun than this one has been.
AND, NO, I AM NOT TRYING TO STOP ANYONE FROM TALKING ABOUT WHATEVER THEY WANT.
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I'm guessing Steve though he needed to liven things up with guys named Blaze and Doogie.
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Sorry Kev, but this is by far the funnest countdown I’ve ever participated in! :rollin
Everyone just needs to
(https://i.imgur.com/O369KkD.jpg)
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It is the best countdown so far!
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My rankings of the latest 3 songs:
Rainmaker: #41. Cool little melodic track and something that became very rare (I mean that kind of brevity) during the reunion era.
Out of the Silent Planet: not ranked.
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg: not ranked. It's decent - the whole album is extremely consistent - but that album's songs are a tad samey for me so in drawing up my list I went with the tracks that most distinguish themselves from the pack.
My list so far in descending order:
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#41: Rainmaker
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
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I recall Andre Matos being in the mix too? Or maybe that was all speculation, or I just made it up.
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Rainmaker - 19 - As you saw, I ranked this at 19, I just love it and have loved it from the get go. I have always really liked Dave's compositions, especially the shorter ones like this and this is one in the key of D he loves so much which is nice and unique for Maiden. The atmopshere of the tune is top notch and the melodies are incredible, not to mention a ripping solo.
TROBB - Not ranked - Actually came in at 83 for me, so still a great tune. Nice driving riff and I really like the chorus melody. I always found this an interesting lead single for the album. It came across well live too from vids I saw.
OOTSP - 68 - Great tune, very underrated. The melodies in this whole thing are just lush and excellent. Classic Maiden gallop and the usual E-C-G-D chord progression that has never failed Maiden. A bit straightforward for a Gers written tune but a great song.
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Wakes up, sees the new thread title.......
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/ad68e2b8422b727267df883014d04da1/tenor.gif)
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I am fully innocent in the latest iteration of this! :angel: Let's change the subject and talk about Dennis Stratton instead.
Or, we could talk about these three awesome songs. Seriously, I hope we find a way to get past the contentiousness we've been feeling over our disagreements to focus more on celebrating the fantastic music we're here to discuss. :)
72. Rainmaker
My ranking: Unranked (86-100 range)
This is one of the songs that it hurts not to have on my list, because it's a really good song that I enjoy every time. What keeps it from being included is that it feels like too much of it is chorus. Whatever you think the chorus proper is and what's, I don't know, the prechorus, there's basically the initial verse, then repetition of the chorus/prechorus for the rest of the song, broken up only by the instrumental break. So that's not a lot of variety.
That said, everything here is really good. The main guitar melody is awesome and there's great soloing and leads here. It has that unique vibe and melodic sensibility that Dave brings on the occasions when he contributes a song. I always enjoy this one whenever I hear it, and would find it interesting to see them bring it back to the stage. Just a solid Maiden song.
71. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
My ranking: #63
Cool to see two Davey songs in a row, and awesome to see some really high rankings for Benny Breeg! I think this is a really awesome song, even though it's a bit of a strange one for this era of Maiden. Some might say that the quiet intro is unnecessary and disconnected from the rest of the song, but I enjoy it, and I think it needs to be there just for the awesome moment when that huge riff kicks in. And then the main bulk of the song is pretty straightforward, but it just works. That main riff is just so memorable and comes with a lot of attitude. The instrumental section is really cool, too, with one of Dave's best reunion solos.
I definitely agree with Shalev about the pace:
It's driven by a steady riff and standard backbeat it and doesn't flinch, for sure one of the heaviest songs in their discography. So I disagree with you Setlist Scotty, I think a tempo change would hurt this one, the midtempo pace is what makes it feels so unstoppable. I was also always a big fan of the solo and its placement here.
I also think it's kind of cool in a nerdy way that 'Arry invented this whole Benjamin Breeg character, whose story seems to be that he's the reincarnation of 1,000 people, and then just... never explained any more of it. Bruce sells the story well enough that I just go along with it without asking too many questions.
70. Out of the Silent Planet
My ranking: #43
It doesn't surprise me that this song is one of the polarizing ones; that's always been my impression of how it's been received. Count me among the lovers on this one. I think it just has an awesome mood and is a really well put-together song where each part leads naturally into the next. Great opening riff, great choruses, great verses which Bruce really puts his all into selling, great slow melodic part in the instrumental section after the solo which goes right into an awesome gallop. What's not to love?
Maybe the repetition? ;D Yeah, I understand why that would detract for some people. It detracts from many of songs on BNW for me, but for whatever reason, I barely even notice it on this one. Maybe it's because I just love every part that repeats so much that I'm happy to keep hearing them.
This is actually my second favorite song on Brave New World. And it's a close second. It's got something different and interesting about it, and I always love hearing it. I also like the lyrics, especially the title, which is really evocative to me.
My list so far (3/6):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
48. Death of the Celts
43. Out of the Silent Planet
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New Thread Title!!
(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HarmfulAdvancedHartebeest-max-1mb.gif)
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It is the best countdown so far!
That's because an actual good singer has been featured on every song thus far. :tup :tup
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Can’t tell if this is a shot at Charlie Dominici, Geddy Lee or Sammy Hagar…
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Since it came up in a couple of relatively recent interviews, I know JL was given some consideration, and I recall that Angra's original vocalist, Andre Matos, was also given some thought, but yeah, 'Arry wanted a British vocalist. That worked out perfectly! ::)
I can't remember what James said, but I feel like that was some fishing by someone in the Maiden (management) camp. Personally, I don't think Steve would've ever considered James.
Well, I never said *who* was considering him for the spot. ;)
I recall Andre Matos being in the mix too? Or maybe that was all speculation, or I just made it up.
Nope - I remember it being talked about too (see my post above). But the idea probably didn't get much further than it would've with JL.
It is the best countdown so far!
That's because an actual good singer has been featured on every song thus far. :tup :tup
Zing! :lol
Can’t tell if this is a shot at Charlie Dominici, Geddy Lee or Sammy Hagar…
Definitely directed at Chris Collins, Jeff Jones and Gary Cherone... :P
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Of course, how could I forget that Your Majesteh made the DT list?
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Gonna try to get this thread away from the gross stuff (the bad singer) and back on the good stuff (the songs that made the countdown) by featuring two more tonight...
69 No Prayer for the Dying
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (Dave_Manchester)
This was unranked for me. Probably the best song from the album of the same name, but much of that album was a miss for me, so not a super high bar to clear. Some really tasty guitar work in this one, though, for sure, and the chaotic nature of the instrumental section is pretty sweet.
68 Déjà Vu
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (pg1067)
This would have been unranked for me six weeks ago, but I am liking it more and more, and it landed at 62 once I locked in my picks. My 2nd least favorite song from what has become my favorite record by the Maiden, and you know an album is pretty darn good when the 2nd least best song is this good.
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Both of these went unranked for me.
NPFTD is the album I listened to the least, and in revisiting it, only 2-3 clicked with me and only one made the final cut. This one wasn’t it. I remember thinking the title track was pleasant but bland.
Deja Vu is by far my least favorite from SIT and the only song from the album to not make my list.
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Wow, a surprise update!
(http://No Prayer for the Dying (#65))
One of the two songs I've ranked from the album. The main guitar melody is very strong, and overall it's one of the few traces of the Iron Maiden I love to be found on this record. Not a masterpiece by any means, but a good one, yes.
(http://Déjà Vu (#27))
Always had a soft spot for this one. Great, urgent song (I ranked it very high and it's not even in the top half for me on SiT which, like Kev said, is a testament to how strong that album is)
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69 No Prayer for the Dying
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (Dave_Manchester)
68 Déjà Vu
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (pg1067)
I had No Prayer For The Dying at #17. This is a great song and a real gem on this album. Loved the live versions. Bruce always had a great spoken intro to it. In Providence, he said he was 32 and hoped he would still be coming back at 42.
He's 63 now and still going strong.
I had Deja Vu at #87, missing the countdown. I love the song. Short and Sweet.
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72 Rainmaker
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (wolfking)
I had this at 63, so not far off its landing spot. Good song, one that works well with the short running time.
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Cool Chris)
This is one that could have been a bit higher had I done my list a different day, but I ultimately had it at 53. I am a big fan of A Matter of Life and Death, so you can't go wrong with anything from that record.
70 Out of the Silent Planet
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (Shalev Amir)
This could be one that eventually grabs me, but for now it feels like an overly repetitive song thanks to the name of the song seemingly appearing 205 times in it.
Rainmaker - This is one of the better songs on DoD, but still only landed at 105 for me.
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - I've made it no secret that AMoLaD is my favorite reunion album. So this one landing at #25 should come as no surprise. Just a great proggy track with a moody intro and great music/vocals throughout. I also think Bruce was at his strongest vocally on this album with regards to the reunion albums.
Out of the Silent Planet - This is a good song, like most of BNW, just missing my list at #89.
69 No Prayer for the Dying
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (Dave_Manchester)
This was unranked for me. Probably the best song from the album of the same name, but much of that album was a miss for me, so not a super high bar to clear. Some really tasty guitar work in this one, though, for sure, and the chaotic nature of the instrumental section is pretty sweet.
68 Déjà Vu
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (pg1067)
This would have been unranked for me six weeks ago, but I am liking it more and more, and it landed at 62 once I locked in my picks. My 2nd least favorite song from what has become my favorite record by the Maiden, and you know an album is pretty darn good when the 2nd least best song is this good.
No Prayer for the Dying - Fell outside of my list at #101. Thinking about it now, it probably should have ended up a little higher. One of the better songs on that album.
Déjà Vu - This barely snuck on my list at #75. This actually ended up being a last second addition. The songs that got bumped for this may cause some controversy.... :)
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69 No Prayer for the Dying
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (Dave_Manchester)
68 Déjà Vu
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (pg1067)
No Prayer - unranked by me, but only just. I could have easily had this song anywhere from 50 to 75 I'd say but it missed out in the end. This is probably my second favourite song on the album though which overall is one of Maiden's weakest albums.
Deja Vu - ranked 38 for me. I love this song. It is actually the lowest ranking song from the songs from SiT that made my top 75 (I hope that makes sense!) Awesome intro, beautiful guitar work from Dave. Just a very catchy fast paced rocker with a great instrumental section.
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69. No Prayer for the Dying
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
This is a good song, but it's one that I enjoy when I'm listening to it, but rarely think about when I'm not. I remarked when I listened to this album earlier this month that this song strikes me as a poor man's Infinite Dreams. That doesn't make it a bad song, because Infinite Dreams is really good, but that impression remains.
I think the highlights are Bruce's singing on the second verse, and Dave's second solo where things really pick up in intensity. The main theme is quite good, too, even if it's part of what gives me the Infinite Dreams feeling.
This is in my top three on No Prayer for the Dying, but when I look at the sheer volume of quality material they've put out over the years, it's hard for that album to stack up.
68. Deja Vu
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
This falls into similar "enjoy it but rarely think about it" territory as No Prayer for the Dying, with the key difference being that it's one of the weakest songs on one of their best albums instead of one of the strongest songs on one of their worst albums.
I like this song. It's got the trademark Dave Murray intro solo and some instrumentation elsewhere, particularly in the first part of the instrumental section. I don't find the vocal melodies compelling compared to a lot of their other songs. The verses are solid, but the chorus is a bit bland.
My list so far (3/8):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
48. Death of the Celts
43. Out of the Silent Planet
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No Prayer for the Dying came in at 15 for me. I love the steady pacing of this one, the vocal performance, which is a little mad and desperate and tired, in just the right way. Feelings which I think are echoed well in the instrumental section. It's the only song on the album that made my list, but boy is it a good one.
Deja Vu didn't rank for me. I think it's a fine song but doesn't compare favorably to the songs around it.
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No Prayer for the Dying came in at 15 for me.
Nice!
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It's a battle between the reunion and the classic eras (I'm including No Prayer and FoTD in the classic era which could maybe be it's own era) with 4 songs each so far. From my list I definitely favour the classic era overall but so far I have unranked 2 of the classic era songs compared to 1 reunion era song.
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69 No Prayer for the Dying
68 Déjà Vu
Neither of these made my list. No Prayer for the Dying ended up 121st overall. I don’t hate this song by any stretch but this is one song that I have never reached out for from the album of the same name. Kinda reminds me of Infinite Dreams, which I think is funny because it’s not the only 7th Son comparison I can make with this album.
Deja-Vu hit 77th the first time, but 113th the second. This one I have a love/like relationship with. As Kev said, it’s one that isn’t far off the bottom of my list from a gem of an album, so it’s not bad, it’s just not as strong as everything else around it, which lowers it down.
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69 No Prayer for the Dying
68 Déjà Vu
Neither of these made my list. No Prayer for the Dying ended up 121st overall. I don’t hate this song by any stretch but this is one song that I have never reached out for from the album of the same name. Kinda reminds me of Infinite Dreams, which I think is funny because it’s not the only 7th Son comparison I can make with this album.
I said this some weeks ago in the main thread, but I think NPftD feels like a mini-Infinite Dreams and Mother Russia feels like a mini-SSoaSS (the song).
I could also conceive of comparing the Tailgunner intro to the Moonchild intro, but I think that's a bit more of a stretch.
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Would have to check my list on my PC but No Prayer was pretty high. 12-15 from memory. Its incredible. Its one I think they could bring out these days. Would give Bruce a few less vocals and has a ripping middle section.
Edit: Can confirm No Prayer was number 12 for me. :)
Deja Vu didn't rank but its a great song.
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I had No Prayer for the Dying at #61 and it could have been higher. Great track!
Deja Vu didn’t rank for me.
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My rankings of the latest 2 songs:
No Prayer for the Dying: #6. As with Rainmaker on the previous update I think this is such a cool melodic song with great use of keyboards (reminds me a bit of my favourite metal band Children of Bodom). When Maiden keep things brief they often produce gems. I love the reunion era but there are only 8 songs under 5 minutes spread across all 6 albums, and I wish they'd write a bit more in this vein.
Deja-Vu: unranked. Just missed the cut, and the only song on Somewhere In Time to do that.
My list so far in descending order:
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#41: Rainmaker
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
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152 No Prayer for the Dying - better than where it landed in my rankings, much better. A very good Maiden track and probably worthy of being in the top 100.
137 Deja-Vu - I am twitching at having to use Maiden's formatting of déjà vu but what can you do? Anyway, it's a pretty good track although the weakest on Somewhere in Time and by some distance.
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Here are today's songs:
67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
Cool intro, but seems pretty average after that to me. The chorus is kinda catchy, I suppose.
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
This dropped for me over time, landing at 70. I think it is really good, but the main hook (when Bruce sings the titular line) is kinda weird. With a stronger line there melodically, this could have been a top song as the rest of the song is pretty damn great.
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
Ah yes, another good one from A Matter of Life and Death. I had it at 55. That melodic guitar lead that comes in later in the intro is tremendous, and the entire instrumental section is money.
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Judas Be My Guide: I thought I was going to be the one who had it the highest, but I have it at #8. Such a great song, love it.
Heaven Can Wait: Not the best song from that album, but definitely a great one. #47 for me.
These Colours Don't Run: Didn't rank for me.
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3 out of 3 for me with this new update:
Judas Be My Guide: #52.
Heaven Can Waaaaaaiiit: #22
These Colours Don't Run: #56
My list so far in descending order:
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
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Here are today's songs:
67 Judas Be My Guide
66 Heaven Can Wait
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Judas Be My Guide didn’t make the list. I don’t see the appeal in it, but many do so good for them. Still probably in the better half of Fear of the Dark tracks though.
Heaven Can Wait landed at number 43. Great song, great hooks, can’t say this one doesn’t get stuck in my head pretty much every time I hear it.
I’m surprised that These Colours Don’t Run isn’t on my list, it’s great. This fell at 78 on my second list, and I reckon that’s where it would probably fall on my main list. It’s a banger!
Out of these so far I’ve had Celts, Madness, Rainmaker and Heaven Can Wait, only 4 out of the first 10. Interested to see how this will play out.
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67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
Another three good ones today.
Judas Be My Guide - ranked 44 for me. This is my favourite and top ranking song on Fear of the Dark, just a great song all round. Great verse and chorus melodies, great intro and great guitar work. What more do you need.
Heaven Can Wait - unranked by me. After Deja Vu appeared yesterday, many were saying it is the weakest track on Somewhere in Time, well for me Heaven Can Wait is the weakest track by far. I ranked every other song on the album bar this one and Deja Vu (at 38 for me) is the lowest ranked. Not a fan at all of the chorus, actually prefer how Bruce does it live with the crowd participation. The verses are also a bit of a mess for me vocally. The instrumental section and the 'woh woh woh woh' part is awesome though.
These Colours Don't Run - ranked 56 for me. This is a big song which I could have easily ranked higher and I actually thought it may have placed higher than this overall.
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Kev, awesome to see you're loving SiT! I had Deja-Vu ranked higher than most I'm sure, even though it's second to last on that album ahead of TLOTLDR.
Heaven Can Wait: Yup, always loved this song from the beginning. Great intro, riffs, solos, drumming, awesome bridge section, and I'll never understand how 6 seconds of a chorus will ruin a 7 and a half minute song for some people.
These Colours Don't Run: One of the better ones for me from AMOLAD; I love that instrumental section.
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Coming in a bit late here but...
No Prayer I had at #56 which too low what a fantastic song and killer it's getting the praise here it deserves!
Deja Vu had at #44 hard to explain it but on the surface it feels filler but it's an absolute immense track and one I can't just listen to once.
Judas My Guide Oh man the love for this one is just awesome to see hugely underrated Maiden song I (quite appropriately) had at #13 my highest ranked of NPFTD and is the highest placing of any my ranked songs so far :metal
Heaven Can Wait All the way back at #73 which is low sure but it's not a personal fave as such but HAD to be on my list somewhere ;)
These Colours Don't Run Killer track I had at #25 for a long time was my favorite of AMOLAD and is my highest ranked song of that album.
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NPFTD: #73 - Very good song on a not great album. Probably could have given this more love, but I do have a couple songs from this record higher, so there's that.
Deja Vu: #61 - I had this ranked as my second favorite song from the record, but that's a sort of misleading. The record is far better than the sum of it's parts. I find I LOVE listening to the ALBUM, but it's not like I go for "this" song or "that" song, so it is sadly under-represented here on this list.
Judas Be My Guide: #127 - A song I liked on the relisten, but every time I went back to refresh, it fell a little bit. A victim of numbers, frankly. A good song for a band that has too many GREAT songs.
Heaven Can Wait: #99 - The first song hurt by the "versions" out there; I like the studio version, but some of the later live versions annoy the crap out of me. Bruce is a metal god to me, but his "Heaven Can?..... Heaven Can???" singing of the chorus absolutely ruins the song for me, and so it suffered here.
These Colors Don't Run: #116: - I think similar to Dave, AMOLAD is growing on me, but it IS a very... let's say "consistent" album, and there are better examples of it's greatness. I think these last three songs tell us how deep the Maiden catalogue really is. We're 115, 125 songs in and still talking about very good tunes.
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104 Judas Be My Guide - it's perfectly fine but very much a b-side in Maiden's short rocker category.
32 Heaven Can Wait - one of Maiden's signature tunes. I always enjoy the live version, can't recall which official release it's from (might be Donington?) where Bruce comments on the number of people who've ended up on the stage for the singalong!
61 These Colours Don't Run - think I might have ranked this about 20 or 30 places higher than I should have :lol
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No Prayer for the Dying (#17) - The best song from an album that I see as very underrated, although sure it was a step backwards at the time, specially the production values. The entire song is great, but the solo section is really something.
Deja-Vu (#23) - One of many amazing song from SIT, it has that uplifting vibe from many of Murray's songs and I totally love that short chorus. The guitar solo is also very good and interesting since I believe that is one of the few in Maiden's discography only made by the guitars in unison.
Judas Be My guide (#29) - So this the champion of the catchiest Murray's songs. All the solos through it are vibrant. Really amazing, I never get tired of hearing it!
Heaven Can Wait (-) - It has a lot of great sections, but the chorus is a tad boring.
These Colors Don't Run (-) - I love the middle instrumental section, but not much the whole song. Its beginning is not very interesting also IMO.
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#146 No Prayer for the Dying - damn, this feels like a mistake, but I just briefed over my list and I don't see something I'd bump down to have NPFTD a little higher. It's good compared to most of the album, it's decent overall and I have to agree that it resembles Infinite Dreams. The tortured vocals are what really brings this song alive. On a better day maybe, it would end up higher. But something has to finish low right?
#70 Deja-Vu - kind of a similar story to Can I Play With Madness: SiT used to be my favourite album, but recently I really haven't been feeling it so the songs dropped pretty hard. Deja Vu however has usually been the weakest of the bunch so it wasn't affected too much anyways. Fun and energetic song. The vocals during the verses are kinda uncanny valley, I don't know what that effect is but I never liked them.
#116 Judas Be My Guide - like NPFTD, this is a great song from an okay album. Short and sweet, actually one of the shortest IM songs ever. And yet it always felt so much bigger than so many other songs that surpass it in length. The bridge and chorus are classic.
#87 Heaven Can Wait - THE oh-oh-oh section! Great song from SiT, and the bridge really makes it. The elephant in the room I think is the repetitive chorus.
#75 These Colours Don't Run - AMOLAD is a stellar album and this just happens to be one of the weaker tracks on it. Love practically everything about it, but the instrumental section is really something else. I feel like this is one of the most representative post-reunion songs, it's just very solid.
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I did not have Judas Be My Guide
Heaven Can Wait was my #28
The 2008 tour was the first (and so far only) Maiden tour I saw. The ‘Somewhere Back in Time’ tour where they played lots of stuff from the 80’s. My scores reflect that a little bit with the songs they played having a place on my list somewhere. I like this one.
These Colours Don’t Run was my #46
Again, like with the previous AMOLAD song, this album is kind of special to me because it was the first ‘new’ Maiden album I got. This is a great tune indeed.
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69 No Prayer for the Dying
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (Dave_Manchester)
This was unranked for me. Probably the best song from the album of the same name, but much of that album was a miss for me, so not a super high bar to clear. Some really tasty guitar work in this one, though, for sure, and the chaotic nature of the instrumental section is pretty sweet.
68 Déjà Vu
Appeared on 13 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 16 (pg1067)
This would have been unranked for me six weeks ago, but I am liking it more and more, and it landed at 62 once I locked in my picks. My 2nd least favorite song from what has become my favorite record by the Maiden, and you know an album is pretty darn good when the 2nd least best song is this good.
This is my day!
I had No Prayer at #69! It's a better song than it gets credit for - especially the instrumental section. In retrospect, I should've had it higher.
Deja Vu is a total banger! It reminds me a lot of Sun and Steel (which I also expect to be the top ranker on). Absolutely love the guitar tone. The prechorus is excellent, and even the repetitive chorus is catchy. I go back and forth between DV and Alexander as my favorite on SIT.
67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
Cool intro, but seems pretty average after that to me. The chorus is kinda catchy, I suppose.
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
This dropped for me over time, landing at 70. I think it is really good, but the main hook (when Bruce sings the titular line) is kinda weird. With a stronger line there melodically, this could have been a top song as the rest of the song is pretty damn great.
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
Ah yes, another good one from A Matter of Life and Death. I had it at 55. That melodic guitar lead that comes in later in the intro is tremendous, and the entire instrumental section is money.
These Colours is a song I wasn't all that familiar with going in, but it snuck all the way up to #55 for me (again, I didn't pay careful attention to songs 51-75).
Heaven Can Wait was a strong #42 for me. Yeah, I know the chorus is repetitive and the whoa-whoa-whoa section kinda blows, but the rest of the song is excellent (really like the "take my hand" section).
Judas Be My Guide is another NPFTD song that got lost in the shuffle on a relatively mediocre album, but it's really quite good. I had it at #68, but it probably should've been higher.
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Eh, I think he has a bad voice no matter what band he is in. He sounds like he should be singing for some crappy bar band doing AC/DC covers at the tavern down the street.
:lol I wonder who was Maidens second choice after Blaze? Danzig? :lol
Supposedly it was Doogie White, who ended up joining the '95 version of Rainbow after Maiden chose Blaze.
Doogie is amazing, that would have been epic. They dropped the ball on that one.
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67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
I had Judas Be My Guide at #62. I think it's perfectly placed on the back part of the album because Fear Of The Dark is pretty bleak, and Judas is such an uplifting track musically.
I had Heaven Can Wait at #48. Of all of the songs in their catalog, this one has aged the best. I was never crazy about it, and could never understand why they kept it in the setlist for so long. Maybe it was a track that Steve thought Blaze could do a decent job on.
I had These Colours Don't Run as Not Rated. It wasn't one of the 106 tracks I nominated for the countdown. It's a cool song. I don't not like it, but there are just so many better tracks on ALOLAD.
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Here are today's songs:
67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
Cool intro, but seems pretty average after that to me. The chorus is kinda catchy, I suppose.
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
This dropped for me over time, landing at 70. I think it is really good, but the main hook (when Bruce sings the titular line) is kinda weird. With a stronger line there melodically, this could have been a top song as the rest of the song is pretty damn great.
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
Ah yes, another good one from A Matter of Life and Death. I had it at 55. That melodic guitar lead that comes in later in the intro is tremendous, and the entire instrumental section is money.
Judas My Guide - did not rank
As I went back on my deep dive these last few weeks, I had my eye on this one because of all the rave reviews it was getting (sometimes those things sway me like it did with a couple of NPFTD and VXI tracks) but on this one I just wasn’t feeling it. The chorus is ok, but I would pretty much just describe the song as “ok”. I agree with the earlier assessment that it sounds like a b-side
Heaven Can Wait - 40
Great tune! When the album first came out I thought it was a bit too repetitive, but after hearing some live versions and then going back to revisit the album, the song really grew on me and now I think it’s one of the better tracks from the album.
These Colors Don’t Run - 21
If I were trying to re-introduce someone to Iron Maiden‘s reunion phase, this would be one of the first tracks I would show them. Great riff, great emotion, just a fantastic song all the way around. One of the best from the reunion era!
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Heaven Can Wait - 40
Great tune! When the album first came out I thought it was a bit too repetitive, but after hearing some live versions and then going back to revisit the album, the song really grew on me and now I think it’s one of the better tracks from the album.
I only have one other song from the album ranked ahead of it.
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Heaven Can Wait - 40
Great tune! When the album first came out I thought it was a bit too repetitive, but after hearing some live versions and then going back to revisit the album, the song really grew on me and now I think it’s one of the better tracks from the album.
I only have one other song from the album ranked ahead of it.
I’ve got two in front of it. And my top rated SIT track would probably raise some eyebrows. But at this point, I’m not even sure it’s going to make the final list.
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67. Judas Be My Guide
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
This is a good song, but it's one of those where they have a lot of better ones. Everything is where it needs to be in terms of the vocal melodies, riffs, leads, Dave's solos (especially the opening one), but it's a fairly straightforward song without anything special that makes it incredibly good or incredibly interesting in my book.
Opinion on this one has kind of come full circle for me. I didn't pay much attention to it much when I first got into Maiden, then I started seeing it mentioned as one of their most underrated songs and came to enjoy it a lot more and agree with that opinion, but now I've seen so much talk about it being underrated that I now think it's kind of overrated within a certain circle of fans. I'm also skeptical that it would fare as well for me if it was on a better album.
66. Heaven Can Wait
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
I would put this toward the higher end of the 101-125 range, whereas Judas Be My Guide would be toward the lower end.
I agree with Kev that the main drawback of this song is the chorus. I just don't think the repeated "Heaven can waaaaaiiiiiit" line works that well. I think I actually like it better the way Bruce handles it live, where he varies the delivery of each repetition and relies on the crowd to sing "wait," but I also think the fact he does it that way implies that he can't even sing the original version live, which really makes me wonder what the decision-making was there.
That said, everything else on this song is really good. The build-up in the intro is excellent and the main riff is really memorable. I actually enjoy the "whoa oh oh" part. And the verses are cool, too, with an interesting rhythm to them. This song also contains further proof that Somewhere in Time is the Adrian Smith album, in the form of his excellent solo.
65. These Colours Don't Run
My ranking: #59
Seeing both Breeg and Colours on the list gives me some optimism about AMOLAD representation here...
I really like this song. It's not the flashiest or most ambitious song on the album, but it's rock solid. I like the topic covered in the lyrics, and I think the song conveys the meaning really well. The intro and the instrumental section are absolutely the highlights here, both featuring some interesting melodies and conveying a feeling of suspense. Dave has a good solo, but as usual Adrian is the show-stealer. I also really like the verses. The flow of the lines there just works really well with the lyrics, I think, in a way that's hard to precisely quantify.
My list so far (4/11):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
48. Death of the Celts
43. Out of the Silent Planet
I promise I have some non-reunion songs on my list! They just haven't come up yet!
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69 No Prayer for the Dying - 58
Decent song on a decent album. I always gravitated to the opening melody of the song. Not sure why, but I've always had a weird association between this song and Infinite Dreams. Dunno why.
68 Déjà Vu - 26
An underrated track that I've grown to love more over the years. High energy and it's got a great hook. On SiT, it ranks as my 6th favorite track, so the fact that it still ended up at #26 says something!
67 Judas Be My Guide - did not rank
Heaven Can Wait - did not rank
In hindsight, I probably could have included it in my top 75. It's the only one of the SiT tracks not to make my list, and IMO it is the weakest of the songs on the album (not to mention overplayed for many years). Personally I don't mind the whoah section and the solos are great. Biggest issue is with the chorus which is both repetitive and cheesy.
These Colours Don’t Run - did not rank
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I have some catching up to do so here is where mine ranked with the consensus.
#75 Death of The Celts - (#44)
It's a song I enjoy from Senjutsu. I like the intro and the instrumental middle part. I wouldn't mind seeing it live.
#74 The Duellists - (Did Not Rank)
I enjoy the energy and the vocals, and also the rhythm of the melodies. It would be neat to hear this one live sometime.
#73 Can I Play With Madness - (#49)
This reminds me of being young (along with many other Iron Maiden classic songs) and singing the misheard lyric, "Can I play with matches?" It has a catchy melody there and its fun to sing along live.
#72 Rainmaker - (#72)
This one isn't that bad either, but it's one that is just there for me. Like, I forget about it, but then when it plays on shuffle I still listen to it and enjoy it. Hilarious how this is the song to match the overall ranking as well.
#71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg - (#75)
Well, this one ranked lower for me. I've been forgetting about this song recently, even though I enjoy A Matter of Life and Death. I think it was a great song live.
#70 Out of The Silent Planet - (Did Not Rank)
I don't know. I have Brave New World, but I could just never get into this song for some strange reason. I know I should enjoy it, but don't know why...Maybe because I could hear other bands covering this song and doing an even better job at making the song be more than what it is. This one has a chance to move up in my rankings though.
#69 No Prayer For The Dying - (Did Not Rank)
This isn't a bad song. But the album could've been way, way better received if it would've had better production. This song would be one of those. I think it would be a great song to hear live though.
#68 Deja Vu - (Did Not Rank)
This is another song that has a good chance of ranking up higher than many of these on my list. Somewhere In Time I would say is the least Maiden album I have listened to. Not saying it's bad or anything, it's one I never bothered to check out much at all. I like the guitar tone on this song, and the production vibes well with this song.
#67 Judas Be My Guide - (#20)
I really am finding myself enjoying Fear of The Dark as an album a lot. The mix isn't too bad, and the vibe of the production fits that album cover. This song is a great short and sweet song, I consider it up there with Run to the Hills and Aces High. Shame it hasn't been played live or was a single.
#66 Heaven Can Wait - (Did Not Rank)
It's a great song. Just never heard it as much and there were other songs I enjoyed more while doing the rankings. It, among the others, will be up higher. It's in the top 100 at least.
#65 These Colours Don't Run - (Did Not Rank)
I like the lyrics to the song. It's a song that is just there though. I'll still listen to it, but won't go out of my way to listen to it, unless I am in the mood for it. The best part of the song for me is the middle section, I like the way the guitar tone sounds and the build-up into the guitar solo.
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Heaven Can Wait: Yup, always loved this song from the beginning. Great intro, riffs, solos, drumming, awesome bridge section, and I'll never understand how 6 seconds of a chorus will ruin a 7 and a half minute song for some people.
And some people also like Blaze's vocals, so sometimes it is just hard to understand how people think....
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I mean, the chorus is a crucial element of a song, and if it's not good that really can short-circuit the rest. Octavarium is three times as long as Heaven Can Wait, but if the six seconds right at the climax weren't good, it would have negative impacts that redound through the entire song, which is structured to build up to that point. Whereas if there were six bad seconds in the continuum part at the beginning (or six bad seconds in the instrumental break of Heaven Can Wait) it would not matter as much.
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Octavarium is three times as long as Heaven Can Wait, but if the six seconds right at the climax weren't good, it would have negative impacts that redound through the entire song, which is structured to build up to that point. Whereas if there were six bad seconds in the continuum part at the beginning (or six bad seconds in the instrumental break of Heaven Can Wait) it would not matter as much.
If only there were only six bad seconds in that part!
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I mean, the chorus is a crucial element of a song, and if it's not good that really can short-circuit the rest. Octavarium is three times as long as Heaven Can Wait, but if the six seconds right at the climax weren't good, it would have negative impacts that redound through the entire song, which is structured to build up to that point. Whereas if there were six bad seconds in the continuum part at the beginning (or six bad seconds in the instrumental break of Heaven Can Wait) it would not matter as much.
I agree the chorus is a crucial element of a song, but the real key is that it is a repeated motif, so not just 6 seconds. If like me, you don't like the chorus of Heaven Can Wait you hear the '6 seconds' recurring throughout the song it isn't just one and done. I just don't think it works well and like you said in your write up of the song 425 (which was very similar to mine) Bruce possibly can't do it justice live anyway, the word 'wait' can be a tough one to get the vowel right for a vocalist even one as good as Bruce.
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As you saw, Judas was number 6. It's a song that stuck instantly and never let go. Dave written tune again, nice D minor key and a short fast, melodic rocker with ripping leads. There's some interesting stuff going on here too for the short running time. It's perfect in my opinion, a shame it's never been played live.
HCW did not rank. I agree with Tim, it's aged pretty well. I used to dislike it and thought it was a blemish on SIT, but I've grown to appreciate it a lot. Still ended up at 131 for me.
TCDR - Had it at 90. Simple song, E/C/G/D chord progression again, but some nice melodies and a great driving rhythm when the song gets going. Adrians' solo here is tasty.
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Forgot to mention in my 'ranking post' that if and when Dream Theater ever decide to do another deluxe edition covers bonus disc (a la Black Clouds) my #1 Maiden track I'd like them to tackle is Judas Be My Guide. I listened to it a couple of times today and each time I thought "I'd love to hear JP take a crack at these guitar solos".
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Judas Be My Guide (#46)
As noted by many (well, those who actually like the song ;D), this is a small, underrated gem on Fear of the Dark. Nothing groundbreaking in the song per se, but everything works so well in the package...great intro, solos and chorus...
Heaven Can Wait (#67)
Very close to the aggregate ranking. As it turns out, it's my second-lowest ranked from Somewhere in Time. Lots of cool things going on in the song, actually. Even the "whoa-oh-oh" part has some neat guitar playing underneath. Chorus maybe not the best, but what can you do. For me, it does suffer in comparison to most other songs on the record, though. I think subconsciously I might be resentful that it was "parked" in a live spot for so long, taking away from other songs on SiT.
These Colours Don't Run (not in my top 75)
I did rank this one, around the 100th spot. Not a bad song, just kind of nondescript musically. There isn't a ton going on, and it's not one of my favorite Bruce moments in the chorus. The instrumental section is good, though.
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Forgot to mention in my 'ranking post' that if and when Dream Theater ever decide to do another deluxe edition covers bonus disc (a la Black Clouds) my #1 Maiden track I'd like them to tackle is Judas Be My Guide. I listened to it a couple of times today and each time I thought "I'd love to hear JP take a crack at these guitar solos".
Not quite DT, but Aussie band LORD do a great cover of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=683enoMdg7Q
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Forgot to mention in my 'ranking post' that if and when Dream Theater ever decide to do another deluxe edition covers bonus disc (a la Black Clouds) my #1 Maiden track I'd like them to tackle is Judas Be My Guide. I listened to it a couple of times today and each time I thought "I'd love to hear JP take a crack at these guitar solos".
Not quite DT, but Aussie band LORD do a great cover of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=683enoMdg7Q
Thanks for posting :metal
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Forgot to mention in my 'ranking post' that if and when Dream Theater ever decide to do another deluxe edition covers bonus disc (a la Black Clouds) my #1 Maiden track I'd like them to tackle is Judas Be My Guide. I listened to it a couple of times today and each time I thought "I'd love to hear JP take a crack at these guitar solos".
That Black Clouds version of To Tame A Land was so frustrating. I wish the vocals were redone in the Black Clouds sessions when James recorded the other covers.
If I could pick one Iron Maiden song for DT to cover, it would be Phantom Of the Opera.
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Phantom of the Opera would be interesting.
I think if I could pick literally any song, I would choose Starblind. Among the songs that they would be likely to actually do, I'd say Phantom or Seventh Son.
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I think Starblind is a great choice. Even Isle Of Avalon.
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Phantom of the Opera would be interesting.
I think if I could pick literally any song, I would choose Starblind. Among the songs that they would be likely to actually do, I'd say Phantom or Seventh Son.
Starblind is fantastic. I agree it would be interesting to hear DT's take on it - the guitars especially are so cool.
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And absolutely yes to Isle of Avalon too. The solo section starting around 4:15 is so different for Maiden...and then about a minute later, around 5:15 it could totally be Alex Lifeson...gives me a Grace Under Pressure-era Rush vibe...
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Not to pick on you all, but I can't understand why anyone wishes for DT to cover a specific song. They just end up sounding like the original with different vocals.
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Oh, I think this was just an excuse to dig up some interesting songs :) You are right though that DT end up not being super-adventurous in their re-interpretations...
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That's the thing... they aren't re-interpreting anything.
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67 Judas Be My Guide
Appeared on 12 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (wolfking)
Cool intro, but seems pretty average after that to me. The chorus is kinda catchy, I suppose.
66 Heaven Can Wait
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Dream Team)
This dropped for me over time, landing at 70. I think it is really good, but the main hook (when Bruce sings the titular line) is kinda weird. With a stronger line there melodically, this could have been a top song as the rest of the song is pretty damn great.
65 These Colours Don’t Run
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (DTA)
Ah yes, another good one from A Matter of Life and Death. I had it at 55. That melodic guitar lead that comes in later in the intro is tremendous, and the entire instrumental section is money.
Judas Be My Guide - Not a bad song, but I just don't see what Wolfking sees in it. It ended up at #96. I do like the melodic guitar solos in it though.
Heaven Can Wait - I had a hard time figuring out how to rank this against other songs. Sometimes I get annoyed by the repetitiveness of the chorus and other times I love it. In the end I ranked it at #26....possibly too high, but ehhh...
These Colours Don't Run - This one landed at #42. As JamminDude said, this would be a perfect song to show someone what the Reunion era is all about, just a great song front to back. And if there's one thing Iron Maiden do well (well at least 90% of the time), its song intros that build up and grab your attention.
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Minor hints: tomorrow morning's update will be enjoyable for those who want something really new and something really old. :P
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Minor hints: tomorrow morning's update will be enjoyable for those who want something really new and something really old. :P
So...not Blaze?? :lol
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“Something old? Something new? Something from our Jurassic period! WRATHCHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILE!”
Bruce Dickinson, Rock in Rio 2001.
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Prowler and Hell on Earth. Easy.
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What is your ONE desert island Maiden album? (No live albums).
Mine is Powerslave.
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Tough. Right now with their material fresh in my mind... A Matter of Life and Death.
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That's the thing... they aren't re-interpreting anything.
True - and that was the issue I had with most covers DT did: too close to the original. That said, I loved how they did change up some of the sounds, such as JR using piano in Children of the Damned and sitar in To Tame a Land.
I've already posted it elsewhere, but I'd love to see DT do their own version (in other words, not a straight copy) of Prodigal Son. A runner up would be Alexander the Great.
What is your ONE desert island Maiden album? (No live albums).
Somewhere in Time
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Tough. Right now with their material fresh in my mind... A Matter of Life and Death.
Agreed. Although Senjutsu is giving it a run.
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Prowler and Hell on Earth. Easy.
It's in my top 75 but I am not sure I see Prowler making it, hope I'm wrong though..
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I was mostly kidding with those two, since it's the first song on their oldest album and the last song on their newest. I think we still have a little while longer before Hell on Earth appears, but I could see Prowler showing up right around now (I think it's kind of now or never for that one).
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What is your ONE desert island Maiden album? (No live albums).
Mine is Powerslave.
Honestly would struggle to take just one. If I were forced right now having gone through the catalogue for this 75 thread I could narrow it down to just 5 in no particular order, Seventh Son, Somewhere in Time, Brave New World, Senjutsu and (drum roll) X Factor but that could well change day by day.
At a push I might say Senjutsu based purely on it being new and still fresh but Ugh it's a tough choice...
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What is your ONE desert island Maiden album? (No live albums).
Mine is Powerslave.
A media player with all of them because this answer is too damn hard!
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Okay, focus, people, it's countdown time! ;)
Today's songs:
64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (senecadawg2)
Okay, this is something still sorta new rather than really new :P,. so there ya go. This snuck in late for me, landing at 73. This is another song from the last two albums that feels like would have been better with a less muddy sound, almost like the modern day, blah production is holding it back a bit.
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
This one came in at 54 for me, which was lower than I thought it would have finished, as I liked this a lot from the start. It feels like this kind of vibe is one they never really tried to recapture once the original singer was gone from the band. Bummer.
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
That intro with the bass guitar alone makes this worthy, and the whole song is really enjoyable. I had it at 56.
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Okay, focus, people, it's countdown time! ;)
Today's songs:
64 If Eternity Should Fail
63 Prodigal Son
It feels like this kind of vibe is one they never really tried to recapture once the original singer was gone from the band. Bummer.
62 Wrathchild
If Eternity - didn’t rank. Came in at 80 the second time and 118 the first time. Great intro, especially live, but it’s a bit of a slouch.
Prodigal Son, I again didn’t rank. 157th on my second list, 142nd the first time. I highlight your comment here, as I feel like Journeyman from Dance of Death came pretty close in it’s original electric version ( https://youtu.be/Vf_Yj9N4zcU (https://youtu.be/Vf_Yj9N4zcU)). Still, this is the type of song I wish they would’ve done again once Bruce arrived for Beast. It’s a really unique song in the catalogue, kept so when Journeyman was changed.
You know I was kinda joking when I quoted Rock in Rio, but it’s funny I was right. This landed at 51 for me. Definitely one I prefer Di’anno singing though. Such a punky vibe.
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Cool Chris)
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
Two great ((or should I say killer(s)) songs today, one not so much..
If Eternity Should Fail - unranked by me and not really close. Like most of The Book of Souls album this one is a slog to get through these days for me.
Prodigal Son - 16 for me. This song has such a unique and awesome vibe for Maiden, I have always been a big fan of it. I wasn't really sure it would make the countdown the Killers album doesn't seem to get much love at all) and now it has I'm also surprised I wasn't the high ranker! Well done Setlist Scotty.
Wrathchild - 22 for me. Another awesome song from the Killers album. I do enjoy Bruce singing this one but Dianno is also great on this, feels disappointing only 15 lists ranked this one, I'm not sure what isn't to love here, kind of thought this one may have ranked a bit higher.
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67 for me in regards to PS. Adrian's solo makes the song what it is. One of his finest moments.
The other two didn't rank for me.
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If Eternity Should Fail #42
Prodigal Son NR
Wrathchild #38
Eternity was difficult for me to rank. On one hand love the song, epic and a fantastic opener yet on the hand it's so Bruce solo I find it a little frustrating and kinda wish it had been left that way. Weird I know and realise he is actually talking of using it again for his forthcoming album which makes huge sense to me but yeah, could only rank it about middle of my list for that reason...
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Ha! A double dose of Killers, today!
If Eternity Should Fail (#35)
My favorite from The Book of Souls. If would be even better if they trimmed the ending a bit. But the moment when the whole band comes in with the main riff is absolutely fantastic. Love this song.
Prodigal Son (#60)
Close to the aggregate ranking. Very happy this made the overall list. It's such a cool tune, based on acoustic guitars, but with plenty of energy.
Wrathchild (#63)
Also close. I always think this is an old "classic" that I don't really need to hear. again...but every time it comes up I enjoy the hell out of it. The energy is undeniable and that main riff is so good.
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93 If Eternity Should Fail - the most solo Bruce song to ever appear on a Maiden album. Should never have been on The Book of Souls.
46 Prodigal Son - was surprised at how highly I ranked this but I was right to. Texturally, it's completely unique in Maiden's catalogue. And what a first line.
127 Wrathchild - better than my ranking but not good enough to be higher :biggrin:
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Interesting trivia, all 3 of the those songs appeared on exactly 15 lists. Of those only Wrathchild made my list at 74 but it was tough to leave Prodigal Son out.
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#21 If Eternity Should Fail - hmm, seems kind of odd that it came up so high in my list. Whatever, I still love the song. The lyrics and verses are cool.
#58 Prodigal Son - very unique song in Maiden's catalogue and oddly underrated.
#38 Wrathchild - legendary song. Agree with you Kev, that intro is awesome and so is everything else. Absolutely killer.
Also, I expected it to finish much higher. Something in the 40s maybe.
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If Eternity Should Fail: #34 - I love this song. The Book of Souls hasn't quite carried with me as much as I would have expected, but this is one of the songs that does still resonate with me. I don't QUITE get the "Bruce solo" vibes, but I don't discount that either. It's just solid Maiden song and one I come back to pretty often.
Prodigal Son: #25 - I love this song as well. I'm so glad it's on the final list; I never really hear people talking about it, so I feared it wouldn't make the cut. But even though I like other Maiden better, and I seem to prefer the later, proggier Maiden best, I do listen to this record a lot (it's one of my friends' favorite record of all time, so we listen to it together) and I always look forward to this song coming on. (Fun fact: my CD has this labelled "Purgatory" and the actual song Purgatory labelled "Prodigal Son".)
Wrathschild: #117 - This is just an okay song. I debated it higher - the early version on Metal For Muthas has a different drum beat and therefore a very different vibe and I like it a lot more - but over all, the album version doesn't do much for me, and I think there are so many other, better songs on Killers that the band could be doing today that I might even have a bias against it.
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Cool Chris)
I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Love love love this song. One of my top songs of the reunion era, for sure. The intro is stellar, the writing is interesting, it's an epic opener. I don't care if it sounds more like a Bruce solo song or not, I love a lot of his solo work :lol
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My Friday morning takeaway: 14 songs in and I have had 3 of the highest rankings.
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I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Wasn't your list that was deleted for duplicates, was it? Guess not since you'd have noticed it wasn't on the list of contributors.
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I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Wasn't your list that was deleted for duplicates, was it? Guess not since you'd have noticed it wasn't on the list of contributors.
I don't think so. I assume this was just a mix-up in the update, not the list itself.
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64. If Eternity Should Fail
My ranking: #25
I enjoy this song a ton, and the main reason is a certain Bruce Dickinson. Not only did he write the song, but he's also absolutely the MVP. From the a capella intro through the verses (which I think are really well-written, lyrically and melodically) to the huge chorus, Bruce just continually impresses. I think TBoS might be his rockiest reunion album (for understandable reasons), but on this song you absolutely would not know the singer literally had throat cancer at the time.
The instrumental section is also fantastic. Just a classic Maiden instrumental to elevate the rest of the song.
On a bigger picture note, I want to say that I really appreciate them seeing that they were repeating themselves with the opening songs for the first three reunion albums (The Wicker Man/Wildest Dreams/Different World) and doing something different on each of the next three (Satellite 15... The Final Frontier/If Eternity Should Fail/Senjutsu).
63. Prodigal Son
My ranking: Unranked (126-150 range)
This is a song I enjoy probably a bit more than my placement suggests, but it's just hard for me to put it above a ton of other Maiden songs. To be honest, most of Killers falls into this 126-150 range, with Prodigal Son near the high end of it.
I hesitate to... even say this, but one factor is that of the three singers who recorded with Maiden, Di'Anno is by far my least favorite. I think he's a perfectly serviceable singer, but I can only think of a handful of songs that he elevated (one of them will be coming up later). His rough style just isn't for me.
In any case, Prodigal Son is a nice song, especially the solos in the middle, but it's not one I think about a lot when I'm not listening to it. I also don't really like the intro melody, which also comes up after the solos and at the end. It feels out of place to me somehow. But the rest of the song is good!
62. Wrathchild
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
I like this song a lot; it's one that just isn't special enough to me to make it up into the list. I will say for it, it absolutely wastes no time and goes from one really good part to another. Even though it's shorter than three minutes, there's a nice and varied instrumental section here, which I think goes to show how Steve was influenced by progressive music from the very beginning. Dave has a ton of really good lead work here. The emphasis on the bass and Dave's guitar here kind of highlights how early Iron Maiden was Steve and Dave plus a rotating cast until they found Burr and Di'Anno and got Adrian to join.
I think Di'Anno's voice is best suited for the song. There's a bit of an awkwardness to the vocal melodies that he's able to smooth over with his voice the way other singers don't do so well. But I think I'd ultimately still rather hear it with Bruce.
My list so far (5/14):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
48. Death of the Celts
43. Out of the Silent Planet
25. If Eternity Should Fail
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If Eternity Should Fail (#54)
"This is another song from the last two albums that feels like would have been better with a less muddy sound, almost like the modern day, blah production is holding it back a bit." I think the production from TFF on is where it's worst. BNW/DOD/AMOLAD has its issues, but also some qualities. Anyway, indeed a great "Bruce's solo track"!
Prodigal Son (-)
Almost made my list, I still like it a lot and it has a very different vibe for Maiden.
Wrathchild (#36)
Truly a deserved classic, although overplayed live in detriment of the other great Killers tracks. The bass lines propels the song incredibly well.
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Cool Chris)
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
All three of these songs just missed my list.
I had If Eternity Should Fail at #92. Is it possible for a more recent song to age well? I really didn't care for IESF when TBOS was released. I just couldn't get past it. But I think seeing them open that tour's show with it was amazing. I really like it now, despite its ranking.
I had Prodigal Son at #94. This is a really cool song. Love the vibe on it. Clive is great here.
I had Wrathchild at #95. Literally the first Iron Maiden song I ever heard. Way over played in the setlists, but you can't say the crowd doesn't respond.
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67 for me in regards to PS. Adrian's solo makes the song what it is. One of his finest moments.
The other two didn't rank for me.
I thought you were a big IESF guy when it was released, or am I misremembering?
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Cool Chris)
Okay, this is something still sorta new rather than really new :P,. so there ya go. This snuck in late for me, landing at 73. This is another song from the last two albums that feels like would have been better with a less muddy sound, almost like the modern day, blah production is holding it back a bit.
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
This one came in at 54 for me, which was lower than I thought it would have finished, as I liked this a lot from the start. It feels like this kind of vibe is one they never really tried to recapture once the original singer was gone from the band. Bummer.
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
That intro with the bass guitar alone makes this worthy, and the whole song is really enjoyable. I had it at 56.
Eternity: Didn't rank. The middle instrumental section has a cool vibe, but the main part of the song is just kinda meh.
Prodigal Son: I had it at #20, and I have to thank Stadler (I think) for focusing me on a song that I had overlooked for a LONG time. It really reminds me of something Rush might have done during the Fly by Night Era (a little bit of a nod to Making Memories, maybe?). Such a unique song in the band's catalog.
Wrathchild: This was initially my favorite song on Killers, and I had it at #26. That opening bass riff just hooks you from the start. When I started playing bass, I immediately targeted this song to learn. We played it live at a few shows with a mock version that we called "Rapchild" to start it. If I ever figure out how to take a video from a DVD and put it on YouTube, I may post it here.
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If Eternity Should Fail ranked at 55. I love this song in all its poppiness.
Prodigal Son ranked at 16. This is absolutely grossly overlooked!
Wrathchild did not rank. Yes, I like it of course but Killers has so many other gems that get overlooked.
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67 for me in regards to PS. Adrian's solo makes the song what it is. One of his finest moments.
The other two didn't rank for me.
I thought you were a big IESF guy when it was released, or am I misremembering?
Probably, I loved it when it was first released. Its a great song but I guess didn't really have the lasting power. The whole album actually didn't age as well as most others for me.
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3 misses for me today I'm afraid, none of them made my list (If Eternity Should Fail was in the running but missed out on the final run-through).
My list so far in descending order:
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
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Dave, this is the only thread I've seen you in for a long time, so I will derail it for second to say we here all hope you are well.
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Dave, this is the only thread I've seen you in for a long time, so I will derail it for second to say we here all hope you are well.
PMed you so as not to derail but thank you very much for that Chris :tup
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Cool Chris)
I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Love love love this song. One of my top songs of the reunion era, for sure. The intro is stellar, the writing is interesting, it's an epic opener. I don't care if it sounds more like a Bruce solo song or not, I love a lot of his solo work :lol
Can only speak for myself but just to be clear certainly wasn't suggesting didn't love Bruce's solo work because absolutely do and then some. Only that knowing Eternity was written by and for Bruce, and it sounding very much that way, as much as I love the tune on BOS think woulda preferred it on a Bruce solo album as it was originally intended 😉
Like I said weird perhaps but is what it is.
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I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Wasn't your list that was deleted for duplicates, was it? Guess not since you'd have noticed it wasn't on the list of contributors.
I don't think so. I assume this was just a mix-up in the update, not the list itself.
Yep, total oversight on my part when eyeballing the list and doing the updates that I post. All fixed now. :tup :tup
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64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (senecadawg2)
Okay, this is something still sorta new rather than really new :P,. so there ya go. This snuck in late for me, landing at 73. This is another song from the last two albums that feels like would have been better with a less muddy sound, almost like the modern day, blah production is holding it back a bit.
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
This one came in at 54 for me, which was lower than I thought it would have finished, as I liked this a lot from the start. It feels like this kind of vibe is one they never really tried to recapture once the original singer was gone from the band. Bummer.
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
That intro with the bass guitar alone makes this worthy, and the whole song is really enjoyable. I had it at 56.
If Eternity Should Fail - This is one of my favorite from Book of Souls. Landing at #38, Once again I love the moody intro and buildup. The meat of the song is great with some awesome instrumentation, especially Nicko's groovy drums.
Prodigal Son - So I screwed up my list and accidentally swapped Prowler and Prodigal Son. So this one ended up at #88 and missed the list. It really should have been at 72. Oh well. Probably wouldn't have made much difference on the overall list. I agree with pg1067, they definitely had some Rush influence on this track and I love the melodic guitar solos on this.
Wrathchild - This one was at #81, just missing the list. It's a really good song. Love the punky vibe and aggression. And that switch up in the middle of the song is sublime! Maybe we should have made this a top 100 list!
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I hope Bruce does do another solo album one day with IESF as the opening tune. It would be good to hear it re-recorded with good production.
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Can only speak for myself but just to be clear certainly wasn't suggesting didn't love Bruce's solo work because absolutely do and then some. Only that knowing Eternity was written by and for Bruce, and it sounding very much that way, as much as I love the tune on BOS think woulda preferred it on a Bruce solo album as it was originally intended
Like I said weird perhaps but is what it is.
Surely we can at least agree that of the Bruce solo songs that Steve has said "can this please belong to Iron Maiden now," this is the better one?
Personally, I don't mind it at all, since it fits well on the album and in the broader Maiden sound. As I mentioned in my little writeup, I appreciate that they did something a little experimental for the second album opener in a row.
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Yep can't argue with that song is epic \m/
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It was awesome live too.
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I'm not a big fan of anything from Killers, even though I did end up with 4 from the debut.
My list so far:
75. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
72. The Duellists
49. Out of the Silent Planet
48. Rainmaker
47. Judas Be My Guide
21. Can I Play With Madness?
15. No Prayer for the Dying
9. If Eternity Should Fail
Unranked:
These Colours Don't Run
Heaven Can Wait
Death of the Celts
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
I think something might have slipped through the cracks on this one. I had If Eternity Should Fail at 9.
Wasn't your list that was deleted for duplicates, was it? Guess not since you'd have noticed it wasn't on the list of contributors.
I don't think so. I assume this was just a mix-up in the update, not the list itself.
Yep, total oversight on my part when eyeballing the list and doing the updates that I post. All fixed now. :tup :tup
It's all good :metal
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Prodigal Son: I had it at #20, and I have to thank Stadler (I think) for focusing me on a song that I had overlooked for a LONG time. It really reminds me of something Rush might have done during the Fly by Night Era (a little bit of a nod to Making Memories, maybe?). Such a unique song in the band's catalog.
That is a really good shout. I always knew it reminded me of something and that's it.
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Here are today's songs!
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
I came around to liking this one somewhat recently, but it was one of the handful that got bumped off my final list once I added a few songs from the two newest albums. I am on the record as not being overly wild about their 90s material in general, but the first two from that decade had their moments, this being one of them.
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
I had this at 43, but I feel like it would be closer to 60 if I redid my list today, as it has slowly become a song I listen to less and less. Good song for sure, but many others are just calling out to be heard a lot more lately.
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
I am really big on this one, putting it at 32. This is a top 3 song from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son for me (along with tracks 2 and 7).
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Here are today's songs!
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
I came around to liking this one somewhat recently, but it was one of the handful that got bumped off my final list once I added a few songs from the two newest albums. I am on the record as not being overly wild about their 90s material in general, but the first two from that decade had their moments, this being one of them.
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
I had this at 43, but I feel like it would be closer to 60 if I redid my list today, as it has slowly become a song I listen to less and less. Good song for sure, but many others are just calling out to be heard a lot more lately.
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
I am really big on this one, putting it at 32. This is a top 3 song from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son for me (along with tracks 2 and 7).
OH NO was my list the one that got rejected KevShmev because I had Only The Good Die Young at #4 !? :-\
Bugger...
For the record had BNW at #14 and Strangers in at #63.
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OH NO was my list the one that got rejected KevShmev because I had Only The Good Die Young at #4 !? :-\
Sadly, yes. You had the same song at both 11 and 15.
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Ugh that was silly of me then but not the first error I've made when working shifts. I really must learn to use those apps etc.
Anyway okay my bad :(
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61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
Mixed batch for me today.
Afraid to Shoot Strangers - number 53 for me. Always liked this song and without a doubt one of the Bruce songs Blaze sings very well. Really surprised to see it as a number 1 overall ranking though.
Brave New World - unranked by me but only just. It is a really great song but I just couldn't get it in my top 75 in the end.
Only The Good Die Young - unranked by me and not really close. I'm obviously a bit of an outlier here, I'm thinking this song being on 18 lists is the highest we have had so far? To me this is by far the weakest song on the Seventh Son album.
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Of those 3 I also had only ATSS on the list, #57. One of the better songs of the 90s.
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Afraid to Shoot Strangers (-)
The beginning of modern Maiden sound... at the time, it represented the band doing something somewhat different and I think it worked.
Brave New World (#68)
I think this song has a bit of Somewhere in Time vibe and it has very nice melodies. I love how the song builds momentum until it takes off in the guitar solos.
Only the Good Die Young (-)
I didn't rank, despite being (and sounding) a bit short, I like it a lot. It's interesting that the solo of the song (in its middle) is a bass solo with the guitars doing the rhythm. Also it has a great chorus.
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Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#36)
Excellent song. Kind of setting the template a bit for future clean-opening, slow-burn Maiden songs. Everything is just really good here, the melodies, the vocals, the harmonized parts...
Brave New World (#55)
Not among my very favorites on the album, but a song I always enjoy when it comes up. If anything, the chorus is what drags it down a bit (although I like what the guitars are doing in it). Love the intro with the cleans - they almost have a Steve Rothery feel to them. And the verses are great, very epic.
Only the Good Die Young (#51)
A punchy, urgent Maiden track to close the album. I love the opening gallop, drenched in that typical synth-y Seventh Son sound. It almost ends too abruptly, but it's a great tune.
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#100 Afraid to Shoot Strangers - I really like it, the lines and harmonies are classic and memorable, but I was always torn by the sudden tempo change. Not what comes after it, it's just very out there. It does make it very unique.
#46 Brave New World - great intro, verses, top-tier solos, very cool lyrics. This song suffers HARD from chorus repetition syndrome and that's what knocks it down for me compared to other songs on the album. Still an awesome song.
#41 Only the Good Die Young - the clean guitars give it that ethereal sound that is just perfect for the ending track. Great solos (there aren't many Steve Harris solos are there?) Also hands down one of the best choruses. Superb song, let's just pretend the last 30 seconds don't exist. Tacking that reprise was the single worst songwriting decision I have heard from them.
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Okay, focus, people, it's countdown time! ;)
Today's songs:
64 If Eternity Should Fail
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (senecadawg2)
Okay, this is something still sorta new rather than really new :P,. so there ya go. This snuck in late for me, landing at 73. This is another song from the last two albums that feels like would have been better with a less muddy sound, almost like the modern day, blah production is holding it back a bit.
63 Prodigal Son
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Setlist Scotty)
This one came in at 54 for me, which was lower than I thought it would have finished, as I liked this a lot from the start. It feels like this kind of vibe is one they never really tried to recapture once the original singer was gone from the band. Bummer.
62 Wrathchild
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 17 (Cool Chris)
That intro with the bass guitar alone makes this worthy, and the whole song is really enjoyable. I had it at 56.
If Eternity Should Fail - 64
Hey! My first time nailing the consensus! Fantastic opener to TBOS. I had no idea it was a Bruce solo song, so it never occurred to me that it sounded “un-Maiden like”. To think that Bruce had throat cancer during the recording of this album still blows my mind. He does sound a bit like he’s straining at times, but considering his age it’s pretty amazing that he was able to nail all of it. The outro is really cool as well but maybe sounds a bit out of place?
Prodigal Son - 52
I was close on this one. One of my favorites from Killers and very different for Maiden. Interesting that someone pointed out the Journeyman vibe. I can actually see that, but I think this is the better song by miles. DiAnno’s vocal delivery is surprisingly mature and passionate. He really nails this one.
Wrathchild - 37
I think this was the first Paul DiAnno song I ever heard, and it sticks with me to this day. To tell you the truth, this was one where I never cared for Bruce’s performance. This song in particular seems to beg for that angry punk vibe and Bruce’s clean delivery just doesn’t do it for me. (Even Blaze does this better than Bruce. The angry “barking” approach just seems to fit the attitude)
Here are today's songs!
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
I came around to liking this one somewhat recently, but it was one of the handful that got bumped off my final list once I added a few songs from the two newest albums. I am on the record as not being overly wild about their 90s material in general, but the first two from that decade had their moments, this being one of them.
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
I had this at 43, but I feel like it would be closer to 60 if I redid my list today, as it has slowly become a song I listen to less and less. Good song for sure, but many others are just calling out to be heard a lot more lately.
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
I am really big on this one, putting it at 32. This is a top 3 song from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son for me (along with tracks 2 and 7).
Afraid to Shoot Strangers - 41
I didn’t really come around to this one til I heard Blaze’s live version on Best of the Beast, but I also love Bruce’s original version. He was experimenting with a more “snarling” sound in the 90s that worked very well on a couple of FOTD tracks, this one in particular. I actually wish they would pull this one out more often. Love the change up of the pace in the middle.
Brave New World - 43
I almost wish this had been slightly higher. When the album first came out, I was super bummed by the continuation of the repetitive choruses that had plagued VXI, and I jumped off the Maiden bandwagon for awhile. But on my recent deep dive, it became apparent that I didn’t give this album a fair shake. Some songs are still way too much, but this song immediately stood out as not suffering quite so much in spite of the repetition. The intro is just gorgeous. I’ve had it stuck in my head for weeks.
Only the Good Die Young - unranked
This one probably could have made it…it was close. But I always felt like this was a bit of a disappointing closer to a fairly good album.
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J-Dude….Drifter?
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J-Dude….Drifter?
I fixed it. Pulled the wrong listing by mistake. But I had PS in the brain during the description. :facepalm:
I actually thought I had pulled off the fix before anyone saw it. I doubled it back pretty quickly.
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Afraid to Shoot Strangers: #29 - Probably my favorite song off FOTD.
Brave New World: #85 - Another very good song amongst a sea of great songs. I do know that this really landed better today than it did when I first heard it.
Only the Good Die Young: #75 - One of the last minute changes; originally this was much lower, but it's a good song and demanded to be on the list. So there you go, by the skin of it's teeth!
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Our first #1!
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Finally we get a couple of non-reunion songs that made my list!
61. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
My ranking: #21
This was about 8-9 spots higher on my 2020 list. I think this time around I was a little more bothered by the relation between the first half and second half. But this is still one of their very best songs. Definitely the highlight of their weakest era, and I think a precursor of sorts to their rebirth on The X Factor
The first half of this is really what makes so good for me. The quiet verses really set a powerful mood, especially paired with some very good lyrics. The second half is good, too, and it's not too out of place. The main theme (played as a guitar lead at about three minutes in, under the first "chorus") is excellent.
I'm going to make some people mad by even mentioning this, but to me the definitive version of this is Blaze's live performance (https://youtu.be/0c9iYZdsZMM). The weird raspy vocal style Bruce was affecting on this album really hurts the studio version of this. It weakens the early verses and sounds really out of place on the heavier chorus at the end. Blaze's baritone really suits the dark mood of the early verses, and his belt just works for the "afraid... afraid to shoot strangers" chorus.
I did see this live with Bruce in 2012, and he actually sang it using his normal voice, so if they ever release a show from the 2012 Maiden England tour, that might become the definitive version for me. But for now I'm very happy with Blaze's version.
60. Brave New World
My ranking: Unranked (86-100 range)
This is one of the songs that got me into Iron Maiden, so it's tough for me to put it on the outside. Really, it goes to show how strong their discography is that a song to which I have a certain degree of nostalgic attachment didn't make the list.
The culprit, as you can probably imagine, is the chorus. I like the verses a lot, especially the intro verse and the faster verse that comes after the first chorus. The instrumental section is probably the best part of the song. Although I've made no secret of the fact that Adrian is my favorite Maiden guitarist, this solo section one that shows what the Janick/Dave team could do. But that chorus loses a significant amount of momentum, and, like the tale, it goes on and on and on and on and on. Which might be okay if it was a really good chorus, but I don't think this one is especially interesting. Thus, the song just doesn't quite end up among my 75 favorites.
59. Only the Good Die Young
My ranking: #28
This song falling at #59 is arguably an instance of the good dying young! I think this is one of their best short songs, and I have no idea why it doesn't get more attention. The verses just get up and go. This is one of those where I think the lyrics just sound good, especially paired with the vocal melodies, and there's a ton of forward momentum throughout this song. I'm also a big fan of the main theme, which sounds like a variation of the Seventh Son theme, but is different enough to give this song its own distinct mood. Like on the whole album, Bruce really puts all his acting ability into this one. As someone who is more familiar with the conventions of concept albums than I was when I first heard SSoaSS, it stands out as unusual to me to have a short rocker in the last spot, but I think this song works as well as any big epic closer could have.
Plus, there's a bass solo in this song called Only the Good Die Young where Steve Harris does a bass solo.
My list so far (7/17):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
48. Death of the Celts
43. Out of the Silent Planet
28. Only the Good Die Young
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
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61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
I came around to liking this one somewhat recently, but it was one of the handful that got bumped off my final list once I added a few songs from the two newest albums. I am on the record as not being overly wild about their 90s material in general, but the first two from that decade had their moments, this being one of them.
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
I had this at 43, but I feel like it would be closer to 60 if I redid my list today, as it has slowly become a song I listen to less and less. Good song for sure, but many others are just calling out to be heard a lot more lately.
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
I am really big on this one, putting it at 32. This is a top 3 song from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son for me (along with tracks 2 and 7).
Afraid to Shoot Strangers - A song that could have potentially made my list, but ultimately fell to #106. The only things holding it back are the vocals and the opening melodies feel awkward to me.
Brave New World - Landing at #40, this was the song that proved to me that Maiden had returned to form. The album as a whole is good, but not in the top tier of the reunion albums. The repetitive nature of the chorus holds this song back from being a top 20 track.
Only the Good Die Young - I had this at #50. A good, if not great, album closer. You can actually start to see some of the musical direction the next 2 albums would take in this song. Although this is much better than most of that material.
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J-Dude….Drifter?
I fixed it. Pulled the wrong listing by mistake. But I had PS in the brain during the description. :facepalm:
I actually thought I had pulled off the fix before anyone saw it. I doubled it back pretty quickly.
(https://memegenerator.net/img/instances/73784379.jpg)
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61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dave_Manchester)
60 Brave New World
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 13 (toro)
59 Only the Good Die Young
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 11 (Zydar)
I had Afraid To Shoot Strangers at #70. I think this song is excellent, but I think so many of their songs are excellent.
I had Brave New World at #43. When this album came out, this song really didn't do much for me. And there's something about Rock In Rio that I don't love. But hearing it on Death OnThe Road finally made it click with me. That 3 part hermony during the solo is amazing.
I had Only The Good Die Young at #94. As a stand alone song, it's really good. As the closer to Seventh Son, I've always found it underwhelming.
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I'm going to make some people mad by even mentioning this, but to me the definitive version of this is Blaze's live performance (https://youtu.be/0c9iYZdsZMM). The weird raspy vocal style Bruce was affecting on this album really hurts the studio version of this. It weakens the early verses and sounds really out of place on the heavier chorus at the end. Blaze's baritone really suits the dark mood of the early verses, and his belt just works for the "afraid... afraid to shoot strangers" chorus.
I've seen that before, and it was a great choice to keep in the set for Blaze.
I did see this live with Bruce in 2012, and he actually sang it using his normal voice, so if they ever release a show from the 2012 Maiden England tour, that might become the definitive version for me. But for now I'm very happy with Blaze's version.
There's this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQIUSchuRu8
Freaking Janick :metal
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64 If Eternity Should Fail - did not rank
63 Prodigal Son - 10
I'm glad to see that this song made the cut. Obviously I think very highly of this song (as if my other posts about it in this thread haven't made that clear) and I'm not surprised that I ended up ranking it highest. Will be curious to see that will be the case with any of my other selections. Anyway, just an awesome song, even if quite unusual for Maiden. I like the point someone made about it kinda being reminiscent of FBN-era Rush. I can see that - great point. Shame that it never got played live, but maybe just maybe they'd resurrect it if and when they ever do Alexander the Great (which would probably be a one-off especially special show). Probably not, but I can always dream.
62 Wrathchild - 36
Good song, although overplayed in comparison to anything else off of Killers. Honestly, I became familiar with this song on LAD, so when I heard the studio version with the soloing during the intro, it threw me off a bit. I still think I like the LAD version better, but I'm good either way.
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers - did not rank
Not a big fan of FotD in general, altho I think this one just missed my list. One of the more unique and interesting offerings on the album, but not strong enough to make my list.
60 Brave New World - 39
Great song although there are a bunch more on the album that I prefer and ranked higher. Biggest strike against it is the repetitive chorus, but otherwise a song I enjoy listening to.
59 Only the Good Die Young - 17
Love this song! Surprised to read comments that this isn't a great way to end the album. I think it's a great closing track. Love the chorus. Shame that it never got played live - can't understand why.
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59 Only the Good Die Young - 17
Love this song! Surprised to read comments that this isn't a great way to end the album. I think it's a great closing track. Love the chorus. Shame that it never got played live - can't understand why.
It may be unfair to OTGDY on it's own, because I do like the song. I also love The Prophecy, and I've grown to like The Clairvoyant. So on their own, they're all excellent. But side 2 of SSOASS, after the title track was kind of a let down in a way. Closing the album with three short songs, I guess I've always felt a bit unfulfilled by it.
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Our first #1!
Yep!
Afraid To Shoot Strangers: #1. Faced with a shortlist of about 8 songs that on any given day could be my favourite Maiden song I decided in the end to go with sentiment and nostalgia. Back when I was a kid I borrowed Fear of the Dark from the library (this is back when libraries had CDs to lend. Come to that, this is back when northern English towns had libraries) and Afraid To Shoot Strangers blew 12 or 13 year old me away. I'd never heard anything quite like it. The beautiful ballady opening, the superb melodic instrumental section, the frenetic 'metal' section, all in 6 and a bit minutes. During this relisten I got back in touch with those days of musical discovery and remembered what a fantastiс time it was. When taking the bus to the library to borrow a CD was something to look forward to. So for that sentimental reason I gave it the gold sash. Plus, as you (Chris) alluded to in your earlier post to me, any anti-war song is especially resonant to me right now. Oh, and I echo what others have said, the live version by Blaze Bayley is actually my favourite version of this song. The music is a bit more spacious and atmospheric live.
Brave New World: didn't rank (solid song but solid doesn't cut a top 75 list when you have a catalogue of tunes this strong)
Only The Good Die Young: #64
My list so far in descending order:
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
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My #1 in the DT countdown was largely at the top due to sentimental reasons. So I fully appreciate that post. And the last time I was at my library (pre Covid) they still had CDs to check out.
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BNW at #45 and OTGDY at #60. Both solid songs. OTGDY is the third highest ranked song on SSOASS, and BNW is #4 on its album. Didn't rank Strangers.
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59 Only the Good Die Young - 17
Love this song! Surprised to read comments that this isn't a great way to end the album. I think it's a great closing track. Love the chorus. Shame that it never got played live - can't understand why.
It may be unfair to OTGDY on it's own, because I do like the song. I also love The Prophecy, and I've grown to like The Clairvoyant. So on their own, they're all excellent. But side 2 of SSOASS, after the title track was kind of a let down in a way. Closing the album with three short songs, I guess I've always felt a bit unfulfilled by it.
Yes I agree with this and I also like the word ‘underwhelming’ which you used to describe OTGDY. As a closing song to a great album it is just that.
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For those who never heard, a very interesting version of BNW, taken from the free Kerrang! tribute album "Maiden Heaven":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtLiQ9YyZ34
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ATSS - Came in at 65 for me. Interesting structure, love the harmonies between the solos, some of Maiden's finest.
BNW - Came in at 26, loved it from the get go. I have no issue with the repetition here. Another class Dave song again in D minor. Love the solos and just a perfect atmosphere throughout.
OTGDY - 56 for me. Interesting closer, great song, excellent melodies. Love the big concert ending outro too.
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Keeping it going...
58 The Wicker Man
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (Ben_Jamin)
Solid tune, but as there used to be a poster on these forums (or maybe it was the old dt.net) who used this song as his username, I guess I expected a super great song, and was pretty underwhelmed by it. Feels like one of those catchy rock songs where the hook just doesn't appeal to me in any real way. I did not rank it.
57 Still Life
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Shalev Amir)
I don't get the love for this one. I went back and listened to it a few times this week, and every single time when it was over, I remembered nothing about it. Not a bad song, but just not one that is memorable to me at all. This also went unranked for me.
56 The Nomad
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (nobloodyname)
On the flip side, this one was an instant grabber, and I had it at 21. I have to admit that I am a bit stunned that it didn't get more love. Finishing at 56 seems awfully low.
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I’m pretty sure I was the other Top 10 finish for Wicker Man at #7. Have to check when I get home and update on the previous songs I missed over the weekend.
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The Nomad is great. Adrian and Dave’s solos sound like they came straight out of Arabian Nights. :metal
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Keeping it going...
58 The Wicker Man
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (Ben_Jamin)
Solid tune, but as there used to be a poster on these forums (or maybe it was the old dt.net) who used this song as his username, I guess I expected a super great song, and was pretty underwhelmed by it. Feels like one of those catchy rock songs where the hook just doesn't appeal to me in any real way. I did not rank it.
57 Still Life
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Shalev Amir)
I don't get the love for this one. I went back and listened to it a few times this week, and every single time when it was over, I remembered nothing about it. Not a bad song, but just not one that is memorable to me at all. This also went unranked for me.
56 The Nomad
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (nobloodyname)
On the flip side, this one was an instant grabber, and I had it at 21. I have to admit that I am a bit stunned that it didn't get more love. Finishing at 56 seems awfully low.
The Wicker Man - unranked
This was my first disappointment from the reunion era. Because I was head of the CD shop for Fred Meyer at the time, I got to hear an early promo, and I remember thinking I had heard that riff somewhere else. No…it’s not quite that Judas Priest song. There was a different metal track from my youth that it sounds even closer to and I never figured it out. But ya, it’s just pretty ok. A bit derivative.
Still Life - 48
How can anyone not remember this? It’s kind of the de facto “title track” from the album! NIGHTMAAAAARRRREEESSS!!!! Love the quiet intro and the ramping up the pace on the second verse. One of the first Iron Maiden songs I ever heard. It seems odd now, because I don’t think it was a single, but my local radio station played this song in rotation for awhile when POM came out, so I heard this song before Trooper or Icarus.
The Nomad - unranked
This one has got a nice “shuffle” to it. The pre-chorus is a bit unusual, but the main chorus is really majestic. Great song, just didn’t make the cut.
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The Wicker Man (#43)
I might have ranked this a bit too high, but I do have a certain fondness for this song. Actually, my story with it has been one of ups and downs. I bought the CD single when it came out, as the excitement for the reunion album was obviously running high. And, I have to say, I was a little underwhelmed after the first few listens. I mean, it sounded great, but it wasn't as exciting as I was expecting it to be. Over time, though, I've come to appreciate it more and more. Not a masterpiece, obviously, but just the right amount of energy to open this new phase in Maiden history. The opening is a bit too close to Judas Priest's Running Wild, but it's ok. Love, love Adrian's licks bookending his solo.
Still Life (#47)
Love the intro and the verse vocal lines...how they build up with the band first playing softer and then rhythmically going for it. The chorus is not one of their very best, but the harmonized guitar part before the solos is brilliant (wish it lasted longer). Overall, I really like the mood of the song.
The Nomad (#48)
Funny how today's songs are all bunched up close in my ranking. The Nomad is part of the final trio of songs on BNW which I think end it on a super-strong note. I like the chunky riffing and the epic feel of this one. The vocal lines do sound a bit awkward at times. But, for me, what really elevates the tune is the instrumental section...how it goes quiet and it builds and builds, with the clean guitar lines and the tasteful orchestration. None of it is particularly original, and you kind of know where it's going, but it just works for me.
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The Wicker Man (#53)
Sure it would benefit a lot if it had a Maiden's 80's production, but I still think it's a great single.
Still Life (#21)
Love this one, relatively short and proggy. Great slow/melodic intro done right, like Maiden used to do in the 80's, easily.
The Nomad (#71)
I love its more energetic parts, but not so much the middle orchestral part, which is very inspired by this Beckett's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTBmLmYz6A0&t=249s (from 4:10 mark on)
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Wicker Man - #39 - One of my favorite of the reunion era.
Still Life - #50 (my lowest ranked song on POM) - For the longest time, the only memorable thing about it was the intro and the burp. I really like the harmonized vocal on "hand to hand then we'll JUMP...," but it's otherwise a pretty average track on their best album.
The Nomad - unranked.
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Updating for all the songs I missed over the weekend:
64 If Eternity Should Fail
I had this at #55. Great opening to a fantastic album. Not saying more than this for now..
63 Prodigal Son
I did not rank this one. I find it pretty difficult to connect with the first two albums, aside from the songs that they've played live in more recent years. It;s so different from the rest of Maiden's material. It's not bad, but doesn't always do it for me.
62 Wrathchild
This one landed at #59 on mine. One of the better songs from the first two records if you ask me.
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
I did not rank this one, though I suspect this one would have been close in 75-100 range.
60 Brave New World
The first time I Heard this, I didn't like the repeated chorus nonsense in this song. This whole album is kind of guilty of it, but I've come to like Brave New World a lot later. It was at #63 on my list.
59 Only the Good Die Young
Not close to being my favourite on SSOASS, but a fun song nonetheless. I had it at #71.
58 The Wicker Man
This is one of my favourite Maiden songs. It's my number 7 and it's one of those awesome rocking short songs that they sometimes do really well. I especially like the live version on En Vivo! as well.
57 Still Life
I didn't rank this one. In fact, I have trouble remembering how it even goes.
56 The Nomad
Random 'hidden' gem here. So much cool stuff going on in this song. I had it at #42.
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And since I've seen more people do this, here's my rankings of the songs so far:
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#42 The Nomad
#31 Rainmaker
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#7 The Wicker Man
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
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#131 The Wicker Man - in my honest opinion, this is probably the single most overrated Iron Maiden song. It's really average and I'd lump it in with the fillers if it wasn't an intro track. The Rock in Rio version is great, but I tried to rate based on studio versions.
#7 Still Life - pure gold. I like how it ramps up the story, the singing, everything... But I'm especially fond of the lead parts and the intro, and that harmonised part about three minutes in. I think this song captures best the Piece of Mind sound (it is aptly kind of the title track too!)
#95 The Nomad - it's a fine song, I only don't really like the "noooomaad" refrain. The middle section really elevates it though, so if you're willing to do an artist/art separation it's a pretty cool track.
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#131 The Wicker Man - in my honest opinion, this is probably the single most overrated Iron Maiden song. It's really average and I'd lump it in with the fillers if it wasn't an intro track. The Rock in Rio version is great, but I tried to rate based on studio versions.
That opening riff is awesome, and it's so cool to see Adrian hit the stage and plow right in to it on Rock in Rio, but otherwise I feel the same.
Also agree on the "Nomad" refrain.
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58 The Wicker Man
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (Ben_Jamin)
57 Still Life
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Shalev Amir)
56 The Nomad
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (nobloodyname)
I had The Wicker Man at #101. I have never really cared for this song very much, except when it gets going for the instrumental part. I did quite enjoy it at the Legacy Of The Beast show a couple of years ago, so it is aging ok. I'm surprised I even nominated it for the countdown.
I had Stil Life at #57. I think this is one of Maiden's most unique songs. I've always loved it and it shows their versatility.
I had The Nomad at #68. This was easily my favorite track off of Brave New World when it came out, but it's fallen off a little. I've always had a problem with the transition from the instrumental part back to the vocals. It just seems off for some reason.
My List so far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
57 Still Life
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
29 The Duellists
17 No Prayer for the Dying
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Not Ranked
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
101 The Wicker Man
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
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TWM - Had it 116 - A solid song, but I never understood the love. There's nothing wrong with it and it's a fine opener but that's about it for me. Adrian's middle section is cool.
SL - 78 - Thinking about it now, it probably should have been higher. It is unique and some class writing from Dave.
TN - 47 - Another Dave masterpiece. The first 3-4 minutes are just brilliant and even though the whole middle is a total blatant rip off, it's brilliant, wonderful song.
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58 The Wicker Man
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (Ben_Jamin)
57 Still Life
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Shalev Amir)
56 The Nomad
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (nobloodyname)
The Wickerman - my rank 71. Always liked this one so I got it in the top 75. As the first song from Brave New World there is some extra nostalgia attached as I was so fired up that Bruce and Adrian were back in Maiden.
Still Life - my rank 19. Always loved this one, just a great song on a great album. Thought this would have ranked higher.
The Nomad - unranked by me but this is a good song. Great riffs and driving rhythm. Not surprised at all to see it here in the countdown.
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58. The Wicker Man
My ranking: Unranked (86-100 range)
This song has fallen off some in my esteem. In 2020, this made my top 60 list, but here it misses not just the top 75, but the first ten out. It's still a very good song. I really like the intro, the instrumental section and the prechorus. The rest of it is pretty strong, too, and I think it's a perfect concert opener for Rock in Rio. I think it's mainly fallen off due to me coming to like some other songs more over the last couple of years and due to me coming to have a somewhat less favorable view of the repeating chorus.
57. Still Life
My ranking: Unranked (86-100 range)
This is another song that was definitely a candidate, but ended up on the outside looking in because there were just too many good songs, including some that have grown on me in recent years. To me, there's something really appealing about the verses—the sense of forward momentum they have plus Bruce's emotional delivery. What holds the song back is the chorus, which I think is pretty simple and not as appealing as a lot of their other ones. I do think it's kind of cool to see it making the list, though, especially considering that I already know the list is going to be significantly different from mine because of different preferred eras. I've always thought this was one of the more overlooked 80s Maiden songs.
56. The Nomad
My ranking: #47
For the first few years after I got into the band, this was my least favorite of the three BNW epics, but as time has gone on, it has become my favorite. This song has two main downsides that led me to keep it lower than it deserved for years and are still why it's not higher for me: (1) I don't love the choruses, especially the first one ("Nomad, rider of the ancient east"). It's not bad, just not especially appealing; (2) The knowledge that part of the instrumental section is essentially plagiarized from Beckett.
Those two things aside, this song is brilliant. I love that instrumental section, and if it's Beckett I have to thank for it, then so be it. It has such a grand, epic feel that it takes me beyond the scene of a desert nomad to a vision of the whole solar system. I don't know, that's just what I always picture when I hear it. The intro is also really good. It's actually pretty proggy, the way that things are set up with a bit of stop-and-start there.
So, yeah, really good song. Just wish they'd give credit to the guys who wrote part of it.
My list so far (8/20):
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
28. Only the Good Die Young
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Man, if I keep adding one out of every three that are posted, I'm in for a lot of disappointment in the future!
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425 - great write ups. I particularly like what you said about The Nomad and the grand epic feel it creates. Yes, I didn’t rank it but it is a song that has some really great moments.
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The Wicker Man: #34: fantastic rocker and the, let's say, 'familiar' riff never bothered me because it's too good of a riff to be used only once (the Judas Priest reference has already been made but it also reminds me of China Grove by The Doobie Brothers). And the 'woh woh woh' section at the end is up there with Maiden's very best 'woh woh woh' sections (I'd sandwich it second between the Heaven Can Wait woh woh wohs at #1 and The Red and the Black woh woh wohs at #3).
Still Life: #63
The Nomad: not ranked. Good song, it was on the shortlist for final inclusion but just didn't make it in the end. Too much greatness elsewhere.
My list so far in descending order:
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
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58 The Wicker Man
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (Ben_Jamin)
Solid tune, but as there used to be a poster on these forums (or maybe it was the old dt.net) who used this song as his username, I guess I expected a super great song, and was pretty underwhelmed by it. Feels like one of those catchy rock songs where the hook just doesn't appeal to me in any real way. I did not rank it.
57 Still Life
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Shalev Amir)
I don't get the love for this one. I went back and listened to it a few times this week, and every single time when it was over, I remembered nothing about it. Not a bad song, but just not one that is memorable to me at all. This also went unranked for me.
56 The Nomad
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 19 (nobloodyname)
On the flip side, this one was an instant grabber, and I had it at 21. I have to admit that I am a bit stunned that it didn't get more love. Finishing at 56 seems awfully low.
The Wicker Man - Not the greatest album opener Maiden has ever done. This fell outside my list at #90. Some good stuff here, but perhaps a bit underwhelming.
Still Life - This one also fell just outside my list at #83. This song was more a victim of so many other amazing songs being above. I still love the song, though.
The Nomad - Now we're talking! This one landed at #55. This song always reminded me of some of the Seventh Son stuff. I feel like with different production it could have slotted right into that album and no one would be the wiser. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.... :lol
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425 - great write ups. I particularly like what you said about The Nomad and the grand epic feel it creates. Yes, I didn’t rank it but it is a song that has some really great moments.
Thanks! I sometimes feel like I write too much for these, so it's always nice to know someone is reading and appreciates them.
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425 - great write ups. I particularly like what you said about The Nomad and the grand epic feel it creates. Yes, I didn’t rank it but it is a song that has some really great moments.
Thanks! I sometimes feel like I write too much for these, so it's always nice to know someone is reading and appreciates them.
I read everything in this thread. It's interesting reading everyone's insights into each song.
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425 - great write ups. I particularly like what you said about The Nomad and the grand epic feel it creates. Yes, I didn’t rank it but it is a song that has some really great moments.
Thanks! I sometimes feel like I write too much for these, so it's always nice to know someone is reading and appreciates them.
I read everything in this thread. It's interesting reading everyone's insights into each song.
Yes I also read everything and really enjoy reading what everyone has to say about each song and their rankings etc. I find it fascinating how many diverse opinions and thoughts we can each have about the songs from a band that at least most of us love and is probably the number 1 band for at least some of us.
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34 Afraid to Shoot Strangers - Better with a brooding Blaze and a real standout on Fear of the Dark.
17 Brave New World - I've said before that Brave New World is my kryptonite, so closely bound with memories of my life around the time it came out. Many of those memories relate to one of the early MMOs, Asheron's Call. I spent hours under its spell and in its world, and the album Brave New World was the perfect soundtrack to it, particularly this song and The Nomad. Oh, and I absolutely adore the opening first couple of lines, "dying swans, twisted wings/beauty not needed here".
78 Only the Good Die Young - I really like this song! But it was competing with so many good tracks.
51 The Wicker Man - my favourite modern day Maiden opener (can 2000 really be considered 'modern day'?!). Love the main riff, love the singalong part, love the fact they didn't include the refrains from the US radio version :biggrin:
70 Still Life - this is one of those songs that I always need to listen to for a refresher whenever it comes up. The "will give you peace of mind!" part is all a bit Max Headroom but I really like the start of the song and the way it builds.
19 The Nomad - the first time I've been the top ranker! Reminds me so much of playing Asheron's Call. Just a shame they stole half of it, eh? One of the real blueprints for post-reunion Maiden (the tune itself, not the theft!).
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The next three...
55 Remember Tomorrow
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
I had this at 59.
54 Killers
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Cool Chris)
I had this at 49.
53 The Thing Line Between Love and Hate
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dream Team)
I had this at 48.
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55 Remember Tomorrow
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
54 Killers
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Cool Chris)
53 The Thing Line Between Love and Hate
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dream Team)
Like Kev, 3 songs I ranked today.
Remember Tomorrow - just love this song. Wasn’t actually sure it would even make the countdown though so very happy it has. Nice work Puppies to share the top rank with me.
Killers - 55 for me. Another song I didn’t think would make the final list. Originally had this much higher but it slipped lower in the end. Still a song I really enjoy every time I hear it.
Thin Line - 69 for me. Always loved Bruces vocals on this one.
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Killers was #67 on my list. Really cool song.
The other two I did not rank, though I remember liking Metallica’s cover of Remember Tomorrow.
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Saying that I'm late to the party would be the biggest understatement ever. :lol I was too busy to participate in the game, but I am reading through the comments and I absolutely love the countdown. It's so enjoyable. :tup
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The next three...
55 Remember Tomorrow
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
I had this at 59.
54 Killers
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Cool Chris)
I had this at 49.
53 The Thing Line Between Love and Hate
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dream Team)
I had this at 48.
Remember Tomorrow - 29
When I first heard the self titled, I really liked Prowler. But going from that to Remember Tomorrow was something different. It immediately set the mood of the album and the band. “ We’re not always going to give you what you expect.” Those are my favorite moments. Remember Tomorrow is amazing. I love the way Paul’s vocals get more intense with each subsequent “chorus” section (if you can call it that). And then the ending climax is blissful!
Killers - 35
The intro and the riff are completely amazing. The lyrics don’t set well with me these days. At 16 I thought they were way cool. Now I just don’t care for it. But the structure of the song is still fantastic.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - unranked
One of the BNW songs that I really regret not making the cut. The last 3 minutes are amazing! I get goosebumps! But it’s a fantastic outro to just a so so song.
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Remember Tomorrow (#74)
It's a bit of a "diamond in the rough" song, but I think it deserves the classic status.
Killers (#25)
There's a lot of creativity in this song: the menacing intro, that distortion in the rhythm guitars on the verses, the drumming in the solo section etc. Some songs on Killers are a bit uncommon for Maiden, I guess they were exploring/finding their sound a lot more those days.
The Thin Line... (-) - I love a lot of its parts, specially the intro and the "Fates Warning" outro. I don't like much the double vocals on the verses though.
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The Wicker Man: #65 - Just a fun song and a great way to kick off the reunion. I didn't really dig it at first, I thought it was underwhelming, but it has legs. It's a song I like hearing live, and which has really aged well for me.
Still Life: #22 - I LOVE this song. It really stood out on an album that was seminal for me. It's the first "real time" record I got from the band, it's the first time I saw them as a headliner, and it's a record I listened to over and over and over in my car. "Still Life" was the song that always stood out (after the killer opening of "Where Eagles Dare").
The Nomad: #40 - Another of the songs that really grew on me over time with this record.
Remember Tomorrow: #134 - The ranking doesn't really do this justice. I really really like the original version; I think the song fits Di'Anno's voice really well. It's so low because I can't get the live Bruce b-side version (allegedly from the Italy shows before he went in to do TNOTB, but actually a re-recording of his voice over the Maiden Japan track) out of my head. I love Bruce, but his "AH-ah-AHs!" are annoying and grating.
Killer: #57 - I love the riff in this song. This was the song where for me the two-guitar thing gelled. I felt like this is what it was SUPPOSED to be, and Adrian was not only a marked improvement over Dennis, but he also elevated Dave's playing. It's not the greatest song in and of itself, but what it meant for me as a fan and the band.
TTLBL&H: #109 - Good song, not great, and probably a victim of my not really connecting with the record for a long time. Yet another example of the depth and quality of the Maiden catalogue. We're almost 110 songs in, and this doesn't suck.
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Here we go. I had Remember Tomorrow at 22 and Killers just barely outside the top 75.
I figured I would be the highest ranker of TTLBL&H - it's been a top 5 song for me ever since it came out, at one point number 1! Yes the final 3 minutes are sublime and I like the rest of it too - great melodic solos from Dave and Bruce sounds powerful on it. A unique song in their catalog.
Actually kind of surprised Remember Tomorrow finished that low . . .
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106 Remember Tomorrow - On reflection, I ought to have ranked this higher. It kind of hints at mid-period Metallica so it's no surprise Metallica actually covered it.
67 Killers - Prefer the original with Di'Anno singing since it's a touch more menacing.
5 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - Genuinely surprised I wasn't the highest ranker with Dream Team beating me by one spot. An absolute standout in Maiden's catalogue with a stellar Dickinson performance. I could listen to it all day long.
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I ranked Killers at 48 but didn't rank Remember Tomorrow or Thin Line.
There's a lot of elements in Killers that are good, but I don't think it really comes together the way it should. The chorus of Remember Tomorrow is solid, but the rest is just...IDK.
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55 Remember Tomorrow
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
I had this at 59.
54 Killers
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Cool Chris)
I had this at 49.
53 The Thing Line Between Love and Hate
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dream Team)
I had this at 48.
Remember Tomorrow - Even showing up at #55 on the overall list, this is a criminally underrated gem from Maiden's early days. Reminds me of some of Judas Priests '70s output. Great buildup and some of Dianno's best vocals on the debut. Along with some ripping guitar solos and riffs, this song is just fantastic.
Killers - Hey, look at that, I also had this at #54. I probably could have rated this a bit higher, but eh. Just another example of how good those first 2 albums really were, even without Bruce. As a matter of fact I really like Dianno's vocals.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - And I had this at #53 too! I'm on a role! A good album closer, although it does take a bit to really get going. As was pointed out by others, the last half of the song is just perfect.
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I ranked Remember Tomorrow at 33.
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Remember Tomorrow: #53. One of a small handful of songs that, prior to undertaking the full relisten project, I didn't think would stand a chance of making the list, but in the end I found myself enjoying it a lot.
Killers: didn't rank
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate: didn't rank. Another Brave New World track that made the shortlist of about 100 songs but didn't quite survive the final cull. It's very good though.
My list so far in descending order:
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness?
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
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Finally, a 2/3 for me instead of a 1/3. Still yet to get a 3/3... :lol
55. Remember Tomorrow
My ranking: #53
Here's one where my ranking was very close to the final result! This is the second-best song of the Di'Anno era in my book, head-and-shoulders over every song other than (an obvious) one. This is also the song where I like Di'Anno's vocals best. There's a tenderness to his voice that really works for the emotion here, and it flows well into the stronger quasi-scream on the last line of the second verse. I'll take him over Bruce on this one.
The instrumental section is also really good. It's interesting how it provides this burst of intensity in between the calm, almost pensive vocal sections.
54. Killers
My ranking: Unranked (86-100 range)
This is probably my favorite song on Killers, and it likely would have made a top 100 list. I now think this album is better on average than the debut, but that still entails me thinking it has a lot of songs in the "good, but a lot of better Maiden songs" territory (as compared to an album that has two really good songs and a lot of ones that I would actually call weak).
This song has a lot of energy and has some pretty good verses. Just the sort of Maiden verses where I like the flow of the words ("The mocking religion of hatred that burns in the night" and "My faith in believing is stronger than lifelines and ties" are perfect examples). Di'Anno is solid on this, though I might prefer Bruce's rendition.
53. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
My ranking: #66
I said in the main thread that I recently gained a greater appreciation for this song, which is true. But when it came to making my list, it's just hard for a song to climb when I look at all the songs I love that would have to move down to make room for it. It moved up a little bit over my preliminary ranking from 2020 (when it did not make my top 60), though.
The song structure is really interesting and unusual for them, here. It's perfect for an album closer, but it takes some time to wrap your head around. The first few minutes are a pretty standard rock track, which is certainly nothing to criticize in and over itself, but in the second half it really turns into an instrumental adventure. It stops about six minutes in and goes into a quiet section that sort of feels like the end, but there's still more to come, which is welcome and unusual. I think this is the weakest of the three BNW epics, but not by a huge margin.
Also, sorry to do this to some of you again, but: I was just trying to put my finger on what song this reminds me of, and I realized it's The Unbeliever (interestingly, a Gers/Harris track, whereas this one was written by Murray/Harris). Since I very much doubt that one will make the list, I'll reveal now that I had it #55, so a little bit above Thin Line. I really like both, but The Unbeliever is more impactful for me.
The last few days of this countdown have also made me realize how much Dave wrote for Brave New World: three songs, including two epics. I think that's the most he's ever done, which is interesting because that's also the album that had more contributors than the previous few (and perhaps any of their albums), with Harris/Gers/Murray continuing, Dickinson/Smith returning, and Bayley allegedly having co-written some material when he was still with the band.
My list so far (10/23):
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
53. Remember Tomorrow
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
28. Only the Good Die Young
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
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Remember Tomorrow - 119 - Unique song. Ranked lower for me but I can see why it made the top 75. I liked the Real Live/Dead one version personally.
Killers - 38 - Always thought this was a beast of a song, love it. Dave's natural rolling harmonics is just brilliant to give that serial killer knife in the back kind of feel. Paul sounds great on this one too. I wish they brought this one out more live.
Thin Line - 30 - Another masterpiece from Dave. What a unique, beautiful song, almost melodic rock in sections but Bruce is the star here. he sounds incredible. Underrated cut.
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Let's sneak in two more today.
52 Dream of Mirrors
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (nobloodyname)
I had this at 18 and was baffled as to how this was left off 12 lists and finished this low overall, but it makes more sense now given some of the past chatter in this thread. :lol :facepalm:
51 Isle of Avalon
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (425)
I originally had this right around 20, but it got docked a bit on my last update and finished at 39, but I probably should have left it closer to 20. Another where the lack of love is just baffling to me.
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Dream Of Mirrors is really good but the middle section kills it for me. Reminds me of A Rite Of Passage. Great parts/chorus but a bridge that just goes nowhere for SO LONG
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My two favorite songs from the first two albums today!
Remember Tomorrow (#26)
Fantastic, fantastic song. The riff in the chorus in so iconic, and they just nail the soft/hard dynamics. Great instrumental section too...all in a tight package.
Killers (#23)
Can I say it again? Fantastic, fantastic song :biggrin: The opening with the bass and the clean guitars, Clive Burr's drumming, the riff with the harmonics. Yes, the lyrics are not high poetry, but this tune is amazing. Definitely one of the highlights of the Di' Anno era.
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#38)
After Out of the Silent Planet and The Nomad, we close off the final trio of Brave New World which, as I mentioned before, I very much enjoy. This song is a little different for Maiden. I like it all, but what really sells me on it is the final three minutes or so. Simple, beautiful guitar leads and a great performance by Bruce. Then the full band comes back before everything slows down again. Real nice way to end the song (and the album).
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55 Remember Tomorrow
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 14 (Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
54 Killers
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Cool Chris)
53 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Appeared on 16 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dream Team)
I had Remember Tomorrow at #18. This is my #2 Dianno Era track. Such a great and epic song, and for a debut album, it's quite a gem. So much goodness going on.
I had Killers at #105. It was the second to last placed of the 106 songs I nominated. I don't know. I do like it, but I have never loved it.
I had The Thin Line Between Love And Hate #42. Through the first two Reunion albums, this was probably my favorte Reunion Era track. But they've released so much great music, it fell out of the Top 10, at #11, on my Reunions Era list.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
57 Still Life
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
29 The Duellists
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
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Not Ranked
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
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52 Dream of Mirrors
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (nobloodyname)
51 Isle of Avalon
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (425)
I had Dream Of Mirrors at 97. I should love this song but...I just don't. I really can't put my finger on it. There's a lot of "I only dream in black and white"s. I've always thought that this was a huge step up in their songwriting, but for whatever reason, it just misses the mark for me. I'm kind of surprised this just fell out of the Top 50.
I had Isle Of Avalon at #83. This is a fantastic song, and I plead guilty to underrating it. There's a lot to chew on here.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
57 Still Life
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
29 The Duellists
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
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Not Ranked
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
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DOM was 77 for me and IOA was 88. Kind of surprised both made the official list.
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Remember Tomorrow: #134 - The ranking doesn't really do this justice. I really really like the original version; I think the song fits Di'Anno's voice really well. It's so low because I can't get the live Bruce b-side version (allegedly from the Italy shows before he went in to do TNOTB, but actually a re-recording of his voice over the Maiden Japan track) out of my head. I love Bruce, but his "AH-ah-AHs!" are annoying and grating.
I wouldn't hold that Bruce version against the SONG.
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Dream of Mirrors (not in my top 75)
This actually just missed my top 75, landing at 79. I think my appreciation for this song diminished a bit over time. It's good, but I always felt it threatens to be great and never quite gets there. The build-up itself is not that satisfying and, as Tim said, you are left with many, many I only dream in black and white :biggrin: There are some good moments, though.
Isle of Avalon (#70)
This, on the other hand, is one I've come to appreciate more and more as of late. Like other songs on The Final Frontier, at first it didn't really hit me. Now I think it's a really neat song. And I've said this only a few days ago, but I'll say it again - the solo section is SO cool, with a vibe that I've rarely heard from Maiden. Almost sounds like something from Grace Under Pressure.
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52 Dream of Mirrors
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (nobloodyname)
I had this at 18 and was baffled as to how this was left off 12 lists and finished this low overall, but it makes more sense now given some of the past chatter in this thread. :lol :facepalm:
51 Isle of Avalon
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (425)
I originally had this right around 20, but it got docked a bit on my last update and finished at 39, but I probably should have left it closer to 20. Another where the lack of love is just baffling to me.
Dream of Mirrors - I had this at #14 and it is without a doubt my favorite track on Brave New World. The repeated chorus doesn't bother me here and the way the song moves and changes throughout its runtime is fantastic.
Isle of Avalon - This was at #15 and I'm a little surprised I wasn't top ranking on this. At any rate, this was one of the many songs on Final Frontier that really moved up my list throughout the relistening process. The whole run of this through the end of the album is amazing! There's some great playing throughout that would make Rush proud. :metal
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Dream of Mirrors (not in my top 75)
This actually just missed my top 75, landing at 79. I think my appreciation for this song diminished a bit over time. It's good, but I always felt it threatens to be great and never quite gets there. The build-up itself is not that satisfying and, as Tim said, you are left with many, many I only dream in black and white :biggrin: There are some good moments, though.
So I'm not one of those guys that rails against the repeated chorus thing, but in Dream Of Mirrors, it just feels a little awkward in a way. It's never hits a comfort zone for me.
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Well, with 25 songs now in:
Brave New World currently leads both the number of songs in the top 75 (six) and the aggregate score. Killers comes second on both counts too (three songs). The Final Frontier sprinted third just with the inclusion of Isle of Avalon. Of course this doesn't necessarily bode super-well for BNW, since many of its songs have already showed up, collecting decent, but not spectacularly high ranking/points.
With no further info from Kev, there are only three albums with no songs yet - The Number of the Beast, The X Factor and Virtual XI.
As far as my list: 20 out of 25 songs so far were in my top 75 too. Only one was unranked, and four were ranked, but outside of my top 75. My highest-ranked so far is Killers (at #23). Of the songs in my top 75, the one with the largest rank difference vs. aggregate is Rainmaker (#29 vs. #72)
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The whole run of this through the end of the album is amazing! There's some great playing throughout that would make Rush proud. :metal
Isle of Avalon (#70)
but I'll say it again - the solo section is SO cool, with a vibe that I've rarely heard from Maiden. Almost sounds like something from Grace Under Pressure.
Great minds etc. :biggrin:
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Dream of Mirrors (not in my top 75)
This actually just missed my top 75, landing at 79. I think my appreciation for this song diminished a bit over time. It's good, but I always felt it threatens to be great and never quite gets there. The build-up itself is not that satisfying and, as Tim said, you are left with many, many I only dream in black and white :biggrin: There are some good moments, though.
So I'm not one of those guys that rails against the repeated chorus thing, but in Dream Of Mirrors, it just feels a little awkward in a way. It's never hits a comfort zone for me.
Totally agree.
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Dream of Mirrors (not in my top 75)
This actually just missed my top 75, landing at 79. I think my appreciation for this song diminished a bit over time. It's good, but I always felt it threatens to be great and never quite gets there. The build-up itself is not that satisfying and, as Tim said, you are left with many, many I only dream in black and white :biggrin: There are some good moments, though.
So I'm not one of those guys that rails against the repeated chorus thing, but in Dream Of Mirrors, it just feels a little awkward in a way. It's never hits a comfort zone for me.
Yes, exactly...and even more so when he just starts singing it faster :)
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Finally, a post where I'm batting 1.000!
52. Dream of Mirrors
My ranking: #50
Another song that lands very close to where I put it. This rates just a few spots behind The Nomad to end up as my second-favorite BNW epic (incidentally, it was one spot behind The Nomad on my 2020 list).
My feelings on this song, unlike my placements, are pretty inconsistent. There are times when I hear this song and think it should be a lot higher than this, and times when I feel it should be substantially lower. This placement is sort of an average. I think there are times when the repetition that a lot of people have pointed out does wear on me. But there are other times when I don't mind it at all and I just get into the song and go along for the ride. I am a big fan of build-ups, and this song has a pretty good, pretty long one. I think the repetition generally works for it because it does have the variety of the build-up—things getting louder, heavier, more intense, faster on subsequent repetitions. And while the song doesn't have a single climactic moment for a payoff, I do think the fast section is pretty awesome and worth the wait.
I think they went on to write better epics than this one, which is why it ultimately deserves to fall right around here instead of ending up much higher. But it's a good song and a fascinating stage in their development.
51. Isle of Avalon
My ranking: #5 (highest ranking for this song)
I was actually singing this song to myself earlier today; Kev must've heard my thoughts when he decided to post a second update today that includes it. Of course, I would rather have waited a couple more weeks to see it come up, but better now than never! I'm not surprised that I have the highest placement of it, but I do love seeing that "Top 10 finishes: 3." Plus a #15 from Puppies. Awesome that I'm not the only Avalon superfan.
This is just an awesome song in every way all the way through. As I mentioned in the previous writeup, I love a good buildup, and this song definitely has a couple of those. It's an interesting song structure, with a build-up through several verses into a chorus, then an instrumental section, then a very similar buildup pattern with an additional climax/outro section at the end. On paper it maybe shouldn't work, but it absolutely does here. There's this beautiful feeling of adventure throughout the song, especially with the quiet opening to each section. The lyrics are perfectly suited to the music. It's like Bruce is telling you a mysterious story, but one in which he's also an impassioned participant: "I hear her crying the tears of an angel / The voices I hear in my head."
The highlight is precisely that outro section. The chorus finishes, there's that awesome guitar lead, and then Bruce comes in with the passionate "To have the belief of others..." I just can't help but sing along to that part. It's so emotional and intense.
The other highlight is the instrumental section, particularly Adrian's incredible solo. I think this is his best album outside of SiT, and that solo is a big part of why.
If you ever want to know why The Final Frontier is my favorite Maiden album, just listen to this song. And then look at the tracklist and notice that *you still have Starblind, The Talisman, The Man Who Would Be King and When the Wild Wind Blows after it on the album*.
My list so far (12/25):
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
53. Remember Tomorrow
50. Dream of Mirrors
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
28. Only the Good Die Young
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
5. Isle of Avalon
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And then look at the tracklist and notice that *you still have Starblind, The Talisman, The Man Who Would Be King and When the Wild Wind Blows after it on the album*.
And that's why it's the second 'worst' reunion album for me :lol
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If you ever want to know why The Final Frontier is my favorite Maiden album, just listen to this song. And then look at the tracklist and notice that *you still have Starblind, The Talisman, The Man Who Would Be King and When the Wild Wind Blows after it on the album*.
This echoes my sentiments of The Final Frontier perfectly. It's one of those albums that I wrote off almost immediately after it came out, but it has grown on me a ton over the years.
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52 Dream of Mirrors
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (nobloodyname)
51 Isle of Avalon
Appeared on 14 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (425)
Dream of Mirrors - unranked by me. Really don’t like the start of this song but it has some good parts but some very jarring parts too and the sum of the whole thing doesn’t really work for me.
Isle of Avalon - also unranked by me. I really like this song but couldn’t get it in my top 75.
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That's a very cool placement of Isle of Avalon. I love that song, it's quite underrated. :tup
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Today's update has for me two underrated major winners and a wtf.
50 Montsegur
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Elite)
I had to listen to this to remind myself what it sounded like, as I had zero recollection of it. It finishing in the top 75 at all seems like a wtf to me, as it seems like one of those generic, disposable songs.
49 Lord of Light
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Shalev Amir)
Big fan of this one! I had it at 33, but it could have been 10-15 spots higher had I locked in my final list a day earlier or later. Killer song all-around.
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (nick_z)
I have been pretty vocal about how good this song is, which is why I had it at 26. That intro alone makes it top 30 worthy.
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If you ever want to know why The Final Frontier is my favorite Maiden album, just listen to this song. And then look at the tracklist and notice that *you still have Starblind, The Talisman, The Man Who Would Be King and When the Wild Wind Blows after it on the album*.
This echoes my sentiments of The Final Frontier perfectly. It's one of those albums that I wrote off almost immediately after it came out, but it has grown on me a ton over the years.
It was right there from the start, but I'm with 425. This is just a solid, solid record. One of my favorites.
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Dream Of Mirrors: #15 - One of the songs that always sort of stuck with me, but really elevated through my relisten. I know, I know; frankly, I'm sort of done with the "Maiden repeats their choruses!" complaint (sorry TAC!). Yeah, they do (Montesegur as well), but this one just sticks in your head. I find myself singing the choruses all the time, out of the blue. It's one of those songs...
Isle Of Avalon: #33 - Probably my favorite song that isn't my favorite song, if that makes sense. I have two songs from TFF higher, but this was the one that hooked me into the album to start with, and it's still a strong favorite.
Montsegur: 106 - this is starting to sound like a broken record, but yet another really good song amongst a field of GREAT songs. This one I had higher and it slowly dropped down in the pack as other songs bubbled up. I'm a huge fan of Dance Of Death anyway, and there are a number of songs that will show up later. It's just a solid record with solid tunes.
Lord of Light: #28 - An album that took a LONG time to grow on me, but now that it has (Senjutsu I think helped in that regard), this is the song that stands out. I LOVE this song.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner: #107 - Coincidentally, right after Montesegur. I like this. The guitars in it are GREAT, but the verses are weak and it's one of the few songs where the lyrics bug me. For some reason, I don't usually care about lyrics, but I do have a preference for the epic. This is just too mundane for me.
I haven't done this before, but I will now:
15 Dream of Mirrors
22 Still Life
25 Prodigal Son
26 Death of the Celts
28 Lord of Light
29 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
33 Isle of Avalon
34 If Eternity Should Fail
40 The Nomad
57 Killers
61 Deja-Vu
65 The Wicker Man
73 No Prayer for the Dying
75 Only the Good Die Young
Missed the cut:
76 Out of the Silent Planet
85 Brave New World
93 The Duelists
99 Heaven Can Wait
106 Montségur
107 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
109 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
114 Rainmaker
116 These Colours Don't Run
117 Wrathchild
127 Judas Be My Guide
130 Can I Play With Madness
134 Remember Tomorrow
145 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
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50 Montsegur
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Elite)
49 Lord of Light
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Shalev Amir)
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (nick_z)
Montsegur- unranked by me and I am with Kev on this one, I can’t believe this song made the top 75 List. It’s one riff and idea that just goes on and on. It is catchy by gets tiresome pretty quickly.
Lord of Light - 20 for me. This is an awesome song and one of my favourite reunion era tracks. Love this one and thought it would have been higher.
Loneliness - 34 for me and really could have been much higher. Always loved this song. Sure the lyrics and the verses aren’t great but the rest is top notch and the solo after the bridge is one of my favourite moments on the album.
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Montsegur (#30)
I might have "over-ranked" this a bit, but it's a great song. The opening riff feels like it could be out of the Powerslave album, the band is on fire. It's all very urgent throughout and I love the ending, where the guitars sound like a mini-orchestra.
Lord of Light (not in my top 75)
Still in my top 100, this song tends to fly under my radar. I like it when it gets going, although Bruce is a little much in the verse. There's a lot happening in here, it just doesn't excite me as much as other songs, even on the same album.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#9)
First-time highest ranker in this countdown! We have talked about this song at length even before we started...I just love it so much. The intro, the pace, the melodies, the solos. I don't disagree that the delivery of some of the vocals is a bit awkward at times, but that's not a first for Maiden...and for some reason it doesn't bother me here. Fantastic stuff.
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Three great songs right there. I do find it hard to imagine how high I would place them, though. There are almost one hundred Iron Maiden songs that I consider pretty much equally amazing, so number 30 doesn't sound much different to number 80 for me.
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Dream of Mirrors (-)
Almost made my cut. In the end, I thought it had enough of BNW in my list. Interesting that the intro always reminds me the intro of MSG's Lost Horizons.
Isle of Avalon (-)
I should like this song much more than I do, but I think, by the time of TFF's release, I was becoming a bit tired of modern Maiden's approach on lengthier songs. Anyway, this one is the best of them on TFF, no doubt.
Montségur (#27)
Amazing song. A lost Powerslave song sneaked on DOD!
Lord of Light (-)
Another one that almost made my cut. Really cool song, very proggy! The beginning of the guitar solo at 5:15 is a Holy Sh*t! moment.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#22)
Incredible song from beginning to end and maybe the heaviest on SIT.
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50 Montsegur
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Elite)
49 Lord of Light
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Shalev Amir)
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (nick_z)
Montsegur- unranked by me and I am with Kev on this one, I can’t believe this song made the top 75 List. It’s one riff and idea that just goes on and on. It is catchy by gets tiresome pretty quickly.
Lord of Light - 20 for me. This is an awesome song and one of my favourite reunion era tracks. Love this one and thought it would have been higher.
Loneliness - 34 for me and really could have been much higher. Always loved this song. Sure the lyrics and the verses aren’t great but the rest is top notch and the solo after the bridge is one of my favourite moments on the album.
What you said about Montsegur applies to a lot of Janick songs frankly. Apparently we've come full circle and now it's controversial to say he's my least favorite songwriter, but it's true.
Isle of Avalon is the only 1 of these 3 that made my list and it competes with WTWWB as my fave of the album.
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10 Dream of Mirrors - Others don't like the way it builds. Me, I love the way it builds. Yes, the chorus is repetitive but, as with so many other songs on this album, I never really noticed. Happy to be the owner of the highest rank :biggrin:
151 Isle of Avalon - Better than 151st in my list. But I always feel like the song doesn't go anywhere, something in common with...
29 Montsegur - ...no, not this one! This one's great. A swashbuckling Iron Maiden drinking song! I can literally see the tankards of foaming ale being swung about and I can almost feel their contents showering me, too! (I am aware the song isn't about being at sea, it just conjures that image.)
112 Lord of Light - ...this one! It's seven minutes of... well, not much of anything. Should have ranked it lower. Guitar solo's okay, though.
47 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - love it when this track comes on when I'm on my bike. Good tune from an excellent album.
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Loneliness is the only one of the most recent five that I ranked - at #19. The frenetic pace of most of the song and the shifting tempos make it stand out. My #3 song on SIT.
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#118 Remember Tomorrow - I became less fascinated by it lately, but it's a great song. I love the explosive ending of the verses.
#35 Killers - this is such a well written song and my favourite from the first two albums. The intro going into the main riff harmonics is easily one of the greatest moments in a Maiden song. Maybe the best Di'Anno performance too.
#153 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - sorry, but this is one of the few Maiden songs I straight up dislike. The layered vocals are uncanny valley and the song is just awkward imo (reminds me of The Man Who Would Be King in this regard). It actually clicked with me one time, but then it just fell back.
#13 Dream of Mirrors - between this and Out of the Silent Planet, I guess I'm just a sucker for double time choruses ;). Seriously though, this one starts up beautifully and slowly morphs into an epic track. The opening isn't the best but it's only a couple of bars, and the chorus is repetitive, but we wouldn't be here if that was such a big issue right?
#6 Isle of Avalon - another very high ranking song for me, and very cool that I wasn't the highest ranker! I love the atmospheric verses and the choruses are great. Memorable lyrics. The solo section is incredible, and then that little soloing before the altered first chorus? Incredible song.
I'll have some reading to do, but I briefed over 425 and Puppies praising TFF wanted to join! I remember the first time I heard it, I thought the first half and the production are underwhelming but that the second half completely redeemed it. I lately realized the first half is great as well and I have some songs from it in my list. It has its flaws, and it's the furthest away from the 80's sound they ever went (scratch that, Senjutsu is even less 80's), but it's very underrated imo.
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Updating.. lots of songs I didn't have unfortunately, but that's okay. They're probably good tracks anyway.
52 Dream of Mirrors
As far as songs on Brave New World go, I think there's better ones there, which is why this did not get selected for the 75 songs I ranked and thus doesn't appear on my list. Not a bad track at all.
51 Isle of Avalon
I struggle to recall how this one goes, but it might be due to The Final Frontier getting the least time out of all the reunion albums. Doesn't mean I don't have songs fro this records on my ist though, but they might be odd picks for all I know.
50 Montségur
I'm the highest ranker for this? Wow! This is my favourite on Dance of Death by a small margin. I really enjoy the chorus, it's epic in an Iron Maiden way that they don't manage to replicate with every song they write. I think the description of 'Powerslave on DoD' is pretty apt as well.
49 Lord of Light
Eh, I hold AMOLAD in high regard, but not this song in particular. Didn't make my list.
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
I never really got the appeal for this song to be honest. This would probably be my least favourite on Somewhere in Time.
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With the way the countdown is going there's a ton from my top 75 not going to make the final cut :)
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#42 The Nomad
#31 Rainmaker
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#12 Montségur
#7 The Wicker Man
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
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50 Montsegur
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Elite)
49 Lord of Light
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Shalev Amir)
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (nick_z)
Kev, how is Montesegur a WTF? 17 people had it on their list. Only one song so far was supported by 18 lists so it's hardly a WTF.
Anyway...
I had Montesegur at #58. I love this song. The Dance Of Death album felt a bit wonky at first, but Montesegur jumped out at me right away. I think it's one of the Reunion Era's best short songs.
I had Lord Of Light at #15. I have only 5 Reunion songs ahead of it. One of their best latter day tracks.
I had The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner as Not Rated. Sorry. Never cared for this from day 1. There's a brief cool moment in the solo section, but this is one of my least favorite Maiden tunes.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
29 The Duellists
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
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Not Ranked
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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50. Montségur
My ranking: #42
I'm shocked at some of the comments I'm seeing about this song, which, I agree with TAC, is one of the best short songs of the reunion era. It's anything but boring and generic. This is an exciting, energetic song with some great melodies. Vocally and lyrically, it's vintage storyteller Bruce. And I'd agree with Elite that this song is really epic despite coming in a relatively small package.
The instrumental section, especially after Janick's solo is awesome, a lot of nice guitar melodies going on there. My favorite part comes right after, when the lyrics to the chorus (? post-chorus?) change. It's again just one of those Maiden moments when the words sound really good sung: "As we kill them all so God will now his own / [now it's not the line you expected:] Laugh at the darkness and in God we trust / The eye of the triangle smiling with sin / No passover feast for the cursed within." Just great.
49. Lord of Light
My ranking: #15 (twins with TAC!)
I've always really loved this song, which is part of another truly elite run of epic reunion tracks (FtGGoG/LoL/Legacy). The quiet, mysterious sounding intro really sets quite a mood, and I love Bruce's softer approach to this part. Most of the rest of the song is not quite as good, but it doesn't disappoint, either. The following verses definitely have an epic feel, and I like Bruce transitioning into the chorus on the provocative line "Lucifer was just an angel led astray."
The other best part of the song, besides the intro, is the part following the first chorus. It's back to quiet, mysterious Bruce, and we get a really nice build-up from here to the solo section.
Side note: Given the way that this song begins, I've long thought of it as a sort of precursor to Starblind, and it's a very worthy one.
48. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
I have a similar view about this one as Stadler does. There's some really great instrumentation here that enables me to enjoy it pretty much anytime it's on, but the vocal melodies are pretty weak and keep it well outside my top 75. I can take or leave the lyrics. They have a lot of better ones and a lot of worse ones, too.
The best parts here are definitely the intro, which has an epic feel that is only sort of carried out by the rest of the song, and the solo section, where we have another SiT Adrian solo.
My list so far (14/28):
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
53. Remember Tomorrow
50. Dream of Mirrors
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
42. Montségur
28. Only the Good Die Young
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
15. Lord of Light
5. Isle of Avalon
Looks like I've finally made it to 50% with this update... we'll see if my percentage continues to climb.
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Catching up...
Dream of Mirrors: didn't rank. Thought long and hard about it because once upon a time I liked the song a lot, but in the end it was a victim of what I've been saying for a while now: Maiden just have too many fantastic songs.
Isle of Avalon: didn't rank, for the reasons stated above.
Montsegur: #36. Fun little romp.
Lord of Light: didn't rank.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner: #15. I'd tweek the ending a bit to use the earlier (starting) riff to take us out, as it seems like it's going to towards the end, but other than that I love it.
My list so far in descending order:
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
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50 Montsegur
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Elite)
I had to listen to this to remind myself what it sounded like, as I had zero recollection of it. It finishing in the top 75 at all seems like a wtf to me, as it seems like one of those generic, disposable songs.
49 Lord of Light
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Shalev Amir)
Big fan of this one! I had it at 33, but it could have been 10-15 spots higher had I locked in my final list a day earlier or later. Killer song all-around.
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (nick_z)
I have been pretty vocal about how good this song is, which is why I had it at 26. That intro alone makes it top 30 worthy.
Montsegur - This is one of the better track on DoD, but still only finished at #97. I just don't care for this album much, my least favorite reunion album.
Lord of Light - This came in at number 30. And there are still 3 songs ahead of it from this album. I love this album and this song is one of many reasons why. If you couldn't tell already, I'm a sucker for moody intro buildups and this one is fantastic, plus the song has a great moody atmosphere throughout. And the riffs here really resonate with me.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - This finished at #39. This seems to be a very polarizing song among the participants. It's fairly different from the rest of its album and for that reason it stands out. Once again, I love the moody intro and subsequent buildup. This song really harkens back to the sound of Number of the Beast, which is probably why I like it so much. It has a lot of the same speedy aggression of the aforementioned album.
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Also I realized I've been looking at my pre-edited list for my rankings since the countdown started, so I may have given the wrong rankings on some of my posts :facepalm:
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Kev, how is Montesegur a WTF? 17 people had it on their list. Only one song so far was supported by 18 lists so it's hardly a WTF.
That was clearly stated in my write-up on the song.
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Montsegur was 69 for me, great song, crushing riff and the key change from E minor to E major is very cool. I love Janicks Born in '58 nugget after the solo.
Lord of Light was 71. Bruce sounds great. 'Firebreathing lead the way!' So good. Classic Maiden riffing.
Runner was 15 for me. Loved it from the get go. Some of the best harmonies the band have ever done. Brilliant tune, great chorus.
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Montsegur was 69 for me, great song, crushing riff and the key change from E minor to E major is very cool. I love Janicks Born in '58 nugget after the solo.
Born In '58 is probably my favorite Bruce solo tune. I'm going to have to listen for this.
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Montsegur was 69 for me, great song, crushing riff and the key change from E minor to E major is very cool. I love Janicks Born in '58 nugget after the solo.
Born In '58 is probably my favorite Bruce solo tune. I'm going to have to listen for this.
I'm sure I've mentioned it in the past. Its the main lead melody in '58 where a solo would normally be and the section right after the solo in Montsegur.
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Moving forward...
47 Starblind
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 3 (425)
I had this at 20, and that feels about right. Great, great song all-around. Incredible use of keys in this one, and I was shocked this one didn't get more love.
46 The Book of Souls
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (DTA)
This was a late entry, coming it at 75 for me. Feels like one of their songs that could have been one of the true greats with good production, but the mud makes it hard for it to shine as much as it should.
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Stadler)
Good tune, one I had at 58. Feels like one of those early hard rockers that has 80s written all over it, in a good way.
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Three songs I ranked today.
Starblind - 61 for me. This is a really good song and I think it’s ultimate placing is about right. Has a bit of a different feel to the rest of the songs on The Final Frontier and it took me a while to warm to it but it now has clicked with me.
The Book of Souls - 59 for me and is definitely one of the few songs on the album that has stood the test of time. Some really great heavy riffs and vibe about this one.
Murders in the Rue Morgue - 26 for me. All time classic, just love this song. Love the studio version but I think my favourite version is the Beast over Hammersmith live version with Bruce in peak form.
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Starblind: #21: 3rd favourite off The Final Frontier, due mainly to the fantastic chorus (and the subtle guitar leads going on beneath it).
The Book of Souls: didn't rank, though it's a very good song.
Murders in the Rue Morgue: didn't rank, though it's a very good Poe story.
My list so far in descending order:
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#41: Rainmaker
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
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Starblind: #72 - My love for TFF should be evident by now. I just love the way the second half of the record unfolds and this (and Avalon) are a big reason why. TFF is such a big "Harris - Smith" record, I see a lot of similarities with this record and SiT, at least in terms of some of the sounds. TFF is very different in style and arrangement, but there are certainly moments that harken back for me.
The Book Of Souls: #92 - A song that has grown on me over the years, but hasn't quite grown enough to get on the big board. I think "Side One" of the album is the far better side and I think I have others in my top 75, this just didn't make the cut.
Murders In The Rue Morgue: #10 - My first high ranker (in this countdown)! YAY! It was the opener when I saw Maiden open for Priest in '82 (though to be fair, I remember NOTHING about it) and it's a song that always stood out to me. I love this song.
10 Murders In The Rue Morgue
15 Dream of Mirrors
22 Still Life
25 Prodigal Son
26 Death of the Celts
28 Lord of Light
29 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
33 Isle of Avalon
34 If Eternity Should Fail
40 The Nomad
57 Killers
61 Deja-Vu
65 The Wicker Man
72 Starblind
73 No Prayer for the Dying
75 Only the Good Die Young
Missed the cut:
76 Out of the Silent Planet
85 Brave New World
92 The Book Of Souls
93 The Duelists
99 Heaven Can Wait
106 Montségur
107 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
109 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
114 Rainmaker
116 These Colours Don't Run
117 Wrathchild
127 Judas Be My Guide
130 Can I Play With Madness
134 Remember Tomorrow
145 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
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I thought I might be the highest ranker of Murders in the Rue Morgue at 23 but I guess not (way to go Stads). Love the Beast Over Hammersmith video of that song, you really get the impact of Clive's power.
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47 Starblind
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 3 (425)
46 The Book of Souls
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (DTA)
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Stadler)
Along with Lord Of Light, I thought two of these songs would net me the Highest Ranker. Guess I'll just have to settle for Highest Ranker when we get to #1!
I had Starblind at #77. Just missed the actual countdown. It's a great song from a band with too many great songs. Such a quality track. Happy to see it place so well.
I had The Book Of Souls at #13. I am generally not a fan of mid tempo stuff, but this song has such a great pocket for the verses. And the instrumental part where it picks up and then Bruce join is one of my favorite parts in any Maiden song. Janick crushes this song. And Bruce is so strong on this. To me, it's one of his best performances.
Also the first song that made 20 lists!
I had Murders In The Rue Morgue at #21. I only have two Dianno Era tracks rated higher. This is one of my favorite Clive performances as well.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
29 The Duellists
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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153 Starblind - I hate to be so reductive but... meh. Sorry.
109 The Book of Souls - Should have been so much more than it is. Which is a bit boring.
101 Murders in the Rue Morgue - Should have ranked this higher. Always thought it would be a good live opener. I'm guessing they must have opened with it at some point.
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101 Murders in the Rue Morgue - Should have ranked this higher. Always thought it would be a good live opener. I'm guessing they must have opened with it at some point.
This was the setlist for the US leg of The Number Of The Beast tour in 1982:
1. Murders in the Rue Morgue
2. Wrathchild
3. Run to the Hills
4. Children of the Damned
5. The Number of the Beast
6. 22 Acacia Avenue
7. Hallowed Be Thy Name
8. Iron Maiden
9. Drifter
I know they used it in Japan later on that tour, and for some of the England shows before they came to the States (it's the opener on "The Beast Over Hammersmith"). It was not the opener on the handful of Italian shows Bruce did after joining but before "Number..." was recorded.
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Starblind (#64)
Such a cool, and different, song. I think the guitar work on this one is fantastic, between the chord progressions and the leads scattered everywhere. Love the instrumental break around the 5-minute mark.
The Book of Souls (#49)
Close to the aggregate ranking with this one. Pretty typical Gers intro, then a great riff (and a great beat from Nicko!). More great riffage kicking off the instrumental section, and beautiful melodies to follow. Definitely one of the highlights on this album.
Murders in the Rue Morgue (#41)
A big favorite of mine from the Di'Anno albums. Perfect moody intro, then BAM! those verses. Just a great song all-around.
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Of this batch I had The Book of Souls on my list, though I think the album has some better (and worse) tracks than it's title-track as far as I'm concerned. It ended at #73. I also had Murders in the Rue Morgue at #51. My highest rated (and last) song from Killers, not yet the highest Di'Anno song on my list.
Starblind is one of those songs I don't really get, so this one didn't make the cut.
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I had Murders in the Rue Morgue at #12 - highest ranked song on Killers. It's only 4:19, but it feels longer. Normally, that wouldn't be a good thing, but in this case it is. The fast pace of the music perfectly matches the lyrics.
Didn't rank the other two.
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Starblind (-)
It's a good song, with a very SIT vibe, but I think it's the one that suffers most with the mix/production of TFF. I think the arrangement would be more interesting if the song just finished after the solo, since it sounds to me a bit samey from this point on.
The Book of Souls (#70)
It has the same structure of The Legacy, which is very cool. It's well done, although not as good as The Legacy.
Murders in the Rue Morgue (#32)
I miss that Maiden doesn't do hard rockers like that anymore, really great!
Edited: a bit random, but I totally LOVE TFF cover art, one of their best IMO.
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I've missed the last few updates.
My list:
75. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
72. The Duellists
70. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
63. Only The Good Die Young
49. Out of the Silent Planet
48. Rainmaker
47. Judas Be My Guide
45. Montsegur
41. Still Life
39. Afraid To Shoot Strangers
38. Starblind
36. Lord of Light
35. The Book of Souls
21. Can I Play With Madness
19. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
15. No Prayer for the Dying
9. If Eternity Should Fail
Unranked:
Remember Tomorrow
The Wicker Man
Heaven Can Wait
These Colours Don't Run
Death of the Celts
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Starblind is one of the better songs on TFF, but not quite on the level of a couple more that I hope to see coming up. Murders in the Rue Morgue doesn't do much for me, but really, that's all of Killers. The Book of Souls I really enjoy, but I'm not convinced it needs to be ten and a half minutes long. As with a lot of the reunion era material (even songs that I do really like), I feel maybe this one could be leaner.
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Edited: a bit random, but I totally LOVE TFF cover art, one of their best IMO.
When I get around to it, I may throw the album covers into the ranker and see what pops out.
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Edited: a bit random, but I totally LOVE TFF cover art, one of their best IMO.
When I get around to it, I may throw the album covers into the ranker and see what pops out.
Will you include also the singles covers? :laugh: If not, they are only around 20, including the live albums... a lot of great ones, sure!
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47. Starblind
My ranking: #3 (highest ranking for this song)
Another one of my top five is down. To be honest, this is around where I predicted it would be, even though I think it's far too low.
This was my favorite Maiden song for the first couple years of my familiarity with the band. Two songs have since surpassed it (and #4 is a very close #4), but it remains just absolutely spectacular in opinion. For one thing, there's a really great union of music and lyrics. The lyrics give us imagery of some sort of being soaring through space ("startripping"), and the riffs convey this sense of constant, weightless motion really well to me. I think the lyrics, while somewhat obscure, are really enjoyable just from the way they sound and the images they evoke, and it's thrilling to hear Bruce navigate these pretty challenging lines with apparent ease. The best
And then there's Adrian, who was likely the lead songwriter on this song plays a ton of incredible leads and solos. The best one comes after the false ending, where the song comes to a complete stop, and then comes back with a new riff that leads into the first solo of the instrumental section. Another one of the best parts comes when the song comes to another stop, and then he plays this short slow solo over a very quiet version of the intro riff. And then Bruce comes in "Look into our face reflected in the moonglow in your eyes," one of those lines that just sounds satisfying.
Hmm, I seem to like Maiden songs that stop and start again. I wonder what else we might find in my top ten. :P
This is a song that I loved very early into getting this album and just never get tired of. Hence its placement at #3.
46. The Book of Souls
My ranking: #27
Another really good reunion epic. This one started out as my favorite song on The Book of Souls, and while that's no longer the case, it's only grown in my esteem over time. It just has such a big, epic feeling. Bruce is called upon to sing a lot of soaring lines in both the verses and chorus, and definitely does not disappoint. And then, as TAC mentioned, there's the part where the tempo picks up and we get "Ascending the throne wearing feathers and shells" which is quite a climactic part.
This song has a lot of moving parts. I still don't feel like I know it as well as even some of the songs on Senjutsu, but I always enjoy the ride.
45. Murders in the Rue Morgue
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
This is the other contender, with the title track, for my favorite song on Killers, and it's one of those songs where I think it's quite good, but where I just prefer a lot of their other songs to it. It's a very catchy, memorable song that does a pretty good job of telling a story. I like that the chorus changes each time to correspond to what's going on at the relevant stage of the story.
My list so far (16/31):
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
53. Remember Tomorrow
50. Dream of Mirrors
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
42. Montségur
28. Only the Good Die Young
27. The Book of Souls
25. If Eternity Should Fail
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
15. Lord of Light
5. Isle of Avalon
3. Starblind
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Starblind - 29 - This was one that instantly grabbed me when TFF came out, it's just brilliant. The chorus rips off Infinite Dreams as a little nugget I like but Adrian is the star here. What makes the song for me is his ad lib guitar playing during those verses. He's all over this with some incredible phrases and improv, so tasteful.
TBOS - 21 - This one only really grew on me the last year or so, but it's easily one of the best songs the band has ever done. Janick nails it yet again. The chorus is simply one of the bands best, no question. Cracking riffing in the middle too.
Murders - 103 - A fine song, always enjoyable with an interesting chord progression. Just suffers from Maiden having a lot more songs I enjoy.
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Murders - 103 - A fine song, always enjoyable with an interesting chord progression. Just suffers from Maiden having a lot more songs I enjoy.
Right? I always found the progression in the verses really cool and somewhat "unexpected"...
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Murders - 103 - A fine song, always enjoyable with an interesting chord progression. Just suffers from Maiden having a lot more songs I enjoy.
Right? I always found the progression in the verses really cool and somewhat "unexpected"...
Off the top of my head I think it's like A/C#/D or something, really interesting and unique.
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Along with Lord Of Light, I thought two of these songs would net me the Highest Ranker. Guess I'll just have to settle for Highest Ranker when we get to #1!
Maybe, maybe not. ;)
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47 Starblind
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 3 (425)
I had this at 20, and that feels about right. Great, great song all-around. Incredible use of keys in this one, and I was shocked this one didn't get more love.
46 The Book of Souls
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (DTA)
This was a late entry, coming it at 75 for me. Feels like one of their songs that could have been one of the true greats with good production, but the mud makes it hard for it to shine as much as it should.
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 10 (Stadler)
Good tune, one I had at 58. Feels like one of those early hard rockers that has 80s written all over it, in a good way.
Starblind - Had this at #22. Such a great track on an often overlooked album. The second half really shines with all the proggy bits.
The Book of Souls - This came in at #52. Fitting that the title track is one of the stronger ones on the album, not the strongest, mind you, but still great! Another Maiden track with a fantastic intro.
Murders in the Rue Morgue - This was down at #93. It's a good song, just overshadowed by so many other songs in their catalog.
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Today's update:
44 Blood Brothers
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Zydar)
Great song. one of their best, IMO, which is why I had it at 16. That chorus is one of their biggest earworms.
43 The Longest Day
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (DTA)
Speaking of earworms, that melodic guitar lead in this song is another major one! I had this at 38, and it probably could have been 10-15 spots higher for me.
42 The Red and the Black
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 8 (Elite)
This was a late entry for me, and the ending is probably why. The rest of the song is solid, but I liked the ending enough to squeeze it in at 64. Not sure it would make it again if I redid my list today.
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3 out of 3 for me with today's trilogy of reunion songs:
Blood Brothers: #51.
The Longest Day: #66. I'd mentioned earlier that for me A Matter of Life and Death is a very consistent album but not much really stands out on it. The other reunion albums have 1 or 2 clear 'best tracks' as well as another 1 or 2 that are different to all the rest, whereas AMOLAD, great though it is, feels a tad samey. For that reason when choosing which songs would be represented from it I went with the ones that I felt distinguished themselves just a little from the pack, and The Longest Day made the cut by virtue of having one of Maiden's very best build-ups (great sense of suspense and foreboding) as well as a great chorus.
The Red and the Black: #18. This song contains my favourite instrumental section. There are enough great riffs and musical ideas in it to write something like 3 or 4 separate songs, but instead they squeezed them all into this fantastic jam session. The live version is superb.
My list so far in descending order:
#66: The Longest Day
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#41: Rainmaker
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
If Eternity Should Fail
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
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Blood Brothers :heart
I've loved it ever since it was released, and it's my favourite song of the reunion era. This section gets me every time, I lost my dad the year before.
Just for a second a glimpse of my father I see
And in a movement he beckons to me
And in a moment the memories are all that remain
And all the wounds are reopening again
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Another 3 I ranked today.
Blood Brothers - 64 for me. Definitely could have been much higher but like many great reunion era tracks I struggle to place them over many of my nostalgic favourites (which we haven’t really had any of yet so far in the countdown). Some really great music in this one and a great live track.
The Longest Day - 40 for me. Love the intro and this is just a great track. One of the best from a great album.
The Red and the Black - 73 for me. Yes only just made it but I had to get it on the top 75. There are a ton of awesome things happening in this song but overall it is just too long for me. Would have been much better as an 8 minute song.
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Blood Brothers: 17 - I've written about this before. A good song that completely elevated itself when I saw it live in Brooklyn. Bruce just killed it and it's stuck with me ever since. Even listening to the studio version I now feel that same energy.
The Longest Day: #20 - Similar to Dave, this is one song amongst a pack of very good songs that somehow sets itself apart. I'm really turning into a "reunion" guy and it's because of songs like these. I'm always a sucker for a good tune about the D-Day landings too.
The Red and the Black: #43 - You NEVER catch me saying "Maiden songs are too long" and I don't generally get the "they need to edit" comments, but if there was one song in the entire catalogue for which that would fit... it would be this one. This is the the second or third song (I know there's one on The X Factor) that begin with a sort of mini-bass solo, and is it me, or do they suck? For a world class bass player in a world class band, this one seems sloppy and out of time. It bugs me. But the rest of the song? GTFO. Love that riff and the harmony guitars leading into the verses, another great "Whoa whoa whoa" section, more harmony guitars and then the chorus that sticks in my head for DAYS.... (By the way, a great performance from Bruce, even though this is one of those songs where I thought "there's something wrong with his voice", not at that time knowing about his illness.
10 Murders In The Rue Morgue
15 Dream of Mirrors
17 Blood Brothers
20 The Longest Day
22 Still Life
25 Prodigal Son
26 Death of the Celts
28 Lord of Light
29 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
33 Isle of Avalon
34 If Eternity Should Fail
40 The Nomad
43 The Red And The Black
57 Killers
61 Deja-Vu
65 The Wicker Man
72 Starblind
73 No Prayer for the Dying
75 Only the Good Die Young
Missed the cut:
76 Out of the Silent Planet
85 Brave New World
92 The Book Of Souls
93 The Duelists
99 Heaven Can Wait
106 Montségur
107 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
109 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
114 Rainmaker
116 These Colours Don't Run
117 Wrathchild
127 Judas Be My Guide
130 Can I Play With Madness
134 Remember Tomorrow
145 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
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Three fantastic reunion era songs right there. :tup
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Catching up...
#32 Montségur - too high? Maybe. Maybe not... Yeah, it's kind of "standard" yet it's still very unique. The 6/8 time, the frantic ride cymbal hits and singing in the chorus, the wall (heh) of sound. All make it into an odd and awesome song. My favourite part is the second verse (or post chorus depending on how you hear it. "as we kill them all so god will know his own...").
#2 Lord of Light - naturally the first thing I looked at after ranking the songs is how the top layer turned, and honestly? I feel comfortable calling this my #2! I love the haunting clean opening. The foreshadowing of the post-verse melody before the second "these are things you can't reveal" is perfect. The verses are energetic. Then: BOOM! Free your soul and let it fly! The chorus hits like a truck. And the best part is yet to come. The clean bridge is beautiful with the effects on the instruments and all. The heavy bridge is intense after the anger expressed in the clean part. And those two sections are some of the most powerful performances by Bruce, up there with the RAAAAAIN from Rime if you ask me. The solos bring us back to earth for a conclusive chorus, oh what's that? It doesn't even repeat 4 times!
The adjective I most often see next to AMOLAD is "solid". I say it too, the songs really are just all great and there isn't the obvious fan-favourite that appears on their other albums. And still, of the seven long songs, Lord of Light just seems to get the least talk. I honestly wasn't really expecting it to even make the countdown because of this! But it's a perfect song in my opinion: It's thematic, it's dramatic, the performance is killer, and it doesn't overstay its welcome (it's really tiring having to add how the chorus is too repetitive on every song ;) ).
#52 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - it always painted a vivid image in my mind. I actually like the start-stop singing in the verses, I view it as the runner's breathing. The drums fit the lyrics too with the snare hitting every beat during the chorus. The harmonies in the instrumental part are great and the solos are uplifting. Great example of matching music and lyrics!
#14 Starblind - another incredible song from The Final Frontier. It does give the feeling of being in space, there are so many "solos" here. Star-tripping is an appropriate term I think :) The instrumental part is incredible. Of course, I can't talk about Starblind without mentioning the lyrics. It's not often that the lyrics are the strongest point on such a good song.
#39 The Book of Souls - I'll echo TAC, personally mid tempo stuff can lose me easily. I don't like this song every day of the week. But when I do, it's a pretty massive song. And yes, once it picks up the pace it's worth it even in its weaker days. Great lyrics here too, the "alien invasion" part felt weird to me for a long time before I realized it's probably not about outer space aliens...
#76 Murders in the Rue Morgue - curious to me that it placed about Killers. Agree with you pg, it's shorter than I realized. Love the bridge 2 minutes in and Di'Anno is great.
#33 Blood Brothers - always loved it. Their best ballad. Gorgeous.
#54 The Longest Day - the intro is gold. The prechorus it leads into is amazing too, I like that harmonic(?) thing that appears some times ("oh the water is red..." has it). The instrumental part is great too, as is usual with this album. The chorus though... It's just underwhelming, especially when it's surrounded by so many great parts.
#47 The Red and the Black - I really like every part of it, but I can't lie, it's just too lengthy. The woah-oh-oh part is one of their best ones. Very infectious song.
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Something else to consider: I'm starting to think that lyrically, Maiden is really come into it's own and is a cut above not just heavy metal, but rock in general. It's also, IMO, unusual for a band to have TWO lyricists as skilled as Harris and Dickinson (and now that I write that, I have like 5 examples; haha!)
They always had decent lyrics, they always had a good knack for telling a story (they have some of the best "narrative" songs of any band), but I think in the reunion era they've really reached a new plateau. Some of the turns of phrase they use are so evocative and well-thought out. Something like "The Red And The Black" works on multiple levels, and while I know it might easily be an adaptation of another's work (like Rime; the novel is "Le Rouge et le Noir", though I've never read it) it might also NOT be, and can refer to cards, checkers, or any of a handful of other references (the colors of a flag, for example). It's powerful stuff.
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Blood Brothers at 43 and TR&TB at 62, but they're really not spread by that much. Didn't rank TLD, but it didn't miss by much.
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Something else to consider: I'm starting to think that lyrically, Maiden is really come into it's own and is a cut above not just heavy metal, but rock in general. It's also, IMO, unusual for a band to have TWO lyricists as skilled as Harris and Dickinson (and now that I write that, I have like 5 examples; haha!)
They always had decent lyrics, they always had a good knack for telling a story (they have some of the best "narrative" songs of any band), but I think in the reunion era they've really reached a new plateau. Some of the turns of phrase they use are so evocative and well-thought out. Something like "The Red And The Black" works on multiple levels, and while I know it might easily be an adaptation of another's work (like Rime; the novel is "Le Rouge et le Noir", though I've never read it) it might also NOT be, and can refer to cards, checkers, or any of a handful of other references (the colors of a flag, for example). It's powerful stuff.
Absolutely. I think this was the biggest revelation I had in revisiting the discography in chronological order to make my list: the evolution in the writing deserves huge credit in cementing their legacy. It's remarkable how much they've improved over the years (or at least evolved, and become more consistent). So many bands—especially in the rock and metal genres, as you say—have found their success and subsequently just focused on the music while letting the same songs rewrite themselves ad nauseam.
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44 Blood Brothers
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Zydar)
43 The Longest Day
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (DTA)
42 The Red and the Black
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 8 (Elite)
I had Blood Brothers at #56. This is a great song. Couldn't break into my Top 50, but I still love it a lot. It's great live. And Zyder quoted such a moving passage.
I had The Longest Day at #82. I admit it. I ranked this too low. The build up in the intro is tremendous. When Nicko comes in with those toms replicating the shells exploding is such a genius move.
I had The Red And The Black at #23. I could listen to the instrumental section forever. I think what comes before and after it is merely ok, but that section...WOW. So good it vaults an ok song into my Top 25!
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
29 The Duellists
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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44 Blood Brothers
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 0
Highest Ranking: 12 (Zydar)
Great song. one of their best, IMO, which is why I had it at 16. That chorus is one of their biggest earworms.
43 The Longest Day
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 6 (DTA)
Speaking of earworms, that melodic guitar lead in this song is another major one! I had this at 38, and it probably could have been 10-15 spots higher for me.
42 The Red and the Black
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 8 (Elite)
This was a late entry for me, and the ending is probably why. The rest of the song is solid, but I liked the ending enough to squeeze it in at 64. Not sure it would make it again if I redid my list today.
Blood Brothers - This came in at #56 for me. Just mentioning this song gets that chorus stuck in my head. It's such an infectious song!
The Longest Day - I had this at #33. In an album full of amazing songs, this was only my 5th favorite. I think I'm starting to realize that Iron Maiden does the moody buildup better than almost any other band.
The Red and the Black - This was at #29 and I agree with Tim, that instrumental section is absolutely perfect! My 2nd favorite from Book of Souls.
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44 Blood Brothers
I find the chorus to this song insanely annoying, ad since that takes up about 80% of the song's run-time, you can see why I did not rank this one. I guess one man's earworm is another man's ... uhh earache?That's a little harsh, but this song stood no chance of making my list. Sorry!
43 The Longest Day
This one on the other hand is absolutely brilliant and my second favourite on AMOLAD. I had this one at #20. Now this is a chorus I can enjoy a lot, though the song has plenty more to offer as well. Great track
42 The Red and the Black
It kind of surprises me that I was the highest ranker (#8 on my list) for this one, but then again when I look at what I ranked ahead of it and some tracks surrounding it, it simultaneously doesn't. Let's get some stuff out of the way first: the transition to the last 'Whoa' section is wacky as hell and the bass intro and outro kind of suck. This is a problem I have with more Maiden songs by the way; intros that have nothing to do with the rest of the song that for no reason get repeated as an outro. Then why did I rank this so high? Because this song takes you on a journey, not unlike that other long song on the same record.. This song's instrumental section is outstanding and I dare say it's among Maiden's absolute best ones. The way the song builds up is great as well, introducing melodies in the guitar first before 'whoaing' over them , for example. Really, the only thing I'd change is the jarring transition at the end (and remove the pointless intro/outro - which by the way I don't agree with Stadler on; they're not sloppy, just very unfitting for the rest of the tune if you ask me). My favourite track from The Book of Souls :)
And as we get closer to the halfway point of the list, I fear that some of my favourites (a couple in the top 10 even) might not actually make it. We'll see!
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Updated list:
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#42 The Nomad
#31 Rainmaker
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#20 The Longest Day
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#12 Montségur
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
Unranked:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
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BB - 52 - I was surprised how good this was on the Legacy tour, upped my appreciated. Moving song, well executed and a great climax with Janick's solo. nicely placed at track 4 on the album too.
TLD - 109 - I admit it. I never understood the love this song got. I like the chorus quite a bit but I'm not that keen on the instrumental section.
TRATB - 24 - A six minute instrumental section filled with some of the best melodies the band has ever done? Yes please. The Mariner rip is real but this song is amazing and I was so pleased we finally got a 10 minute plus song of just balls out metal from start to finish.
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Of those 3, I only had The Longest Day listed at #43. One of the best intros in their catalog. I agree with what Elite said about BB, I don't believe I've intentionally listened to that song in full since the first couple times I heard it back in 2000. Also never cared for TRATB.
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Something else to consider: I'm starting to think that lyrically, Maiden is really come into it's own and is a cut above not just heavy metal, but rock in general. It's also, IMO, unusual for a band to have TWO lyricists as skilled as Harris and Dickinson (and now that I write that, I have like 5 examples; haha!)
They always had decent lyrics, they always had a good knack for telling a story (they have some of the best "narrative" songs of any band), but I think in the reunion era they've really reached a new plateau. Some of the turns of phrase they use are so evocative and well-thought out. Something like "The Red And The Black" works on multiple levels, and while I know it might easily be an adaptation of another's work (like Rime; the novel is "Le Rouge et le Noir", though I've never read it) it might also NOT be, and can refer to cards, checkers, or any of a handful of other references (the colors of a flag, for example). It's powerful stuff.
Absolutely. I think this was the biggest revelation I had in revisiting the discography in chronological order to make my list: the evolution in the writing deserves huge credit in cementing their legacy. It's remarkable how much they've improved over the years (or at least evolved, and become more consistent). So many bands—especially in the rock and metal genres, as you say—have found their success and subsequently just focused on the music while letting the same songs rewrite themselves ad nauseam.
I really agree with both of these posts. I've tried to cite some example of lines that both sound really nice and evoke something to me, and I think the majority of them have been from the reunion era. Montségur, for example, is a song that was posted recently where reaction seemed to be really divided between those who love it and those who don't really get why people esteem it. I think it's awesome musically, but I can't deny that part of the attraction is the lyrics. Especially:
As we kill them all so God will know his own
Laugh at the darkness and in God we trust
The eye of the triangle smiling with sin
No passover feast for the cursed within
Facing the sun as they went to their grave
Burn like a dog or you'll live like a slave"
I also mentioned Isle of Avalon, one of my very favorite Maiden songs, and again one where I would love it based on the music alone, but where the lyrics undeniably add something extra. Consider:
The image of Mother Goddess
Lying dormant in the eyes of the dead
The sheaf of the corn is broken, end the harvest,
Throw the dead on the pyre
To have the belief of others
Looking for the Isle to show them a sign
Fertility of all mothers, stood in silence, waiting now for their turn
The gateway to Avalon
The island where the souls of dead are reborn
Brought here to die and be
Transferred into the earth and then for rebirth
The Red and the Black is not one I've paid quite as much attention to lyrically, but there's still some stuff on it that always strikes me:
The good luck charm is overkill
The tired old soldier says fire at will
Planes overhead, go search destroy
The ones below human decoy
And then there's something that I hope is still to come:
Wilderness a tyrant dream
Sell your soul not give them power
Slay upon the imperial crown
Witness now the witching hour
Bound himself to oath and king
Such a loyalty a shameless thing
Youth of agony still burn
Shedding parents blood
Never say a prayer for me
For this crime and treachery
Drinking from your cup of wisdom true
Many men will follow you
Now an army is raised
And our gods, they be praised
Death is but a guilted edge
Shall no more than we will pledge
Hear the cry we are ready to believe
44. Blood Brothers
My ranking: #70
I really like this song. It ended up a little lower for me than the consensus mainly because there are so many great songs and because the chorus is a little too repetitive. But the verses are really strong, and the song is pretty emotionally powerful, especially when they perform it live. Zydar quoted the best part, but I also think the middle part ("When you think that we've used all our chances") is really powerful live.
43. The Longest Day
My ranking: #24
This may have my favorite opening section of any Maiden song ever. The first two minutes of this song are musically brilliant, lyrically evocative and emotionally powerful. I feel that this song has a dark and desperate yet devoted and ultimately hopeful feeling. It does not hold back on the horror the Normandy invasion necessarily involved, but it also maintains a clear perspective that it was a righteous act that would ultimately accomplish a moral good. There are some stunning lines in here. I quoted songs from four of the last five albums above leaving AMOLAD to the side specifically for this one:
In the gloom the gathering storm abates
In the ships the gimlet eyes await
The call to arms to hammer at the gates
To blow them wide, throw evil to its fate
All summer's long the drills to build the machine
To turn men from flesh and blood to steel
From paper soldiers to bodies on the beach
From summer sands to armageddon's reach
So why is this at #24 and not in my top ten? It's the chorus. I think the chorus melody actually is fitting, giving a bit more of the hopeful/devoted side where the verses emphasize the darkness more. But it's just repeated way too much. This is probably the single song where the repeated chorus detracts most for me. There's not much variation, just the same long line four times sung the same way four times in a row, three times in the song. It's just too much.
Everything else is good. The verses, as I said, are brilliant, and I think the instrumental section is very good, with the lead that plays the chorus melody actually being the best use of that melody in the song. Honestly, I think if they just went from four repetitions to two, this would be at least top 15 for me. Still, it's a song I love to hear and a deserving entry in my top 25.
42. The Red and the Black
My ranking: #49
This song is very much on its way up for me, and if you asked me again in a year or two it might be even higher than #49. It missed my top 60 in 2020, but here it is at #49 in 2022.
It was actually the release of Senjutsu that unlocked it for me, for a couple of reasons. First, I was somewhat disappointed in TBoS, which I did not enjoy as much as the three albums that preceded it. Since it was the first album to come out while I was a fan, I didn't necessarily trust my own reaction to it (maybe it's just nostalgia bias, I thought, in other words). Once Senjutsu came out and I immediately fell in love with it, I realized that that wasn't what was at play, and as I stopped putting pressure on myself to like TBoS more than I did, I was able to appreciate it for what it is.
The second reason is that I think Senjutsu does such a good job of structuring long instrumental sections that are fascinating and make appropriate use of repetition. I'm thinking especially about Death of the Celts and The Parchment. My appreciation for those made me want to hear more of the same, and made me give more focus to The Red and the Black, which I think was the prototype for that.
I agree with the general assessment that the second, instrumental half is a lot stronger than the first half. It's really, really good. Just thrilling and at times beautiful. The really melodic part at around the 11 minute mark especially. But while I don't think the vocal section is as good as the second half, I don't think it's by any means bad, and I think it fits well with that second half. It has some really appealing stuff like the lines I quoted above and the "chorus" (that is, the four "The red and the black..." parts.
This song ends up next to Death of the Celts for me right now. The comparison is that in Death of the Celts I think the vocal section and instrumental section are both quite strong. I think The Red and the Black has a weaker vocal section, but a strong instrumental section. Similar to The Nomad, actually, in this regard, which is on the other side of DotC. But I think of the three songs, this one has the strongest potential to go up.
My list so far (19/34):
70. Blood Brothers
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
59. These Colours Don't Run
53. Remember Tomorrow
50. Dream of Mirrors
49. The Red and the Black
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
43. Out of the Silent Planet
42. Montségur
28. Only the Good Die Young
27. The Book of Souls
25. If Eternity Should Fail
24. The Longest Day
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
15. Lord of Light
5. Isle of Avalon
3. Starblind
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And as we get closer to the halfway point of the list, I fear that some of my favourites (a couple in the top 10 even) might not actually make it. We'll see!
As we approach the midway point I'm becoming increasingly confident my #2 pick hasn't made the list (which is cool, it's all tastes etc). So far only 6 songs from the classic 5-album run of Number of the Beast through to Seventh Son have come up (Still Life from Piece of Mind, The Duellists from Powerslave, Heaven Can Wait and Deja-Vu from Somewhere in Time and Can I Play With Madness and Only The Good Die Young from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son), which is less than the entire Brave New World album (currently at 7 songs). At a guess I'd say around 25 of the remaining 41 songs to come are from those albums and the rest will be the 'big guns' from the other albums. But we'll see I guess. There have been several surprises already in this countdown (when this is finished I'll be interested to know the ages of the participants and when they first got into the band).
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I was 13 in the summer of 1982.
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And as we get closer to the halfway point of the list, I fear that some of my favourites (a couple in the top 10 even) might not actually make it. We'll see!
Hmmm...interesting query.
I'm going to guess that all of my top 10 (none of which have yet been revealed) will make it.
From my songs 11-20, my #12 (Murders), 16 (Deja Vu), 19 (Loneliness) and 20 (Prodigal Son) have been revealed, and I think there's a 50/50 shot that my #11, 15 and 18 won't make the top 75.
From my songs 21-30, my #26 (Wrathchild) and 27 (Duellists) have been revealed, and I'd say there's at least a 50/50 chance my #25 won't make it.
I'm almost positive my #33 and 52 won't make it. Other than that, I'm just not sure.
So far only 6 songs from the classic 5-album run of Number of the Beast through to Seventh Son have come up (Still Life from Piece of Mind, The Duellists from Powerslave, Heaven Can Wait and Deja-Vu from Somewhere in Time and Can I Play With Madness and Only The Good Die Young from Seventh Son of a Seventh Son)
Also The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
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^^ Indeed, missed it. 7 songs so far from the Big 5.
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Speaking of Blood Brothers, I guess I’ll throw DT a shout out that I think at least musically they did the whole “losing my father” thing a whole lot better with The Best of Times and the demo version of Take Away My Pain. IMO
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I was 13 in the summer of 1982.
I was also 13 but the year was 1985, although it was still The Number of the Beast that was the first Maiden album (which was actually a cassette) that I heard.
As far as what is to come in the countdown I think Dave summed it up pretty well. I’m still fairly confident all my top 20 not yet revealed makes it but a few others outside that will miss out.
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I was 13 in the summer of 1982.
I was also 13 but the year was 1985, although it was still The Number of the Beast that was the first Maiden album (which was actually a cassette) that I heard.
As far as what is to come in the countdown I think Dave summed it up pretty well. I’m still fairly confident all my top 20 not yet revealed makes it but a few others outside that will miss out.
I was also 13 but in 1983. :lol
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Blood Brothers (-)
Some parts I love, like the Janick's solo, some I like, like the chorus, and some I find a bit boring, like that kind of "russian theme" in the middle of the song (where Bruce commands the claping in Rock in Rio).
The Longest Day (#59)
The slow intro, that sometimes isn't the strongest part in some of the post 2000's material, here is fantastic indeed, it builds the tension incredibly well and I think there are some amazing, very creative guitar parts here.
The Red and the Black (-)
I love the instrumental section, but the rest of song is only OK.
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Now that I've really run the numbers in my head I think a couple of big guns are going to miss out here. As much as I love the reunion era I didn't expect it to be this well-represented in the front 9 (stealing a golf term) of the list. I certainly didn't think an album like Brave New World would have taken up a full 7 songs so far, though it's a great album. I think one or 2 classics are due to miss the cut here. Time will show.
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I still think my full top 10 will make it (2 have been revealed, leaving 8), but there are a few that I'll start to get nervous about if I don't see them fairly soon.
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I'm going to guess that all of my top 10 (none of which have yet been revealed) will make it.
Same here.
From my songs 11-20, my #12 (Murders), 16 (Deja Vu), 19 (Loneliness) and 20 (Prodigal Son) have been revealed, and I think there's a 50/50 shot that my #11, 15 and 18 won't make the top 75.
From my 11-20, my #13 (The Book Of Souls), #17 (No Prayer For The Dying, #15 (Lord Of Light), and #18 (Remember Tomorrow) have been revealed. My #11 and #20 may not make it, but I'd be surprised if the others didn't.
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Speaking of Blood Brothers, I guess I’ll throw DT a shout out that I think at least musically they did the whole “losing my father” thing a whole lot better with The Best of Times and the demo version of Take Away My Pain. IMO
But Iron Maiden has never done an actual "losing my father" Steve has referred to his father who has passed in a number of songs, but none has been as explicit as The Best Of Times and Take Away My Pain, which to me and lyrical masterpieces.
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Blood Brothers (#45)
Almost nailed it ;) Beautiful song, I've liked it from the very beginning. Very tasteful orchestration too.
The Longest Day (#74)
Just made my top 75. I echo Dave's comment (and others') about AMOLAD being great, but with harder-to-identify peaks. I like how this songs tells a story and yes, I agree the intro is fantastic. It's not among my very favorites, but overall it's pretty strong.
The Red and the Black (not in my top 75)
I did rank it, but at #91...Can't deny the instrumental section is great but, while I do enjoy the song, the rest is not quite enough to make my list.
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I'll be 49 in two weeks and didn't get into the band until late last year. They always had a few songs I liked, but numerous times had failed to really get me into them anymore, but then a friend and I did a run through of their entire discography (my idea, as they are his favorite band, so I figured it was worth a shot) and that did the trick. Better late than never.
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I am 46 and got in to Maiden after Dance of Death, so mid-2000s?
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OK...time to get the standings going!
Points are calculated the same way Kev does. Song #1 gets 75 points; song #2 gets 74 points...song #75 gets 1 point.
1. Brave New World: 7 songs/139 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44)
2. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
3T. A Matter of Life and Death: 4 songs/76 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43)
3T. The Book of Souls: 3 songs/76 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42)
5. The Final Frontier: 2 songs/54 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47)
6. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
7. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
8. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
9. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
10. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 2 songs/20 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59)
11. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
12. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
13. Powerslave: 1 song/2 points – The Duellists (#74)
14. Senjutsu: 1 song/1 point – Death of the Celts (#75)
15T. The Number of the Beast:
15T. The X Factor:
15T. Virtual XI:
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Something tells me a couple of those empty slots aren't going to stay that way much longer. ;)
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It's weird we haven't seen any NotB songs yet, considering that I would predict 5-6 songs making it from that album.
Meanwhile I'm predicting 1, maybe 2 each from the Blaze albums, and it wouldn't surprise me to see those songs show up soon.
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I'm going to guess that all of my top 10 (none of which have yet been revealed) will make it.
Same here.
From my songs 11-20, my #12 (Murders), 16 (Deja Vu), 19 (Loneliness) and 20 (Prodigal Son) have been revealed, and I think there's a 50/50 shot that my #11, 15 and 18 won't make the top 75.
From my 11-20, my #13 (The Book Of Souls), #17 (No Prayer For The Dying, #15 (Lord Of Light), and #18 (Remember Tomorrow) have been revealed. My #11 and #20 may not make it, but I'd be surprised if the others didn't.
So far, the only song in my top 10 that's been revealed is The Loneliness (#9)...Nothing else yet from my top 20. My second highest reveal so far is Killers (#23). Looking at it, I would think all of my top 10 will make the aggregate list...I'd say the top 20 too, but who knows...there might be surprises :)
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Those of you will be able to figure it out if you have good memories or feel like digging back through the thread, but Dave mentioned about how it feels like some big guns will miss out on the top 75, and there is one early song that was mentioned in the "feels like we need to see it soon or we probably won't at all" sense that I am stunned did not make the top 75. I wanted to cry every time I got through another list where it didn't make an appearance. It finished at 77.
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It's weird we haven't seen any NotB songs yet, considering that I would predict 5-6 songs making it from that album.
Meanwhile I'm predicting 1, maybe 2 each from the Blaze albums, and it wouldn't surprise me to see those songs show up soon.
I’d be pretty confident Blaze only gets 1 song from each album at a maximum. Also wouldn’t surprise me if Blaze only got one song overall but I do think it will be one from each and one of them will be up very soon. I also think we will get a NOTB song very soon especially if more than 5 from the album make it overall.
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Even with all the negativity toward Blaze, there's one song from each of those albums that I would be stunned to see miss the list entirely. There's a third song that I could've imagined making it but now think we won't see because we haven't seen it yet.
Those of you will be able to figure it out if you have good memories or feel like digging back through the thread, but Dave mentioned about how it feels like some big guns will miss out on the top 75, and there is one early song that was mentioned in the "feels like we need to see it soon or we probably won't at all" sense that I am stunned did not make the top 75. I wanted to cry every time I got through another list where it didn't make an appearance. It finished at 77.
You'll have to tell us what this is when all is said and done.
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Those of you will be able to figure it out if you have good memories or feel like digging back through the thread, but Dave mentioned about how it feels like some big guns will miss out on the top 75, and there is one early song that was mentioned in the "feels like we need to see it soon or we probably won't at all" sense that I am stunned did not make the top 75. I wanted to cry every time I got through another list where it didn't make an appearance. It finished at 77.
Prowler or Strange World is my guess, but I know you don’t do spoilers.
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I have no issues letting people guess and revealing it once the guessing dies down as it is not a spoiler of a song still to come, but I know some wanted to not see the list of songs that didn't make the countdown until after the top 75 was done so there'd be a little more suspense, so I am fine doing it either way.
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I am fine doing it either way.
Wrong thread :neverusethis:
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I am fine doing it either way.
Wrong thread :neverusethis:
:rollin :rollin
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There are two songs in my top 10, and I think maybe 5 in my top 20, that I no longer expect to make the final list. I would love to be proven wrong though.
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In terms of Blaze songs, I only ranked one song total and there were quite a few people who shared their songs by album that had zero Blaze or one Blaze so it is really going to come down to where those songs were ranked by those who ranked Blaze songs - if you know what I mean! So going by that and the fact we haven’t seen a Blaze song yet makes me pretty confident of only seeing a max 2 Blaze songs in the countdown. And as I said above possibly only 1.
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Edit: Never mind, decided this was too spotlight-y after I posted it.
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Those of you will be able to figure it out if you have good memories or feel like digging back through the thread, but Dave mentioned about how it feels like some big guns will miss out on the top 75, and there is one early song that was mentioned in the "feels like we need to see it soon or we probably won't at all" sense that I am stunned did not make the top 75. I wanted to cry every time I got through another list where it didn't make an appearance. It finished at 77.
Prowler or Strange World is my guess, but I know you don’t do spoilers.
Well I kind of feel we only have a max of 2 Dianno songs that may still make it and possibly only 1. So yeah I don’t see Prowler or Strange World making it but happy to be wrong. Both are in my top 75 I don’t think these are the songs Kev means though.
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As I suspect both will get a lot of chatter, posting just two this morning...
41 Run to the Hills
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (KevShmev)
I suspect this got the "great song, but overplayed and I like many others more" treatment from quite a few when doing their lists, and I get it, but as still a relatively new big fan, I still think it's great, and I was the highest ranker, having it at 6.
40 The Clansmen
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Ben_Jamin)
I did not rank this. Not a fan.
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Run to the Hills - 51 for me. It’s a great song and the album version is awesome. Has always been a tough one for Bruce live but the crowd always loves it. I do agree with Kev that it will miss lists because of overplayed etc but to me it always had to be in the top 75. I’m not sure exactly how many songs from The Number of the Beast will make the countdown but it does feels a little strange that this will be the lowest ranked one.
The Clansman - unranked by me and Kev said it best. Just do not see the appeal of this song and this is nothing to do with vocals or vocalist.
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This is a funny update. One of the songs is overplayed and the other one is underplayed, but I adore both of them equally. Oddly enough, these two are being played back to back on the current tour as part of the encore. :metal
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The Clansman - unranked by me and Kev said it best. Just do not see the appeal of this song and this is nothing to do with vocals or vocalist.
Agreed. I gave the live version with Bruce a few whirls recently to see if I was missing anything and realized I was not.
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41 Run to the Hills
Overplayed indeed, to the point where it gets annoying. It ranked #47 on mine. Decent, fine song. Really cool if you just get into Maiden, a bit boring if you've heard it hundreds of times.
40 The Clansmen
Underplayed and underappreciated. I can fully see why Ben of all people is the highest ranker on this one. I had it at #25. My ranking was indeed based on live versions with Bruce. The studio recording is seriously lacking and almost boring in comparison if you ask me.
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Run to the Hills: #72. Great, iconic song, but I'm so overly-familiar with it that it no longer excites me much. Fantastically composed tune, the tribal drumming at the start and the patented Harris Gallop paint the picture of the lyrics very well. I feel bad for it landing this low on my list, because if the question put to me were "what are the top ten classic Iron Maiden songs?", this would make the list because my thinking would be along different lines. But when doing this huge relisten project, my only criterion was: "how much do I enjoy listening to these songs right now at this time in my life?"
The Clansman: #40. Welcome to the party Mr Bayley, glad you finally made it. Nice multi-part mini-epic and I love the guitar leads over the latter "FREEEEEEEEDOOOOOM" rallying cries. Lyrically apt for our troubled times too.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
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Run to the Hills (#46)
Great single. I always loved the drum intro and the fills on the chorus. Clive's creativity, velocity and precision really elevates the simple drums patterns of this song.
The Clansman (-)
Over the years this song went from boring to good/interesting to me, but nothing more, even with Bruce singing it.
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My ranked/unranked spilt is now 20/16 by the way. Special prize for the participant who gets the most songs on the final list?
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22/13 here!
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Oops forgot to update once since countdown started :-X here's my list so far
75 Out of the Silent Planet
72 If Eternity Should Fail
69 The Red and the Black
68 No Prayer for the Dying
67 The Wicker Man
66 Brave New World
65 The Book of Souls
61 The Longest Day
60 Dream of Mirrors
57 Blood Brothers
53 Isle of Avalon
52 Lord of Light
50 Judas Be My Guide
49 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
47 Only the Good Die Young
46 The Nomad
43 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
36 These Colours Don't Run
35 Rainmaker
33 The Clansman
30 Deja Vu
23 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
22 Starblind
6 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
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71 Blood Brothers - I've spoken before about how I never notice the repetition in the Brave New World album but this track is the exception and it bothers me. I should like it so much more than I do. Some of the words are great, though: Just for a second a glimpse of my father I see/And in a movement he beckons to me/And in a moment the memories are all that remain/And all the wounds are reopening again :metal
83 The Longest Day - I read so much about how people love aspects of this song; the build-up, Nicko's drum rolls, the chorus. But it just all leaves me a bit cold, truth be told. Probably ranked this about about 30 spots too high.
114 The Red and the Black - Yes, I like the instrumental part but it's not enough to save the tune. It feels tired and I'd knock about 20 spots off if I ranked them all again.
25 Run to the Hills - Had to divorce myself from how overplayed this song is and try to rank it accordingly. And it is a metal classic.
13 The Clansman - Better with Blaze. And my ranking is based on that. I love the way his voice really melds with the music during the 'freedom' parts, imparts so much power.
21/15 for me so far.
So many of my 75 aren't going to make it from this point :lol
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I was really enjoying keeping up on this on a day-to-day basis, but then life got crazy for a couple days and now I find myself three days behind. My update is coming either late this afternoon or tomorrow morning
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22/13 here!
Think you've missed one mate, there have been 36 songs so far.
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Run to the Hills: #72. Great, iconic song, but I'm so overly-familiar with it that it no longer excites me much. Fantastically composed tune, the tribal drumming at the start and the patented Harris Gallop paint the picture of the lyrics very well. I feel bad for it landing this low on my list, because if the question put to me were "what are the top ten classic Iron Maiden songs?", this would make the list because my thinking would be along different lines. But when doing this huge relisten project, my only criterion was: "how much do I enjoy listening to these songs right now at this time in my life?"
This is me. This is probably the song that got me into Maiden in the first place - that video was CLASSIC at the time - when I was 14 (I turned 15 in September of that year; NOTB came out in March). It will always have a special place, but it doesn't reflect that on my list.
Run To The Hills: #45
The Clansman: #118
I'm 20/16. I feel that at least three of my top 10 - and five of my top 15 - will not make the list at all.
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22/13 here!
Think you've missed one mate, there have been 36 songs so far.
Yes, indeed. My own spreadsheet was lacking; 22/14 instead!
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I had the Clansman at #50 based on the Bruce version which is probably too high and Run to the Hills at #65 may be too low, but it's just hard for the life-long fans not to be sick of that song. :-\
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I had Hills at #47. I crazy loved it at first. My band played it for a little while (we eventually realized it wasn't a good idea since the singer couldn't handle the big scream without going falsetto). Now, it's one of the few songs (by any band) that I loved but I've grown weary of. I still enjoy it when I listen to it, but I don't seek it out. My second lowest ranked song on Beast.
Didn't rank The Clansman. I've only listened to it once (in anticipation of the upcoming show), and I was not impressed.
1. Brave New World: 7 songs/139 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44)
2. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
3T. A Matter of Life and Death: 4 songs/76 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43)
3T. The Book of Souls: 3 songs/76 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42)
5. The Final Frontier: 2 songs/54 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47)
6. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
7. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
8. The Number of the Beast: 1 song/35 points – Run to the Hills (#41)
9. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
10. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
11. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
12. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 2 songs/20 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59)
13. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
14. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
15. Powerslave: 1 song/2 points – The Duellists (#74)
16. Senjutsu: 1 song/1 point – Death of the Celts (#75)
17. The X Factor:
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Senjutsu needs more songs!
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Senjutsu needs more songs!
I reckon it'll end up on three.
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
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41 Run to the Hills
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (KevShmev)
I suspect this got the "great song, but overplayed and I like many others more" treatment from quite a few when doing their lists, and I get it, but as still a relatively new big fan, I still think it's great, and I was the highest ranker, having it at 6.
40 The Clansmen
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Ben_Jamin)
I did not rank this. Not a fan.
Run to the Hills - This was a hard one to rank. On the one hand, I've been listening to this song for over 30 years now and it's on the radio constantly (not that I listen to the radio anymore) so it has that overplayed feel. On the other hand, it is a fantastic song, with music and lyrics/vocals fitting together perfectly. Ultimately I ranked it at #51, which feels too low and too high at the same time :dunno:
The Clansman - I had this at #131 and it only made it that high because of Bruce's live version and the fact there are some interesting things happening musically at times. The studio version is about as boring as every other Blaze song.
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Run to the Hills (#33)
Certainly a classic - I don't go out of my way to listen to it, and it's never quite been one of my very favorites among the classics. But I still love it. The unmistakable intro, and the gallop... Sure, overly familiar now and overplayed, but great stuff.
The Clansman (#54)
Maybe an obvious choice, but this is my favorite from Virtual XI (and the only one that ranked for me). Might not say much, I guess :) Very good song - not a masterpiece, but deserving to be in the Maiden "canon".
My current ranked/unranked split is 29/7
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
I know one does for sure, and there might be a second. I'll have to look later when I get home where the spreadsheets are.
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
I know one does for sure, and there might be a second. I'll have to look later when I get home where the spreadsheets are.
The Number Of The Beast.
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41 Run to the Hills
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 6 (KevShmev)
40 The Clansmen
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 4 (Ben_Jamin)
I had Run To The Hills at #38. This video in 1982 completely sold me on this band. They looked so fucking cool and I loved that they were playing with an actual stage set. I still don't really skip it, and it's still a great live song to experience in person. On the Somewhere Back In Time tour, the crowd for that show here was epic during Run To The Hills.
I had The Clansman at #19. One of Iron Maiden's best songs. Ever. Even when VXI, came out, this song stood out so much. It is just so powerful. It really does fit Blaze quite well, but the live versions with Bruce are fantastic. It's really the one song from the Blaze Era that Bruce really takes on as his own.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
29 The Duellists
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
I know one does for sure, and there might be a second. I'll have to look later when I get home where the spreadsheets are.
The Number Of The Beast.
I'd actually be surprised if Gangland made it in at this point. And to a lesser extent Invaders.
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
I know one does for sure, and there might be a second. I'll have to look later when I get home where the spreadsheets are.
The Number Of The Beast.
I'd actually be surprised if Gangland made it in at this point. And to a lesser extent Invaders.
The only other album that would make sense is their first.
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I'd say at this point Somewhere in Time looks fairly certain to have all its songs on the list.
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I'd say at this point Somewhere in Time looks fairly certain to have all its songs on the list.
This is my assumption as well. Seventh son of a seventh son is also a possibility.
I wouldn't bet on The Number of the beast, Piece of mind and Powerslave, though. I highly doubt Gangland, Quest for fire and Losfer words rank up that high on people's lists. And I do like some of those songs.
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I'd say at this point Somewhere in Time looks fairly certain to have all its songs on the list.
This is my assumption as well. Seventh son of a seventh son is also a possibility.
I wouldn't bet on The Number of the beast, Piece of mind and Powerslave, though. I highly doubt Gangland, Quest for fire and Losfer words rank up that high on people's lists. And I do like some of those songs.
My numbers #6, #13, and #19.
NOT.
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Can't remember if Kev said whether there are any albums that got all songs in the top 75. At this point, I'm thinking the answer is no (unless I'm seriously underestimating a few songs).
I know one does for sure, and there might be a second. I'll have to look later when I get home where the spreadsheets are.
The Number Of The Beast.
(https://media4.giphy.com/media/daPCSjwus6UR2JxRX1/200.webp?cid=ecf05e47m9kncxf73e51zn5p1mi9rnr2pld7xgo59hmuef1t&rid=200.webp&ct=g)
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I'd say at this point Somewhere in Time looks fairly certain to have all its songs on the list.
Especially since Heaven Can Wait, Deja Vu, and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner have made it.
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Yeah, I feel it's gotta be SiT.
As for the most recent update, I had Clansman at 33 (not the highest ranking song from VXI on my list, but very close). A great song no matter whether we're talking the original studio album or Bruce singing it live.
Run To The Hills didn't make my list. I get that it's iconic, and I respect that it was a gateway for so many folks, but for me it just doesn't quite stack up to their best; it's quite comfortably in the bottom half of TNotB, for me.
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I'd say at this point Somewhere in Time looks fairly certain to have all its songs on the list.
This is my assumption as well. Seventh son of a seventh son is also a possibility.
I wouldn't bet on The Number of the beast, Piece of mind and Powerslave, though. I highly doubt Gangland, Quest for fire and Losfer words rank up that high on people's lists. And I do like some of those songs.
As well as Back in the Village.
And yeah, based on what's left, I think SIT has the best chance of getting all it's songs. POM should, and SSOASS absolutely should not. I have a feeling we may have seen the last of Killers. I'd be shocked if the debut pulled it off.
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Agreed, I'd be shocked if it isn't SiT. SSoaSS has a shot but I'm not counting on it. BNW is very close, only three songs haven't appeared yet, but I doubt two of them will make an appearance this late. And don't forget about Virtual XI. Major spoilers - Lightning Strikes Twice is highly likely to get #1. The Angel and the Gambler will have to settle with a top 2 finish.
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I see what you did there.
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I’d be pretty sure it is Somewhere in Time that will rank all the songs. I don’t see it happening for any other album.
I’m currently at 24/12.
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At least Quest for Fire got some points from me :)
SSOASS having all songs in would be great, SiT not so much. And there’s so much in my list not goig to make it I fear :lol
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Two more today!
39 The Evil That Men Do
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Zydar)
I had this at 66, but it is one I always feel like I will like a lot more as time goes on. It got great support here, so that gives me hope.
38 22 Acacia Avenue
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 6 (TAC, nick_z)
I don't dislike this song, but it's not really grabbing me as of yet, so it went unranked for me.
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39 The Evil That Men Do
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Zydar)
I had this at 66, but it is one I always feel like I will like a lot more as time goes on. It got great support here, so that gives me hope.
38 22 Acacia Avenue
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 6 (TAC, nick_z)
I don't dislike this song, but it's not really grabbing me as of yet, so it went unranked for me.
The Evil that Men Do - Had this at #32. Love the galloping rhythm here and the guitar tone.
22 Acacia Avenue - Had this at #31. Just a solid all around song.
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The Evil That Men Do: #59. An important moment in the narrative (such as it is) of the album, and musically it's a hell of a romp.
22 Acacia Avenue: #10. This is the biggest surprise of the countdown for me so far, I thought this would be nailed-on top 10/15 material for sure. Lyrically dodgy as fuck (but on the other hand a gloriously silly juvenile fantasy) but musically magnificent. And I'm confidently guessing this song's inclusion here is the final nail in the coffin of any chance tunes like Gangland and Invaders ever had of featuring on this list (between this and Run To The Hills featuring so relatively low I'm even starting to worry for the likes of Children of the Damned and The Prisoner!).
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Ranked/Unranked split: 22/16
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RTTH - 148 - Never really cared for it. Dave rips the solo though. Great live too, I'll give it that.
Clansman - 45 - Wonderful song. Blaze fits the song well and a great instrumental section. Great chorus
TETMD - 62 - Yeah, I've always really enjoyed this one. Great gallop, nice snarling vocals from Bruce and a wonderful chorus. Interesting, creative solo from Adrian too.
22 - 8 - 38 is just too low, this is an absolute classic. Adrian's riffing all over this is pure class, great fun to play along too. I enjoy the smutty lyrics too. Cause Maiden didn't do this kind of thing all too often, it works well here. Love the breakdown for Dave's solo and Adrian destroys the outro. What a song.
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The Evil That Men Do (#41)
It's really catchy with those amazing pre-chorus AND chorus!
22 Acacia Avenue (#38)
It's a really cool mini-epic by Maiden with a classic heavy rock vibe.
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Two all time classics in the latest batch.
The Evil That Men Do - number 28 for me and could easily have been higher. Always loved this song. Awesome intro, the verses are great and the solo is great. Sure it has the repetitive chorus but it works well for this song.
22 - number 9 for me and as others have said I am really shocked to see this song so low. All the music is really special, the vocal melodies are infectious and Bruce’s vocal is on the money. The lyrics haven’t aged that well for me but that is a very minor fault.
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22 Accacia Avenue is maybe a tad overrated in my opinion. It's good musically, but I'm not particularly crazy about the lyrics. It's still a fine song, but I think it might be my least favorite on the album.
The Evil that men do, on the other hand... :hefdaddy
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Who's ready for more? :metal :metal
Warning: this is not your day for updates if you are wanting songs from the 80s.
37 Coming Home
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (senecadawg2)
I had this at 42, but it was another that felt like it could have been 10-15 spots higher. The Final Frontier is pretty backloaded, but this is the one song in the first half, IMO, that really stands out.
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dave_Manchester, DTA)
Another winner from The Final Frontier. I had this at 30, and the live version from En Vivo! really was integral in getting me to fully appreciate this one.
35 The Parchment
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 2 (wolfking)
This was another new one I snuck in at the last minute, with it landing at 72 for me. Feels like another one of the new songs I'd probably like a lot more if the production had allowed the song to freaking breathe at all, but you can hear the makings of a really good song in there.
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What a tremendous update. Coming home is a track that keeps growing on me over the years, I like it more and more as time goes by. The Parchment was initially my least favorite on the new album, but I absolutely adore it now. When the wild wind blows... Yeah, that one is just a classic. It's due for a live comeback at some point.
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I wonder why Bosk isn’t partaking - you just listed his 2 favorite Maiden songs.
Anyway, Coming Home was 49 for me - great lyrics by Bruce.
When the Wild Wind Blows I had at 13 - my fave from TFF, very cool song structure and unique story from Steve
22 - number 18. Musically a 95 and lyrically a 0.
Parchment #58, 2nd highest song from Senjutsu, more solos than any other Maiden song
The Evil - #47, ranks in the middle of the SSOASS songs which tells you how much I like that album
Even though it seems like we're getting into a lot of consensus songs, they're still missing on about 33% of the lists. Fascinating diversity of opinions.
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3 songs that didn't make my Top 75, mostly because I prefer the albums from 80 to 92.
Coming Home
Recently became my favorite from TFF. It's kind of another of those very good "Bruce's solo albums" songs with tremendous Adrian's guitar work. This one, I finished the list, and still thought that it should be there.
When The Wild...
I think those 2 intros kill the mood of the rest of the song to me. But I like a lot most of the song, there's great instumental sections and melodies, no doubt!
About the melodies, it's always great to appreciate this Walking Dead scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrvsJTRPuFg
The Parchment
What Kev said about the production and I must add that all soloing on this song is very inspired!
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The Evil that men do is classic, good to it here. It was #49 on mine, but slightly higher here is fine with me!
I echo Dave's sentiment that 22 Acacia Avenue up this high is quite the surprise indeed. I did not expect this one this far in the countdown. I ranked it, but barely, at #74. Cool song indeed. Fun fact; I have Invaders at #75 and I don't think that will show up later!
Coming Home is fantastic! I had it at #11 I believe. Easily the best on The Final Frontier, if you ask me. The chorus is amazing.
I did not rank When the Wild Wind Blows and I'm not surprised there's 12 others that didn't either. With only 15/27 is this the least chosen song so far? I feel like this is overlong and a strange closer. Not a fan.
The Parchment is great as well. The last three on Senjutsu are all so good. Love to see this one up quite high. It was #44 on mine, but could have been higher on a different day. Massive props to wolfking for having this one as his #2!!
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My list so far:
#74 22 Acacia Avenue
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#49 The Evil That Men Do
#47 Run to the Hills
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#44 The Parchment
#42 The Nomad
#31 Rainmaker
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#25 The Clansman
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#20 The Longest Day
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#12 Montségur
#11 Coming Home
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
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Didn’t play, but The Parchment is in my back of the envelope top 10, maybe at 4 or 5. Good and unique and epic, fantastic all around.
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The Evil That Men Do: #58 - Almost the same as Dave; I dig this song.
22, Acacia Avenue: #119 - Not really because of the lyrics, but this was never one of the songs that really grabbed me from that record. In hindsight, 119 is probably too low, but then again, I'm not sure what I'd push down to move it up. A good tune, not great.
Coming Home: #13 - TFF is a keeper, and this is one of those songs that has just gotten better with age. I love the passion of this song. On paper, it reeks of cliche, but it's just so well executed, and fun to listen to.
When the Wild Wind Blows: #81 - Should have been higher; this has always been a favorite of mine, but I found in my relisten of TFF that I kept clicking back to "The Man Who Would Be King" and at the last minute I swapped the two! In hindsight they both should have made the list.
The Parchment: #98 - A victim of "Too new". I have a lot of Senjutsu on my list (maybe too much!) but this one sort of suffered from numbers. I love it, but it's not ingrained in the psyche like some of the other songs. Yet.
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Has anyone noticed which song has made the most lists so far?
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The Evil That Men Do with 22 lists. I believe.
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The Evil that Men Do (#28)
Such a classic Maiden song. It might not be the most groundbreaking (although in part I think it's because we are so familiar with it), but I love it. Fantastic solos too.
22 Acacia Avenue (#6)
A top-ten for me and a shared spot as highest ranker! What can I say...this is a mini-masterpiece. Yes, lyrically, very questionable ;) So much going on, musically. The first time THAT riffs shows up around 1:30, then the slower tempo...and the finale, with the reprise of the riff and the solos...brilliant. Like Dave, I was maybe expecting it to be higher in the overall ranking.
Coming Home (not in my top 75)
This was just outside of my top 75, ranking at #83. It didn't make it, but I really like the song. It's part of a great stretch of tunes on the album (Mother of Mercy through The Talisman).
When the Wild Wind Blows (not ranked)
Well, this I never quite connected with. I know it's held in relative high regard by the band too, but it's a song that feels way too long for me. I don't find the main melody super-compelling, and it's used a lot ;D Definitely has its moments, I just don't love it...
The Parchment (#40)
My highest-ranked song from Senjutsu. Almost like Maiden doing their version of Rising-era Rainbow, it's a great, epic march. And when it reaches its climax with Bruce singing "Meet me there!", then upping the tempo, it's pretty amazing.
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I echo Dave's sentiment that 22 Acacia Avenue up this high is quite the surprise indeed. I did not expect this one this far in the countdown. I ranked it, but barely, at #74. Cool song indeed. Fun fact; I have Invaders at #75 and I don't think that will show up later!
My reading of Dave's comment was that he was surprised it wasn't ranked higher, but I might have misread it...
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39 The Evil That Men Do
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 7 (Zydar)
38 22 Acacia Avenue
Appeared on 17 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 6 (TAC, nick_z)
I had The Evil That Me Do at #50. I have never gotten sick of this song. It's outstanding. Love the Reunion Era version where Adrian and Jannick harmonize the second part of the solo.
I had 22 Acacia Avenue at #6. An all time fave. The musical track is incredible. So many changes and it's really quite epic. A lot is mentioned about the lyrics. I really don't see the big deal. It's a sequel to Charlotte The Harlot where this guy is trying to rescue her from that life. It's a little blunt in spots, but I've never found it offensive in any way. In fact the storyline is actually quite positive. It is not a song about sex.
37 Coming Home
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (senecadawg2)
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dave_Manchester, DTA)
35 The Parchment
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 2 (wolfking)
Wow, three songs in my Top 25!
I had Coming Home at #11. I think this is Bruce's best lyric in the band. It is so visual and the words are just stunning. Love Adrian's solo where the other guys drop out of the background. A cool thing that I believe had never happened before. I
I had When The Wild Wind Blows at #24. This is such a great tune. What makes it great to me is even with its length and tempo, it never feels too long or not fast enough. More magnicent story telling, both in the lyrics and the delivery.
I had The Parchment at #8. It's unbelievable that a band I've listened to for 40 years could release a song that is so strong on their latest album, that I'd put it in my Top 10. Love the nice long instrumental part, and Bruce in the second vocal part is amazing. I think it's Steve that very effectively and then adds his voice to the lyric to highlight a word, and I love how the vocal changes with the "WE are here We are ready to believe" part. And of course the "Meet Me Thhheeeeeeeerrrrrreeeeee" That line gives me goosebumps.
And even still it's not enough as the song adds another few minutes of great instrumental work.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
29 The Duellists
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
6 22 Acacia Avenue
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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37 Coming Home
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (senecadawg2)
I had this at 42, but it was another that felt like it could have been 10-15 spots higher. The Final Frontier is pretty backloaded, but this is the one song in the first half, IMO, that really stands out.
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dave_Manchester, DTA)
Another winner from The Final Frontier. I had this at 30, and the live version from En Vivo! really was integral in getting me to fully appreciate this one.
35 The Parchment
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 2 (wolfking)
This was another new one I snuck in at the last minute, with it landing at 72 for me. Feels like another one of the new songs I'd probably like a lot more if the production had allowed the song to freaking breathe at all, but you can hear the makings of a really good song in there.
Coming Home - I had this at #42, so not far off. Great song, even though I had 3 others from this album rank higher. It's the best of the first half of Final Frontier though.
When the Wild Wind Blows - I'm not sure how, but this ended up at #168 on my list. Probably an error on my part when running through the ranker and I didn't catch it when I was tweaking my list. It should have ended up on my top 75, probably just sneaking in at #70 or so.
The Parchment - This came in at #58 and was one of the songs that grew on me the most when doing my relistening. The music throughout this song is just fantastic. I agree with Kev about the production though.
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I had 22 Acacia Avenue at #6. An all time fave. The musical track is incredible. So many changes and it's really quite epic. A lot is mentioned about the lyrics. I really don't see the big deal. It's a sequel to Charlotte The Harlot where this guy is trying to rescue her from that life. It's a little blunt in spots, but I've never found it offensive in any way. In fact the storyline is actually quite positive. It is not a song about sex.
Clearly, we agree on how fantastic this song is. As for the lyrics - yes, the overall message is positive, and I don't think they are offensive either. I just find them to be not particularly good :) Things like:
Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness? (Madness)
Can't you see it only brings you sadness?
When you entertain your men don't know the risk of getting disease
Some day when you're reach the age of forty
I bet you'll regret the days when you were laying
Nobody then will want to know
You won't have any beautiful wares to show, any more
But I guess in a way the style of writing is supposed to reflect the whole sad, "filthy" and bleak situation she's in...
Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Regardless of my thinking around the lyrics, none of this detracts at all from the absolute awesomeness of this song.
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I had 22 Acacia Avenue at #6. An all time fave. The musical track is incredible. So many changes and it's really quite epic. A lot is mentioned about the lyrics. I really don't see the big deal. It's a sequel to Charlotte The Harlot where this guy is trying to rescue her from that life. It's a little blunt in spots, but I've never found it offensive in any way. In fact the storyline is actually quite positive. It is not a song about sex.
Clearly, we agree on how fantastic this song is. As for the lyrics - yes, the overall message is positive, and I don't think they are offensive either. I just find them to be not particularly good :) Things like:
Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness? (Madness)
Can't you see it only brings you sadness?
When you entertain your men don't know the risk of getting disease
Some day when you're reach the age of forty
I bet you'll regret the days when you were laying
Nobody then will want to know
You won't have any beautiful wares to show, any more
But I guess in a way the style of writing is supposed to reflect the whole sad, "filthy" and bleak situation she's in...
Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Regardless of my thinking around the lyrics, none of this detracts at all from the absolute awesomeness of this song.
This is how I've always looked at the lyrics, I never had a problem with them.
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I have to admit that I am utterly clueless as to how good, average or bad the lyrics are in any Maiden song at this point. I tend to not really notice lyrics unless they are exceptionally good or exceptionally bad, but at some point I will have to focus on them and read them. This is the disadvantage of not buying albums on CD anymore and getting a booklet with the lyrics.
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The Evil That Men Do: I had it at #66. I had five songs from SSOASS on my list, and Madness is the only one that ranked lower. This song is the epitome of "just ok."
22 Acacia Avenue: This is the first of my top 10 songs to be ranked unfortunately low. I had it at #9. As a teenage boy hearing this song, the subject matter was a bit exciting, but some of the detail was a bit WTF. Musically, it covers a lot of ground in a 6 minute song. Just excellent from start to finish. I hope I get to see it live one of these days.
I didn't rank any of the other three today.
Powerslave...what a slacker!
1. Brave New World: 7 songs/139 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44)
2. The Final Frontier: 4 songs/133 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36)
3. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
4T. A Matter of Life and Death: 4 songs/76 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43)
4T. The Book of Souls: 3 songs/76 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42)
6. The Number of the Beast: 2 songs/73 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 3 songs/57 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39)
8. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
9. Senjutsu: 2 song/42 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35)
10. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
11. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
12. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
13. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
14. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
15. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
16. Powerslave: 1 song/2 points – The Duellists (#74)
17. The X Factor:
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22 Acacia Avenue: Musically, it covers a lot of ground in a 6 minute song.
It sure does!
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Coming Home: #20. Maiden are the kings of anthemic choruses and the chorus to this is one of their very best. Wonderful ballad/'love letter' to Bruce's passion for flying.
When The Wild Wind Blows: #4. One of a handful of songs that on any given day could be my #1. Unlike their other epics I love every second of this one from start to finish, it has great melodies (the opening versus have an almost 'lullaby' quality to them) and its 11 minutes fly by every time.
The Parchment: #29. Good first half, brilliant 2nd half. A tad repetitive perhaps but what it's repeating is so damn sweet that I frankly wish it went on even longer. I'm happy to see this one do so well on the aggregate list because quite honestly I didn't think it would appear at all. My 2nd highest rated song from Senjutsu.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Ranked/Unranked split: 25/16
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Hey Tim you forgot to put The Parchment at #8 on your updated list . . .
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64 The Evil That Men Do - excellent Maiden rocker. The pre-chorus and chorus are a bit repetitive but what can do you?
69 22 Acacia Avenue - hugely underrated tune featuring a surprising amount of variation. And the fact I ranked it at 69 is purely coincidental!
54 Coming Home - this has no business being on a Maiden album (aside from the fact they literally flew around the world a couple of times in a Maiden-liveried 757 and 747 :lol). It's as solo Bruce as solo Bruce gets. And you can tell that because it's easily the best song on The Final Frontier, an album worsened only in the reunion stakes by the soporific The Book of Souls). But I love the tune regardless and these two lines alone make it worth the price of admission: Stretch the fingers of my hand/Cover countries with my span.
68 When the Wild Wind Blows - Maiden epic by numbers but it works. And it's a nice story, too. The whole thing is incredibly reminiscent of the what-to-do-in-a-nuclear-holocaust videos we were subjected to in the 1980s here in the UK and it's clearly influenced by them.
38 The Parchment - that a band with an average age of 93 is capable of writing at this level this far into their 70 year career is, well, astonishing (and yes, it's nice to use the word rightly as an adjective on this here forum). Wonderfully evocative from start to finish.
26/15
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Hey Tim you forgot to put The Parchment at #8 on your updated list . . .
Indeed he did....
And dammit Dream Team, I could look at Elizabeth Olsen all day...
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Hey Tim you forgot to put The Parchment at #8 on your updated list . . .
Thank you. Fixed. I knew I was off one..
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Powerslave...what a slacker!
Chatter at the water cooler today has been that a song from Powerslave will show its face here pretty soon. No clue if that rumor is true or not, but we shall see... :P
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22 Acacia Avenue: This is the first of my top 10 songs to be ranked unfortunately low. I had it at #9. As a teenage boy hearing this song, the subject matter was a bit exciting, but some of the detail was a bit WTF. Musically, it covers a lot of ground in a 6 minute song. Just excellent from start to finish. I hope I get to see it live one of these days.
I could have written this. I also had 22 at number 9 and it was my first top 10 song to be revealed.
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I echo Dave's sentiment that 22 Acacia Avenue up this high is quite the surprise indeed. I did not expect this one this far in the countdown. I ranked it, but barely, at #74. Cool song indeed. Fun fact; I have Invaders at #75 and I don't think that will show up later!
My reading of Dave's comment was that he was surprised it wasn't ranked higher, but I might have misread it...
Yes, I agree with you Nick, Dave was saying he couldn't believe 22 was so low in the countdown (same opinion as me).
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37 Coming Home
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 5 (senecadawg2)
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
Appeared on 15 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 4 (Dave_Manchester, DTA)
35 The Parchment
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 2 (wolfking)
A great update today, I love these 3 songs but more importantly I was getting a bit worried Coming Home wasn't going to make it to the list.
Coming Home - 41 for me. This is just a great song and could have been much higher. Great opening riff, heartfelt and well delivered lyrics and great solo section.
When the Wild Wind Blows - this song started in my top 20 but just fell out to 25 in the end. This my 3rd favourite reunion era Maiden track.
The Parchment - 47 for me. Was really interested to see how this song went in the countdown and ultimately I think it did well to make it to 35. Now I am really interested to see what if anything else from Senjutsu makes it as this was my highest ranking track from the album.
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WTWWB placed pretty well for being on only 15 lists.
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WTWWB placed pretty well for being on only 15 lists.
10 of the 15 who had it on their list had it in their top 25.
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Kev, would I be out of line to ask if you will do another countdown? And if so, who do you think?
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Kev, would I be out of line to ask if you will do another countdown? And if so, who do you think?
Not your thing, but Porcupine Tree is tentatively slated to be next, but I still have to get a sense for how many will actually submit a list as I am not doing a countdown unless I know the interest is there from a lot of people to participate (doing a countdown based off 10 lists or less for example feels like a waste of time). DT, Rush and Maiden are probably the three most talked about bands here, so not sure who else would garner enough interest to get a lot of participants. Metallica maybe, but I would have not a ton of interest in doing them at this time, as my headspace is not even close to them right now.
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Oh I think you'd get a lot for Porcupine Tree, or even Neal Morse.
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WTWWB placed pretty well for being on only 15 lists.
10 of the 15 who had it on their list had it in their top 25.
On this type of discussion, 22 Acacia Avenue would have to be the most fascinating song so far. It was on 17 lists but actually had 6 top 10 finishes which feels pretty incredible for a song that only finished at 38.
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Kev, would I be out of line to ask if you will do another countdown? And if so, who do you think?
Not your thing, but Porcupine Tree is tentatively slated to be next, but I still have to get a sense for how many will actually submit a list as I am not doing a countdown unless I know the interest is there from a lot of people to participate (doing a countdown based off 10 lists or less for example feels like a waste of time). DT, Rush and Maiden are probably the three most talked about bands here, so not sure who else would garner enough interest to get a lot of participants. Metallica maybe, but I would have not a ton of interest in doing them at this time, as my headspace is not even close to them right now.
I would 100% participate in a Porcupine Tree countdown. Been one of my favorite bands for almost 20 years now. They also have a ton of b-sides. Looks like I'll need to compile another list for you :biggrin:
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The most recent update (which took us past the halfway point by the way) leads me to think we've seen the last of The Final Frontier. I don't imagine any of the remaining songs will have received more votes than those already on the list.
Some other predictions as we head into the back 9 (made only for my own amusement and to see if I'm right about any of them).
As with The Final Frontier, I think we won't be seeing Killers again.
I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
I'm starting to think The X Factor won't be represented at all. My reasoning here being that I thought the main candidate from that album would appear in the 65-75 range. It didn't, and since then, songs that follow a similar structure but which do it much better (in my opinion of course) have turned up.
I'm really not bothered if songs on my list don't appear on the aggregate list. The diversity of opinion and taste is what makes these threads great to follow. BUT! With that said there is 1 song, and only 1 song, that I will actually be very disappointed if it doesn't make the final list (it's from the debut, and it's not Phantom), because I think it's a very important song for the band's history and later development. And with each update I become increasingly pessimistic about it appearing.
I think there'll be 1 more song (only 1) from Virtual XI.
I think that the song that ends up being #1 (I have a very strong suspicion of what it will be) will not actually have been anyone's #1 song.
Like I said I may well end up being thoroughly wrong about all of this, but it's my reading of the voting thus far as we head into the home straight.
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With that said there is 1 song, and only 1 song, that I will actually be very disappointed if it doesn't make the final list (it's from the debut, and it's not Phantom), because I think it's a very important song for the band's history and later development. And with each update I become increasingly pessimistic about it appearing.
I am sweating the debut too. I don't know what song you are referring to - I will look forward to your comments if/when it is revealed (or not) - but I had 6 songs from it, and I don't see more than one or two making it from here on out.
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CH - 74 - It is a great song indeed and worthy of making my list. I just don't rate it quite as high as some others. Feels like a Bruce solo song to me.
WTWWB - 43 - The most Harris/Maiden song on the entire album and sets up a lot of what we hear later on IMO, especially Senjutsu. It's just excellent, nothing to dislike here.
Parchment - 2 - Yes, if anyone followed the thread when this album was released, you'll remember how I gushed over this one. As Tim said, I can't believe a band so late in their career can come up with this. Everything about it kept getting the better the more I listened. I at least listened to this song every day for at least six months after the release. I couldn't get enough of it. The freestyle structure, extended soloing, lack of chorus, the twists and turns, the buildup and climax at the end, everything about it is fresh, unique, interesting and inspired. I tossed and turned over this one, but I couldn't not put it in second place.
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The most recent update (which took us past the halfway point by the way) leads me to think we've seen the last of The Final Frontier. I don't imagine any of the remaining songs will have received more votes than those already on the list.
Some other predictions as we head into the back 9 (made only for my own amusement and to see if I'm right about any of them).
As with The Final Frontier, I think we won't be seeing Killers again.
I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
I'm starting to think The X Factor won't be represented at all. My reasoning here being that I thought the main candidate from that album would appear in the 65-75 range. It didn't, and since then, songs that follow a similar structure but which do it much better (in my opinion of course) have turned up.
I'm really not bothered if songs on my list don't appear on the aggregate list. The diversity of opinion and taste is what makes these threads great to follow. BUT! With that said there is 1 song, and only 1 song, that I will actually be very disappointed if it doesn't make the final list (it's from the debut, and it's not Phantom), because I think it's a very important song for the band's history and later development. And with each update I become increasingly pessimistic about it appearing.
I think there'll be 1 more song (only 1) from Virtual XI.
I think that the song that ends up being #1 (I have a very strong suspicion of what it will be) will not actually have been anyone's #1 song.
Like I said I may well end up being thoroughly wrong about all of this, but it's my reading of the voting thus far as we head into the home straight.
Love some good predictions but I actually disagree with most of these!
The Final Frontier - pretty sure there will be one more song to come and it could rank pretty high. I would be very surprised if TFF is done.
Killers - yes we could be done and if so this is sad.
Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
The X Factor - I think this album is 100% guaranteed be represented. There is one song that is very much loved among enough of the participants, could even rank very high...(just the one song though)
Virtual XI - is done I reckon. Just the one song.
As far as the debut album goes, I would love to think we have more than 1 song to go but I am not so sure..
I am really not sure what the number 1 song will be but I am hoping it will be my number 1 :)
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I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
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Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
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I'd be absolutely gob-smacked if POM doesn't have five more entries and very disappointed if it doesn't have seven more. I'd say five is most likely; six is next most likely; followed by fewer than five and seven having about the same likelihood. Eight ain't happening, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.
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I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
...
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Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
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I'd be absolutely gob-smacked if POM doesn't have five more entries and very disappointed if it doesn't have seven more. I'd say five is most likely; six is next most likely; followed by fewer than five and seven having about the same likelihood. Eight ain't happening, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.
I don't think there is any chance Piece of Mind has any more than 6 songs remaining. That is the absolute max. There are 2 songs on the album that have no chance of being this high in the countdown and remember 1 song has already been revealed. So that leaves 6 others and I'm not convinced all 6 of them make it even though they are all on my list.
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The X Factor - I think this album is 100% guaranteed be represented. There is one song that is very much loved among enough of the participants, could even rank very high...(just the one song though)
Virtual XI - is done I reckon. Just the one song.
I'd be surprised if there isn't one more song from The X Factor, I agree. Also agree regarding Virtual XI given people's general comments on it even though I personally had five tracks from it in my 75.
As we said pages back regarding one of the statistics that was shared, the amount of diversity across the included lists is brilliant.
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#123 Run to the Hills - yeah, I'm in the "overplayed thistle" camp. Good gallop but don't care for it much nowadays.
#102 The Clansman - I have a representative from VXI in my list but it isn't it. It actually finished 4th from the album for me which is quite shocking. Good song overall but I don't like Blaze here too much.
#62 The Evil That Men Do - didn't realize it actually made my list. I like it, but feel like it hinges too much on the chorus.
#111 22 Acacia Avenue - surprisingly complex song honestly. It used to be my favourite from TNOTB but I didn't like it as much upon relistening. The solos are still fire though.
#72 Coming Home - beautiful ballad. Yeah, it feels like it should be cheesy but Bruce nails it with his emotional singing and the lyrics are actually very well written. It always reminded me of his solo song Chemical Wedding. I'm also shocked it ranker higher than both Isle of Avalon and Starblind?!
#63 When the Wild Wind Blows - this song always had one thing going against it for me: It was just too much after 4 epics on the album and I always zoned out when I got to it. It's great but still only came 7th from the album in my list.
#79 The Parchment - this is a weird one because I usually really like those epic buildups, but the solos here just don't grab me by the throat. But the verse buildup is epic and the climax is glorius. Also, my least favourite trope in all of metal is following the climax with a "hard rocking riff". Think The Dark Eternal Night or Rosetta Stoned. It's as bad here because 1) The song definitely can't just end with the "meet me there", unlike TDEN with its unnecessary outro, and 2) It's not as out of place because I have no idea how else you'd follow it. But it still loses the song some points. Definitely a grower though and I can see it climbing much higher one day.
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I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
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Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
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I'd be absolutely gob-smacked if POM doesn't have five more entries and very disappointed if it doesn't have seven more. I'd say five is most likely; six is next most likely; followed by fewer than five and seven having about the same likelihood. Eight ain't happening, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.
But I want Quest for Fire up high :(
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22 Acacia Avenue: Musically, it covers a lot of ground in a 6 minute song.
It sure does!
It kind of does, but is still quite simple. Standard E minor, but the riffing just rips. That middle riff is very busy. It almost reminds me of War Pigs that way it's played, the rhythm guitar in this song is quite relentless.
There's little things too like the little chromatic thing going into the 'meet a lady that I know,' line in the riff. Also that 6 note passage going into the breakdown for Dave's solo is interesting. It repeats that passage but has an F that kicks the passage off, which isn't in the E minor key, which surprisingly works well. The band climax together at the end and I'd have to listen but there's I think a nice pedal point section during Adrian's solo which builds a lot of tension with the guitars towards the end of the song.
Edit: The pedal is actually the riff listening back and 'Arry goes down the E/D/C progression. Very nice.
Really nice stuff musically indeed in this one.
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I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
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Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
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I'd be absolutely gob-smacked if POM doesn't have five more entries and very disappointed if it doesn't have seven more. I'd say five is most likely; six is next most likely; followed by fewer than five and seven having about the same likelihood. Eight ain't happening, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.
But I want Quest for Fire up high :(
I like QFF too! I strongly believe there will be 5 more songs from POM. 3 from TNOTB. 4 from Powerslave. 4 or 5 from SiT. At least 3 from SSoaSS. 3 from the 90s and the rest from the reunion era.
@Puppies_on_Acid: you’re welcome :tup
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Yeah, at least 5 from PoM doesn't seem too far-fetched to be honest. I doubt Quest for Fire will make it (which I have on my list), but I have five others there as well of which some I think definitely need to show up.
It wouldn't surprise me to see a bunch of 80's songs coming up soon actually with how far we are into the countdown.
I also fear/feel that my personal #18, #16, #10 and #5 will not be coming at all.
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Kev, would I be out of line to ask if you will do another countdown? And if so, who do you think?
Not your thing, but Porcupine Tree is tentatively slated to be next, but I still have to get a sense for how many will actually submit a list as I am not doing a countdown unless I know the interest is there from a lot of people to participate (doing a countdown based off 10 lists or less for example feels like a waste of time). DT, Rush and Maiden are probably the three most talked about bands here, so not sure who else would garner enough interest to get a lot of participants. Metallica maybe, but I would have not a ton of interest in doing them at this time, as my headspace is not even close to them right now.
I would 100% participate in a Porcupine Tree countdown. Been one of my favorite bands for almost 20 years now. They also have a ton of b-sides. Looks like I'll need to compile another list for you :biggrin:
:tup :tup
Oh I think you'd get a lot for Porcupine Tree, or even Neal Morse.
That's the hope! :tup :tup
Who were you hoping to see next or in the near future?
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And we keep moving along with Iron Maiden...
34 2 Minutes to Midnight
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (Elite)
I had this at 40, but I feel like I had a bit too high, almost like I gave a "it's on Powerslave" bump. Damn good song, but I like many others more at this point.
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (toro)
This one was a slow grower for me, but I am a big fan now. I had it at 31.
32 The Prisoner
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Glasser)
This was a top 20 songs for me, landing at 19. About time we are getting some Number of the Beast songs in this here countdown!
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WOW!
Where others were surprised at 22 Acacia Avenue landing not as high as it did, to me 2 Minutes to Midnight not making it higher is a real shock. As well as me being the ONLY ONE with it in the top 10. That's seriously strange to me!
I did not rank either of the other 2 songs. I feel there's better songs on both albums they come from (and I did include 6 from AMOLAD and 5 from TNOTB).
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#12 2 Minutes to Midnight - agree with you completely Elite, wtf? I expected it to land top 20 at least?! With more top 10 rankers. It's in a virtual tie with my #10 and #11.
I always loved this song. It has one of the most iconic riffs and an awesome solo section, not to mention everything else is gold. I have two PS songs higher than it so I'm kinda contradicting myself, but I always thought that of the 4 bookend songs, it gets kind of left behind by diehard fans compared to the other 3.
#20 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - this was an early favourite for me and it still holds up. Arguably their heaviest song from their arguably heaviest album. Bruce in the intro gives me chills and that riff hits so hard. The fast part rips too.
I have two problems with the song:
1. Yes, lengthy repetitive buildup. Kinda fitting that it came close to The Parchment because the buildup being too long is my least favourite parts about both songs.
2. I hated the E=MC squared line. I hated it even more when I understood the pun :lol
#135 The Prisoner - so low? Yes. Sorry, I treated this album poorly in the ranking. I just don't care for the song.
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2 Minutes to Midnight (#15)
A classic, and deservedly so (imo, of course :)). Regardless of how many times the main riff has been used in hard rock/metal songs around that time, it's just iconic. And when the song gets going...so good. I LOVE the slower part, with Harris' bass and the melodic short leads, leading back to the main riff. I, too, was expecting this to be a little higher.
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (Not in my top 75)
I had this at #95, close to where my rank for Benjamin Breeg was...which is interesting, considering they were both singles from AMOLAD. The mood of the song is pretty cool, and I like its heaviness, but it doesn't strike me as anything super-special. Even the tempo-change is not the greatest. It's interesting that it's so high in the aggregate - I didn't realize it was so well-regarded.
The Prisoner (#13)
Another fantastic one from The Number of the Beast. Just missed my top 10, but at this level we are talking metal classics regardless. Clive Burr's drum intro is SO good and then it's just an exhilarating ride. Love the open strings on the guitars in the chorus. So simple and so effective. And then again the solo break, with Clive's distinctive style accompanying the whole thing. Love this.
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And we keep moving along with Iron Maiden...
34 2 Minutes to Midnight
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (Elite)
I had this at 40, but I feel like I had a bit too high, almost like I gave a "it's on Powerslave" bump. Damn good song, but I like many others more at this point.
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (toro)
This one was a slow grower for me, but I am a big fan now. I had it at 31.
32 The Prisoner
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Glasser)
This was a top 20 songs for me, landing at 19. About time we are getting some Number of the Beast songs in this here countdown!
2 Minutes to Midnight - This one just barely made the list at #74. Perhaps it could have been 10-15 spot higher. I don't know, Maiden has so much great music and this one has felt overplayed for some time now. Still, great riffs and solo passages.
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - I had this at #13 and I was surprised to learn I wasn't the highest ranker. In my opinion there is only 1 better song on AMoLaD and only just barely. The way this song builds up into such a heavy hard hitting song is perfect.
The Prisoner - This came in at #17 and has always been a favorite on NotB. I love the interplay between the drums and guitar at the beginning and that chorus is infectiously singable.
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2 Minutes to Midnight: #37. Iconic Maiden song, perhaps suffers a little on my list from over-familiarity. Like I wrote earlier, if the question were "essential Maiden tracks" (rather than "what do you like listehing to right now?") it'd be in the top 15 at least, and probably top 10.
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns: #65. The 3rd of 4 tracks I put forward from AMOLAD, the 4th I suspect is coming up soon.
The Prisoner: #49. Another good example of Maiden's skill in writing music to match the lyrics. I love the 'triumphant' chorus of this one. Concert story: when I saw Maiden in the 90s there was some nutter in front who took singing along to a whole new level by very loudly narrating every line of the intro dialogue, right down to the maniacal "HAHAHAHA!!!!!"
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Ranked/Unranked split: 28/16
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How about Ozzy, Dio, Black Sabbath? Unless I missed those?
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2 Minutes to Midnight (#16)
I know the main riff was done before by a lot of bands, but I've heard first with Maiden and I think they made the best song out of it, no doubt. Also amazing instrumental/solo section in the middle!
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#14)
A classic modern day Maiden, very heavy and proggy. This one is good as the best moments from the classic era.
The Prisoner (#33)
Love Clive's intro and the overall vibe of the song, very nostalgic. I hear The Prisioner, 22 Acacia Avenue and Children of Dammed as mini epics in a very specific style that Maiden really only did in that album.
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It's great to see the amount of love Coming Home and When The Wild Wind Blows have been receiving. There are about 7 songs that I would be proud to call my favorite IM song, and Coming Home is definitely in that group. WtWWB is not far behind, ranked 13 on my list.
2 Minutes to Midnight: 61
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns: 57
The Prisoner: 67
These are all good songs. I feel somewhat bad for ranking 2 Minutes to Midnight and the Prisoner as low as I did, but ultimately this feels like a pretty accurate representation of how much I'm enjoy the songs at this moment in time.
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I'm genuinely shocked that I'm the only one who ranked The Prisoner in the top 10! :facepalm:
I wonder who ranked it second highest??????
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The Prisoner (#33)
Love Clive's intro and the overall vibe of the song, very nostalgic. I hear The Prisioner, 22 Acacia Avenue and Children of Dammed as mini epics in a very specific style that Maiden really only did in that album.
100% agree. I always felt NOTB sounds pretty unique within their discography, and those songs are a big part of that.
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I'm genuinely shocked that I'm the only one who ranked The Prisoner in the top 10! :facepalm:
I wonder who ranked it second highest??????
I had it pretty close, at #13...
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I'm genuinely shocked that I'm the only one who ranked The Prisoner in the top 10! :facepalm:
I wonder who ranked it second highest??????
I had it pretty close, at #13...
Very cool! It could be my favorite if I could have tied it with my top 3.
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2 Minutes to Midnight - Definitely a strong song with those classic early/mid-'80s nuclear dread lyrics. However, I have it as my #6 song on Powerslave (and #40 overall).
I did not rank Brighter Than a Thousand Suns.
The Prisoner - For quite a while, I didn't care for this song. However, it came to grow on me. It's still only my #5 song on the album, but it's 28 overall. It's got a great groove. One of these days I need to watch the show on which the song is based. "Do it!"
...
I think Piece of Mind will contain the most 'shocks', in the sense of being under-represented on the list (to a lot of 'old-school' Maiden fans PoM is their masterpiece - at least that was the thinking when I was growing up in 80s England - but I've noticed that many fans who discovered the band only recently/post-reunion don't rate it all that highly).
...
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Piece of Mind - yeah you could be right but it is a tough album to read among the group of voters. I think at least 3 more songs from the album but could be up to 5..
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I'd be absolutely gob-smacked if POM doesn't have five more entries and very disappointed if it doesn't have seven more. I'd say five is most likely; six is next most likely; followed by fewer than five and seven having about the same likelihood. Eight ain't happening, but I'd be pleasantly surprised if it did.
But I want Quest for Fire up high :(
If we'd been revealing my top 75, it would have been revealed today.
1. Brave New World: 7 songs/139 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44)
2. The Final Frontier: 4 songs/133 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36)
3. A Matter of Life and Death: 5 songs/119 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33)
4. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
5. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
6. The Book of Souls: 3 songs/76 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 3 songs/57 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39)
8. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
9. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
10. Senjutsu: 2 song/42 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35)
11. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
12. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
13. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
14. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
15. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
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How about Ozzy, Dio, Black Sabbath? Unless I missed those?
??? ???
What post was this referencing? I am confused. :lol :lol
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The Prisoner is just as good as the big ones on The Number of the beast. Such an underappreciated tune.
Brighter than a thousand suns is a modern day classic and it features what I think is the heaviest Iron Maiden riff ever. Find me a heavier riff of theirs. :metal
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How about Ozzy, Dio, Black Sabbath? Unless I missed those?
??? ???
What post was this referencing? I am confused. :lol :lol
Potential ideas for future countdowns, I presume? :)
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34 2 Minutes to Midnight
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (Elite)
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (toro)
32 The Prisoner
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Glasser)
I had 2 Minutes To Midnight at #32. I probably have this rated a bit high, but I must say that this song has really aged well, as has the Powerslave album for me. I could not have been more down on this song when it was released. From the recycled riff to the subject matter, which everyone was doing at the time, I was just really disappointed with it. But I have come to really love the track.
I had Brighter Than A Thousand Suns at #54. AMOLAD was a really tough nut to crack. It took a ton of listens, as there's just so much depth. Every song felt like a mini album to me. But Brighter Than A Thousand Suns was the first song that I "got". I rank two songs from the album above it, one of which was Lord Of light, which has already been listed.
I had The Prisoner at #20. Classic tune. I've always loved it. Clive Burr is great on this. Has some real jump to it. Love the chorus. It needs some more love in the live sets
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
6 22 Acacia Avenue
-------------------
Not Ranked
77 Starblind
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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#6 BTaTS - love this tune, exceptionally heavy for Maiden and Bruce is letting it rip
#21 The Prisoner - love that intro especially but the whole song is cool
Didn’t rank 2MTM.
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How about Ozzy, Dio, Black Sabbath? Unless I missed those?
??? ???
What post was this referencing? I am confused. :lol :lol
Potential ideas for future countdowns, I presume? :)
Sorry, yeah, I meant Countdown. :blush
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Oh I think you'd get a lot for Porcupine Tree, or even Neal Morse.
That's the hope! :tup :tup
Who were you hoping to see next or in the near future?
Oh I don't know. I figure that you'd have to get at least 15 lists to make it worth it, no? VH had 17 right.
I could only participate in a hard rock one. But I think you'd do well with Porcupine Tree, Neal Morse, maybe even U2.
As far as hard rock, I think maybe Ozzy would get the most responses. Lots of discussions have evolved in Ozzy rankings over the years. I'm not a big Judas Priest guy, but you might get a decent amount of responses for them, or maybe Black Sabbath.
Opeth is fairly popular here as well.
I'm just thinking of what would generate the most interest.
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Oh I think you'd get a lot for Porcupine Tree, or even Neal Morse.
That's the hope! :tup :tup
Who were you hoping to see next or in the near future?
Oh I don't know. I figure that you'd have to get at least 15 lists to make it worth it, no? VH had 17 right.
I could only participate in a hard rock one. But I think you'd do well with Porcupine Tree, Neal Morse, maybe even U2.
As far as hard rock, I think maybe Ozzy would get the most responses. Lots of discussions have evolved in Ozzy rankings over the years. I'm not a big Judas Priest guy, but you might get a decent amount of responses for them, or maybe Black Sabbath.
Opeth is fairly popular here as well.
I'm just thinking of what would generate the most interest.
Opeth and Judas Priest would both be quite popular for a top 75.
Never heard of U2 ;)
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(https://i.imgur.com/utJbOvu.jpg)
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2MTM - 75 - I'm kind of surprised it ranked so high, but it's a great song. It rips live, has a great solo section and has stood the test of time really well.
BTATS - 95 - This has aged better than expected for me, but I never quite understood the love it got. It's still a solid song with a interesting chord progression in there.
Prisoner - 64 - Gotta love a chorus in a major key, good stuff. Always a pleasure listening to this song, the main riff is nice and heavy and Bruce as always sounding great. Really cool solo section too.
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(https://i.imgur.com/utJbOvu.jpg)
I knew it! :lol
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34 2 Minutes to Midnight
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 9 (Elite)
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 5 (toro)
32 The Prisoner
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 1
Highest Ranking: 2 (Glasser)
Love todays update!
2 Minutes to Midnight - 62 for me and yes probably too low. It is a classic and a song I have loved over the years but it carries a very overplayed feel for me these days.
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - 48 on my list. This song just has a great heavy riff. AMOLAD has been really well represented in the countdown, it is my favourite reunion album. Has to be at least 1 more song to come, maybe 2?
The Prisoner - 27 on my list. A song I have always loved. The voice over start and Clive's drum into are burned into my brain. I was actually getting a bit worried that this song wasn't going to make it.
With 31 songs to go, the countdown is starting to get very interesting. Looking at my own list I can probably comfortably guess the majority of these songs but there is going to be a surprise or two (for me anyway).
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(https://i.imgur.com/utJbOvu.jpg)
I knew it! :lol
You too??
Get it...?
Sorry.
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A Beatles top 75 would kill wouldn’t it?
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A Beatles top 75 would kill wouldn’t it?
No.
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I got it.........a Blaze Bayley top 75. We can even have Iron Maiden Blaze songs since they clearly weren't included in this current countdown. ;D
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I got it.........a Blaze Bayley top 75. We can even have Iron Maiden Blaze songs since they clearly weren't included in this current countdown. ;D
:splodetard:
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A Beatles top 75 would kill wouldn’t it?
That'd be fun. I'd be up for Judas Priest or Fates Warning too.
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Of the bands mentioned I could easily do Metallica and The Beatles (good luck to whoever compiles the song list for those guys!). For the others I'd need time to revisit the catalogues. But these ranking threads are excellent opportunities to revisit - or even discover for the first time - a band's discography, so honestly whoever comes next I'll try and join in, circumstances permitting.
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A Beatles top 75 would kill wouldn’t it?
No.
I'd be sitting that one out for sure.
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Metallica is a great option that should heaps of participants.
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I wouldn't do the Beatles simply because they have 8,000 songs and updating the spreadsheet would take forever every time a new list was submitted.
I like Sabbath, Ozzy and Metallica, but I can't see myself getting too excited to one for any of them any time soon, and I won't do a countdown if I am going to half ass it, and I need to be a huge fan of a band (Rush, DT, VH) or still in the honeymoon discovery phase (Maiden) to want to dedicate the time it takes to do it.
Opeth is a good possibility, but as they are very much an autumn band for me, I'd be more likely to them in October/November.
I love Priest, but not sure I'd want to do them right after doing Maiden considering the similarity of the bands stylistically. Doing something a little different is preferable.
I could be talked into a U2 one at some point, but not right now.
Queensryche could be a good one. With them, I'd probably just put the songs from the debut through Promised Land on the spreadsheet and then if anyone actually puts anything from an album after 1994, I could add it on the fly, meaning the final list would not have everything, as I would not waste my time doing a spreadsheet on them with all of those songs from their many shitty albums on there. :lol
Porcupine Tree is still the most likely one to be next.
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Totally cool, Kev. I think PT would be a great choice around here.
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I'd get the few PT cd's I have out for sure and explore the rest of their stuff too if it were a definite option for a countdown.
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I also think these are more fun when a band or artist is prolific and has multiple eras that get a lot of love.
As good as Sabbath is, you know the first six albums would likely dominate a top 50 or whatever. Same with Queensryche and their run through PL.
With VH, you had the idea of there being some fans who prefer Roth and others who prefer Sammy.
Rush's golden era for many was obviously 1976-1981, but the synth era has gotten a lot of love as well, and some of the later albums got mad love from the fan base.
This Maiden one wouldn't be as fun without the reunion era getting a lot of songs in there. It's always great to see a countdown like this where the favorites are spread out over many albums and years.
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As good as Sabbath is, you know the first six albums would likely dominate a top 50 or whatever.
I would think at least 12 of the 50 would be from the Dio Era. You might get 1 Tony Martin song, and definitely at least 1 Ian Gillan song.
Plus, I'd have 4 tracks from Never Say Die.
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I'd have more Martin era songs than Ozzy songs in my top 50.
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As good as Sabbath is, you know the first six albums would likely dominate a top 50 or whatever.
I would think at least 12 of the 50 would be from the Dio Era. You might get 1 Tony Martin song, and definitely at least 1 Ian Gillan song.
Plus, I'd have 4 tracks from Never Say Die.
I hear ya, but this goes back to me needing to be invested. Sabbath has 19 studio albums, and I only give a crap about seven of them (eight if you count me liking one song on Mob Rules). And I have zero interest in revisiting all of that stuff in the hopes that some of it will grow on me. I tried it all before several times, not doing it again.
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I’ve been copying/pasting the daily updates daily, then ‘finding’ how they compare to someone from the Boston area who shared his list with me👍 This newbie is almost caught up hearing those presented so far.
So I thought I’d chime in and say, per wiki, that The Beatles only released one more original song than Maiden has so far (plus 25 covers).
Really enjoying all the comments. Good reading.
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AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just spent the last hour writing my catch up post, and then I bumped something and LOST THE ENTIRE POST!!! I'm so seriously ticked off right now I just have to walk away. I'll try again in the morning.
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I'd get the few PT cd's I have out for sure and explore the rest of their stuff too if it were a definite option for a countdown.
I just compiled a list of all Porcupine Tree songs and I came up with 194 songs, assuming I didn't miss any (I also didn't include any covers). Those are the ones in my library and I'm fairly certain I've collected everything from them. I'll collaborate with Kev to see what all he wants to include.
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I wouldn't do the Beatles simply because they have 8,000 songs and updating the spreadsheet would take forever every time a new list was submitted.
I like Sabbath, Ozzy and Metallica, but I can't see myself getting too excited to one for any of them any time soon, and I won't do a countdown if I am going to half ass it, and I need to be a huge fan of a band (Rush, DT, VH) or still in the honeymoon discovery phase (Maiden) to want to dedicate the time it takes to do it.
Opeth is a good possibility, but as they are very much an autumn band for me, I'd be more likely to them in October/November.
I love Priest, but not sure I'd want to do them right after doing Maiden considering the similarity of the bands stylistically. Doing something a little different is preferable.
I could be talked into a U2 one at some point, but not right now.
Queensryche could be a good one. With them, I'd probably just put the songs from the debut through Promised Land on the spreadsheet and then if anyone actually puts anything from an album after 1994, I could add it on the fly, meaning the final list would not have everything, as I would not waste my time doing a spreadsheet on them with all of those songs from their many shitty albums on there. :lol
Porcupine Tree is still the most likely one to be next.
Opeth is THEE Autumn band, FUCK YEAH MAN!!!! MORNINGRISE is my personal fave! But Orchid, My Arms Your Hearse are way up there also with Blackwater Park and Still Life!!! :metal :metal :metal
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I'd have more Martin era songs than Ozzy songs in my top 50.
(https://imgpile.com/images/RHSK1r.jpg)
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I'd get the few PT cd's I have out for sure and explore the rest of their stuff too if it were a definite option for a countdown.
I just compiled a list of all Porcupine Tree songs and I came up with 194 songs, assuming I didn't miss any (I also didn't include any covers). Those are the ones in my library and I'm fairly certain I've collected everything from them. I'll collaborate with Kev to see what all he wants to include.
Cool. The new album will not be included obviously, and I almost think leaving out some of the short transitional tracks will clean it up a little (Stupid Dream, Siren, Pagan, etc.), but we can discuss that when the time comes...
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I'd get the few PT cd's I have out for sure and explore the rest of their stuff too if it were a definite option for a countdown.
I just compiled a list of all Porcupine Tree songs and I came up with 194 songs, assuming I didn't miss any (I also didn't include any covers). Those are the ones in my library and I'm fairly certain I've collected everything from them. I'll collaborate with Kev to see what all he wants to include.
Cool. The new album will not be included obviously, and I almost think leaving out some of the short transitional tracks will clean it up a little (Stupid Dream, Siren, Pagan, etc.), but we can discuss that when the time comes...
:tup
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I'd have more Martin era songs than Ozzy songs in my top 50.
(https://imgpile.com/images/RHSK1r.jpg)
I make no apologies.
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Today's songs are all from the reunion era!!
31 Empire of the Clouds
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Shalev Amir)
A pretty unique song in their catalogue. If the meat of the song was as good as the first 5-6 minutes or the ending, this could have been a top 10 one for me, but it feels like the full band part of the song is just okay, thus I put this at 71.
30 The Legacy
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (Ben_Jamin, Deadeye21)
This is sorta similar to the last one in that the meat of the song isn't as great as the long intro, but the difference here is that the meat here is still very good. It's just that that intro is so damn awesome. I had this at 11 as a result. And that acoustic motif being reprised at the end of the song is one of their best moments ever.
29 Ghost of the Navigator
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (romdrums)
This was the song that made me want to do the Maiden run though last fall, as I already had a bunch of their songs in my iTunes, and when this one randomly came on when I had hit shuffle, I left on and really enjoyed it. And off to the races I went! I had this at 28.
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31 Empire of the Clouds
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Shalev Amir)
30 The Legacy
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (Ben_Jamin, Deadeye21)
29 Ghost of the Navigator
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (romdrums)
I had Empire Of The Clouds at #53. I agree Kev. This is one song that could definitely use some trimming in the middle. It's kind of the opposite of The Red And The Black. But man, what a great song by Bruce. His narrative is haunting. Great performance.
I had The Legacy at #79. The Legacy just missed the final 75. It's a great song that I definitely really like.
I had Ghost Of The Navigator as NR. I like the song a lot but I don't find if nearly as strong as the rest of the Reunion Era. I do love the Rock In Rio version.
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
6 22 Acacia Avenue
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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Wow! Well I just picked myself up off the floor after seeing those 3 songs. At this stage of the countdown I was convinced Empire of the Clouds wouldn't make it and was pretty doubtful The Legacy would make it either. As for Ghost of the Navigator - well who knew it was so popular.
Empire of the Clouds - my rank 75. Yes I just got this song onto my list at the end as I felt it deserved to be there. Like Kev said, there are some magical and great moments in this song but the sum of the whole song, while still good isn't great. I do like it though but I am very surprised to see it get so much love in the countdown.
The Legacy - number 58 for me. This a great song and I have no issue with its overall ranking but I really didn't see this song ranking so high. I thought we may have had 2 songs left from AMOLAD before this reveal and I was right so still one more big gun to come.
Ghost of the Navigator - unranked by me. Sure it is a really good song but is it this good? I'm pretty shocked to see this song so high and also overall the amount of love Brave New World as an album has got in the countdown.
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I love all three, but Empire is just out of this world. Top five Maiden song for me.
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Empire of the Clouds (#12)
I think it's a masterpiece, 18 minutes that pass like 5. The main melody ideed repeats a lot, but it deserves since it's so good and I never get tired of it.
The Legacy (#28)
I love the heavier parts as much as the great intro. It does sound a lot like Maiden doing 70's prog.
Ghost of the Navigator (#48)
Great song. Sure it would benefit a lot with a heavier production, but still great!
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A bit out of place, but anyone here caught the Maiden reference on Stranger Things last episode? Eddie holding the Piece of Mind cassette and saying "This is good music!!". Really cool, since they played Metallica in the same episode. :metal :metal
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I genuinely laughed at that scene. :lol
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A bit out of place, but anyone here caught the Maiden reference on Stranger Things last episode? Eddie holding the Piece of Mind cassette and saying "This is good music!!". Really cool, since they played Metallica in the same episode. :metal :metal
Yes I did see that. I was actually hoping they were then going to play a song from the album and was wondering which song it would be but it didn’t happen. We got Master of Puppets instead.
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I genuinely laughed at that scene. :lol
Me too! Although they played only Master, I thought it was a nice way to pay homage for both bands.
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Yup I had all 3 of these.
24th - Empire, 28th - Ghost, 42nd - Legacy. Empire of course needs that middle section trimmed, a band like DT could have done so much more with that. Great beginning and ending. GOTN I’ve loved from the beginning, and Legacy has grown on me quite a bit but like a lot of Janick songs I don’t love it was much as others do. Still, top 50 is high praise.
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Oh boy! What an update this is :)
I had Empire of the Clouds at 14. What a wonderful and epic journey. Great Iron Maiden story-telling in a good musical shell. Sure, it could use some trimming I guess. On the other hand, this song stands out in Maiden's discography because of the length. I really like this one. I wonder why 6 people didn't rank it? Surely there must be something in its runtime that you'll enjoy?
The Legacy is another great tune from AMOLAD (and we're still missing one that I would have expected by now..) I had this one at #40. Took a while to get into this one, I must admit, but I do really like it now.
With the onslaught of Brave New World tunes I didn't expect Ghost of the Navigator to still show up, but I'm glad that it does! I had this at exactly #29 as well, so I'm content with its placement!
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My list in descending order (cursive are songs I ranked highest out of everyone):
#74 22 Acacia Avenue
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#49 The Evil That Men Do
#47 Run to the Hills
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#44 The Parchment
#42 The Nomad
#40 The Legacy
#31 Rainmaker
#29 Ghost of the Navigator
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#25 The Clansman
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#20 The Longest Day
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#14 Empire of the Clouds
#12 Montségur
#11 Coming Home
#9 2 Minutes to Midnight
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Prisoner
Ranked/Unranked split: 30/17
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Empire of the Clouds (#71)
This one is interesting. I kinda think this is a bit over-hyped because of the length and everything, and I wasn't sure it was going to rank for me. Turns out it ended up "winning" more matches than I thought in the ranker ;) I agree with Kev and Tim fully - the song is quite a feat for a Bruce and I have to say it does a good job keeping the attention up, but I don't think it needs to be this long. Anyway, overall I'm surprised it made it so high in the aggregate ranking.
The Legacy (#66)
Sums up the approach in AMOLAD well. Not the easiest to get into, but it pays off. The intro takes a little too long to build up, but I like how ominous the riff sounds, with the distorted and acoustic guitars together. It's pretty heavy overall, but with some nice melodic moments. And the finale is quite epic.
Ghost of the Navigator (#31)
Always loved this one, and it's my favorite from Brave New World. I was mentioning that I was maybe a little disappointed when I first heard The Wicker Man (which I had bought as a single), but on my first listen of BNW I remember I had a big smile on my face as Ghost started...especially as the main riff kicked in with Nicko's drums. At the time, it almost brought me back to Seventh Son vibes. It's epic, it has great melodies, and it's done in a relatively compact package. Good stuff.
Ok, so now that we officially entered the Twenties, my ranked/unranked split is 37/10.
I'm looking at my top 20 and now I'm starting to think a couple of those might not make it...very curious to see how this plays out.
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31 Empire of the Clouds
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 1 (Shalev Amir)
A pretty unique song in their catalogue. If the meat of the song was as good as the first 5-6 minutes or the ending, this could have been a top 10 one for me, but it feels like the full band part of the song is just okay, thus I put this at 71.
30 The Legacy
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (Ben_Jamin, Deadeye21)
This is sorta similar to the last one in that the meat of the song isn't as great as the long intro, but the difference here is that the meat here is still very good. It's just that that intro is so damn awesome. I had this at 11 as a result. And that acoustic motif being reprised at the end of the song is one of their best moments ever.
29 Ghost of the Navigator
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (romdrums)
This was the song that made me want to do the Maiden run though last fall, as I already had a bunch of their songs in my iTunes, and when this one randomly came on when I had hit shuffle, I left on and really enjoyed it. And off to the races I went! I had this at 28.
Empire of the Clouds - Easily the best song on Book of Souls. I had this at #11. Just a grand sweeping epic.
The Legacy - I had this at #49. Great album closer, but not the best of the album. Perhaps the intro goes on a bit too long, but still love it. Lots of great sounds and ideas going on in this song.
Ghost of the Navigator - This barely made my list at #70. It's a really good song and in my opinion it should have been the opening track on BNW. The way the intro builds up is fantastic, unfortunately the rest of the song doesn't quite stack up to the best Maiden has to offer.
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#1 Empire of the Clouds - yep, this was my number one before the relistening and that didn't change after it. It's a complete story. I love the introduction. I love how each time a verse opens with the electric guitar ("she's the biggest vessel..." "In the gathering gloom..." "Sailors of the sky...") it sounds like it's the first time because the verses end resolved.
At 8:36, it really does feel like the ship is taking off. The instrumental part does give me the picture of it flying, then the heavy part simulating the struggle to keep it in the air. And a lot of it is just simple scale runs.
Eventually it crashes into a glorious ending. The same main melody returns after the "we're down lads" verse, this time with the opposite meaning. The "dreams love on" verse is one of the most powerful moments in a Maiden song, and the outro is a perfect conclusion.
I totally get the arguements against it, that it's bloated, overrated by some for its length, or that the SOS or the "crashing down piano" are too much, but I love every sinew and every inch of it! Hands down some of the best Maiden lyrics too, Bruce was on fire with this one even with the cancer. Glad it got so high, these are some strong songs below it.
#30 The Legacy - hey how fitting, the song Empire ripped off a riff from is right next to it! The intro is pretty cool. I love when the crunchy guitars come in for the first time. The verses are great and so is the "chorus". I like the part with the ripped off riff too, though I'm not keen at all on the singing at the end.
#8 Ghost of the Navigator - that's 6 out of my top 10! I think all of them will get an appearance honestly. The intro gets me pumped up, the verses are strong and aggressive. The first chorus is just classic Maiden and the second chorus is a bit more colourful. Instrumental part is cool too. It's just a very, very fucking strong song without being flashy and that's why I think it could be considered a classic. Also, no way that's 7 minutes!
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Empire of the Clouds: #61. A tad overlong methinks but still a very impressive achievement. I'm also a big fan of lyrics that come from a geniune place and as such another love letter to Bruce's passion for aviation is very welcome.
The Legacy: didn't rank.
Ghost of the Navigator: #13. s'all about that chorus (in my opinion their very best). And the intro/build-up. This was by some distance my highest ranked song from Brave New World, and with it, I suspect we've seen the last of that album on this list (which means damn you all to hell for not recognising the concise greatness of The Fallen Angel!).
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
Ranked/Unranked split: 30/17
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I suspect we've seen the last of that album on this list (which means damn you all to hell for not recognising the concise greatness of The Fallen Angel!).
I fear you're right! I had The Fallen Angel at #41.. :(
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Ok. After yesterday's catastrophic failure, I'm typing this up in a seperate app so I don't lose it.
Time to get caught up.
52. Dream of Mirrors - Me #69 (niiiiice)
I find it ironic that as much as I complain about the repetitive nature of BNW, the two songs I did include are a couple of the worst offenders. But honestly, VXI had just left a really bad taste in my mouth and I don't think I gave BNW a fair shake. In some cases (such as this and the title track) the repetition isn't quite as bad when compared to something like TAATG or DLTTEOAS, and the variation of the melody and Bruce's delievery make a big difference. I still get it stuck in my head.
51. Isle of Avalon - Me #16
This track deserves to by much higher. TFF was one of the biggest winners when I went back to revisit the reunion albums. I just can't get enough of this track. I can see if maybe someone wasn't really grabbed by that opening guitar melody that it might seem to go on a bit. But I find it goosebump inducing and darn near perfect. The slow build on this one is one of their best.
50. Montesgur - Me N/A
Really decent rocker. I like the chorus. Just missed my list.
49. Lord of Light - Me N/A
As much as I love AMOLAD, this track was one of the weaker tracks to me. Surprised to see it here.
48. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Me #46
No one was more surprised than me at how well SIT has aged. This is an outstanding track and the production on this entire album is so lush and layered. I can say without a doubt that of all the metal heros of the early 80s who experimented with synths when the mid-80s hit (Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motley Crue...etc etc) Iron Maiden's experiment was definitely the best of the bunch and seems far less dated than its contemporaries. In retrospect, the entire album still seems honest to the Iron Maiden sound. They textured their existing sound without dumbing things down like some of the others did. But the pacing of this tracks is just excellent and the chorus is better than I remember.
47. Starblind - Me N/A
Not getting the love for this one. I think Bruce sounds like he's trying desperately not to fall behind the band. Like the pacing is way too fast for what he's singing and he's always just a little bit behind the eight ball trying to keep up. I suppose it might add an air of "desperation" to it, but not in a good way to my ears.
46. The Book of Souls - Me N/A
This is just a pure oversight on my part. It made the mid-50s on both "test lists" and somehow got left off when I was compiling the final. Great track and I should have had it better represented.
45. Murders in the Rue Morgue - Me #23
One of the first Di'Anno tracks I ever heard. This one melted my face off the first time I heard it. One of the most energetic songs in their catalog. I wish they would dust it off more often. (would have made a great Blaze track on one of his two tours)
44. Blood Brothers - Me N/A
Sorry. Just too repetitive. Don't get the love for this one.
43. The Longest Day - Me #50
Now this is more like it. I actually wish I had put this one higher, but 43 is a good spot for it. This feels like an epic that got trimmed up a bit and doesn't overstay it's welcome. The intro is just so incredibly creepy and Bruce's delievery is so emotional...it's jaw dropping.
42. The Red and the Black - Me #38
I almost feel like I had this one a bit too high. I LOVE the bass intro, and the second half of the song deserves all the praise it gets. But the first couple of verses are just so awkward. The song doesn't really find its way until the first "whoa ooooohhhh" section. From then on, it's absolutely fantastic.
41. Run to the Hills - Me N/A
Ok ok ok ok....I'm a heretic. I'm just so sick of it now. It's like when you're an AC/DC fan and thinking "OMG if I hear You Shook Me All Night Long ONE MORE FREAKING TIME I'm going to scream!!" But if I had been thinking about how I felt about it when I first heard it, it would have probably made the top 20...maybe 30.
40. The Clansman - Me #47
I try to give Blaze his due where I can, and I'm not shy about my opinions when I think he does certain songs better than Bruce....but this one where Bruce took a Blaze song and OWNED it. I really didn't care for the original (or anything on VXI actually), but after I heard Bruce's live version, I grew to love the song. It was great to see it live on the Legacy tour right before COVID shut everything down.
39. The Evil That Men Do - Me N/A
This is one of the songs I should have swapped for one of the lower SIT songs. I really feel bad this didn't make my list. If I have one criticism of the track, I think the pre-chorus sounds a bit lazy. Since the chorus is just the song title, you'd think they'd have come up with something a little better for the pre-chorus.
38. 22 Acacia Avenue - Me #24
Ya....the words are a bit problematic these days (15 yr old me loved them), but DAT RIFF at the 1:30ish mark might be one of the coolest riffs I've ever heard in my life. Takes me back to my air guitar days.
37. Coming Home - Me #13
Dare I call it a "ballad"? But as someone mentioned, it's a "love letter" to flying, and Bruce pours all his emotion into it. Just a great chorus that carries the whole thing. Such a great hook. I still have yet to hear the live version, but I fell so in love with TFF that En Vivo is on my short list of live albums to pick up.
36. When the Wild Wind Blows - Me #12
Another TFF epic! I love it! In some ways, this isn't terribly different than a lot of other reunion epics, but I think it's the middle section of this one that makes it special. Especially the bit that kicks in at about the 6:40 mark. This is absolutely one of the best epics they've ever done.
35. The Parchment - Me #4
And yet they just keep IMPROVING!!! LOL It's hard to believe that they can put out something so freaking good this late in their career! Rush is the only other band I've known to put out something with quality that rivals their early classic material 40 years later. There's a sinister "march" to this song that grabbed me right away. But there might be a bit of "new car smell" to this ranking. I still love it.
34. 2 Minutes to Midnight - Me #20
Still one of their greatest singles. This one has aged so well. I think it helps that the slowed down pace of the solo section makes it feel like a mini-epic even though it's only just a bit over 6 minutes. There's enough variety in the song itself to keep it fresh. And those solos are absolutely GOLD.
33. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns - Me #8
Kindof surprised I wasn't the highest ranking on this one. Another great delivery by Bruce. There is just so much "true grit" on this entire album. I honestly wish they had swapped out FTGGOG for this one the Legacy tour, but I love that track as well. The "crawling" of the verses and then the slow quiet build to the chorus are particular highlights.
32. The Prisoner - Me #15
Ah yes, the song that introduced me to one of my all time favorite shows! The intro is so iconic. The clip, the drums, the "kick it up a notch" when they get to the main riff. And probably the best chorus of the early days. I'm honestly shocked this didn't make my top 10. This is one I rarely get sick of.
31. The Empire of the Clouds - Me #33
Not as good as it could have been, but still very impressive. I think that might be the most important thing about having Bruce in the band. Steve might be "the keeper" of the Iron Maiden sound, but Bruce is the one who will make sure that the boundaries are always pushed. He's not allowing IM to go stagnant, and this is a perfect example of that. An 18 minute epic? With a PIANO? Yup. And it totally works.
30. The Legacy - Me #5
Another one that I was really surprised that I wasn't the top ranker. A perfect closing track to one of their all time greatest albums. This track in particular makes me wish I would have had an opportunity to see the "holy grail" of all Maiden shows....a full performance of AMOLAD. I doubt we'll ever see most of these songs ever again, and it's a shame. This song is a near flawless masterpiece.
29. The Ghost of the Navigator - Me N/A
Shame on me. No excuses....just shame on me. This is actually probably my favorite song from BNW, and I should have reworked something to make sure this got in the top 40 somewhere. I echo nick's sentiment that The Wicker Man was very disappointing, but once the 2nd track kicked in....that's when it really felt like Bruce was back. Best chorus on the entire album by miles.
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I had Ghost of the Navigator at #44. One of my favorites from the reunion era. I didn't rank the other two songs. I know Empire gets a lot of love, but I unfortunately didn't spend a lot of time with the most recent two albums before making my list.
Brave New World ups its stranglehold on the standings. 8 of its 10 songs so far. Will the other two make it? Meanwhile, reunion era albums occupy the top four spots. How long will that last?
1. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
2. A Matter of Life and Death: 6 songs/165 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30)
3. The Final Frontier: 4 songs/133 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36)
4. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
5. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
6. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 3 songs/57 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39)
8. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
9. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
10. Senjutsu: 2 song/42 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35)
11. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
12. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
13. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
14. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
15. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
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Empire - 76 - I relistened to this one after submitting my list and it probably should have made it and up there too. It's a brilliant, creative piece and stirs up lots of emotions. Props to the ranking of 31, no issue there.
Legacy - 48 - What a great song. Janick at his finest yet again. Great sections, nice structure and some cool shit going on. That middle riff which has that flattened fifth in the first instance before going back to straight minor is so cool, love it.
Ghost - 58 - Another Janick number, great riff and what a buildup in the intro. Love it.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
At this point, we will end up with one song each from the two Blaze albums.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
At this point, we will end up with one song each from the two Blaze albums.
That's more than they deserve :biggrin:
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1. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44)
2. A Matter of Life and Death: 6 songs/165 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30)
3. The Final Frontier: 4 songs/133 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36)
4. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
5. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
6. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 3 songs/57 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39)
8. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
9. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
10. Senjutsu: 2 song/42 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35)
11. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
12. Dance of Death: 2 songs/30 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50)
13. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
14. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
15. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
Piece of Mind to storm home?
My 'vague' predictions:
Brave New World - done now? I think so.
AMOLAD - one more to come.
TFF - one more to come.
TBoS - done?
TNotB - more than one to come.
Killers - most likely done? Fingers crossed for one more....
Seventh Son - more than one to come.
SiT - more than one to come.
Powerslave - more than one to come.
Senjutsu - one or more to come? Tough one to read.
VXI- done.
Dance of Death - one to come?
FotD - one to come.
Iron Maiden - more than one to come? Or one...
Piece of Mind - more than one to come.
NPftD - done?
TXF - one to come.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
At this point, we will end up with one song each from the two Blaze albums.
Diabolical.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
At this point, we will end up with one song each from the two Blaze albums.
Diabolical.
I think a better word is predictable.
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Okay I am way behind on this. So much went on these past few weeks that I barely had time to really focus on this list and my responses. I will post some now and then the rest soonish...
#64 If Eternity Should Fail - (Did Not Rank)
I like the intro and it was a fantastic way to start an Iron Maiden show with Bruce. This will definitely go up in my rankings the more I listen to it. The Book of Souls is a great album, I just have not found the time to listen to it in it's entirely as much as I would have liked, and this is one song that is Iron Maiden.
#63 Prodigal Son - (Did Not Rank)
I am not really that big of a listener of Iron Maiden, although I do enjoy the band a lot and enjoy seeing them live. I am one that hasn't really listened to the older albums. The song has a nice, chill, vibe to it. It also is very UFO in it's style. There is one song by UFO when I heard it on, I think it was Deep Tracks on Sirius XM, that reminded me of Iron Maiden. It is interesting hearing Iron Maiden being more laid back on the distortion tone and using more of a cleaner tone. It really fits and it is something that would've been more nice to hear more of.
#62 Wratchchild - (Did Not Rank)
I mainly heard this song live. It's a great song live and it's energetic as well. I just prefer the live releases more than the studio version. It's one that is so and so for me, but when they have played it live it was always good because of the energy it brings to the set.
#61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers - (Did Not Rank)
This one just missed my top 75. I found myself enjoying Fear of The Dark as an album quite a lot. I also got to see it live, and it was way better because Bruce put more effort into his vocals. If I were to rank now it would be in top 75 for sure.
#60 Brave New World - (Did Not Rank)
I am laughing at how most of these did not make my ranking. I am just not feeling it as much as when I first bought the album. It's a great song, so it's good to see it here at number 60.
#59 Only the Good Die Young - #55
This one ranked close to mine. I like how it brings back the Seventh Son riff in the instrumental for a quick lick. This is one song I would like to see live one day.
#58 The Wicker Man - #5
I had a feeling I would have the top ranking for this song. This is a special song for me because of the memories associated with it. I first heard the radio edit of the song, and is also the version my uncles band played when they covered this song. I actually like the added words to the chorus on the radio edit. I sung them live when I saw them on The Final Frontier, which was my first Iron Maiden show. I think this is a great song that showcased the band being reunited with Bruce. It's short and is very reminiscent of the older songs, I thought it was an older song when I heard it, I was around 10 and didn't know much about the band at all, only that they were the band with the monster on the covers. :lol
#57 Still Life - (Did Not Rank)
I don't know, I just could never get into this song. I do enjoy the verses though. It would be a fun one to see live and maybe I will enjoy more that way.
#56 The Nomad - (Did Not Rank)
This one is an alright song. I think it sort of drags on a bit with the chorus.
#55 Remember Tomorrow - (Did Not Rank)
I first heard this one from the Opeth cover. I like the vocal melodies and I think this is one song I enjoy the Paul Di'Anno vocals. It's a nice soothing song as well.
#54 Killers - (Did Not Rank)
I would fault this as not having heard the first two albums much at all. Killers is a fantastic song and is one of the songs that has the Iron Maiden defining sound. I like the harmonic slides and the energy of it.
#53 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate - #8
I love the way the song flows. The ending was a perfect way to end the album and a great ending to the first reunion album from Iron Maiden. This song signifies the return of Bruce and of what is to come from the future albums. I am glad they continued to make these longer songs as I feel they really shine with the long songs. I enjoy how they ride along with the riff and play along with it, sort of opposite of how Dream Theater has riffs and melodies I wish they would repeat and play with longer. Iron Maiden knows how to do that and they have some great long songs due to that.
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I suspect we've seen the last of that album on this list (which means damn you all to hell for not recognising the concise greatness of The Fallen Angel!).
I fear you're right! I had The Fallen Angel at #41.. :(
I had it at 25, I was surprised each time just how much I love it when it always feels like itst the "filler" song of the album.
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And we move on with three more this morning! :metal
28 Dance of Death
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 3 (Dave_Manchester)
This is another I felt like I could have had higher. It landed at 47 for me. This is one where I always listen to the live version from En Vivo over the studio version.
27 The Talisman
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (425)
Probably one of the best vocal performances of Bruce in the reunion era, no? I had this at 27.
26 The Clairvoyant
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (Zydar)
This is one that kept skyrocketing up my list the more I heard it, eventually finishing at 22. Great use of keys in this one, and that chorus is a monster.
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I think it’s sad that TXF will only get one song. Such a wonderful album.
And yes, if I was a betting man I would put down a kingly amount that TXF will have one song represented. What I’m hoping is that it will be top 20. But that’s more of a 50/50 chance.
At this point, we will end up with one song each from the two Blaze albums.
Diabolical.
I think a better word is predictable.
I was sure we'll have two songs from The X Factor AT LEAST. I had four on my list.
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The Clairvoyant :heart
That intro, that chorus. Just a brilliant track from their best album.
And The Talisman is one of their very best reunion songs.
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Dance of Death (#57)
I'm not super fan of the intro, but when the song begins for real, it's excellent.
The Talisman (-)
It seems like it's the most TFF song loved here, but I only like it, although I think the instrumental section is amazing. Maybe it's because I would like the verses sound heavier, with more present/punchier rhythm guitars, and because Bruce's vocals does sound like he's really struggling to hit the higher notes.
The Clairvoyant (#31)
Indeed great use of keyboard and incredible chorus. I love Harris's intro and the drumming in the chorus is one of my favorite Nicko's performances. Great song overall!
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I did not rank Dance of Death and The Talisman. Especially Dance of Death I find annoying and I don't get the appeal. As far as story-telling goes, this band has multiple songs that I think are better.
Clairvoyant I had at #27. Great, great track. Love the chorus, I think this track is exemplary for how great of an album SSOASS really is.
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We're really getting into some popular songs now aren't we?
#15 - Clairvoyant. GREAT tune. One of Steve's greatest intros, nice tempo to the song, killer chorus.
#25 - Talisman. Could be higher but the competition is tough up here. Cool song structure and Bruce of course slays it. LOVE the En Vivo version.
Not ranked - Dance of Death.
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I suspect we've seen the last of that album on this list (which means damn you all to hell for not recognising the concise greatness of The Fallen Angel!).
I fear you're right! I had The Fallen Angel at #41.. :(
I had it at 25, I was surprised each time just how much I love it when it always feels like itst the "filler" song of the album.
Not in the running unfortunately but I (would've) had The Fallen Angel at #20. Marvelous song \m/
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Dance of Death (#19)
Always loved this one, and it's my favorite from the album. Kinda view it as an "updated" Fear of the Dark, with a story. Everyone is on fire here. Bruce's fast vocal lines are a little much sometimes, but this is an incredibly entertaining tune through and through. And the melody that starts around 5:15 (and gets reprised later) is just a fantastic Maiden moment.
The Talisman (#44)
Great song from TFF. It has the gallop, the melodies, the epicness. Yes, Bruce is great, although I do feel he's maybe pushing it a little. It's a long song, but it flies by.
The Clairvoyant (#61)
I think I might have underrated this a bit. Maybe took it for granted? Too many great songs :) As I'm listening again, there's so much goodness going on. here. Again, everyone on their A-game - which is how I always feel about the Somewhere in Time/Seventh Son era. Oddly, the "There is a time to live and a time to die” part in the chorus reminds me of the chorus in Styx's Blue Collar Man...
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Oddly, the "There is a time to live and a time to day" part in the chorus reminds me of the chorus in Styx's Blue Collar Man...
OH GOD, now I can't unhear it....
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Oddly, the "There is a time to live and a time to day" part in the chorus reminds me of the chorus in Styx's Blue Collar Man...
OH GOD, now I can't unhear it....
Sorry :lol
I first heard the Styx's song much later than Maiden...I remember when it came up it sounded somewhat familiar...it's just that one bit :biggrin:
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Okay, so I'm really behind on this thread, but since I had the highest ranking of Ghost of the Navigator, I figured I'd chime in. I love the verse riff on this, and the way they voice the guitar parts reminds me a lot of Queensryche. Plus, Bruce does a lot of things vocally that remind me of Geoff Tate. When I was putting my list together, this one kept leaping out at me, and got stuck in my head for days. Also, Nicko really nails this. All in all, one of my favorites of the reunion era.
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I ranked The Talisman at #71 - barely made the cut. Interesting intro that is unique for Maiden. When the main part kicks in, the riff is pretty generic. Nice chorus. Probably would've been higher if I'd paid more attention to my 51-75 songs.
I didn't rank the other two songs. Dance is just ok, and I think The Clairvoyant is possibly the most overrated song in Maiden's catalog. I know it goes over great live, but I've always disliked it. The intro is just bleh, and the chorus is way too sing-songy. Someone mentioned a similarity to Styx's Blue Collar Man, which I think is pretty apt, but that's almost an insult to Blue Collar Man.
1. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
2. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
3. A Matter of Life and Death: 6 songs/165 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30)
4. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
5. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
6. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
7. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
8. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
9. Somewhere in Time: 3 songs/46 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48)
10. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
11. Senjutsu: 2 song/42 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35)
12. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
13. Fear of the Dark: 2 songs/24 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61)
14. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
15. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
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I suspect we've seen the last of that album on this list (which means damn you all to hell for not recognising the concise greatness of The Fallen Angel!).
Yes! It's absolutely brilliant! Number 36 for me. Love the different feel of each solo.
24 2 Minutes to Midnight - a veritable, bona fide classic.
130 Brighter than a Thousand Suns - Bruce sounds like he's straining so much on this one. And I find the song itself uninspiring. Another sludgefest on a sludgefest of an album.
37 The Prisoner - perhaps I ranked this a little higher than I should have. But it's still very good.
128 Empire of the Clouds - look, I know must of us are prog fans on this forum but that doesn't mean this is a good song. Yes, yes, the story is nice but musically there's only enough here for five minutes.
22 The Legacy - I think I was seduced by the intro when I ranked this one. I listened to it again yesterday on the way to collect my bike and... wondered why I'd ranked it so highly. Production lets it down. I could take 60 spots of this and feel okay about it.
26 Ghost of the Navigator - oh, now we're talking! Those opening bars... *swoon* So incredibly emotive. Brilliant.
8 Dance of Death - oh come on, what's not to like about a song clearly based on Spinal Tap's Stonehenge? Love the silly story in this one and wonderful melodies. Maiden at their daftest best.
66 The Talisman - this is one of those songs where every time it comes up, I have to listen to it or look up the lyrics to remember how it goes. A Matter of Life and Death is full of those songs for me. Now that I've just reminded myself of the song - again! - I know that I like it. But only enough for number 66.
44 The Clairvoyant - "I feel reboooooooooorn agaaaaaiiin!" Love the bass intro, obviously.
33/17 ranked/unranked
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Dance of Death was one of a couple songs whose place I was curious to see revealed. I had it at 6—absolutely love everything about it—making it the second highest ranking song from the reunion era on my list.
The Talisman did not rank for me, but as I relisten to it again right now, I feel some regret. It's a good performance.
The Clairvoyant I had at 17. One of the best songs on SSoaSS, and that's saying something. Also, unless I missed one before, is 23/27 the best song so far in terms of appearances?
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My hopes of a late inning rally by the debut are rapidly diminishing.
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I bad the band’s title track will still show up.. right?
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28 Dance of Death
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 3 (Dave_Manchester)
27 The Talisman
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (425)
26 The Clairvoyant
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (Zydar)
I had Dance Of Death at #16. Great Reunion Era track. Bruce gets so dramatic during the live presentations. I can do without the rooster mask, but other than that, he's great, especially with the red lights underneath him. Another track with a great three part harmony.
I had The Talisman at #7. This is my favorite Reunion Era track. A bit disappointed in it's placement, but, oh well. As Kev said, Bruce is fantastic on this. He carries us through the entire thing.
I had The Clairvoyant as NR. I didn't rank it. Love the bass intro, but I've always thought this track was way overrated..by the band.
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My hopes of a late inning rally by the debut are rapidly diminishing.
I think we see at least 3 more songs from the debut...maybe 4. I think Kev said something about a heavy hitter being shut out of the countdown, and I think the debut might be the source of that song.
I think Killers is done, which is disappointing.
At this point, I think Number only gets two more songs, but they'll both be top 10-15.
Piece probably has 4 more to go.
Powerslave gets 3 more.
SIT is currently perplexing me. The consensus was that it would be the 100% represented album, but there are a couple unrevealed songs that I'll be really surprised to see in the top 25.
Seventh Son has four unrevealed songs, and I'll be really surprised to see one of them ranked higher than one that's already been revealed. However, I'm now thinking it's got a better chance than SIT of having all songs represented.
No Prayer may be done.
Fear of the Dark has one more to go...maybe two?
That only leaves room for 4-5 more reunion era or Bailey songs.
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28 Dance of Death
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 3 (Dave_Manchester)
27 The Talisman
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (425)
26 The Clairvoyant
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (Zydar)
Dance of Death - my rank 35. As I mentioned once in the other Maiden thread, this song really came to life for me when I saw it performed live. It was the best song of the gig and since then I have loved it. Second best song on the album with the best song still to be revealed in the countdown...
The Talisman - 29 for me, nearly nailed it...this is a great epic piece of storytelling.
The Clairvoyant - 66 for me and like Nick said above I probably underrated this one a bit and it got lost in the shuffle of so many great songs. Is 23 lists the best representation we have seen so far?
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Dance of Death: #3. For me this is the peak example of what the reunion era does best. Love every moment of it.
The Talisman: didn't rank (great song though). Very surprised to see this one finish above album-mates like Coming Home, Starblind and When The Wild Wind Blows.
The Clairvoyant: #60. So much greatness in a mere 4 and a half minutes.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
Ranked/Unranked split: 32/18
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My hopes of a late inning rally by the debut are rapidly diminishing.
I think we see at least 3 more songs from the debut...maybe 4. I think Kev said something about a heavy hitter being shut out of the countdown, and I think the debut might be the source of that song.
I think Killers is done, which is disappointing.
At this point, I think Number only gets two more songs, but they'll both be top 10-15.
Piece probably has 4 more to go.
Powerslave gets 3 more.
SIT is currently perplexing me. The consensus was that it would be the 100% represented album, but there are a couple unrevealed songs that I'll be really surprised to see in the top 25.
Seventh Son has four unrevealed songs, and I'll be really surprised to see one of them ranked higher than one that's already been revealed. However, I'm now thinking it's got a better chance than SIT of having all songs represented.
No Prayer may be done.
Fear of the Dark has one more to go...maybe two?
That only leaves room for 4-5 more reunion era or Bailey songs.
I would love to think the debut gets 3 or 4 more songs but I just don't see that happening..
Lots of talk about the Blaze albums being poorly represented, well that is how I feel overall about the Dianno era. I had 12 songs in total from the first 2 albums on my list. We have had 5 so far and only 1 more definitely to come.
SiT - Pretty sure the rest of the album will show up by the end of the countdown.
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I would love to think the debut gets 3 or 4 more songs but I just don't see that happening..
Lots of talk about the Blaze albums being poorly represented, well that is how I feel overall about the Dianno era. I had 12 songs in total from the first 2 albums on my list. We have had 5 so far and only 1 more definitely to come.
I'd bet actual money that the debut gets at least two more. Four is possible, but I think three is likely.
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DOD 28 - Had this ranked the exact number it resulted at, nice. Yeah, this has everything and is classic Maiden. Wonderful long solo section in this is a definite highlight.
Talisman - 3 - Thought I may have been the highest ranker for this one, but nice 425 had it even higher. This was actually a big grower and not one of my favs from TFF initially. Now, it's top 3. Bruce shows why he's one of the best vocalists in the world and everything about it is just perfect. The melodies, the gallop, the intensity and that chorus, wow. I love how it's a short restrained solo section too, it fits well. Janick does some nice Phrygian dominant/harmonic minor type stuff which is fitting to the mood and scenery the track gives off. Just wonderful.
TC - 124 - I can't believe it made top 30. It's a nice song, but overrated a hell of a lot.
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I'll be extremely surprised if Number of the Beast doesn't get 3 more songs on the list. What I've always assumed were 3 stone-cold Maiden classics and favourites from that record have still to appear.
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I'll be extremely surprised if Number of the Beast doesn't get 3 more songs on the list. What I've always assumed were 3 stone-cold Maiden classics and favourites from that record have still to appear.
Yes, agree.
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Let's knock out two more today. This will likely be the last time I do two updates in a day, as I will do 23-21 tomorrow, and then the top 20 starts Thursday. I may do only two a day once I get there to drag it out a little bit, if there are no objections.
Anyway...
25 Hell on Earth
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 1 (DTA, Elite)
I had this at 68, but not sure it would make my list if I redid it today. It got the "I had just given the two newest albums a listen" bump. Good song, but feels like there are so many that are a lot better.
24 Fear of the Dark
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, Elite)
Good song, but not sure I quite buy it as the stone cold classic that many fans make it out to be. I had it at 61, so I do like it. I just think, like the last song, that there are many that are better.
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Let's knock out two more today. This will likely be the last time I do two updates in a day, as I will do 23-21 tomorrow, and then the top 20 starts Thursday. I may do only two a day once I get there to drag it out a little bit, if there are no objections.
Definitely. This has been going very quick, so a slow down from here on is a great idea Kev.
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My top 2 in one post!! :lol :tup
It's literally 1:30 here and I just came home, will do a larger write-up on both these tomorrow!
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HOE - 7 - I am genuinely shocked 2 people put this at number 1. Saying that, I had it at 7. I have a pretty special connection with this song as some know about. The lyrics are beautiful and still haunt me to this day, while the melodies are some of Steve's finest. Everything in that first 7 minutes are top tier Maiden melodies. Over time, this song has potential to go higher on my list.
FOTD - 49 - As overrated and overplayed as it is, it's still a wonderful song. Can't knock where it's ranked.
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My top 2 in one post!! :lol :tup
It's literally 1:30 here and I just came home, will do a larger write-up on both these tomorrow!
Looking forward to your thoughts on HOE.
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Let's knock out two more today. This will likely be the last time I do two updates in a day, as I will do 23-21 tomorrow, and then the top 20 starts Thursday. I may do only two a day once I get there to drag it out a little bit, if there are no objections.
Definitely. This has been going very quick, so a slow down from here on is a great idea Kev.
Too quick, ya think? I like doing an update every day and throwing in the occasional second a day. As I said when I saw this idea somewhere else last year, the person who did that one was pretty random as to when they would do updates, so I try to do them at the same time every day (morning when eating my bowl of cereal and working to wake up :lol) so the followers of the thread know what to expect and when. I hate following something like this and having the runner dunce around with updates. I think it kills the flow and excitement.
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Your consistency can't be faulted. Its hard, each day seems quick, but once every two days would be too long with 75 songs. I think its been fine but slowing down to 2 a day from here on seems good, but who am I to say.
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I hear ya. :tup :tup
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Hell on Earth: #25. If this is to be the song they go out on (I don't think it will be, but you never know, given that their last 4 releases have seen successive gaps of 3, 4, 5 and 6 years) then it's a hell of a way to go out. A brilliant song.
Fear of the Dark: #11. If the question were "Which Maiden traсks work best live?" then this would likely be #1, but the studio version is a classic tune too. We're all so familiar with it that it's easy to become desensitised to just what a fantastic opening this song has.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#25: Hell on Earth
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
Ranked/Unranked split: 34/18
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28 Dance of Death
Appeared on 18 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 3 (Dave_Manchester)
This is another I felt like I could have had higher. It landed at 47 for me. This is one where I always listen to the live version from En Vivo over the studio version.
27 The Talisman
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (425)
Probably one of the best vocal performances of Bruce in the reunion era, no? I had this at 27.
26 The Clairvoyant
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (Zydar)
This is one that kept skyrocketing up my list the more I heard it, eventually finishing at 22. Great use of keys in this one, and that chorus is a monster.
Dance of Death - I had this at #107 and I don't get the high praise this song gets from some people, but I guess that's what makes Iron Maiden great. They have so much variety. Not a favorite of mine, but I can't fault anyone for loving this song.
The Talisman - Had this at #37. I think this is perfectly placed in the back half of the album, following up Starblind. Another great moody/atmospheric intro and buildup. And once the song gets going....it's such an epic track. I agree with Kev regarding Bruce's vocal performance.
The Clairvoyant - I had this at #10. I love that buildup and the guitar melodies used throughout the song. It's a very driving song from beginning to end with a quick pace, but at the same time it feels epic.
25 Hell on Earth
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 1 (DTA, Elite)
I had this at 68, but not sure it would make my list if I redid it today. It got the "I had just given the two newest albums a listen" bump. Good song, but feels like there are so many that are a lot better.
24 Fear of the Dark
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, Elite)
Good song, but not sure I quite buy it as the stone cold classic that many fans make it out to be. I had it at 61, so I do like it. I just think, like the last song, that there are many that are better.
Hell On Earth - If I had more time with this album, this song probably would have landed higher. As it is this came in at #37. What an epic way to end the album!
Fear of the Dark - I had this at #98 and I feel like this is a track that people think is better by association. It's definitely the best on the album, but it doesn't really stack up to Maiden's best.
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Let's knock out two more today. This will likely be the last time I do two updates in a day, as I will do 23-21 tomorrow, and then the top 20 starts Thursday. I may do only two a day once I get there to drag it out a little bit, if there are no objections.
Definitely. This has been going very quick, so a slow down from here on is a great idea Kev.
Too quick, ya think? I like doing an update every day and throwing in the occasional second a day. As I said when I saw this idea somewhere else last year, the person who did that one was pretty random as to when they would do updates, so I try to do them at the same time every day (morning when eating my bowl of cereal and working to wake up :lol) so the followers of the thread know what to expect and when. I hate following something like this and having the runner dunce around with updates. I think it kills the flow and excitement.
I think you do a really great job of this Kev. Don't change a thing.
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25 Hell on Earth
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 1 (DTA, Elite)
24 Fear of the Dark
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, Elite)
The countdown is kind of going to script now for me but hopefully there is a surprise or two left. I guess two people ranking Hell on Earth at number 1 is a bit of a surprise..
Hell on Earth - 65 for me. A great song which I feel deserved a top 75 finish for sure but 25 is a bit high overall.
Fear of the Dark - came in at 46 on my list.
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I think you do a really great job of this Kev. Don't change a thing.
Absolutely concur!
I'll update the standings after tomorrow's posting. Now I must go sit on the freeway.
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Fear of the Dark: #11. If the question were "Which Maiden traсks work best live?" then this would likely be #1, but the studio version is a classic tune too. We're all so familiar with it that it's easy to become desensitised to just what a fantastic opening this song has.
Could be a good debate to have but I have at least one song ahead of Fear of the Dark for this (hint we haven't seen it in the countdown yet..)
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25 Hell on Earth
Appeared on 19 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 1 (DTA, Elite)
24 Fear of the Dark
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 2 (TAC, Elite)
I had Hell On Earth at #26. Pretty much the same spot it has here. It is a great song and my second favorite in the new album. It's tremendous though.
I had Fear Of The Dark at #2. No song, upon its release, has made me headbang
as much as this one. When I got this album, I rolled down my windows and cranked. Still a great and deserved live staple.
So far...
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
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Hell on Earth (#50)
It's probably the epic from the last album that grew on me the most - at least compared to first impressions when the record came out. I really like the moody intro, and from then on it's an avalanche of great melodic themes. My only peeve here is that the-voice-following-the-guitar thingie is taken to extremes :biggrin: On the other hand, for all of our complaining about repeated chorus, here good ol' Steve pulls a trick on us, and really only does it once! But that also means the structure of the song is super-interesting...almost a linear development. The lead line that first shows up around 6:25 is so good and so short...but just when you think it's never to be heard again, it makes a great comeback around the 9-minute mark. The "love in anger" part is epic too. Anyway, this is far from perfect, but an excellent way to close the album.
Fear of the Dark (#20)
This was always going to make my top 20. As it turns out, just barely ;D A huge highlight from an album that I don't particularly like, imo it's one Maiden "classic" from the 90s. Yes, it's maybe a bit overrated as it's almost made to be played live but, my goodness, when it gets going after that perfect, slow build-up, it's just brilliant.
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I think you do a really great job of this Kev. Don't change a thing.
Absolutely concur!
I'll update the standings after tomorrow's posting. Now I must go sit on the freeway.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to be critical, I too think he's doing an incredible job.
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I'll be extremely surprised if Number of the Beast doesn't get 3 more songs on the list. What I've always assumed were 3 stone-cold Maiden classics and favourites from that record have still to appear.
I'd agree, and I have what I assume are the 3 songs you are referring to all in my top 20...although now I'm starting to think one of those songs might not make the list...it'd be shocking (for me, of course), but that's the beauty of this!
SIT is currently perplexing me. The consensus was that it would be the 100% represented album, but there are a couple unrevealed songs that I'll be really surprised to see in the top 25.
Yes, also given what made the list, I'd say there are 3 songs on it I'd be VERY surprised not to see in the top 25
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28. Dance of Death - Me N/A
Dance of Death was the Maiden album that did almost nothing for me on my revisit to the reunion albums. I only had one song in the entire top 75…but it’s a really good one that we haven’t seen yet. This one seemed a bit more cheesy than most to me. Maybe if I hear a live version it will sway me.
27. The Talisman - Me #57
TFF on the other hand, was a different story. Completely fell in love with this album on the revisit. This is an excellent epic! Love the ending section especially. It’s only fault is getting outshined by the other great songs on the album. I’m a bit surprised (but happy) to see it this high.
26. The Clairvoyant - Me #22
Pretty close to the consensus on this one. This is my absolute favorite from SS, but only just. Great bass line, great verses, fantastic chorus. This might be an all time top ten “under 5 minute” Maiden songs.
25. Hell on Earth - Me N/A
I love Senjutsu. I included 6 songs on my list. But I found the ending a bit of a letdown after the phenomenal The Parchment. Maybe it just hasn’t grabbed me yet. Very shocked to see it this high.
24. Fear of the Dark - Me #18
I was expecting this to end up higher on my list, but as I pointed out in the main IM thread, I actually found the studio version to be a bit of a disappointment after hearing nothing but the live version for so long. But no denying that it’s an absolute classic. One of the extremely few songs that they *always* play that I don’t necessarily want them to stop playing.
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I'll be extremely surprised if Number of the Beast doesn't get 3 more songs on the list. What I've always assumed were 3 stone-cold Maiden classics and favourites from that record have still to appear.
I'd agree, and I have what I assume are the 3 songs you are referring to all in my top 20...although now I'm starting to think one of those songs might not make the list...it'd be shocking (for me, of course), but that's the beauty of this!
SIT is currently perplexing me. The consensus was that it would be the 100% represented album, but there are a couple unrevealed songs that I'll be really surprised to see in the top 25.
Yes, also given what made the list, I'd say there are 3 songs on it I'd be VERY surprised not to see in the top 25
I still have 18 of my top 25 to be revealed which includes the 3 NOTB songs in question, surely they will be there?? Pretty sure 1 song I have in my top 25 won't make it now (it's a Dianno song) but pretty sure the other 17 will..
Of the 23 songs left I am predicting up to 19 of these could come from the classic era (NOTB to SS albums). Will definitely be 2 more reunion songs and 1 more Dianno and of course 1 Blaze.
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Hell on Earth (-)
It's my favorite epic from Senjutsu, but I guess I grew a bit tired of modern Harris's epics, honestly.
Fear of the Dark (#52)
It's truly a very good song and it works even better live. Personally I think Maiden could retire this song live, but it always has an immense crowd's response, so what can we do?
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[...]so I try to do them at the same time every day (morning when eating my bowl of cereal and working to wake up :lol
Well, now I am confused. Updates tend to appear in the UK around midnight/early hours of our morning. I always thought you were in the US, though? That'd mean you're eating your breakfast either in the evening (east coast) or as a very late lunch (west coast) :biggrin:
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[...]so I try to do them at the same time every day (morning when eating my bowl of cereal and working to wake up :lol
Well, now I am confused. Updates tend to appear in the UK around midnight/early hours of our morning. I always thought you were in the US, though? That'd mean you're eating your breakfast either in the evening (east coast) or as a very late lunch (west coast) :biggrin:
Are you sure? I am in Australia and I normally get Kev's updates around 10pm in the evening my time. This would be 1pm in the afternoon London time (I know this right because I currently watch Wimbledon or the Tour de France in the late evenings my time). I think this is also 8am NY time so depending on where Kev is in the USA there is a good chance he is eating his cereal while he posts the new songs.
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Yes, you're right. Although the last two were posted around midnight UK time. Got a lot on my plate at the moment :lol
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Yes, you're right. Although the last two were posted around midnight UK time. Got a lot on my plate at the moment :lol
No worries, yeah that is maybe the additional updates when Kev posts more than one batch in a day. I'd say we can expect some more songs in about 5 and half hours....the countdown is on...
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To update rest of my list. Some of those seems too low, some too high now. But I love all of my top 75 and it was really hard to rank them.
70 The Legacy
44 The Talisman
27 Hell on Earth
25 The Clairvoyant
24 Dance of Death
21 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
18 Empire of the Clouds
16 Fear of the Dark
13 The Evil That Men Do
7 Ghost of the Navigator
Now I'm afraid my #1 won't make an appearance at all :lol
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Hell on earth is out of this world, the guys can still knock it out of the park. Fear of the dark, as overplayed as it is, is still fantastic, especially the live versions.
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[...]so I try to do them at the same time every day (morning when eating my bowl of cereal and working to wake up :lol
Well, now I am confused. Updates tend to appear in the UK around midnight/early hours of our morning. I always thought you were in the US, though? That'd mean you're eating your breakfast either in the evening (east coast) or as a very late lunch (west coast) :biggrin:
Are you sure? I am in Australia and I normally get Kev's updates around 10pm in the evening my time. This would be 1pm in the afternoon London time (I know this right because I currently watch Wimbledon or the Tour de France in the late evenings my time). I think this is also 8am NY time so depending on where Kev is in the USA there is a good chance he is eating his cereal while he posts the new songs.
I think you just hit the nail on why I thought this was going super fast. I usually read the updates just before bed but don't post my rankings until the next morning before work.
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Same here. That is what I usually do as well.
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Okay, my Bran Flakes have been eaten, so I can post today's update now. ;)
This is my kind of update, as all three songs were in my top 10, and I was the highest ranker on two of them!
23 For the Greater Good of God
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 7 (425)
Great, great song. I had it at 9. I think this is the best song they've done since the 80s.
22 Stranger in a Stranger Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (KevShmev)
I see this always being a top 5 song for me. Killer from start to finish, from that meaty riff to that soaring chorus to that killer instrumental section. This is the band firing on all cylinders.
21 Alexander the Great
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 7 (KevShmev)
I have to admit that I am stunned at how underrated this seems to be by both fans and the band. Apparently the band has never played it live? That is a major wtf. And then it was left off seven lists here? Good gracious. I listened to it yesterday with the "am I overrating this a bit?" thought in my end, and when it was over, I was like, nope, I am not. It's bad ass from start to finish.
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I'm with ya Kev, I had Stranger at 10 and Alexander at 12. This is starting to get into major wtf territory that both these songs were left off so many lists.
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Wow, Kev, I'm with you too, sort of.
Shocking that Alexander only has 2 top 10 finishes. I had it at 10, and it could easily have moved up a couple spots on a different day. I have no idea what that's about. It seems like the sort of song that should be someone's favorite IM song, or at the very least in a few top 5s.
As for the other two, I had FtGGoG at 65 and SiaSL at 74. Good songs for sure, but nowhere near my favorites on their respective albums.
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15 Hell on Earth - As MirrorMask says (where is he, incidentally?!), one of Maiden's best choruses and they only sing it once. Travesty. I love this song. Even wish it was longer.
9 Fear of the Duck - Little bit surprised I rated it as high as this but it's not that far off. It's a great tune, diminished by its overplaying and I think that's reflected in the consensus ranking.
35 For the Greater Good of God - Possibly my favourite from A Matter of Life and Death although I (erroneously) ranked The Legacy 12 spots higher. Pretty sure we're done with A Matter of Life and Death now.
14 Stranger in a Strange Land - Oh, that solo! Probably the best breakdown and solo in any Iron Maiden song or indeed any other song. It's that good. I had this in the top ten at one point but it dropped a few spots when I did one final run through of my top 20 in the ranking engine.
57 Alexander the Great - Never entirely understood many fans' obsession with this one. Wonder if it's partly because, at least with long-time fans, it's never been played live? Anyway, it's a good song but what singer would want to get through all those horrendously phrased lyrics, eh?
We're really into the good stuff now, aren't we?
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For The Greater Good of God: #68. The last of my 4 selections from AMOLAD. Another nice multi-part mini-epic.
Stranger in a Strange Land: #24.
Alexander the Great: #8. Add me to the list of folk who are surprised at how relatively low this tune has appeared. Prior to Project Relisten I thought this would end up being my #1. Perhaps the only quibble I have with the song is the awkward 'Wikipedia article' style of the lyrics, but musically this is top-notch stuff, and is also the clear winner of the Greatest Song By A Band That Has Never Been Played Live award.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
Ranked/Unranked split: 37/18
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For the Greater Good of God (#59)
An early favorite on AMOLAD, over time it hasn't quite reached "greatness" status. I don't know, perhaps it's a tad too long for what's going on in it. I do remember enjoying it on the tour for the album, when they played the whole thing. The vocal lines are wonderful. The instrumental section is generally not one my very favorites, BUT the way it releases at the end is beautiful.
Stranger in a Stranger Land (#69)
In retrospect, I think I should've ranked this higher. It's maybe a little unfair, as Somewhere in Time is one of my favorite Maiden albums, and this song just happens to rank lower than others within it. Glad to see it's so high on the list anyway, I wasn't necessarily expecting that. It's a cool song, different than usual Maiden. There are spots where the vibes weirdly remind me of the Blue Oyster Cult's Imaginos album.
Alexander the Great (#42)
I really like the song, but I'm not necessarily in the "absolutely-love-it" camp. I do think there's a certain mystique around it because it has never been played live, but still - it's a great tune. Lots of epic melodies, and the whole section starting around the 4-minute mark is wonderful.
With the top 20 coming up, my ranked/unranked split currently sits at 45/10
Looking at my top 20, 6 songs have already been revealed. I would think the remaining 14 would be in the aggregate top 20 too, but there are a couple that might not make it...
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I really need to do my whole list. Sorry Kev!
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It's always great to see appreciation for the songs from Somewhere in time. I'm particularly happy that Stranger ended up so high. :tup
Getting into top 20, this is exciting. :metal
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23 For the Greater Good of God
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 7 (425)
22 Stranger in a Stranger Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (KevShmev)
21 Alexander the Great
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 7 (KevShmev)
I had For The Greater Good Of God at #14. This is one of my favorite Reunion Era tracks. So glad they played it on the Legacy Of The Beast tour. It was so awesome!
I had Stranger In A Strange Land at #72. This is a good song. I love the verses, and the solo is great too. Just too many good songs though.
I had Alexander The Great at #85. This just missed my countdown. I definitely enjoy it, but I've never found it to be such all kinds of awesome that others seem to do. Maybe because it's never been played live, there's this romanticism about it. I find a lot of it kind of clunky, honestly. When it does groove, it's excellent, but compared to Infinite Dreams and Seventh Son, this feels like a rough draft.
I also want to say that of all of their albums, Somewhere In Time has aged the worst for me.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 33/22
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25. Hell on Earth - Didn't rank. I'd compare it to And Justice for All by Metallica. There good stuff here, but the song needed editing. AJFA could do with being a couple minutes shorter, and HOE would probably be a killer 7 minute song.
24. Fear of the Dark - I had it at #21, so pretty close. For a LONG time, this was the last Maiden song I really loved.
23. For the Greater Good of God - I had it at #59, which is probably higher than I'd have had it if I paid more attention tot he bottom third of my rankings. Another song desperately in need of editing.
22. Strangers in a Strange Land - This was my #30 song. I feel like this song flew under the radar a bit. Not sure why. It's a more mid-tempo song than Maiden typically did at the time, but it's really good and with excellent lyrics by Adrian Smith. Even worse: aside from a half dozen dates in 1999, this song hasn't been played since the SIT tour.... Dafuq?!
21. Alexander the Great - I had this song at #17, which I think is too high. I go back and forth with it. Overall, it's a really good song, but the lyrics are somewhat insipid. "Alexander did a bunch of stuff....and then he kicked this guy's ass....and then he went somewhere else...and then he kicked another guys ass....and then he kicked the first guy's ass...and then he died." I think it's probably overrated for the simple fact that it never got played live (Tim beat me to it with this point), and I'm surprised at how surprised some folks are that this isn't higher.
And we have a new leader in the clubhouse. Big moves are a-comin'.
1. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
2. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
3. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
4. Somewhere in Time: 5 songs/155 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21)
5. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
6. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
7. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
8. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
9. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
10. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
11. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
12. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
13. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
14. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
15. Piece of Mind: 1 song/19 points – Still Life (#57)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
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Just in case anyone was wondering about my absence, just wanted to provide an update that I’m out of town on a business trip and haven’t ended up having the time to look at DTF at all. I’ll get caught up over the weekend, but right now I’m not even looking at the thread to avoid spoilers.
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I’m 95% sure I’ve figured out 16 of the remaining 20. What the other 4 could be have me baffled.
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For The Greater Good Of God (#69)
Very good song with a great instrumental at 4:52.
Stranger In A Strange Land (#20)
How cool Maiden could sound doing such a commercial song? Brilliant!
Alexander The Great (-)
I think it’s a good, well crafted song with interesting instrumental work, but I always felt that it drags a bit and Bruce’s vocals sounds a bit… not so pleasant, I guess.
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3 songs from Piece of Mind are in my top 10.
Being Maiden fans are multi generational, its really tough to guess what number 1 will be. Maybe its a "human number" but we will all find out "somewhere in time" soon. ::)
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Six of my top-20 have been revealed:
9. 22 Acacia Avenue (collective #38)
12. Murders in the Rue Morgue (collective #45)
16. Deja Vu (collective #68)
17. Alexander the Great (collective #21)
19. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (collective #48)
20. Prodigal Son (collective #63)
I think 12 of my remaining 14 top-20 songs (all of which are pre-NPFTD) will make the collective top-20. I'm virtually certain about 2 of the other 8 and pretty sure about another 3, so that leave 3 that I think will surprise me.
Being Maiden fans are multi generational, its really tough to guess what number 1 will be. Maybe its a "human number" but we will all find out "somewhere in time" soon. ::)
I'm reasonably confident that none of my top-5 will be #1. Beyond that, heck if I know.
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23 For the Greater Good of God
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 7 (425)
22 Stranger in a Stranger Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (KevShmev)
21 Alexander the Great
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 7 (KevShmev)
Well, we are getting very serious now.
For The Greater Good of God - 54 for me. There are some really amazing melodies in this song and lots to love and I don't have an issue at all with it ranking so high but it is just a bit too repetitive. I really wish the chorus etc wasn't repeated the 8 times and just done 4 times it is really unnecessary.
Stranger in a Strange Land - 36 for me. Somewhere in Time is my second favourite Maiden album and while I love the songs the real stand out on this album is the guitar playing. The solos on this album are incredible and that includes this one. Adrian especially was firing on all cylinders here. I could easily have ranked this and Alexander higher but the 3 songs still to come from this album are my 3 favourites so this and Alexander ended up getting shuffled down a little lower than deserved.
Alexander the Great - 31 for me. I can clearly remember many years ago playing trivial pursuit with my family at Christmas time and this question came up 'Where did Alexander the Great die?" So I sang the answer back....Love the intro for this song and the middle/solo section has some really interesting parts. This song deserved to be on 27 lists.
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Does anyone have a Bingo line on your lists yet? By which I mean all your songs from, say, the 30s, 40s, 50s have appeared? I notice TAC just needs his #12 pick to appear to complete the teens, and I'm just a couple away from completing the 60s.
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Does anyone have a Bingo line on your lists yet? By which I mean all your songs from, say, the 30s, 40s, 50s have appeared? I notice TAC just needs his #12 pick to appear to complete the teens, and I'm just a couple away from completing the 60s.
Not only will my #12 appear, but I'm fully confident the rest of my Top 10 will as well.
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23 For the Greater Good of God
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 7 (425)
Great, great song. I had it at 9. I think this is the best song they've done since the 80s.
22 Stranger in a Stranger Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (KevShmev)
I see this always being a top 5 song for me. Killer from start to finish, from that meaty riff to that soaring chorus to that killer instrumental section. This is the band firing on all cylinders.
21 Alexander the Great
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 7 (KevShmev)
I have to admit that I am stunned at how underrated this seems to be by both fans and the band. Apparently the band has never played it live? That is a major wtf. And then it was left off seven lists here? Good gracious. I listened to it yesterday with the "am I overrating this a bit?" thought in my end, and when it was over, I was like, nope, I am not. It's bad ass from start to finish.
For the Greater Good of God - This was my #12. Such a fantastic song. It's what made me fall in love with AMoLad and is my favorite song from that album. Epic!
Stranger in a Strange Land - I had this at #25 and it might be a few spots too high, but pretty close to the consensus. I love the chorus for some reason and it's always fun to sing along to.
Alexander the Great - As far as their "epics" go, this isn't their best, however, I still rated it at #20 (only 1 spot off). It's a great song full of great melodies. There have been several mention of the lyrics and that is also a sticking point with me. They just read as very dry and clinical.
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FTGGOF - 9 - Classic Harris at his very best yet again. I love this track. The lyrics, the melodies, the atmosphere, it's just incredible. The verses are so good too. Great solos during that heavy mid section too.
Stranger - 42 - Adrian's solo makes this song for me, but I love the whole AOR vibe. You can see Adrian's writing was focused right in on the time of the 80's. Love the synths and the riff itself is very interesting. Nevertheless, one of Adrian's finest moments.
ATG - 39 - The enigma that is ATG. never played live as we all know and that's a shame. The melodies for Bruce are a bit awkward, but it's not a big issue for me. Epic solos in this one, and love that progressive 7/8 section in the middle. A bit of prog in this one sees Maiden expanding themselves. Wish we saw more of that.
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Does anyone have a Bingo line on your lists yet? By which I mean all your songs from, say, the 30s, 40s, 50s have appeared? I notice TAC just needs his #12 pick to appear to complete the teens, and I'm just a couple away from completing the 60s.
I don't currently but I fully expect to with my top 10 (9 songs still to come which will be there) and my 11 to 20 (6 songs still to come). From 21 to 30 it looks like I will miss 1 song.
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Does anyone have a Bingo line on your lists yet? By which I mean all your songs from, say, the 30s, 40s, 50s have appeared? I notice TAC just needs his #12 pick to appear to complete the teens, and I'm just a couple away from completing the 60s.
Not only will my #12 appear, but I'm fully confident the rest of my Top 10 will as well.
I haven't followed my list against the official one. Eyeballing though, it's not going that great and a lot of songs will miss out.
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Does anyone have a Bingo line on your lists yet? By which I mean all your songs from, say, the 30s, 40s, 50s have appeared? I notice TAC just needs his #12 pick to appear to complete the teens, and I'm just a couple away from completing the 60s.
Not yet, but I think I have a reasonable chance of ending up with two.
My 1-10: 1 song revealed so fair; reasonably certain that the other 9 will be in the collective top 20.
My 11-20: 5 songs revealed so far. I'm all but certain that 3 of the remaining 5 will not be on the collective list and am 100% confident the other 2 will.
My 21-30: 7 songs revealed so far. I'm almost certain the other 3 will be in the collective top 20.
My 31-40: 2 songs revealed so far. I'm pretty sure 3 of the remaining songs will make the collective top 20 and anywhere from pretty sure to 100% certain that the other 5 won't.
My 41-50: 7 songs revealed so far. No chance of the other 3 making the collective top 20.
My 51-60: 4 songs revealed so far. No chance of the other 6 making the collective top 20 (much to the Sheriff's chagrin).
My 61-75: 7 revealed so far. Outside chance that 1 of the other 8 makes the collective top 20. No chance for any of the others.
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Not only will my #12 appear, but I'm fully confident the rest of my Top 10 will as well.
Your head is gonna explode when your number 1 doesn't make the top 75. :P
As for me, with doing the updates and whatnot, I haven't really been tracking how many of my songs are making it, but I can say that when looking at the top 20 right now, 19 of the 20 made my top 75. :hat :hat
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Not only will my #12 appear, but I'm fully confident the rest of my Top 10 will as well.
Your head is gonna explode when your number 1 doesn't make the top 75. :P
As for me, with doing the updates and whatnot, I haven't really been tracking how many of my songs are making it, but I can say that when looking at the top 20 right now, 19 of the 20 made my top 75. :hat :hat
I’m actually fascinated that one song in the top 20 didn’t even make your list at all. Now I’m really curious. :corn
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When this is all said and done will we be in Marshall law? :lol. :corn
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Not only will my #12 appear, but I'm fully confident the rest of my Top 10 will as well.
Your head is gonna explode when your number 1 doesn't make the top 75. :P
As for me, with doing the updates and whatnot, I haven't really been tracking how many of my songs are making it, but I can say that when looking at the top 20 right now, 19 of the 20 made my top 75. :hat :hat
I’m actually fascinated that one song in the top 20 didn’t even make your list at all. Now I’m really curious. :corn
I reckon the answer to that is pretty easy if you think about how much Kev likes/dislikes Blaze's vocals....
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When this is all said and done will we be in Marshall law? :lol. :corn
I used to love that show.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bd/Martial_Law.png/250px-Martial_Law.png)
:metal
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If any Blaze songs finished in anyone's top 10 will they be banned for life plus 75? :lol
Kidding. :)
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With the top 20 approaching, some fun facts about the remaining songs...
-10 of the 20 songs finished at number 1 on at least one list
-only two songs appeared on all 27 lists
-every song still to come finished in the top 3 of at least one list...except one song (that song's high finish was number 5)
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As with the Rush countdown, I wouldn't bet any amount of money at any odds on what number one is going to be.
I'm out of town and don't recall my list aside from the top two, which I haven't seen yet, but have to believe will still make an appearance, though I can't imagine will be the consensus #1 or #2.
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Okay, my Bran Flakes have been eaten, so I can post today's update now. ;)
This is my kind of update, as all three songs were in my top 10, and I was the highest ranker on two of them!
23 For the Greater Good of God
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 7 (425)
22 Stranger in a Stranger Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 5 (KevShmev)
21 Alexander the Great
Appeared on 20 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 7 (KevShmev)
For the Greater Good of God - Me #11
The Legacy is my favorite from AMOLAD, but this and Brighter had to fight it out for 2nd place. In the end, Brighter won out by a hair, but it’s honestly a coin toss. Fantastic epic with a beautiful soaring chorus. I like that the “song title chorus” is almost a secondary chorus to the “please tell me now what life is” which is slightly more varied.
Stranger in a Strange Land - Me #36
Another example of a very tasteful use of guitar synths. It was so jarring when it first came out, but it still sounds so HEAVY! One of SIT’s best.
Alexander the Great - Me #71
As many have said. The music is very good, and time has been very kind to it. But the nature of the lyrics kill all the emotion and I think even Bruce’s delivery reflects that. It’s musically really well done, but it does feel lifeless. If I had to do it over, this would be my top choice for trading off the list for something more worthy that just missed out.
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With the top 20 approaching, some fun facts about the remaining songs...
-10 of the 20 songs finished at number 1 on at least one list
-only two songs appeared on all 27 lists
-every song still to come finished in the top 3 of at least one list...except one song (that song's high finish was number 5)
This comment gets me every time (ie has been similar in all the countdowns so far). Just so hard to actually believe this, on the surface you would think Maiden have at least 10 songs that everyone would unanimously say is in their top 75 song but apparently not.
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With the top 20 approaching, some fun facts about the remaining songs...
-10 of the 20 songs finished at number 1 on at least one list
-only two songs appeared on all 27 lists
-every song still to come finished in the top 3 of at least one list...except one song (that song's high finish was number 5)
This comment gets me every time (ie has been similar in all the countdowns so far). Just so hard to actually believe this, on the surface you would think Maiden have at least 10 songs that everyone would unanimously say is in their top 75 song but apparently not.
And yet the VERY NEXT factoid gives us a seemingly opposite message.
This has been my favorite countdown by far. And I’m not even sure IM is a top 10 band for me. (Though they are surely top 20)
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10 For the Greater Good of God
The one that got me into "newer" Maiden, still one of my favorites. I was so glad I heard it on Legacy of the beast tour, it works so well live imho. It's emotional yet bombastic, with repeated chorus which works in favour of it.
14 Stranger in a Strange Land
I don't remember putting it this high :lol but yeah, it's song from my favorite IM album, love (almost) all of them and this is no exception. Has special feeling among their tunes.
37 Alexander the Great
Just epic and huge.
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Continuing on and will finish with the last songs that were listed. So be ready for a long post....
#52 - Dream of Mirrors - #32
I really like the guitars in the verse. I also like the subject of the song relating to dreams. I think this is a good spot for it. I rank it there at 32 due to it feeling like it just plods along and the way it just suddenly goes into the fast part. It wouldn't feel plodding for me if they would've built up to it within the 2nd verse or something. But it's still a good song.
#51 - Isle of Avalon - #6
This song is number six for me, because of the same reasons 425 gave. But also, I enjoy these types of stories from the many cultures of the world. The story of Avalon and King Arthur is one cool thing to write about and the music fits it really good. The build ups of the song and how heavy it hits would be fantastic to hopefully witness one day live. If any song should be played, this is one of them.
#50 - Montsegur - #39
This is actually one of my favorites from Dance of Death. I bought Dance of Death after seeing them play Paschendale live and this one has great lyrics that fit the theme of the title of the album. Too bad the album artwork is what it is or else it could've been done way well to really reference this song. I like the energy of the song as well. I would enjoy an tour where they play nothing but reunion songs, but I doubt that will ever happen.
#49 - Lord of Light - (Did Not Rank)
I actually do enjoy this song, but this fluctuates with my mood. Some days I'll be completely into the song, other days I won't even bother when it comes up. But when this songs hits, it hits pretty good. It's one of their great short and sweet reunion era songs. I think Bruce does an excellent job on this song.
#48 - The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - (Did Not Rank)
I think I may end up enjoying this song the more I listen to Somewhere In Time. It didn't rank because I never heard it much. I think it's a great song. Bruce's vocals shine in this one. And the guitar tone is great as well, especially the ending harmonizing guitars.
#47 - Starblind - (Did Not Rank)
I never heard The Final Frontier much, even though I ranked Isle of Avalon in the #6 spot. It is definitely in the top 100 though. It is a great song and the keyboards sound amazing in the intro. I like the energy of it.
#46 - The Book of Souls - #24
This is one song that was amazing to see live. The instrumental section along with the outro was awesome to see. The song has great energy and I like the lyrics too. This is the Iron Maiden I enjoy and is why I like them as a live band too.
#45 - Murders in the Rue Morgue - (Did Not Rank)
I didn't rank it because I haven't listened to the older albums much. It's a fantastic song and it showcases Steve Harris' bass playing with the intro. This would be fun to hear live.
#44 - Blood Brothers - #14
I enjoyed this one live and it's where it became one of my favorites from Brave New World. I like the lyrics a lot and it's a fantastic live song because of the meaning behind them. Good to see it up in the top 45.
#43 - The Longest Day - #21
This one was one I enjoyed on first listen to AMOLAD. That build-up is fantastic and I like the guitar melody underneath it. I enjoy Bruce's delivery in the verses. I also like the instrumental section.
#42 - The Red and the Black - #15
I enjoyed this one a lot when The Book of Souls came out and I listened to the album before they came here. I was glad to hear it live and it was really fantastic. It's up there with one of the best moments for me for an Iron Maiden show.
#41 - Run to the Hills - #27
I liked this song from when I heard it on the radio while going to town when I was about 8-9. Of course, I enjoy the lyrics. It's a great energetic song and the music fits perfectly with the horse gallop. This has one of my favorite Bruce vocal build-ups and it's one I look forward to seeing how he'll do during the times they played it.
#40 - The Clansmen - #4
This is a top 5 for me not only because of the lyrics, the build-up and the energy of it live solidified it as one of my favorite Maiden songs. I enjoy the music, the build-up and Bruce's vocals. Along with it being a song that the audience can sing a long to and it's great hearing everyone shout out, "Freedom".
#39 - The Evil That Men Do - #52
This isn't too bad of an Iron Maiden song. It was great live. It's one song that is Iron Maiden and I do enjoy from time to time. I am not surprised it ranked where it did.
#38 - 22 Acacia Avenue - (Did Not Rank)
I have not heard TNOTB much and do not know why. This is one song that still had that older Iron Maiden sound and is one that vocally wouldn't be too bad with Paul. I like the energy of it.
#37 - Coming Home - (Did Not Rank)
It's an alright song. I am just not that into it, although I do enjoy the keyboards in it.
#36 - When the Wild Wind Blows - #11
This is one of those songs that, for me, is the modern Iron Maiden sound, the sound that defines the reunion era. I would've liked to have seen them play this one live, but they did not come here for the tour where they really played Final Frontier songs.
#35 - The Parchment - #31
I like that intro. This song really blends that older sound along with the newer reunion sound. IF they make the setlist for the Senjutsu tour heavy with it's long songs, I won't complain at them playing less songs. This one would be awesome live.
#34 - 2 Minutes to Midnight - #69
I like this song, but I have heard it quite a lot and it sort of lost it's charm for me. At least it made my top 75 though, I do enjoy the lyrics enough to sing along live.
#33 - Brighter Than a Thousand Sons - #30
Great spot to be at. This is one the songs where I do not mind the repetitive lyrics. Bruce does just enough to make each way it's sung different enough to not be as repetitive for me. I love how he goes from his lower range building up to his higher range. This is one I would really like to see live one day, since it is from one of the first Iron Maiden album I bought and was the newest release.
#32 - The Prisoner - (Did Not Rank)
This one is a good song. As with most of TNOTB songs, besides the singles, I have not listened to much. I enjoy the bass, the guitars, and the vocals.
#31 - Empire of the Clouds - #54
This is a great solo song by Bruce. It ranks 54 because I have not heard it enough for me to properly rank it right, and so it ended up here.
#30 - The Legacy - #3
What makes this my third favorite Maiden song is Bruce's delivery of the lyrics. His tone in the intro is very fitting and the guitars set that vibe of sitting with an old man getting ready to tell you a fascinating tale. I really like how the music and the lyrics fit and the energy of the instrumental section. If any song I would like to see, it would be this one.
#29 - Ghost of the Navigator - #29
So funny to see this one the same as my ranking of it. This is a great spot for it. I like the melody in the chorus. I think it would be a fun one to hear live.
#28 - Dance of Death - #19
I like this song for it's build-up and the rhythm of the bass. It's a great song and it's awesome live on the En Vivo release.
#27 - The Talisman - #38
I like that the band chose to incorporate this style of guitar and bass in their recent releases. I like how they do this and I consider it their best modern aspect of their overall sound. It would likely rank higher if I had listened to Final Frontier more.
#26 - The Clairvoyant - #51
This song is one reason why Seventh Son is my favorite album of the "classic" era. The album has a sort of certain tone and vibe to it, and certain songs really fit the tone given off of the album artwork, like the vibe of the album fits the colors of the album. Here, the guitars, Bruce's vocals, and the keyboards give off that colder/icy, blue and white, vibe. Anyways, I like the vocals a lot too.
#25 - Hell On Earth - #7
This song deserves to be played live. It's a fantastic ending to the album, and is one that has everything I enjoy about Maiden. I am so glad they continued making some mini-epic songs and not shying of another 2-disc album.
#24 - Fear of the Dark - #33
I grew to love this one live, as it's where I first heard it. The intro instantly got me hooked, along with the following bass and guitar melody into the calm verse vocals. It's also quite epic live as a lot of people sing along and it sounds great. That's one reason I love Iron Maiden shows here because a lot of us sing along.
#23 - For the Greater Good of God - #43
I like the atmosphere behind the bass intro. It was fantastic to hear this one live, that build-up was epic along with the backdrop. I remember hearing the crowd pretty good during most of chorus and "For the greater good of god" part. It was among my favorites as well from AMOLD, I was glad I enjoyed the album and consider it one of their best reunion albums.
#22 - Stranger in a Strange Land - (Did Not Rank)
Now this is a song that defines the decade. I think it's a good rocking song. Even if it reminds me of the 80's with the keyboards, guitar riffs and production, it's still a pretty catchy song. It will more than likely get more listens and move up in the rankings for sure.
#21 - Alexander the Great - (Did Not Rank)
It's not ranked as Somewhere In Time is one my least listened to Maiden albums and I never had time to listen to them all. I really like the intro. It is quite a shame they haven't played this song live.
Finally caught up... :hat :hat :biggrin:
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-every song still to come finished in the top 3 of at least one list...except one song (that song's high finish was number 5)
Oh boy, my number 5 actually still has a chance :lol
Nah, no way that one is going to show up :(
And knowing what's yet to come (I think..) a bunch in my top 30 will not actually show up at all. Checking my list, I think the only 'Bingo-line' I could complete is #20-#29 and I do think it's very possible that this WILL happen.
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Okay, updating for the big huge update that featured my Top 2 and the following post..
25 Hell On Earth - ranked at #1 on mine
I don't really know where to start with this one. It's daunting to write about this track, because there is no way I can do this and justify why this made my #1 without making it personal. Let's get some of the silly hyperboles out of the way (I mean every single one of them). This song is a masterpiece. Musically, this contains some of their best material. Lyrically this song is out of this world. This song touches me and speaks to me on a different level than any of their other tracks. 'Hell on Earth' is a perfect metaphor for how to feel this world. This song is melancholic beyond just being a sad reflection of reality. This song is unlike anything else Iron Maiden has made. This is Iron Maiden's greatest track.
I struggle with my place in this world. I do my best to do my part, but often it doesn't feel enough. There's so much utter shit in this world that it often makes me sad that I'm here to see it unfold without being able to do anything about it. On the other hand, life is beautiful if you make the best out of it and do stuff you enjoy doing. But then we have anger, war, hate, pain, suffering, destroying in other parts of the war. Sometimes it hits close to home; people who feel they're being treated unfairly (that's a hyperbole too), protesting about all sorts of things. I see around me that there's so much lack of understanding between groups of people, but also unwillingness to listen to one other. At the same time, I feel sad for people who are so caught up in their own realities, blinded by fanaticism and to being 'right'. You see this everywhere around the world in protests, in politics, et cetera. Why can't we let people be and not impose our own ideas on others? Contrarily, why can't we accept that some things are the way they are? In a sense, I fear for the future. There's no way our life on earth as it is now is sustainable. This in turn makes me question my own life choices, and my own mortality. Am I willing to put a child on this world, that I think might actually be doomed? This is a very real and tangible thing.
Everything I wrote down above is in this song, whether directly or indirectly in the lyrics, or in the meaning I draw from the lyrics. I'm almost 30 years old. I realise fully that I have a 100% responsibility for my own life decisions, but often it feels as if I don;t know where to go. I recently started working less to actually study again, because I want to. Because at this point, that's what will make me a happier person than by working lots. I'm definitely counting my blessings to be alive and be part of this world. I'm not a sad person in general, though I do struggle with my own feeling. Putting this to words was more difficult than I thought. At times, and usually this gets triggered by stuff happening in the world, I just feel very sad for the current state of this world. The way this song manages to capture both these feelings in one song is exactly what I needed. And can we please, FFS, make sure that we don't ruin our home planet beyond any repair. We're in this together, let's stop making this a hell on earth.
24 Fear of the Dark - ranked at #2 on mine
For the longest time I thought Fear of the Dark would end up at #1 on my list. Remember when this one got compared to that other great live staple of theirs that will still show up before the countdown started? I do.. There's was no doubt I would rank this one higher, because my God, this is Maiden's finest hour up until the release of Senjutsu. I've seen people mention that they would rate this as the #1 live song and I've stated repeatedly that I'm considering the whole 'idea' of a song, including other versions when making my list, and following that there's no denying the greatness of this massive, anthemic track. Fear of the Dark holds a special place for me as well. When I was 15 years old, I worked in a supermarket and I had to work saturday mornings, before football matches. My dad lived quite far away, so I had to take the bus there. It was early in the morning, still pitch dark on the way to the bus stop and (you know what's coming up), Fear of the Dark came up on my small mp3-player. I had recently started listening to Iron Maiden's music, got some of their songs (probably downloaded them illegally, I don't know) and the first time I heard this song was while walking alone in the dark. Half a year later I first (and last) saw Iron Maiden live and they played this song. I sang along and shouted my lungs out to all the sing-along melodies. It took me years to actually hear the rest of the album, but I have the album cover on a shirt, mainly because I thought this was the greatest thing ever.
23 For the Greater Good of God - ranked at #34 on mine
It speaks volumes that on an album where you have this fantastic song, there's a few more that are all great as well. A Matter of Life and Death might well be my favourite Iron Maiden album, though it's hard to tell. I had 6 songs in my top 75, of which 5 have shown up. I don't really expect the last one (my fabled #5) to show up still, but I'll keep my hopes up.
22 Stranger in a Strange Land
I did not rank this song, because I find the vocal lines a little bit annoying. The repetitive main riff doesn't really help. I have no qualms with this being up high, I just don't really see the appeal.
21 Alexander the Great
And I did not rank this one either, probably because this song never really clicked with me. I hope some of my favourites from SiT will still show up, but seeing these two up this high makes me wonder if they'll be included at all.
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My list so far in descending order (cursive songs are songs I placed highest):
#74 22 Acacia Avenue
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#49 The Evil That Men Do
#47 Run to the Hills
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#44 The Parchment
#42 The Nomad
#40 The Legacy
#34 For the Greater Good of God
#31 Rainmaker
#29 Ghost of the Navigator
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#27 The Clairvoyant
#25 The Clansman
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#20 The Longest Day
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#14 Empire of the Clouds
#12 Montségur
#11 Coming Home
#9 2 Minutes to Midnight
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
#2 Fear of the Dark
#1 Hell on Earth
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Prisoner
The Talisman
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great
Ranked/Unranked split: 30/24
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Elite, as much as that was a deeply personal analysis of Hell on earth, it was still frighteningly accurate. Kudos. I agree with all of the points. :tup
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Okay, my goal is to finish this next Friday (07/15), which means I will feature the last 20 songs in nine days, so it will be two a day mostly, with three a day twice. I'd rather finish this on a Friday than on the weekend when there seems to be a little less traffic.
Anyway, away we go with the top 20!! Those of you waiting patiently for some Piece of Mind songs will be rewarded today.
20 To Tame a Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (pg1067, Tomislav95, Setlist Scotty)
I think I am still a bit underwhelmed on some levels by this, simply because I am used to the DT cover version, but I still liked it enough to put it at 51. I have a feeling I will like this one a lot more over time as I get more used to it.
19 The Trooper
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (devieira73)
This initially wasn't on my list, but eventually snuck in at 69. It is pretty great musically, but I feel like the vocal melodies are pretty ordinary, which is why I struggled to connect with it at first.
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Wow, 3 people had TTAL in the top spot. Surprising.
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Wow, 3 people had TTAL in the top spot. Surprising.
Yeah! Struggling to wrap my head around that one.
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Piece of Mind finally making its break from the back of the field!
To Tame A Land: #42: Fantastic 'tense' opening followed by one of their greatest riffs. In truth this could have appeared much higher on my list but as many of us have said, the band just have too many great songs.
The Trooper: didn't rank. Most famous bands have a classic crowd favourite that for whatever reason does very little for me, and The Trooper is that song for Iron Maiden (other examples: Sad But True by Metallica and Under A Glass Moon by DT, both of which seem to be ranked among the bands' classics and both of which just don't really move me all that much). I dunno, I've just never really taken to this tune, even though I like the downward spiralling riff.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 38/19
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49 To Tame a Land - a very good Maiden tune. Surprised some had it at number one but that's part of what makes these ranking threads so hugely enjoyable.
11 The Trooper - did I really rank it this high? Okay. Well, it's obviously an utterly iconic riff. Hard to overlook how overplayed it is but I obviously managed to do that.
40 ranked/17 unranked
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Wow, 3 people had TTAL in the top spot. Surprising.
It used to be my number one as well. At this point, it's probably #5. Which is still brilliant. :metal
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I’m actually fascinated that one song in the top 20 didn’t even make your list at all. Now I’m really curious. :corn
Heck...I have three songs in my top 20 that I'm 99.9% positive won't be in collective the top 20 (and hence won't have made the collective top 75).
As with the Rush countdown, I wouldn't bet any amount of money at any odds on what number one is going to be.
Agree. Funny thing is that, as I sit here, I can't remember what the #1 was on the Rush countdown. Xanadu?
Anyway, away we go with the top 20!! Those of you waiting patiently for some Piece of Mind songs will be rewarded today.
20 To Tame a Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (pg1067, Tomislav95, Setlist Scotty)
I think I am still a bit underwhelmed on some levels by this, simply because I am used to the DT cover version, but I still liked it enough to put it at 51. I have a feeling I will like this one a lot more over time as I get more used to it.
19 The Trooper
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (devieira73)
This initially wasn't on my list, but eventually snuck in at 69. It is pretty great musically, but I feel like the vocal melodies are pretty ordinary, which is why I struggled to connect with it at first.
Well...damn. I was hoping TTAL would make it higher. Obviously (and I've expounded on this previously), I freaking love this song. It's epic. The use of the phyrgian mode variations throughout the song is quite clever and goes really well with the driving rhythm of the verses. The 3/4 section right before the guitar solos is incredible stuff. The harmony sections after the solos are sublime. It's a perfect song through and through.
As for The Trooper, it's a bit like Run to the Hills (or, in the Rush context, Tom Sawyer and The Spirit of Radio) in that it's been played 80 bajillion times. But there's a reason for that. It's so damn good (despite being super simple). I had it at #14 And with that, I offer you my college record production class cover of The Trooper (https://youtu.be/a8cN9skvK8o) (lots of Aqua Net was harmed in the making of this video).
Obviously, a big jump by Piece of Mind today. Probably two more songs from the album, and I'm a bit surprised to see that one of them will finish higher than The Trooper.
1. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
2. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
3. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
4. Somewhere in Time: 5 songs/155 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21)
5. Piece of Mind: 3 songs/132 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19)
6. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
7. The Number of the Beast: 3 songs/117 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32)
8. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
9. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
10. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
11. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
12. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
15. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
16. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
17. The X Factor:
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Agree. Funny thing is that, as I sit here, I can't remember what the #1 was on the Rush countdown. Xanadu?
Subdivisions.
I think!
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Indeed it did
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=57248.0
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pg1067 - how are you calculating the points total? I'm sure you explained somewhere . . .
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And with that, I offer you my college record production class cover of The Trooper (https://youtu.be/a8cN9skvK8o) (lots of Aqua Net was harmed in the making of this video).
Those backing vocals :biggrin:
Were you one of the guitarists?
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pg1067 - how are you calculating the points total? I'm sure you explained somewhere . . .
Yeah, I did explain in the first post with the standings, but that was a lot of pages ago. It's simple reverse order. Song #75 got 1 point; song #74 got 2 points...song #2 will get 74 points; song #1 will get 75 points.
And with that, I offer you my college record production class cover of The Trooper (https://youtu.be/a8cN9skvK8o) (lots of Aqua Net was harmed in the making of this video).
Those backing vocals :biggrin:
Were you one of the guitarists?
Bass and audio production. Unfortunately, we were somewhat pressed for time, so we weren't able to do anything with the vocals. Also, the four of us other than the singer were all metal guys who already knew the song. The guy who sang was in the class with the rest of us and had done a song earlier in the semester (The Trooper was the final project in the class), but it was more of a jazz fusion thing with vocals. We liked his voice and thought he could do it, so we asked him rather than try to find someone outside the class. He learned the song on his own, but we didn't have an opportunity to work with him beforehand and didn't have time during the recording process to change the chorus vocals. Given his prior lack of familiarity with the song, I thought he did a really good job, but yeah, that part always makes me cringe a bit. Also, when he showed up to do the video straight from work wearing hospital scrubs.... :lol
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I thought it was good. Although obviously can't hold a candle to the Indonesian chaps ;)
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Elite, as much as that was a deeply personal analysis of Hell on earth, it was still frighteningly accurate. Kudos. I agree with all of the points. :tup
Thanks for reading :) :tup
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So, is To Tame a Land the first song to appear on everyone's list?
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So, is To Tame a Land the first song to appear on everyone's list?
No, it’s only on 22 lists.
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It's not on my list.
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The Trooper has the most rankings so far.
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The Trooper (#3)
To me, this song is real birth of Maiden's gallop, that it's really the combination of Harri's triplets with Nicko's drumming following it (I guess Stadler said it before me and I totally agree!). It was really a creative solution by Nicko at the time, making his single bass drums sounding like a triplet without never really playing it. And, c'mon, the birth of Maiden's gallop in a song called "The TROOPER", how fuc**** cool is that?!
I love everything albout it: what I said above, the melodies of the guitars unisson, the trade off between vocals and the reast of the band before the verses, the drums fills, the guitars solos and even the china hits placed perfectly along the song. Anyway, it's my #3 just because I love it so much and it never ceases to amaze me every time they play it live.
To Tame a Land (#26)
It is an amazing epic made with a lot of creativity/virtuosity and it puts you perfectly inside the atmosphere of Dune's world.
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20 To Tame a Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (pg1067, Tomislav95, Setlist Scotty)
19 The Trooper
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (devieira73)
I had To Tame A Land at #99, missing the list. It's probably too low, but this song has always felt a bit off to me.
I had The Trooper at #28. Great song. Never get sick of hearing it. Love the Reunion Era version with Janick and Adrian on the second solo together.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
8 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 34/24
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25 Hell On Earth - ranked at #1 on mine
I don't really know where to start with this one. It's daunting to write about this track, because there is no way I can do this and justify why this made my #1 without making it personal. Let's get some of the silly hyperboles out of the way (I mean every single one of them). This song is a masterpiece. Musically, this contains some of their best material. Lyrically this song is out of this world. This song touches me and speaks to me on a different level than any of their other tracks. 'Hell on Earth' is a perfect metaphor for how to feel this world. This song is melancholic beyond just being a sad reflection of reality. This song is unlike anything else Iron Maiden has made. This is Iron Maiden's greatest track.
I struggle with my place in this world. I do my best to do my part, but often it doesn't feel enough. There's so much utter shit in this world that it often makes me sad that I'm here to see it unfold without being able to do anything about it. On the other hand, life is beautiful if you make the best out of it and do stuff you enjoy doing. But then we have anger, war, hate, pain, suffering, destroying in other parts of the war. Sometimes it hits close to home; people who feel they're being treated unfairly (that's a hyperbole too), protesting about all sorts of things. I see around me that there's so much lack of understanding between groups of people, but also unwillingness to listen to one other. At the same time, I feel sad for people who are so caught up in their own realities, blinded by fanaticism and to being 'right'. You see this everywhere around the world in protests, in politics, et cetera. Why can't we let people be and not impose our own ideas on others? Contrarily, why can't we accept that some things are the way they are? In a sense, I fear for the future. There's no way our life on earth as it is now is sustainable. This in turn makes me question my own life choices, and my own mortality. Am I willing to put a child on this world, that I think might actually be doomed? This is a very real and tangible thing.
Everything I wrote down above is in this song, whether directly or indirectly in the lyrics, or in the meaning I draw from the lyrics. I'm almost 30 years old. I realise fully that I have a 100% responsibility for my own life decisions, but often it feels as if I don;t know where to go. I recently started working less to actually study again, because I want to. Because at this point, that's what will make me a happier person than by working lots. I'm definitely counting my blessings to be alive and be part of this world. I'm not a sad person in general, though I do struggle with my own feeling. Putting this to words was more difficult than I thought. At times, and usually this gets triggered by stuff happening in the world, I just feel very sad for the current state of this world. The way this song manages to capture both these feelings in one song is exactly what I needed. And can we please, FFS, make sure that we don't ruin our home planet beyond any repair. We're in this together, let's stop making this a hell on earth.
24 Fear of the Dark - ranked at #2 on mine
For the longest time I thought Fear of the Dark would end up at #1 on my list. Remember when this one got compared to that other great live staple of theirs that will still show up before the countdown started? I do.. There's was no doubt I would rank this one higher, because my God, this is Maiden's finest hour up until the release of Senjutsu. I've seen people mention that they would rate this as the #1 live song and I've stated repeatedly that I'm considering the whole 'idea' of a song, including other versions when making my list, and following that there's no denying the greatness of this massive, anthemic track. Fear of the Dark holds a special place for me as well. When I was 15 years old, I worked in a supermarket and I had to work saturday mornings, before football matches. My dad lived quite far away, so I had to take the bus there. It was early in the morning, still pitch dark on the way to the bus stop and (you know what's coming up), Fear of the Dark came up on my small mp3-player. I had recently started listening to Iron Maiden's music, got some of their songs (probably downloaded them illegally, I don't know) and the first time I heard this song was while walking alone in the dark. Half a year later I first (and last) saw Iron Maiden live and they played this song. I sang along and shouted my lungs out to all the sing-along melodies. It took me years to actually hear the rest of the album, but I have the album cover on a shirt, mainly because I thought this was the greatest thing ever.
Great post Rich! Appreciate the sharing.
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#20 - To Tame A Land - #57
I enjoyed this one when I bought Piece of Mind. I liked the energy, the bass in the intro, and especially the middle section. I did not really enjoy the DT cover version much, because it sounds slower to me, plus I prefer the way Bruce's vocal delivery is on this song. As time went on, I discovered other songs and this one went down in my ranking placement. It could be higher, but the ranking determined it to be in 57.
#19 - The Trooper - #66
This is a short, simple, fun, rocking song. It sums up Iron Maiden in a nice short track. It still ranked for me because I like the vocals and it's a great song live because of that sing a long vocal part.
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So, is To Tame a Land the first song to appear on everyone's list?
No, it’s only on 22 lists.
Whoops. I misread that then. Carry on! :facepalm:
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To Tame a Land did not make it on my list, and The Trooper came in at 52. I think I've heard The Trooper too many times by now, and I no longer appreciate it as much as other songs on the album, whereas To Tame a Land was never one of my favorite songs on the album. I much prefer the tracks on the first side, hopefully a couple of them are coming up later in the list ;D
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To Tame a Land did not make it on my list, and The Trooper came in at 52. I think I've heard The Trooper too many times by now, and I no longer appreciate it as much as other songs on the album, whereas To Tame a Land was never one of my favorite songs on the album. I much prefer the tracks on the first side, hopefully a couple of them are coming up later in the list ;D
It’s guaranteed.
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I have To Tame A Land at #5.
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20 To Tame a Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (pg1067, Tomislav95, Setlist Scotty)
19 The Trooper
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (devieira73)
Two from Piece of Mind today! With more and better tracks still to come over the next few days...
To Tame a Land - this is a weird one for me. When I first got into the Piece of Mind album (way back in the day) I was never much of a fan. Then I remember reading an interview with Steve Harris, I think it was from a guitar mag or something where he said that To Tame a Land in the best song he has ever written (replacing a song from debut we haven't seen in the countdown yet). I was shocked to read this and over the years the song has grown on me enough that I ranked it at 50 but this is still the lowest ranked song by far from Piece of Mind on my list.
The Trooper - 21 for me. Always loved it, a genuine classic.
My split is currently at 44/13 and I'm optimistic that I have the remaining 18 songs on my list but could still be a surprise or two.
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I thought it was good. Although obviously can't hold a candle to the Indonesian chaps ;)
That goes without saying. They're untouchable! :lol
Wow, 3 people had TTAL in the top spot. Surprising.
Yeah! Struggling to wrap my head around that one.
Even more baffling is that 5 people don't have it as a top 75 song! Shame, Tim!
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Wow, 3 people had TTAL in the top spot. Surprising.
Yeah! Struggling to wrap my head around that one.
Even more baffling is that 5 people don't have it as a top 75 song! Shame, Tim!
To Shame A Man.. :lol
You know what..they have too many awesome songs.
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25 Hell On Earth - ranked at #1 on mine
I don't really know where to start with this one. It's daunting to write about this track, because there is no way I can do this and justify why this made my #1 without making it personal. Let's get some of the silly hyperboles out of the way (I mean every single one of them). This song is a masterpiece. Musically, this contains some of their best material. Lyrically this song is out of this world. This song touches me and speaks to me on a different level than any of their other tracks. 'Hell on Earth' is a perfect metaphor for how to feel this world. This song is melancholic beyond just being a sad reflection of reality. This song is unlike anything else Iron Maiden has made. This is Iron Maiden's greatest track.
I struggle with my place in this world. I do my best to do my part, but often it doesn't feel enough. There's so much utter shit in this world that it often makes me sad that I'm here to see it unfold without being able to do anything about it. On the other hand, life is beautiful if you make the best out of it and do stuff you enjoy doing. But then we have anger, war, hate, pain, suffering, destroying in other parts of the war. Sometimes it hits close to home; people who feel they're being treated unfairly (that's a hyperbole too), protesting about all sorts of things. I see around me that there's so much lack of understanding between groups of people, but also unwillingness to listen to one other. At the same time, I feel sad for people who are so caught up in their own realities, blinded by fanaticism and to being 'right'. You see this everywhere around the world in protests, in politics, et cetera. Why can't we let people be and not impose our own ideas on others? Contrarily, why can't we accept that some things are the way they are? In a sense, I fear for the future. There's no way our life on earth as it is now is sustainable. This in turn makes me question my own life choices, and my own mortality. Am I willing to put a child on this world, that I think might actually be doomed? This is a very real and tangible thing.
Everything I wrote down above is in this song, whether directly or indirectly in the lyrics, or in the meaning I draw from the lyrics. I'm almost 30 years old. I realise fully that I have a 100% responsibility for my own life decisions, but often it feels as if I don;t know where to go. I recently started working less to actually study again, because I want to. Because at this point, that's what will make me a happier person than by working lots. I'm definitely counting my blessings to be alive and be part of this world. I'm not a sad person in general, though I do struggle with my own feeling. Putting this to words was more difficult than I thought. At times, and usually this gets triggered by stuff happening in the world, I just feel very sad for the current state of this world. The way this song manages to capture both these feelings in one song is exactly what I needed. And can we please, FFS, make sure that we don't ruin our home planet beyond any repair. We're in this together, let's stop making this a hell on earth.
Rich, this is beautifully said, and I relate to so much about what you've written here, and I feel a lot of these things too within the track. Mate, I understand and don't feel bad, I'm 38 and have no fucking idea where I'm going. I've had a near death experience and still haven't changed a thing in my life yet. I get that feeling of helplessness and being lost even though, you know everything you do is 100% up to you.
I share your views on this world, I've never had the intention of children and at 38, that hasn't changed. I too feel it would be a wrong to bring children up in this current climate with the world falling down around our feet, so it feels.
I could keep going, but thanks for sharing that, it means a lot you sharing your thoughts here and remember, you're definitely not alone in your thinking even though in day to day life you look around and think you must be the only one who thinks how you do. I think this everyday.
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TTAL - 35 - Still shocked at 3 having this in the top spot, but it's a cracker. Love the structure and musically what's going on here. I used to be able to play this one but haven't dabbled it in from a while, but from memory the sections in the verses which sound like key changes follow the Phrygian Dominant mode I believe, very cool and does give that shifting keys feel. The buildup is great and a shame they didn't play this one live after the tour. I predict Bruce note hitting the money note live would have something to do with it. The second half is classic Maiden though. Love the Gary Moore lick Adrian throws in his solo too.
Trooper - 61 - I probably should have had this higher, but the overplayed factor probably comes in. The song without a chorus, and just a classic Maiden harmony. Nice gallop as always and always a great song live.
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I cranked To Tame a Land on the drive home from work today thinking, "Okay, this will be the money listen, the one where the light bulb goes on." Instead, it went the other way. Musically, it is really good, but the vocal melodies are all bland as hell. I can't help but think that it got the "DT covered it" bump in this countdown.
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I cranked To Tame a Land on the drive home from work today thinking, "Okay, this will be the money listen, the one where the light bulb goes on." Instead, it went the other way. Musically, it is really good, but the vocal melodies are all bland as hell. I can't help but think that it got the "DT covered it" bump in this countdown.
The DT version was terrible, mainly because of James. I really wish they rerecorded the vocals during the BC&SL sessions when they recorded the other cover songs.
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I cranked To Tame a Land on the drive home from work today thinking, "Okay, this will be the money listen, the one where the light bulb goes on." Instead, it went the other way. Musically, it is really good, but the vocal melodies are all bland as hell. I can't help but think that it got the "DT covered it" bump in this countdown.
The DT version was terrible, mainly because of James. I really wish they rerecorded the vocals during the BC&SL sessions when they recorded the other cover songs.
Yeah, James sounds fucking horrid. I can't believe they released it.
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Well, I guess that speaks volumes as to how bland the written melodies are when neither James LaBrie nor Bruce Dickinson can make them sound good.
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I think Bruce is excellent on the original though.
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I've also never been a big fan of the vocal melodies in To Tame a Land. I think Kev hit the nail on the head for me and this explains why I have never absolutely loved this song. There are some very cool thing going on musically but the verses especially are very bland.
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20 To Tame a Land
Appeared on 22 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (pg1067, Tomislav95, Setlist Scotty)
I think I am still a bit underwhelmed on some levels by this, simply because I am used to the DT cover version, but I still liked it enough to put it at 51. I have a feeling I will like this one a lot more over time as I get more used to it.
19 The Trooper
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 2
Highest Ranking: 3 (devieira73)
This initially wasn't on my list, but eventually snuck in at 69. It is pretty great musically, but I feel like the vocal melodies are pretty ordinary, which is why I struggled to connect with it at first.
To Tame a Land - I had this at 20, so close enough! Just a great song, although I'm a little surprised to see 3 people have it as their #1. Honestly, I've heard the DT cover of this once and never thought about it again.
The Trooper - This was my #18. Sure it might be overplayed, sort of, but it's sooooo good!
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Sorry to keep labouring this point, and tomorrow's update may well make me look like an idiot, but at this point I'll be flabbergasted if That Song We've All Been Expecting To Appear from The X Factor does in fact appear. We've only 18 more tunes to come and still so many classics are missing (by my count 17 of them are legendary tunes from the debut through to 7th Son and I'm guessing the remaining one will be a certain cut from Dance of Death). I really think The X Factor is due to go home without a single song represented (though like I said I'm fully prepared for an upcoming update to make a fool of me).
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Sorry to keep labouring this point, and tomorrow's update may well make me look like an idiot, but at this point I'll be flabbergasted if That Song We've All been Expecting To Appear from The X Factor does in fact appear. We've only 18 more tunes to come and still so many classics are missing (by my count 17 of them are legendary tunes from the debut through to 7th Son and I'm guessing the last one will be a certain cut from Dance of Death). I really think The X Factor is due to go home without a single song represented (though like I said I'm fully prepared for an upcoming update to make a fool of me).
It'll be on the list, I have zero doubt.
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Sorry to keep labouring this point, and tomorrow's update may well make me look like an idiot, but at this point I'll be flabbergasted if That Song We've All been Expecting To Appear from The X Factor does in fact appear. We've only 18 more tunes to come and still so many classics are missing (by my count 17 of them are legendary tunes from the debut through to 7th Son and I'm guessing the last one will be a certain cut from Dance of Death). I really think The X Factor is due to go home without a single song represented (though like I said I'm fully prepared for an upcoming update to make a fool of me).
It'll be on the list, I have zero doubt.
I'd put everything I have on it being in.
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Now I really want to do tomorrow's update tonight... :P
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Sorry to keep labouring this point, and tomorrow's update may well make me look like an idiot, but at this point I'll be flabbergasted if That Song We've All been Expecting To Appear from The X Factor does in fact appear. We've only 18 more tunes to come and still so many classics are missing (by my count 17 of them are legendary tunes from the debut through to 7th Son and I'm guessing the last one will be a certain cut from Dance of Death). I really think The X Factor is due to go home without a single song represented (though like I said I'm fully prepared for an upcoming update to make a fool of me).
It'll be on the list, I have zero doubt.
I'd put everything I have on it being in.
Me three.
I’m kinda giddy about it. I didn’t think we’d have to wait this long, but now I’m trying to “body English” it into the top 10. Just like when you’re doing all those gyrations trying desperately to get your bowling ball to curve away from the gutter’s edge.
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I think we were fine with "Me Three". No need for J-Dude gyrations. :lol
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Now I really want to do tomorrow's update tonight... :P
No spotlighting bitch!
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Now I really want to do tomorrow's update tonight... :P
No spotlighting bitch!
LOL, my comment could mean many things.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will be featured in the next update.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will not be featured, leading to more "when will it appear?" chatter.
It could mean the appearance of a surprise song means a song that seemingly should be in the top 75 will not appear at all.
So many possibilities...
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Sorry to keep labouring this point, and tomorrow's update may well make me look like an idiot, but at this point I'll be flabbergasted if That Song We've All Been Expecting To Appear from The X Factor does in fact appear. We've only 18 more tunes to come and still so many classics are missing (by my count 17 of them are legendary tunes from the debut through to 7th Son and I'm guessing the remaining one will be a certain cut from Dance of Death). I really think The X Factor is due to go home without a single song represented (though like I said I'm fully prepared for an upcoming update to make a fool of me).
It will 100% be there, absolute no doubt at all.
Yes, a song from Dance of Death is also a certainty.
The grey area is what is left from the Dianno v Classic era.
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Now I really want to do tomorrow's update tonight... :P
No spotlighting bitch!
LOL, my comment could mean many things.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will be featured in the next update.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will not be featured, leading to more "when will it appear?" chatter.
It could mean the appearance of a surprise song means a song that seemingly should be in the top 75 will not appear at all.
So many possibilities...
I can just see you rubbing your hands together like Mr Burns in my mind…
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*looks at the list that no else has access to at the moment*
*chuckles*
I like surprises. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Now I really want to do tomorrow's update tonight... :P
No spotlighting bitch!
LOL, my comment could mean many things.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will be featured in the next update.
It could mean the song you're all referencing will not be featured, leading to more "when will it appear?" chatter.
It could mean the appearance of a surprise song means a song that seemingly should be in the top 75 will not appear at all.
So many possibilities...
Bitchshmitch. ;D
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I'm actually guessing there's no surprises.
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I had to double check The X Factor to remind myself what songs are on it, because I couldn't imagine any song from that album generating that much angst coming down the stretch.
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:lol pretty funny only 1 song will make it when I had 6 in my top 50 plus 2 b-sides of that era in my 75.
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I had to double check The X Factor to remind myself what songs are on it, because I couldn't imagine any song from that album generating that much angst coming down the stretch.
It's not angst, it is anticipation! As it's going to be the only one we are all ready to celebrate it's inclusion and let the Blaze debates begin! :)
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:lol pretty funny only 1 song will make it when I had 6 in my top 50 plus 2 b-sides of that era in my 75.
Seven in my top 75, all 11 inside the top 100 :lol
I knew they were effectively 'wasted' votes but then I live in a safe seat politically so I'm kinda used to my vote making no difference :biggrin:
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Toady's songs feature two major winners and one major thud.
18 Children of the Damned
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 4 (The Realm)
I had this at 29. Great song. While it definitely feels like they used the template from Sabbath's Children of the Sea, that came out two years earlier, it still manages to sound pretty unique.
17 Sea of Madness
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 3 (Setlist Scotty)
A monster tune, one that ended up in my top 10, at number 10! The spacey production really makes this song feel massive, and that pre-chorus ("Oh, my eyes they see but I can't believe") is one of their best little moments ever.
16 Sign of the Cross
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (jammindude, wolfking)
Because the original is unlistenable due to the atrocious vocals by their third horrendous singer (whose name is not worth typing), I gave the Bruce versions a few recent spins to see if this was any good. It's really not. Unranked.
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Children of The Damned (24) - A song that has grown on me over the years. A lovely melodic guitar line in the intro, and a great soaring chorus with nice riffs underneath it.
Sea Of Madness (10) - I've loved this from day one when I got the album. One of Adrian's best songs he wrote for Maiden. Epic chorus, the breakdown is great as well ("When all you see can only bring you sadness").
Sign Of The Cross (33) - My highest ranking song from the two Blaze albums. Some nice melodies here, and an atmospheric intro with the chanting monks. Nothing special otherwise, really.
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Children of the Damned: #16. Very happy to see this included because for a while there I was getting worried it wasn't going to make it. Fantastic opening (Metallica would end up nicking it for Unforgiven II), lots of twists and turns, just an altogether classic song.
Sea of Madness: #5. Iron's Maiden's most purely thrilling song to me.
Sign of the Cross: #70. Huh. Dave's DTF Predictions For 2022 Thus Far: 1) Putin won't invade Ukraine and 2) Sign of the Cross won't make the list. PM me for my palm-reading rates. It's all tastes etc but I'm very surprised to see how high up this has finished, I never would have imagined it'd be an aggregate top 20 song. In my opinion there are several better Blaze songs than this and I fear this will be the last we'll see of him now on this countdown, though I again refer everyone to my prediction track record.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#18: The Red and the Black
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 41/19
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To Tame a Land (#25)
Fantastic mini-epic. For some reason, I tend to "forget" about this, and then when when I put it on I'm fully reminded of how good it is. It's true, maybe the vocal melodies are not as memorable as in some other Maiden classics, but the mood on the whole thing really draws me in. And the guitars are SO good on this one (the theme starting around 2:20, among many others, is particularly tasty)
The Trooper (#24)
Another Piece of Mind song just missing my top 20. It doesn't really matter, as it's one of Maiden's galloping classics :biggrin: One of those songs where the music itself fits the story perfectly. Overplayed, over-familar, yes, but still great.
Children of the Damned (#14)
Here it is! This is one I was starting to think wasn't going to make it and I'm obviously super-happy it did. Love everything about this tune - it's one of those making NOTB so unique. Feels like there is still a little bit of pre-Dickinson Maiden here, but the band is starting to really spread their wings...
Sea of Madness (#11)
This could have easily made my top 10. Unbelievable song. Such a cool (and heavy!) riff, with Nicko going nuts under it. And that slow, melodic interlude...so, so good. One of the many reasons Somewhere in Time is such a special album.
Sign of the Cross (#21)
My favorite song, by quite some margin, of the Blaze era (and a great song in its own right, of course). At the time, it sure sounded like a different Maiden, for sure. In this case, I love how it takes its time to build up, and the instrumental section is excellent. The production is questionable on The X Factor, but somehow I think it fits this song well.
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It's so refreshing to see Sea of madness so high. I've always considered it very underappreciated. :tup
Sign of the cross is my favorite song of all time, so I am of course happy with its placement. Had I not been lazy and had I contributed my own list, maybe it would have ended up even higher.
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18 Children of the Damned
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (TAC)
17 Sea of Madness
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 3 (Setlist Scotty)
16 Sign of the Cross
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (jammindude, wolfking)
Children of the Dammed - as I ranked this song at number 4, I guess I am the silent highest ranker. Sorry TAC, I beat you by one spot. This is an all time classic song. Fantastic intro, great verse melodies that really build to the chorus and then the song grows and builds into an absolute powerhouse, just awesome all round and to the six people who didn't rank it well...
Sea of Madness - number 8 for me. Another all time classic. Probably the hidden gem on Somewhere in Time as in there are other tracks which have a higher profile including a couple we haven't seen yet.
Sign of the Cross - well this is a polarising song. To have 2 rank this at number 1 is amazing but unlike Kev and Dave I am not that surprised to see it this high because there has been enough talk about it on this forum over the years that I know the love is there, just not with me but I did rank it at 42. This is the only song I ranked from Blaze's 2 albums.
Now the real fun begins. 15 songs to come and at least 1 reunion era and 1 dianno era, but will there be more than 1 from either? Or are the remaining 13 songs from the classic era? Blaze is 100% done now.
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Sign of the Cross - well this is a polarising song. To have 2 rank this at number 1 is amazing but unlike Kev and Dave I am not that surprised to see it this high because there has been enough talk about it on this forum over the years that I know the love is there, just not with me but I did rank it at 42. This is the only song I ranked from Blaze's 2 albums.
Where did I say I was surprised to see it this high?
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I had Trooper at 35, To Tame a Land at 45, and Sea of Madness (yay!) at 19. CoTD and SoTC not ranked. Glad so many others recognize how great SoM is.
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#18 Dance of Death - folky tune. The intro works very well and it has some of the best storytelling. Cool solos and overall a monster of a track!
#4 The Talisman - I tend to think of TFF as a less energetic album for some reason, but The Talisman just proves this notion wrong. The verses are intense and the lyrics are great. I love the strummed guitar, I think it gives the song just the right atmosphere of a dangerous voyage. The prechorus parts are fantastic and the song just builds up this suspense until Bruce releases it in the chorus with one of his best wails! Amazing solo part and back for another round. Other than a lackluster intro, this is a perfect song.
#71 The Clairvoyant - I really like the bass here, and the chorus is classic. Just another great song from SSOASS, though I'm surprised to see it so high up.
#10 Hell on Earth - I'm really not big on Senjutsu. I have only one other song from it on my list at #74. Imagine my surprise after the relatively disappointing first 70 minutes to be hit with this beast! It just has everything. The gallop is back big time, good melodies and fantastic lyrics (I think this is the time to say I agree with you a lot Elite. I dread for the world too in a very similar way and I hate that we don't really have the power to stop it from going to shit, which in turn makes me feel that I'm part of the problem.)
The guitar going left to right at 4:30. The chorus is fantastic. The song slowing down as the solo begins is hands down one of the best moments in any Maiden song. The "love in anger" part is very powerful. It might be the single most dynamic song of them all.
#48 Fear of the Dark - yes, it would be much higher had I not ranked based on the album versions only. What can I say? This is one of signature Maiden songs. Banger riff and very memorable solos and bridge. I actually like the lyrics quite a bit too.
#29 For the Greater Good of God - one of many great songs from AMOLAD. The kick drum hitting 1/8th note in the verses makes it very heavy imo. Gigantic song. Very heavy instrumental part. The choruses are kind of repetitive.
#36 Stranger in a Strange Land - this is one of the losers. It used to be my #3, but I guess I overplayed it. It's still one of their finer songs with a great main riff and prechorus. And there's a serious case being made for this solo being the greatest Maiden solo. It's not a very complicated one but damnit it's just perfect.
#23 Alexander the Great - the intro is very effective and it has some very cool harmonies. The instrumental part is what really sells me. It's just blissful. The lyrics are infamously not exactly penned with the singer in mind... Also, "he died of fever in Babylon" doesn't really work as a last line to such an epic song :rollin
#17 To Tame a Land - that's a surprising amount of #1 finishes. As others have said, great use of phrygian sounds. Very strong bass. I really love Bruce here too despite the lyrics, like in ATG, being kind of busy. The buildup and the following instrumental parts are crazy good. I'm not suggesting it should, but I think this is one of the Maiden songs that could maybe be even longer.
#77 The Trooper - got knocked out of the list last minute. I love the riff and the gallop like everyone, but there are too many good songs.
#80 Children of the Damned - feel bad about leaving it out. Such an epic song, and it's only 4:35. The fast part is the definition of face-melting. Which is appropriate, because there's literally face-melting in this song ;)
#78 Sea of Madness - now THIS is the biggest loser of the relistening. It was my #4 for a long time. Exciting song with a beautiful bridge part, but since Senjutsu came out it's just middling for me. Bittersweet to see it so high.
#11 Sign of the Cross - listen, I love Blaze. And this more "doomy" song is just perfect for his singing. Love the rhythm section here. Long and plodding song, in the best way possible.
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Sign of the Cross - well this is a polarising song. To have 2 rank this at number 1 is amazing but unlike Kev and Dave I am not that surprised to see it this high because there has been enough talk about it on this forum over the years that I know the love is there, just not with me but I did rank it at 42. This is the only song I ranked from Blaze's 2 albums.
Where did I say I was surprised to see it this high?
Sorry I am just assuming because you clearly don’t like it but yes I guess you did never say it. Where is my apology for missing me as the highest ranker of Children of the Dammed? 😋
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Great batch of songs!
I had Children of the Damned at 7, Sea of Madness at 42, and Sign of the Cross at 18 (incidentally, not my favorite song from TXF).
Children of the Damned is stunning. On any given day, it could be my favorite from TNotB.
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As for me, with doing the updates and whatnot, I haven't really been tracking how many of my songs are making it, but I can say that when looking at the top 20 right now, 19 of the 20 made my top 75. :hat :hat
I’m actually fascinated that one song in the top 20 didn’t even make your list at all. Now I’m really curious. :corn
I reckon the answer to that is pretty easy if you think about how much Kev likes/dislikes Blaze's vocals....
Yep, and now we have confirmation :biggrin:
Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
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I wouldn't do the Beatles simply because they have 8,000 songs and updating the spreadsheet would take forever every time a new list was submitted.
I like Sabbath, Ozzy and Metallica, but I can't see myself getting too excited to one for any of them any time soon, and I won't do a countdown if I am going to half ass it, and I need to be a huge fan of a band (Rush, DT, VH) or still in the honeymoon discovery phase (Maiden) to want to dedicate the time it takes to do it.
Opeth is a good possibility, but as they are very much an autumn band for me, I'd be more likely to them in October/November.
I love Priest, but not sure I'd want to do them right after doing Maiden considering the similarity of the bands stylistically. Doing something a little different is preferable.
I could be talked into a U2 one at some point, but not right now.
Queensryche could be a good one. With them, I'd probably just put the songs from the debut through Promised Land on the spreadsheet and then if anyone actually puts anything from an album after 1994, I could add it on the fly, meaning the final list would not have everything, as I would not waste my time doing a spreadsheet on them with all of those songs from their many shitty albums on there. :lol
Porcupine Tree is still the most likely one to be next.
Actually, if you remove covers, The Beatles DON'T have 8,000 songs. In fact, I'd guess it's right around the Maiden number. They only had ten albums, and they didn't have a totally self-written album until their third (A Hard Day's Night) then not again until I think their sixth record, Rubber Soul. I know there's debate about covers, but even as a die-hard Beatles fan, I'd have no problem skipping the covers.
I'm certainly in on a Beatles one and I would be in on a Kiss one. I'd do Metallica, but it would take some refreshing. I would do U2 as well. The problem with a Sabbath one is the same as Queensryche; I mean, I love the Tony Martin years, but there's a reason they toured arenas/stadia with Ozzy, big theaters with Dio, and clubs with Martin.
An AC/DC one would work, too.
I'm on the fence about Porcupine Tree. I'm not a fan and I'm not familiar, so if I did do it, it would be for conversation purposes only and would have to be time permitting (like Dave).
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Children of the Damned (#39)
Like I said before, I love those TNOTB mini epics!
Sea of Madness (#66)
The beginning with that guitar riff/bass/drums combo is amazing, one of my favorite instrumental parts of any Maiden's album. The song as a whole is really nice!
Sign of the Cross (#47)
Although I like more Bruce's interpretation, I think the studio version sounds better overall, despite the bare bones production of TXF. I love that passage, beginning at 6:05 until the solos. My fave Blaze's era song together with Man on The Edge.
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Re: the Queensryche possibility
I like the TLT stuff, but even I would completely agree with sticking to EP-PL. My only suggestion would be including HITNF and thus completing the classic lineup material.
And while I’m in favor of leaving everything else out, I would BEG for “The Right Side of My Mind” to be the lone exception.
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So.... lot's to catch up on:
2 Minutes To Midnight - 62
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns - 105
The Prisoner - 41
Empire Of The Clouds - 77 (Agree that this gets love because of it's length)
The Legacy - 158 (I feel like this might be a mistake on my part. It's not top 20, but maybe 158 is too low.)
Ghost Of The Navigator - 51
Dance Of Death - 38
The Talisman - 136
The Clairvoyant - 32
Hell On Earth -23
Fear Of The Dark - 31
For The Greater Good of God - 88
Stranger In A Strange Land - 8 (LOVE this song; my favorite from the record, actually).
Alexander The Great - 86 (Good not great; don't get the mystique around this; I've seen Maiden too many times to count and wouldn't want to see this live)
To Tame A Land - 129
The Trooper - 87
Children Of The Damned - 7 (Stone cold CLASSIC. Everything I think of when I hear "Iron Maiden")
Sea Of Madness - 70
Sign Of The Cross - 39
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18 - Children of the Damned: My opinions about this song vary a bit, but it's never higher than the #6 song on TNOTB. In this ranking it placed higher than Run to the Hills and Gangland, but that's not always the case. I had it at #32, so it's obviously a good song. It just gets overshadowed by most of the rest of the album.
17 - Sea of Madness: As it happens, I listened to SIT on my commute yesterday. I sometimes feel like I should like this song more than I do. I had it at #34, but I now think that's a bit higher than it should be. Good but definitely not #17 level (and not at all better than the other SIT songs we've seen). This caused me to think that SIT might not be the 100% represented album, but now that it's shown up, I'm back to assuming all SIT songs will make an appearance.
16 - Sign of the Cross: So...I guess this is the song everyone was waiting for. I don't think I've ever heard it before (I haven't liked any of the Bailey material I've heard, so I didn't bother including them in my rankings). I just listened to it. I got really bored and wanted to stop it about halfway through. Damn...they sounded tired and uninspired, and the vocals are bleh. It picked up a bit around the 7:45 mark, but how this managed to grab such a high ranking is utterly beyond my comprehension. SEVEN top 10 finishes and two #1s?!
I'm guess that the top 15 will consist only of songs from the debut, Beast, Piece, Powerslave, SIT and SSOASS (plus one from Dance).
1. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
2. Somewhere in Time: 6 songs/214 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17)
3. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
4. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
5. The Number of the Beast: 4 songs/175 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18)
6. Piece of Mind: 3 songs/132 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19)
7. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
8. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
9. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
10. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
11. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
12. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
15. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
16. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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Actually, if you remove covers, The Beatles DON'T have 8,000 songs. In fact, I'd guess it's right around the Maiden number. They only had ten albums, and they didn't have a totally self-written album until their third (A Hard Day's Night) then not again until I think their sixth record, Rubber Soul. I know there's debate about covers, but even as a die-hard Beatles fan, I'd have no problem skipping the covers.
According to Wikipedia, the "main catalogue" consists of 188 originals, plus 100 post-breakup released songs, the only ones of which would likely get any run would be Free As a Bird and Real Love. I think 188 + those two songs would be manageable (or maybe 187 + 2 if you do the right thing and bar Rev9).
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[...]but how this managed to grab such a high ranking is utterly beyond my comprehension.
Bah! Infidel! :flame:
73 Children of the Damned - I like it, I do. But I don't really think there's anything about it that particularly stands out.
79 Sea of Madness - As I said earlier in this thread or the other one, I've listened to this song so many times trying to hear what others do but... I just don't hear it. It's good. But I don't hear the magic. And I think the production lets it down horribly.
2 Sign of the Cross - One of Maiden's best songs and Better with Blaze (tm). I knew it'd make the 75. Thought I might be the highest ranker but well done to jammindude and wolfking for giving it top spot :metal I literally laughed out loud the first time I listened to the song, back in, what, 1995, when the 'standing along in the wind and rain' part started. So clichéd. And I still find it funny. But I also love that part, just as I love the entire tune from start to finish.
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18 Children of the Damned
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (TAC)
17 Sea of Madness
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 3 (Setlist Scotty)
16 Sign of the Cross
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (jammindude, wolfking)
I had Children Of The Damned at #5. Obviously I love this song. One of my all time favorites. I thought Dream Theater did a great job covering it, particularly on the Osaka boot.
I had Sea Of Madness as Not Rated. I'm sorry. What a clunkfest.
I had Sign Of The Cross at #10. What a great song. It blew me away when I first heard it. Blaze is fantastic on it as well. Blaze in the original chorus has a ton of depth. And I'm so happy that they've played it on a couple of tours. Their presentation of it on the Legacy tour is incredible.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
8 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 36/25
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Sign of the Cross - well this is a polarising song. To have 2 rank this at number 1 is amazing but unlike Kev and Dave I am not that surprised to see it this high because there has been enough talk about it on this forum over the years that I know the love is there, just not with me but I did rank it at 42. This is the only song I ranked from Blaze's 2 albums.
Where did I say I was surprised to see it this high?
Sorry I am just assuming because you clearly don’t like it but yes I guess you did never say it. Where is my apology for missing me as the highest ranker of Children of the Dammed? 😋
I will have to revisit the master lists when I get home later. Sounds like an oversight on my part when doing the write-ups for this thread. :facepalm: :facepalm:
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Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
It is hard for me at this stage what songs should be on there and which shouldn't be, but I stand by being pretty stunned that a particular early song will have not make the top 75. I will not say what is till the countdown is over.
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Actually, if you remove covers, The Beatles DON'T have 8,000 songs. In fact, I'd guess it's right around the Maiden number. They only had ten albums, and they didn't have a totally self-written album until their third (A Hard Day's Night) then not again until I think their sixth record, Rubber Soul. I know there's debate about covers, but even as a die-hard Beatles fan, I'd have no problem skipping the covers.
I'm certainly in on a Beatles one and I would be in on a Kiss one. I'd do Metallica, but it would take some refreshing. I would do U2 as well. The problem with a Sabbath one is the same as Queensryche; I mean, I love the Tony Martin years, but there's a reason they toured arenas/stadia with Ozzy, big theaters with Dio, and clubs with Martin.
An AC/DC one would work, too.
I'm on the fence about Porcupine Tree. I'm not a fan and I'm not familiar, so if I did do it, it would be for conversation purposes only and would have to be time permitting (like Dave).
8,000 songs was obviously an exaggeration about the Beatles, but I just wonder how much interest there'd be here to do on them. As noted before, I don't want to do any countdown where I am getting less than 15 or so lists.
The odds of me doing one on Kiss are about the same as Margot Robbie falling in love with me this month, but if that happens, I will do the Kiss one, deal? :P
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Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
It is hard for me at this stage what songs should be on there and which shouldn't be, but I stand by being pretty stunned that a particular early song will have not make the top 75. I will not say what is till the countdown is over.
I'll guess it's my #19. At least, I don't think it has much of a chance anymore and it would be tragically underrated if that's really the song.
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The problem with a Sabbath one is the same as Queensryche; I mean, I love the Tony Martin years, but there's a reason they toured arenas/stadia with Ozzy, big theaters with Dio, and clubs with Martin.
Yeah, but what kind of venue is irrelevant for a list here. Lots of people here hold the Tony Martin Era's music in very high regard. You yourself mentioned that you love it. Plus the Gillan and Glenn Hughes material. I think it would make a great countdown with many surprises. I think there'd be a lot to chew on in that countdown.
If Kev did a Top 50 with 15 lists, I bet Ozzy gets no more than 25-28 songs. It'd be under 30.
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The problem with a Sabbath one is the same as Queensryche; I mean, I love the Tony Martin years, but there's a reason they toured arenas/stadia with Ozzy, big theaters with Dio, and clubs with Martin.
Yeah, but what kind of venue is irrelevant for a list here. Lots of people here hold the Tony Martin Era's music in very high regard. You yourself mentioned that you love it. Plus the Gillan and Glenn Hughes material. I think it would make a great countdown with many surprises. I think there'd be a lot to chew on in that countdown.
If Kev did a Top 50 with 15 lists, I bet Ozzy gets no more than 25-28 songs. It'd be under 30.
I would be in for Sabbath, I would actually be in for any band that has been mentioned but in terms of a Sabbath top 50 I'd say possibly up to 40 of my songs would be Ozzy.
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I'm an Ozzy fanboy. That said, I love the Dio era as well as Tony Martin. If I played albums Tyr back to back with Paranoid and Heaven and Hell you could literally change the name of the band. To me, Sabbath IS Ozzy, period. Its all perspective and taste. Good luck doing a Sabbath countdown. :metal
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Toady's songs feature two major winners and one major thud.
18 Children of the Damned
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 5 (TAC)
I had this at 29. Great song. While it definitely feels like they used the template from Sabbath's Children of the Sea, that came out two years earlier, it still manages to sound pretty unique.
17 Sea of Madness
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 3 (Setlist Scotty)
A monster tune, one that ended up in my top 10, at number 10! The spacey production really makes this song feel massive, and that pre-chorus ("Oh, my eyes they see but I can't believe") is one of their best little moments ever.
16 Sign of the Cross
Appeared on 21 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (jammindude, wolfking)
Because the original is unlistenable due to the atrocious vocals by their third horrendous singer (whose name is not worth typing), I gave the Bruce versions a few recent spins to see if this was any good. It's really not. Unranked.
Now we're getting into the nitty-gritty and one baffling inclusion in the top 75 and absolutely psychotic inclusion in the top 20........anyway...
Children of the Damned - I had this at #19. Just 1 off...Such a great song on a great album. Great soaring chorus, with moody verses, and some great interplay between instruments. Only have 2 songs higher than this from NotB.
Sea of Madness - This song definitely benefitted from my re-listening. It was always going to make my top 75, but color me a bit surprised when ranker spit it out in the top 20 at #16. The more I thought about it, the more I figured it deserved to be there. Just a great all around song!
Sign of the Cross - This landed at #148.....Remember how I said Maiden does the moody atmospheric intro better than just about anyone else out there, well before this countdown thread started I had completely forgotten the Blaze albums existed, and for good reason. For some reason, whatever magic the band had making incredible buildups in their songs was completely absent for the Blaze albums and this song just epitomizes my point. This song is such a slog to get through and Blaze sounds bored out of his mind. How this ended up in the top 20 completely baffles me. I'll have much more to say about Blaze in my Roulette thread in the next few days.....stay tuned.
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I'm an Ozzy fanboy. That said, I love the Dio era as well as Tony Martin. If I played albums Tyr back to back with Paranoid and Heaven and Hell you could literally change the name of the band. To me, Sabbath IS Ozzy, period. Its all perspective and taste. Good luck doing a Sabbath countdown. :metal
Yes this is also me.
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Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
It is hard for me at this stage what songs should be on there and which shouldn't be, but I stand by being pretty stunned that a particular early song will have not make the top 75. I will not say what is till the countdown is over.
I think the song Kev is talking about has to be on either Piece of Mind or the debut and I favour it coming from Piece of Mind. I think all the other 'big guns' left on Beast, Powerslave, SiT and SS will be there (along with one from Dance of Death) and the only remaining question is does the debut get more than 1 song remaining and how many more than 2 more from Piece of Mind.
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Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
It is hard for me at this stage what songs should be on there and which shouldn't be, but I stand by being pretty stunned that a particular early song will have not make the top 75. I will not say what is till the countdown is over.
I'll guess it's my #19. At least, I don't think it has much of a chance anymore and it would be tragically underrated if that's really the song.
Incorrect. :)
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The Realm did have Children of the Damned at number 4, so my post is updated to reflect that. My bad.
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I know the song, and I think Kev, as a new fan, might assume that it'd be there. But I never thought it had a chance. It's not on my list.
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I say this recognizing my #1 DT song was #67 on the full list... I am shocked, shocked (and not in the Louis Renault way) that Sign of the Cross was #1 on 2 lists and made 7 Top 10s.
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Even though I do not have a lot of regard for either, I was not surprised to see Sign of the Cross and The Clansmen do well in this, as they seem to get talked up a lot around these here parts.
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Re: the Queensryche possibility
I like the TLT stuff, but even I would completely agree with sticking to EP-PL. My only suggestion would be including HITNF and thus completing the classic lineup material.
And while I’m in favor of leaving everything else out, I would BEG for “The Right Side of My Mind” to be the lone exception.
This would be simple: Queensryche songs from the 80s and 90s allowed only. I know those who like some of the newer stuff would protest, but if I did a top 50, I cannot imagine anything post-90s having a chance in hell of making a cumulative top 50 by the band.
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COTD - 40 - Love the arpeggios of the main intro and verses, great tone. Epic tune in such a small space of time, really well done. Love the solo from Adrian. Can't help but to think Kirk took some inspiration for it for One.
SOM - 14 - I stoked to see this rated so high, such an underrated cut and Adrian's songwriting at its best. Possibly the heaviest riff they have ever done and really interesting too, there's not too many riffs quite like it. Adrian's guitar work is incredible here and love the melodic rock middle section. Adrian's fills at the end of the song are out of this world.
SOTC - 1 - TXF was I think my third Maiden album after TNOTB and NPFTD. I put it on and was instantly shocked but what I was hearing. Such a dark atmosphere and a totally different vocalist, it blew me away. The long prog middle section is outstanding and how the song finally explodes into Dave's tapping in the solo is wonderful. The key change into Janick's solo also takes the intensity up a notch. TXF got hammered by me each afternoon after school, I loved every second of it. The darker tones just fit me perfectly and this song has always epitomized what Maiden is about to me, and it's great the band haven't neglected it.
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Re: the Queensryche possibility
I like the TLT stuff, but even I would completely agree with sticking to EP-PL. My only suggestion would be including HITNF and thus completing the classic lineup material.
And while I’m in favor of leaving everything else out, I would BEG for “The Right Side of My Mind” to be the lone exception.
This would be simple: Queensryche songs from the 80s and 90s allowed only. I know those who like some of the newer stuff would protest, but if I did a top 50, I cannot imagine anything post-90s having a chance in hell of making a cumulative top 50 by the band.
100% agree Kev. I'm all in on that countdown if and when. I also want to say a huge THANK YOU for doing them. Doing a list is a lot of work so I can only imagine how tedious it can be. Here's to Kev :metal :hefdaddy
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Re: the Queensryche possibility
I like the TLT stuff, but even I would completely agree with sticking to EP-PL. My only suggestion would be including HITNF and thus completing the classic lineup material.
And while I’m in favor of leaving everything else out, I would BEG for “The Right Side of My Mind” to be the lone exception.
This would be simple: Queensryche songs from the 80s and 90s allowed only. I know those who like some of the newer stuff would protest, but if I did a top 50, I cannot imagine anything post-90s having a chance in hell of making a cumulative top 50 by the band.
100% agree Kev. I'm all in on that countdown if and when. I also want to say a huge THANK YOU for doing them. Doing a list is a lot of work so I can only imagine how tedious it can be. Here's to Kev :metal :hefdaddy
Yup. Nobody is as tedious as Kev. ;D
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I'd be down for a Queensryche or Sabbath countdown for sure.
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Re: the Queensryche possibility
I like the TLT stuff, but even I would completely agree with sticking to EP-PL. My only suggestion would be including HITNF and thus completing the classic lineup material.
And while I’m in favor of leaving everything else out, I would BEG for “The Right Side of My Mind” to be the lone exception.
This would be simple: Queensryche songs from the 80s and 90s allowed only. I know those who like some of the newer stuff would protest, but if I did a top 50, I cannot imagine anything post-90s having a chance in hell of making a cumulative top 50 by the band.
I think this would be an awesome countdown. To be honest this would be my number 1 vote to do next but I'm cool with what ever is decided. Kev - you really do these countdown so well, can't imagine it being done better, so we have to keep them going.
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I'd be down for a Queensryche or Sabbath countdown for sure.
I would love to see your rankings on both! :metal
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I think the Sabbath would be way more interesting because of the different eras.
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I could possibly be talked into doing 'Ryche next, while putting Porcupine Tree off till the fall. I don't want to get this thread too far off track, so I will check interest in the 'Ryche thread.
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I could possibly be talked into doing 'Ryche next, while putting Porcupine Tree off till the fall. I don't want to get this thread too far off track, so I will check interest in the 'Ryche thread.
Do a poll!
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I could possibly be talked into doing 'Ryche next, while putting Porcupine Tree off till the fall. I don't want to get this thread too far off track, so I will check interest in the 'Ryche thread.
Do a poll!
That feels too tedious.
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I could possibly be talked into doing 'Ryche next, while putting Porcupine Tree off till the fall. I don't want to get this thread too far off track, so I will check interest in the 'Ryche thread.
Do a poll!
That feels too tedious.
Be perfect for you then. ;D
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I think the Sabbath would be way more interesting because of the different eras.
(https://imgpile.com/images/RLoxVE.jpg)
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I'd put the Sabbath idea to rest now. I have zero interest in doing one on them any time soon.
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I'd be down for a Queensryche or Sabbath countdown for sure.
I would love to see your rankings on both! :metal
Dio and Martin stuff would far outweigh the Ozzy stuff.
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I'll have much more to say about Blaze in my Roulette thread in the next few days.....stay tuned.
What, to listen to you slate the shit out of him? Nah. But have fun :lol :biggrin:
Was excited to see so many new posts in this thread this morning. Got a coffee. Hudson hound dog can wait for his walk. Open the thread. And it's virtually all posts about whether a Kiss or Sabbath should be done! (My worthless contribution: neither!) And now the dog's cross. But I'm not going anywhere until my coffee is drunk.
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I'll have much more to say about Blaze in my Roulette thread in the next few days.....stay tuned.
What, to listen to you slate the shit out of him? Nah. But have fun :lol :biggrin:
Actually......well, you will have to wait and find out :biggrin:
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Crap, I had a Blaze tune in my EP. :lol
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I'll have much more to say about Blaze in my Roulette thread in the next few days.....stay tuned.
What, to listen to you slate the shit out of him? Nah. But have fun :lol :biggrin:
Actually......well, you will have to wait and find out :biggrin:
:lol
Always susceptible to a dangled carrot, me. (Not a euphemism.)
Actually, just going back to my last post, one exception was your write-up of Sign of the Cross, wolfking. Very much enjoyed that.
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I'd be down for a Queensryche or Sabbath countdown for sure.
I would love to see your rankings on both! :metal
Dio and Martin stuff would far outweigh the Ozzy stuff.
I respect your opinion/preference but nothing comes close to Ozzy for me. That's why a countdown would be pretty lopsided. But I would do it.
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Ok. Time for me to catch up. Don’t want to fall behind again.
20. To Tame a Land - Me #34
I too was underwhelmed by DTs version, but the original is a classic! The opening verses are a bit “busy” but Bruce nails it. Excellent example of the early NON repetitive epics. And Bruce SOARS on the ending.
19. The Trooper - Me #30
The beginning of “the gallop” sound that became their trademark. Always surprised by how *not* sick of this I get.
18. Children of the Damned - Me #27
I actually feel like I put this one too low. Just a monster track. The music is pleasant, but it’s mostly just background music to Bruce owning the verses. I especially love “if he had lived he would have crucified us all”…but there are several spots in the song where his delivery gives me goosebumps. He just puts on a clinic in passionate delivery without being cheesy.
17. Sea of Madness - Me #19
This has always been my #1 song from SIT without question. Easily the best chorus on the album and it’s not even close. The waterfall notes down into the minor chord just gives me chills every time. Probably a top 5 chorus of the entire classic period.
16. Sign of the Cross - Me #1
Can I just say :metal :metal :metal
And furthermore :metardica: :metardica: :metardica:
And another thing :2metal: :2metal: :2metal:
I unapologetically have this as my all time favorite Iron Maiden song, and I absolutely mean it! This song just freaking owns everything else in their catalog! Blaze is so in your face! I feel like he’s grabbing me by the shirt collar, pulling me in face to face, and bellowing “LISTEN UP MFer!!! I’VE SEEN SOME S***!!!!!”
The slow build up was the beginning of the new extended epic era of Maiden, and they’ve still never equaled it (but there have been some great songs). The commanding presence of the verses, the passion in the chorus, the slow eerie drop into creepy chanting, the bass starting the middle off-kilter march, the speed up to the solo, the climactic ending…everything I love about Maiden is in this song.
I was super excited when I heard Bruce was doing it on the reunion tour, but what I heard on Rock in Rio was a bit underwhelming. I did think the delivery was improved on the Legacy tour (which was a blast) but he never quite matches Blaze’s intensity.
But ya, all the ones who left it off are missing out.
UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!!!!!
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#18 - Children of the Damned - #34
Out of the non-singles from TNOTB, this song is my favorite. It sort of reminds me of Dio era Black Sabbath, and I actually like DT's rendition of this song. It was great to see live too. I prefer the version they played live on The Book of Souls tour. Having a third guitarist makes this song great by adding more atmosphere.
#17 - Sea of Madness - (Did Not Rank)
I like the groove of the bass and the drums. The vocal melody in the chorus is also pretty catchy and the part I enjoy about the song. I am liking that middle section the more I listen to this one. I am really starting to enjoy Somewhere In Time the more I listen to the songs individually.
#16 - Sign of the Cross - #13
I really mainly heard this once before I went to see it live. It was awesome, and the entire production during this song really enhanced it too with Bruce in the hood and the cross in the front. This song is the pre-curser to such other great songs that I like by them in the Reunion era. For The Greater Good of God also reminds me of this song as well.
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Kev, looking at the-list-no-else-had-access-to, would you say there are any "stunners", in your view? Both as songs you'd have expected to be there but aren't, and vice versa? I know you had mentioned a song a few pages ago that you were shocked wasn't showing up in many lists...
Just curious (without naming any names of course), so you can build some further anticipation ;)
It is hard for me at this stage what songs should be on there and which shouldn't be, but I stand by being pretty stunned that a particular early song will have not make the top 75. I will not say what is till the countdown is over.
I'll guess it's my #19. At least, I don't think it has much of a chance anymore and it would be tragically underrated if that's really the song.
Incorrect. :)
Glad :D Looks like I miscounted 16 songs that I'm positive will make it. There are only 14 of them... Now I'm wondering what the 15th song IS xD
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Here is today's update! :metal :metal
15 Flight of Icarus
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 1 (Glasser)
I had this at 14, but it dawned on me recently that I don't listen to this one nearly as much as I should for it being supposedly my 14th favorite by the band. Maybe it's because it is one of the few songs I liked prior to my full-fledged fandom of the last nine months. Either way, it's a winner of a song for sure.
14 The Number of the Beast
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (Stadler)
For me, this is a top 5 song without question, and it landed at 4 for me. I thought for sure this would be a top 10 tune, so it finishing at 14 is a little surprising, but a little unpredictability makes this exercise a little more fun, no?
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15 Flight of Icarus
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 1 (Glasser)
14 The Number of the Beast
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (Stadler)
OK, so when Kev announced that there were only 2 songs that were on all 27 lists I mentioned how amazing that stat was. So when I see today's two songs, I seriously cannot comprehend how both these songs aren't in everyone's top 75 - mindblown (I'd also add The Trooper and Children of the Dammed) and a few more still to be revealed but anyway....
I do have to admit though that I have probably ranked both these classics lower than I should have.
Flight of Icarus - 30 for me. Fantastic vocal by Bruce and great solo by Dave. In many ways a simple song but in other ways a perfect one. I have always preferred the faster live tempo to the album version (Live After Death is my fav version of the song) but the album version still rules.
The Number of the Beast - 23 on my list (yep should have been higher). This was the first Maiden track I ever heard (as a 13 year old in 1985). I was given the cassette of the album from a mate at school, took it home and when I went to put it on, I saw it was wound to side 2. 'Woe to you oh earth and sea.." came out of the speakers and immediately I was hooked. Then once Bruce started singing my love of Maiden was born. I had never heard vocals like that before. The lyrics, the melodies and the amazing solo section, what a song. Shame on the 3 people who didn't rank this classic.
So 13 songs to go, I remain pretty confident as to what they are and they are all in my top 20.
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52 Flight of Icarus - A good song but recorded a little too slow, I think.
16 The Number of the Beast - Another bona fide classic that's undoubtedly suffered, in general, from being overplayed. Wonderful intro, both the spoken word part and the start of the song proper. Not too many songs that begin with vocals.
44/18 for me. Very confident the rest of my top 20 will appear.
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Flight of Icarus (17) - A great song, one of my early favourites as I got into the band. I actually like the tempo as it is, it goes a bit too fast on the Live After Death album for me.
The Number Of The Beast (39) - A classic tune, indeed. I don't know why I don't rank it higher though. It just hasn't got that "wow!" factor that makes it click more for me.
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Actually, if you remove covers, The Beatles DON'T have 8,000 songs. In fact, I'd guess it's right around the Maiden number. They only had ten albums, and they didn't have a totally self-written album until their third (A Hard Day's Night) then not again until I think their sixth record, Rubber Soul. I know there's debate about covers, but even as a die-hard Beatles fan, I'd have no problem skipping the covers.
I'm certainly in on a Beatles one and I would be in on a Kiss one. I'd do Metallica, but it would take some refreshing. I would do U2 as well. The problem with a Sabbath one is the same as Queensryche; I mean, I love the Tony Martin years, but there's a reason they toured arenas/stadia with Ozzy, big theaters with Dio, and clubs with Martin.
An AC/DC one would work, too.
I'm on the fence about Porcupine Tree. I'm not a fan and I'm not familiar, so if I did do it, it would be for conversation purposes only and would have to be time permitting (like Dave).
8,000 songs was obviously an exaggeration about the Beatles, but I just wonder how much interest there'd be here to do on them. As noted before, I don't want to do any countdown where I am getting less than 15 or so lists.
The odds of me doing one on Kiss are about the same as Margot Robbie falling in love with me this month, but if that happens, I will do the Kiss one, deal? :P
I will MAKE THAT HAPPEN! :) :) :)
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#18 - Children of the Damned - #34
Out of the non-singles from TNOTB, this song is my favorite. It sort of reminds me of Dio era Black Sabbath, and I actually like DT's rendition of this song. It was great to see live too. I prefer the version they played live on The Book of Souls tour. Having a third guitarist makes this song great by adding more atmosphere.
It's pretty much the sister song of "Children of the Sea", which would also be in my Sabbath Top 10.
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15 Flight of Icarus: 100 - This one DEFINITELY suffered due to familiarity. It's a great song and should have been on my list, but at this point there are just other songs I want to hear more.
14 The Number of the Beast: #1 - I'm very much a "whatever your tastes are" kind of guy, and I totally get how the lists could be so different... except for this one. I put it at number one because I couldn't decide between the songs at 2 through 5, so it was a compromise of sorts, but this is what started it all. This is the song that literally EXPLODED Hartford on the Legacy tour (you can see it in the video that is on YouTube). The place ERUPTED. The scream is iconic, arguably the best scream in METAL and the second best in rock (Daltrey on Won't Get Fooled Again, because it came first). The solo by Murray is SO Blackmore and one of the more singable solos in the catalogue. I don't know. I don't know how this doesn't get in at least the top HALF of Maiden songs (which is roughly where 75 is, right?)
I have four of my top 10 revealed already, and I really, strongly fear I might only have one or two more show up at all.
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The odds of me doing one on Kiss are about the same as Margot Robbie falling in love with me this month, but if that happens, I will do the Kiss one, deal? :P
I will MAKE THAT HAPPEN! :) :) :)
:metal :metal
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The odds of me doing one on Kiss are about the same as Margot Robbie falling in love with me this month, but if that happens, I will do the Kiss one, deal? :P
I will MAKE THAT HAPPEN! :) :) :)
:metal :metal
I'm ALL IN on Kiss!!! I just messaged Margot Robbie to hit you up Kev! Maybe she'll join the forum and partake in a Kiss countdown. :lol
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Here is today's update! :metal :metal
15 Flight of Icarus
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 1 (Glasser)
I had this at 14, but it dawned on me recently that I don't listen to this one nearly as much as I should for it being supposedly my 14th favorite by the band. Maybe it's because it is one of the few songs I liked prior to my full-fledged fandom of the last nine months. Either way, it's a winner of a song for sure.
14 The Number of the Beast
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (Stadler)
For me, this is a top 5 song without question, and it landed at 4 for me. I thought for sure this would be a top 10 tune, so it finishing at 14 is a little surprising, but a little unpredictability makes this exercise a little more fun, no?
Flight of Icarus - I had this at #48. It's a great song, but not top 15 great......which leads me to.....
The Number of the Beast - This was my #47. Odd how these 2 songs ended up back to back in my rankings, just like the consensus. My point for Flight of Icarus stands with this song too. I don't know, I just feel like there are so many better Maiden songs, even though these 2 seem like fan favorites. :dunno: Don't get me wrong, I still love both songs, but....
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I'd be down for a Queensryche or Sabbath countdown for sure.
I would love to see your rankings on both! :metal
Dio and Martin stuff would far outweigh the Ozzy stuff.
I respect your opinion/preference but nothing comes close to Ozzy for me. That's why a countdown would be pretty lopsided. But I would do it.
Well, your list would be lopsided, but I put the over/under of Ozzy songs at 28.5.
In fact, I may work on my list today! ;D
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Crap, I had a Blaze tune in my EP. :lol
He loved it. In fact it opened his eyes/ears and now wants to redo his Maiden list.
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15 Flight of Icarus
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 1 (Glasser)
14 The Number of the Beast
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (Stadler)
I had Flight Of Icarus at #41. A fantastic and immediate track. So happy it made the Legacy setlist. It has been severely underplayed.
I had The Number Of The Beast at #27. This song rocks, big time. I echo Stadler's sentiments regarding the presentation of this song for the Legacy tour. It was incredible, and it gave this song a huge boost to me.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
29 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
8 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 38/25
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Crap, I had a Blaze tune in my EP. :lol
He loved it. In fact it opened his eyes/ears and now wants to redo his Maiden list.
Let's not go that far :lol
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I did not expect to see Icarus this high up. Pun intended. Great song, by the way. :metal
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Would have thought my ranking of Icarus at #6 would have been the highest. Nice it ranked so high on the aggregate, with 3 top 10s and a #1!
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#15 - Flight of Icarus - #2
This Maiden song has a lot of meaning for me. It was the first Iron Maiden song I remember hearing when I was about 8 years old. My dad would play the radio on the local rock station and would play this one quite a bit. I liked to sing along to the chorus in the car rides to the store. I was so glad I got to see this one live, and got to see the stage production as well.
#14 - The Number of The Beast - #41
The bass is what I enjoy most about this song. Bruce sings this song in a sinister tone and that's what I like about his voice. Everyone is firing on this song and it's always a blast to see live. It's ranked where it's at due to the ranker, and it feels about right. Being played a lot on the radio and elsewhere has made me lose my enjoyment a bit. Still a great song though.
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Flight of Icarus (#12)
Yes! I was starting to doubt this was going to show up. I LOVE this song, always have. This is Maiden at their most epic and concise at the same time, with one of my favorite chorus of theirs. I actually prefer the pace of the studio version. And that progression at the very end, my goodness, so great.
The Number of the Beast (#18)
Another classic it's hard to argue with. Such an epic beginning, then the urgent verses (with Clive's signature drumming) and than that chorus you just HAVE to sing along to. Fantastic stuff.
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I could possibly be talked into doing 'Ryche next, while putting Porcupine Tree off till the fall. I don't want to get this thread too far off track, so I will check interest in the 'Ryche thread.
FWIW, I'd definitely be in for QR but not for PT. I'd also do Sabbath, but I'd only be looking at the original Ozzy run, the three Dio albums, and a handful of songs from Born Again and Eternal Idoll.
15 Flight of Icarus
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 3
Highest Ranking: 1 (Glasser)
I had this at 14, but it dawned on me recently that I don't listen to this one nearly as much as I should for it being supposedly my 14th favorite by the band. Maybe it's because it is one of the few songs I liked prior to my full-fledged fandom of the last nine months. Either way, it's a winner of a song for sure.
14 The Number of the Beast
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 4
Highest Ranking: 1 (Stadler)
For me, this is a top 5 song without question, and it landed at 4 for me. I thought for sure this would be a top 10 tune, so it finishing at 14 is a little surprising, but a little unpredictability makes this exercise a little more fun, no?
I fucking LOVE both of these songs! Icarus is the song that started me as a Maiden fan. I remember seeing the video on MTV. You could actually hear the bass! The singer was incredible. Two guitars playing in harmony. Wait...what's that mascot? I must know more! That said, I "only" had it at #23 because the album is just so good!
Beast is on another level. Hearing it for the first time as a 15/16 year old kid who was raised in a very Catholic family, there was obviously something taboo here. The bible verse at the start. Cool! WHOA! That scream! Playing in 5/4...cool! More of the dual guitars AND a sort of bass solo after the guitar solos. I had it at #5, and it's my highest ranked song on its album. I'm now gearing up for the most overrated song in Maiden's catalog to rank higher these epic songs.
Not that this is a surprise, but, for the first time in a long time, a reunion era album does not sit in the #1 spot. However, reunion era albums still hold three of the top six spots.
1. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
2. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
3. Somewhere in Time: 6 songs/214 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17)
4. Piece of Mind: 4 songs/193 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15)
5. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
6. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
7. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
8. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
9. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
10. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
11. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
12. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
15. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
16. Iron Maiden: 1 song/21 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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Nice work as always with the score keeping, pg1067. :tup :tup
Update for everyone: 13-11 will be tomorrow, with the top 10 starting Monday. I will do two a day, meaning the top 2 will be revealed on Friday.
Fun fact: there were 18 songs in the top 75 that begin with "The." The Number of the Beast was the last one.
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FOI - 106 - This has always just been a good song to me. There's nothing wrong with it, I just like 105 songs better. The ending though is excellent.
TNOTB - 164 - Never really liked it, never. Overplayed and overrated IMO.
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20 To Tame a Land - unranked
This song feels overlong to me, without actually being too long. I just don't really enjoy this one, though I've given it plenty of chances.
19 The Trooper - finished at #21 on mine
This is a classic and rightfully so. The main riff is cool, the way the band disappears for the vocals before the gallops come in. If people want to know what iron Maiden sounds like,, this is basically the song to play them.
18 Children of the Damned - unranked
I've always found the chorus in this song to be very annoying, so that was my reasoning here to not rank it.
17 Sea of Madness - finished at #43 on mine
This took a while to click I think and there's lots of cool stuff happening musically. I don't really connect with it on an emtional level, but that's what we have our own lists for.
16 Sign of the Cross - finished at #19 on mine
Easily the best Blaze Bayley song, but even then it still kind of sucks (sorry!) until Bruce put his vocals on top. I'm glad they gave this song the live treatment it deserves even after Blaze's departure.
15 Flight of Icarus - finished at #54 on mine
Another classic track. I'm afraid we're not going to see my second favourite from this album, after already seeing this one and The Trooper up quite high, but we'll see. This is a fine song.
14 The Number of the Beast - finished at #58 on mine
This undoubtedly got ranked lower because of the 'overplayed'-factor, despite still being a fun and good song. There's something funny about shouting 'SIX .... SIXSIX' along to this song. I don't think anything in particular about this song is excellent, apart from possibly the main riff that's so recognisable that everyone who plays a little guitars knows at least a little bit of how it goes.
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My list in descending order (cursive being songs I ranked highest):
#74 22 Acacia Avenue
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#58 The Numbr of the Beast
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#54 Flight of Icarus
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#49 The Evil That Men Do
#47 Run to the Hills
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#44 The Parchment
#43 Sea of Madness
#42 The Nomad
#40 The Legacy
#34 For the Greater Good of God
#31 Rainmaker
#29 Ghost of the Navigator
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#27 The Clairvoyant
#25 The Clansman
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#21 The Trooper
#20 The Longest Day
#19 Sign of the Cross
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#14 Empire of the Clouds
#12 Montségur
#11 Coming Home
#9 2 Minutes to Midnight
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
#2 Fear of the Dark
#1 Hell on Earth
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Prisoner
The Talisman
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great
To Tame a Land
Children of the Damned
Ranked/Unranked split: 39/22
I think the rest of the top 13 will all be on my list.
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#16 Flight of Icarus - could be one of Bruce's best performances, the chorus and the outro to this one are insane!
#68 The Number of the Beast - yes, pretty low ranking but once more, there are too many good songs. It's a very fun song and the scream is legendary.
Fun fact: there were 18 songs in the top 75 that begin with "The." The Number of the Beast was the last one.
The one "The" song that I thought had a slight chance at this point is The Prophecy. It seemed less likely once I realized I have an EXCESS song in my predictions and not a deficit. And I'm beginning to wonder if Lightning Strikes Twice is that excess song...
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There's no way Lightning Strikes Twice will make the list at this point.
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There's no way Lightning Strikes Twice will make the list at this point.
Fans of the bad singer really are just holding out hope to see a third song by him in this (spoiler: don't hold your breath).
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Today's update is the last time I will feature three in one day, so enjoy the splurge! ;)
13 Wasted Years
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (toro)
This one almost seems too obvious, but I still had it pretty high, landing at 8. Definitely one of their best, and from their best record!
12 Phantom of the Opera
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 2 (Cool Chris)
Fans of the debut (of which I am one) will be thrilled to see this one! I had it at 35, and it could have been even higher. Excellent tune for sure. The live versions with Bruce are pretty darn excellent, but the original with Di'Anno is also excellent.
11 Revelations
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (nick_z)
This is another that could have been up or down 10 spots based on my mood, but it ended at 23 the day I locked my down, which feels about right.
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There's no way Lightning Strikes Twice will make the list at this point.
Fans of the third singer really are just holding out hope to see a third song by him in this (spoiler: it’s not happening but it should).
Fixed your post. Lightning, Futureal or Blood on the World’s Hands all deserve a spot.
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There's no way Lightning Strikes Twice will make the list at this point.
Fans of the third singer really are just holding out hope to see a third song by him in this (spoiler: it’s not happening but it should).
Fixed your post. Lightning, Futureal or Blood on the World’s Hands all deserve a spot.
Those 2 albums do have some great songs. Lord of the Flies, Man on the Edge, Look for the Truth and Como Estais Amigos all got in my list. And it's actually mental to be that LotF and MotE didn't get on the main list.
I was joking about Lightning, I had it at #166. Repetitive chorus and the parts feel disjointed from each other. I like the crashing down Janick solo though. I think my extra song is from PoM, and I hope it's the one I didn't have in my top 75...
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Bummer I just missed having the highest ranking for Phantom at #3. At times it has been #1 though. Revelations 33 Wasted Years 53.
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Wait a minute, my number one is in the top 10. Hell yes!
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Wait a minute, my number one is in the top 10. Hell yes!
You and I were the only two that had that song at number 1. :hat :hat
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Wait a minute, my number one is in the top 10. Hell yes!
You and I were the only two that had that song at number 1. :hat :hat
So, everyone else is wrong?
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Wasted years is my favorite of the bunch, but I never thought other people rank it this high up as well. I would have expected a placement between 20 and 30. Phantom and Revelations, however, are obvious top 15 material for most fans.
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Except for Revelations, I underrated most of the last few songs:
Flight of Icarus 62
Number of the Beast 51
Wasted Years 28
Phantom of the Opera 66
Revelations 4
I was thinking I might be the highest ranker for Revelations, although now, having seen some of the other songs that folks ranked in the top spot, I'm a little surprised this one didn't get a #1 ranking from anyone. As far as I can tell, this is flawless—the riffs, the pacing, the vocal performance, the lyrics, the solo, the sensation of flight. It's a glorious experience.
Going in to the top 10, we're getting into the territory of really obvious picks, but I'm curious to see how it shakes out. Was it ever revealed how many songs made it on every list? I love the variations in tastes that we've seen so far, but surely there can't be anyone leaving my favorite songs off their list, right? :D
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#56 Wasted Years - great uplifting song. Love the intro.
#84 Phantom of the Opera - surprised it didn't finish higher, but I guess I'm part of the reason ;) Very fun riff. I'm not a big fan of the vocals, but a lot of cool parts nonetheless.
#45 Revelations - beautiful song with beautiful lyrics. Just a great proggy song. Amazing singing too.
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Flight of Icarus (#13) - Always loved it since I’ve heard on videoclips shows. The studio version has the perfect pacing for this song, much better than LAD version.
The Number of the Beast (#43) - Great single and a well deserved classic.
Wasted Years (#6) - Amazing song with icredibles intro, solo and mood.
Phantom of the Opera (#7) - The first prog epic by Maiden and still sounds great even compared with all the greatness of a lot of future compositions.
Revelations (#67) - It shows from the start the quality and a bit of the diversity that Bruce’s songs would bring to Maiden.
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Wasted Years (#8)
Iron Maiden at their poppiest and yet such an epic, epic song. Main riff is genius in its simplicity. And its reprise around 2:30, with the build-up and then Nicko joining in with the beat and Harris' bass, is QUINTESSENTIAL Maiden and one of my absolute favorite moments in their entire discography. A no-brainer for my top 10.
Phantom of the Opera (#32)
Love how they just went all-in on this one. It manages to be "theatrical" and aggressive at the same time. I actually love Di'Anno vocals on this, and the extended instrumentals are just so cool. Pretty astonishing piece for a debut.
Revelations (#2)
Highest ranker! Bummed it didn't make the aggregate top 10, but close enough ;) Fantastic writing credit for Bruce here. Similarly to Flight of Icarus, I actually prefer the pace here than, say, on Live After Death, where if feels like the singing struggles to keep up. What can I say - this is pure brilliance. Such a masterful alternating "light and shade" feel. The clean guitars and Harris' bass carrying the melody, paving the way for the faster and more aggressive sections. And that harmonized part just after the 5-minute mark. So good.
Can't wait for the top 10 to be revealed. I have 4 already (Loneliness, Wasted Years, 22 Acacia Avenue and Revelations). I'm pretty sure the remaining 6 will feature in the aggregate top 10, but I'm very curious about the other 4. A couple of likely candidates show up in my top 20.
The race for "top album" is looking interesting too. Don't want to take away from pg1067's score-keeping. Just observing that NOTB likely has only one song left and, even in the most optimistic scenario, it won't be able to overtake Somewhere in Time (unless I'm wrong about what's coming for SiT - maybe that's what Kev has been alluding to??). Powerslave and Seventh Son will obviously make big comebacks, although the former is almost surely out of the running for top spot.
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13 Wasted Years
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (toro)
12 Phantom of the Opera
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 2 (Cool Chris)
11 Revelations
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (nick_z)
I had Wasted Years at #65. It's a damn fine song, and I would say I like it as much as the next guy, but....apparantly I don't. I would never consider this the 13th best Iron Maiden song.
I had Phantom Of The Opera at #4. Top 5 all time Maiden tune for me. Love it. All versions, but the version on the debut is my favorite. OG Progressive Metal.
I had Revelations at #45. I love Revelations, but I'm shocked honestly that this is this high.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
38 Run To The Hills
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 41/24
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If my 1, 3, 8, and 12 is in the Top 10, and I think they are, then my Top 20 will all be included in the list.
Heck, if my 22 and 25 are on the list, and I think they may be as well, then my 1-28 are represented.
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Man I was starting to sweat Phantom. I honestly have no idea how it is viewed by the faithful. It has always been toward the top from the first listen, and on another day it could have finished at #1 for me.
Wasted Years has to be the top Maiden fan favorite I just don't get.
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Well and truly into Classicsville now I see. Catching up:
Flight of Icarus: #44
The Number of the Beast: #23. Arguably the iconic Iron Maiden song. A flawless metal tune that finished this 'low' only due to over-familiarity. If Wildranger were to ask me "What is the objectively greatest Iron Maiden song that nobody on earth could argue with?", this tune would come in at #2 behind what I'm fairly sure is going to be this list's eventual #1 and for whose reveal I'm eagerly waiting in this cold cell.
Wasted Years: #19. And with the info that there are no more songs starting with 'The' to appear (which ends SSOASS's chance), this confirms to me that SiT will be the album to have all songs represented (because I'd say it's a fair bet that stuff like Flash of the Blade isn't going to make the top 10)
Phantom of the Opera: #17. I wrote in an earlier post that there was one song from the debut (not Phantom) that I would be sad not to see appear on the aggregate list because, to me, it's one of their most important songs. Phantom's appearance here tells me the song in question isn't going to appear. I'll wait till the end to discuss it further though.
Revelations: #14. My highest ranked song on Peace of Mind.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 46/19
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Those 2 albums do have some great songs. Lord of the Flies, Man on the Edge, Look for the Truth and Como Estais Amigos all got in my list.
One of those tunes took my #2 spot, and yeah, I'm fairly sure it's not gonna appear at all now.
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There's no way Lightning Strikes Twice will make the list at this point.
Fans of the third singer really are just holding out hope to see a third song by him in this (spoiler: it’s not happening but it should).
Fixed your post. Lightning, Futureal or Blood on the World’s Hands all deserve a spot.
Good call on BOTWH. Top 30 song for me.
It will be interesting to see everyone’s full list at the end.
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WY - 16 - Being a big melodic rock AOR fan, I loved this from the get go. Adrian knows how to write a nice tune. Not much to say, it's just a cracking song. I was blown away how good it was closing the show too on TBOS tour.
POTO - 59 - I guess I never really rated this as high as many do, but I still think it's a great song and really sums up everything Maiden is about. I am partial to live versions with Bruce though.
Revelations - 73 - Again, another which is an excellent song but never saw what others saw in it. Still brilliant enough to crack the 75 though.
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13 Wasted Years
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (toro)
12 Phantom of the Opera
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 2 (Cool Chris)
11 Revelations
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (nick_z)
Epic reveal today, as will be the case over the next few days. After today I still have 5 songs in my top 10 and 5 in my 11-20 to be revealed all of which I am sure will be there.
I know the Blaze fans are most likely very disappointed with the lack of representation from his albums, well that is how I feel about the the Dianno albums. Now that Phantom has appeared, this will be the last song from the first 2 albums (unless a major upset/omission occurs). I feel like the self titled could have easily had 3 (maybe even 4..) more songs in the countdown and Killers a couple more.
Wasted Years - 13 on my list. One of Maiden's catchiest and commercial sounding songs with some pretty special guitar playing by Adrian. Just a great song.
Phantom - number 10 for me. I thought this may have made it into the top 10. I love both Bruce and Dianno on this track.
Revelations - number 6 on my list. This is my highest ranking Piece of Mind song (but only just). There is just so much awesome stuff packed into this track.
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Except for Revelations, I underrated most of the last few songs:
Flight of Icarus 62
Number of the Beast 51
Wasted Years 28
Phantom of the Opera 66
Revelations 4
I was thinking I might be the highest ranker for Revelations, although now, having seen some of the other songs that folks ranked in the top spot, I'm a little surprised this one didn't get a #1 ranking from anyone. As far as I can tell, this is flawless—the riffs, the pacing, the vocal performance, the lyrics, the solo, the sensation of flight. It's a glorious experience.
Going in to the top 10, we're getting into the territory of really obvious picks, but I'm curious to see how it shakes out. Was it ever revealed how many songs made it on every list? I love the variations in tastes that we've seen so far, but surely there can't be anyone leaving my favorite songs off their list, right? :D
Yes, only 2.
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Today's update is the last time I will feature three in one day, so enjoy the splurge! ;)
13 Wasted Years
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 2 (toro)
This one almost seems too obvious, but I still had it pretty high, landing at 8. Definitely one of their best, and from their best record!
12 Phantom of the Opera
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 2 (Cool Chris)
Fans of the debut (of which I am one) will be thrilled to see this one! I had it at 35, and it could have been even higher. Excellent tune for sure. The live versions with Bruce are pretty darn excellent, but the original with Di'Anno is also excellent.
11 Revelations
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 6
Highest Ranking: 2 (nick_z)
This is another that could have been up or down 10 spots based on my mood, but it ended at 23 the day I locked my down, which feels about right.
Wasted Years - I had this at #29, which is the 5th highest of the songs on SIT. Thirteen seems REALLY high. It's a good song. Excellent opening riff and great chorus.
Phantom of the Opera - I had it at #7. When I started playing bass, I worked at a Baskin Robbins at a local mall. I was taking lessons at a music store at a different, nearby mall, so I would occasionally have my bass with me at work. The place where we'd take our breaks was in view of customers, and I'd occasionally pull out the bass and play along with the portable cassette player that we always had going. As a result, I met the guy who was the guitarist in bands with me for many years. This song is special. Easily the best of the Di'Anno albums. Tempo and rhythm changes. Harmony vocals (I guess it was just Di'Anno doing both harmonies on the record). Great stuff!
Revelations - I had this at #24. I never really liked the song until I heard the Live After Death version. MUCH better tempo and really changed my view of the song.
Once again, we have a new leader. Three consecutive "classic era" albums in the top three spots. Is the debut done? Hmmm... The four albums from No Prayer through VXI are going to be the bottom four. Poor No Prayer. I have a list of 12 unrevealed songs that, when this all began, I would have bet good money would be in the top 75, but two of them ain't making it.
1. Somewhere in Time: 7 songs/277 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13)
2. Piece of Mind: 5 songs/258 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11)
3. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
4. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
5. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
6. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
7. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
8. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 4 songs/107 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26)
9. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
10. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
11. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
12. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
15. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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Advance warning: I’m about to drop everything I missed, probably spread across multiple posts. Yes, everything. And it includes a lot of songs I really love, so I wrote long a lot of the time.
I listened through all of these in one sitting. What that drove home for me is a point that is fairly obvious, but still warrants mentioning: Holy shit does Maiden have a ton of great music.
41. Run to the Hills
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
It’s a good song, but not a great one, and definitely not a top 75 Maiden song. Only a small part of that comes from it being overplayed, although it is in fact incredibly overplayed. It’s just pretty simple compared to a lot of their other songs, and the chorus, which I take as a big part of the appeal, doesn’t blow me away. I also don’t like the lyrics, which caricature both sides of the issue.
The instrumental section is really strong, though, and the verses are quite good. Those are enough to place it comfortably in this range.
40. The Clansman
My ranking: #37
Now this is a great one. Very narrowly my favorite song on Virtual XI (ahead of #45 Futureal, which I assume is not making the list, and which I therefore feel justified in calling criminally underrated).
In contrast to Run to the Hills, this one is quite musically sophisticated, much more authentic and full of genuine emotion. The introduction alone is fantastic, so melodic and atmospheric. There’s also a lot going on in the instrumental section that I like.
This is the only song from The X Factor or Virtual XI on which I prefer Bruce’s performance to Blaze’s. This one actually does feel written for Bruce more operatic style, and really shines in his Rock in Rio performance. I love the burst out of the “We can’t let them take anymore” into the final vocal section, with Bruce exhorting the crowd to “Fucking scream it.” That said, the VXI version is good, too, and Blaze is capable of doing this song justice. He brings his own feel to it.
Above all others, this is the song that got me into Iron Maiden, and metal in general. So it has a really special place in my pantheon. It really speaks to the strength, I think, of this band’s discography that there can be a song this good that is this personally significant to me, and it’s out of my top 30.
39. The Evil That Men Do
My ranking: #57
This is one of my favorite of the frequently-played 80s hits. I just think it’s a really strong song, musically and lyrically. The verses have a really interesting sound, and the lyrics really complement them well. I like the lead under the prechorus, and while the chorus is repetitive, I don’t think it’s a particularly bad offender.
Great solo, too, which is interesting to hear Janick doubling on their modern-day performances.
38. 22 Acacia Avenue
My ranking: Unranked (101-125 range)
Ugh, this is the most frustrating Maiden song for me. Musically, it’s so, so good. Musically, it’s the second best song on The Number of the Beast. There’s a ton going on in a relatively short space. It’s really prefiguring the more progressive style of songwriting that they got more into on subsequent albums.
But I’m just disgusted by the lyrics, increasingly so as time goes on, and that fact alone knocks it down probably 60-70 spots. I get how lyrics don’t matter much for some people, but they do for me, and these make me actually uncomfortable while listening to the song, so it does not go on my list.
Tim argued that the story is primarily about rescuing Charlotte from a bad life. Yes, I agree, that’s the positive side of it. But that aspect comes in primarily toward the end, and before that there’s way too much reveling in the unpleasant and violent aspects of prostitution. You can write a song about rescuing someone from a bad life without lyrics like:
Beat her
Mistreat her
Make her get down on her knees
Bite her
Excite her
Do anything that you please
Abuse her
Misuse her
She can take all that you’ve got
Caress her
Molest her
She always does what you want
Like, those lines are so viscerally uncomfortable to me that I debated including them in my post, but I think it’s worth actually typing them out to be clear about what I object to.
37. Coming Home
My ranking: #62
As is probably well-known by now, I’m a huge fan of The Final Frontier, so this is a strange case where my placement of a TFF song is out of tune with the consensus in a downward direction. I really, really like this song, but it falls 9th on the album for me. That’s because it’s a little repetitive compared to most of the other songs on the album, and doesn’t have as much interesting stuff going on as the others.
That said, this is still a beautiful piece of music. I particularly like the way Bruce sings the verses. There are some beautiful lyrics there, painting some nice images, that he conveys really well. Then there is perhaps Dave’s best TFF solo and a good one from Adrian as well. The transition from the solo section to the chorus is really strong.
36. When the Wild Wind Blows
My ranking: #13
Now this is a little more like it. My fourth favorite from The Final Frontier, and it’s a really good one.
It’s another one of the songs that was instrumental in getting me into Iron Maiden, too. I was really drawn in by the story and the storytelling, and then the melodic richness kept me coming back. This is a perfect song for Bruce’s latter-day voice, where he really has a “storyteller” quality. And it’s one of those songs from the last few albums where one verse pours out after another, always remaining interesting and keeping the song moving forward.
One highlight for me is the transition out of the instrumental section, where we go from Dave’s solo into the heavy riff under “They’ve been preparing for some weeks now.” That section also includes the “I can’t believe all the lying” chorus, which comes in so naturally that it’s still hard for me to believe it’s coming up for the first time this late into the song.
Another highlight is the huge melodic riff that comes at the very end and transitions the song into the quiet outro. The intro and outro themselves also deserve mention.
35. The Parchment
My ranking: #4
Ah, I was wondering whether I would get the highest placement for this one! Congratulations on getting me by two spots, wolfking! To be honest, I hedged a little bit because this song is still so, so new. But the ceiling for it is #1. So it’s awesome to see it made it into the top 40, which is no small feat for an Iron Maiden song released in 2021, and that five people put it in the top 10.
Seriously, almost 10 months in, and I still get a feeling of excited anticipation when this song comes on. It’s hard to say exactly what makes it so, so special, but it feels like the culmination of something. It works wonders with its atmosphere. It weaves together so much complexity that it sounds deceptively simple. It uses repetition with variety in a way that accomplishes not boredom but increased interest.
And it uses storyteller Bruce to maximum possible effect. There are really just a few verse melodies; the song opens with six triplets that all have the same melody. But it preserves a sense of forward motion, and more: It makes me want to hang on every word, to hear what Bruce will impart next.
And then it takes us in a direction we didn’t expect. “Lord of light in the darkness our guide”… surely we are about to hear some more? Instead we get a solo from Janick… surely this is a solo section? No, instead we go into some of those huge melodic riffs for a while before we finally get a solo section a minute and a half later. Now the story (of an army marching for some dark but necessary end, perhaps?) is being told to us musically. Adrian’s solo over the one of those huge riffs during the seventh minute is monumental.
Finally, we get a new melody on guitar, and after a few teasing iterations, Bruce returns to resume the story with a new vocal melody. This one is even more captivating than the first, although not much less repetitive. The lyrics throughout, I should note, are not entirely clear, but they’re certainly evocative, some of them carrying real emotional power:
Wilderness a tyrant dream
Sell your soul not give them power
Slay upon the imperial crown
Witness now the witching hour
Bound himself to oath and king
Such loyalty, a shameless thing
Youth of agony still burn
Shedding parents’ blood
Never say a prayer to me
For this crime and treachery
Drinking from this cup of wisdom true
Many men will follow you
Now an army is raised
And our gods, they be praised
Death is but a guilted edge
Shall no more than we will pledge
Hear the cry we are ready to believe
Then gradually, oh so gradually, we build toward a sense of some sort of climax. Again, the climax is prolonged and prolonged and prolonged, as Bruce tells us something of clear import. And finally, out of what seems like another one of these build-up verses, the huge climax breaks out:
Like a fire in the sky
I can feel strength return
Heading for afterlife
Meet
Me
There
I heard some people say, in the first few months after the album was released, that they thought it should end shortly after this release. But I really, really think that would have blunted the impact of the song. We’ve been building up so long that we need the catharsis that the ensuing instrumental section brings. It’s a huge burst of energy, but a burst of energy of the specific type that The Parchment is capable of giving us. It’s not some out of place thing, it’s another stage in the evolution of this winding, twisting piece of music. Janick finally gets to really let loose with honestly one of his best solos, and then Adrian Smith takes us home, as he always should.
And it is fitting and necessary that this song ends with the same quiet atmospheric melody that opened it, which feels familiar but also strangely different, having just had the experience of the intervening 12 minutes.
So, in conclusion, I love this song. :biggrin:
34. 2 Minutes to Midnight
My ranking: Unranked (right around 100)
Yeah, I’m one of the guilty five who left this on the outside.
This is a very good song, but I’m just so tired of it. It’s probably the one that’s suffered most for me from being overplayed, actually. Other heavily played songs are ones I didn’t love that much in the first place (like Run to the Hills) or ones that have endured in spite of repetition (like *censored* and especially *censored*).
The intro and main riff are good, but they’re also that one riff that every metal band has used. The verses and chorus are solid, but they’re not really anything exceptional to me. And after hearing it two hundred times, I really just have a hard time getting excited about “Blackened pride still burns inside this shell of bloody treason.”
What still does get me excited about this one is the instrumental section, which is by far the best part of the song. There are a couple of good solos and some interesting things going on, especially in that quiet little break after Adrian’s solo. I’m on record about having Powerslave well down my album ranking (ahead of only the Di’Anno albums and the early 90s albums), but if there’s one thing they did really, really well here, it’s write interesting instrumental breaks.
33. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
My ranking: #14
Now this is more like it. This song is so, so interesting, especially musically. I don’t feel like the quite stuck the landing on everything they were going for here, but they went for so much that it has no problem landing as an elite Iron Maiden song for me.
The vocals coming in off-kilter compared to the timing of the riff in the intro is so weird that I’ve seen some people assume that it’s a mistake, but I think it’s very intentional and very fascinating. In the subsequent heavy part, the vocal part is still placed in such a place relative to the riff that you’re not quite allowed to get comfortable. It creates an interesting atmosphere, which complements the lyrics well, plus everything that’s going on is just so good. That main riff/melody is so memorable, and Bruce sounds great here. The return of that melody later in the song (after Janick’s solo) is another real highlight.
This song is a textbook case of Maiden using repetition the right way. The build-up of “Out of the darkness, brighter than a thousand suns” to Adrian’s stunning guitar solo is one of the highlights of the album.
This is a great song that really gets a lot done in nine minutes. One of their great achievements… and my #3 on A Matter of Life and Death. Awesome to see it get three top ten placements.
32. The Prisoner
My ranking: Unranked (76-85 range)
This one came very close for me, but fell just short. One of those songs that it broke my heart to leave out, but I only had 75 roses to give.
The best part here is the intro. I really like the attitude of that drum and guitar opening. All the vocal melodies are also really good, with the chorus being one of their catchiest ever. Would be nice if this one took the place of 2 Minutes to Midnight in their live rotation.
This song also features, to continue my broken record commentary, a very strong Adrian Smith solo. Dave’s is good, too.
Definitely understand devieira’s point about this being a specific type of mini-epic along with 22 and CotD. This is definitely my favorite of the three, partly for lyrical reasons, but it’s a cool style of song.
To me, this is #2 on The Number of the Beast. Yes, that means I only included one song, which I know is shocking. I think it’s a great album, but I think they have 11 greater ones.
31. Empire of the Clouds
My ranking: #23
This one keeps creeping up higher and higher for me. Early on, I was in the camp of “it’s a cool experiment, but it’s a mix of stuff that works well and stuff that doesn’t.” Seven years on, I’m now a huge fan—it’s narrowly my favorite on The Book of Souls. And I’m happy to see it get this much love.
This is one of Bruce Dickinson’s finest hours as a band member. He wrote this entire behemoth, and gave one of his greatest emotional vocal performances on it. I do agree with those who say the first 5-6 minutes and the ending are the strongest parts. These piano-driven sections where Bruce introduces the story to us are really powerful. The lyrics here are just gorgeous, and so evocative:
Drum rolled tight her canvas skin
Silvered in the sun
Never tested with the fury
With a beating yet to come
The fury yet to come…
In the gathering gloom
The story rising in the west
The coxswain stared
Into the plunging weather glass
And then there’s one of my favorite Maiden lyrics ever:
The airship crew awake for thirty
Hours at full stretch
But the ship is in their backbone
Every sinew, every inch
As for the band section, this is very much not traditional Iron Maiden. This is almost Iron Maiden being used as the backing band for this strange new project that Bruce is attempting. But their playing is well-suited to the song, and we do get an Iron Maiden instrumental section snuck in there. I feel like if you played this song to someone in 1985, it would be unrecognizable up until you hit that familiar-sounding riffing and that Murray/Smith solo section. As I say so often, it is Mr. Smith who elevates this section, and gives us a great lead-in to Bruce’s very powerful heavy vocal section.
The final three minutes are just exquisite. Bruce at his finest, beautiful lyrics, everything is here.
If they really do Bruce’s proposed limited-run full-album Senjutsu tour for die-hard fans… would there be a better encore than bringing this out with strings and brass? Even just at one show?
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30. The Legacy
My ranking: #10
This is another huge epic journey, even if it’s a good seven minutes shorter than Empire of the Clouds. Here, again, I concur with those who say that the opening acoustic section is the best part, but I think the rest of the song pays it off even better than Empire does, which elevates this to a top 10 Maiden song.
The acoustic playing (I assume largely Janick’s) is really beautiful and evocative on the intro, and pairs well with Bruce’s soft, almost lullaby-sounding, vocals. Then there’s that huge riff that breaks through the acoustic guitar. It’s heavy and somewhat ominous-sounding, but also so rich and melodic. Beautiful.
The heavier sections are also pretty strong. There’s again a heavy darkness and melodic beauty to the slow-moving vocal section. Love hearing ‘Arry’s bass during the “chorus” (“I can’t begin to understand in all the lies…”/“You had us all strung out on promises of peace…”).
And the final, fast section works well as a closer not just to The Legacy but to the whole AMoLaD album. Bruce takes an interesting approach here that I wouldn’t want to hear all the time, but which really works for this song. I only just noticed this time how closely that one riff on Empire of the Clouds is taken from this song, but it works in both places, so… oh well! Great Janick solo here, too.
29. Ghost of the Navigator
My ranking: #40
This is my favorite song on Brave New World, and I’m a little surprised that I actually agree with the consensus here (barring something really surprising, I guess). Not taken aback; I just didn’t know this was a popular view.
The intro here is just so, so, so good. That beautiful melodic opening building up into the heavy riff that plays under the verse. It’s one of those magical Iron Maiden moments. The vocal parts here are all absolutely excellent. It’s storyteller Bruce conveying a really beautiful story through some awesome melodies. There’s nothing not to love about that. Also a great instrumental section here, actually just beautiful.
The only thing that holds this song out of my top 30 is that I feel like the chorus takes up a bit too much of this song. I know it only occurs three times (after verse 1, after verse 2 and after the solo), but it’s such a long chorus that I think it might have been better to figure out a way to tease it more. Maybe holding back the “keep my heart and set it free” until the second chorus, a la Bridges in the Sky. That might give it a different flavor.
28. Dance of Death
My ranking: #19
Another fantastic reunion epic. This one is not as interesting to me lyrically as most of the others (it sort of feels like a new, improved version of The Number of the Beast), but musically it’s so good that it insists upon entry to my top 20.
That Janick acoustic intro plus storyteller Bruce intro strikes again to create something really mesmerizing. This one builds up gradually in a satisfying way until it breaks out into the awesome heavy part. The solo section, including the interlude part that the crowd sings along with on En Vivo! is a real highlight.
27. The Talisman
My ranking: #2 (highest ranking for this song)
Okay, it’s awesome to see this one made its way as far up as the top 30, knowing the general preference for their earlier material. This is, obviously, one of my very favorite Maiden songs and my favorite song off my favorite album. It gives a real challenge to my #1, although The Parchment poses a real threat to both.
Also, nice to see I got wolfking back for beating me on The Parchment. I’m interested in seeing if I can figure out a way to find who my closest match was, but honestly I might not need a formula when someone else put both The Talisman and The Parchment in the top 4.
This one is simply Iron Maiden storytelling at its very finest. The acoustic section is absolutely beautiful and oh so emotional. I love how it starts with a few more conventional-sounding lines before dipping into dactylic meter, which creates this gorgeous, flowing atmosphere. The lyrics here are incredible.
Inheritors unfulfilled, reason behind us
We flee from what is not, what is will be
We flee the earth and face our harsh reality
Will death be low mist that hangs on the sea
We run from evil tongues, rash judgments, selfish men
Never to be seen on these shores again
And then it just BURSTS out of the gates into this incredible, intense heavy section. The feeling of sailing through a storm in desperate search of a better life is conveyed so well by the music here. The melodies are beautiful and there are more gorgeous lyrics delivered so well by Bruce:
The spirits of the sunken crews
Their phantoms follow us
Spirit sails they drive us on through the all-consuming waves
Cold mortality no weapon ‘gainst these ever-raging seas
…
The birds outsoar the raging storm, but we cannot escape it
Abandoned earth that we now crave is many leagues from safe
Holding on for our dear lives and we’re praying once again
Rotten luck or just Jonahed, the talisman is in my hand
This is just so, so emotionally powerful to me. I’ve mentioned a couple of songs where an emotional acoustic intro isn’t quite matched by the rest of the song; well, this is the exception where they’re both so intensely emotional. Plus, this part of the song manages to be really heavy and intense while being so memorably melodic.
The intensity continues all the way through to the end, where we get the tragic twist that I’ve come to expect from Maiden: The protagonist makes it to America, but dies of sickness upon arriving. It’s sad, but it fits with the emotional note of the song.
This song just has everything. I never grow tired of it; I really love it. Absolutely great.
26. The Clairvoyant
My ranking: #29
Just about spot-on for me, rankings-wise! This is a really good one, one of the best short rockers in their discography. I love the buildup from the bass riff to open the song, the main theme is really great, and Bruce’s performance is really strong. The riffs have this nice sense of tension, and we get two separate verses before we finally arrive at the chorus, where everything is released. It’s a great song.
25. Hell on Earth
My ranking: #17
Props to DTA and Elite for having the courage to do for Hell on Earth what I didn’t have the courage to do for The Parchment. This is a fantastic song that might make it into my top 1- before all is said and done, but I feel like #17 is a good placement for it right now.
No doubt about it, this is a stunning song, and if it weren’t for Isle of Avalon/Starblind/The Talisman, this and The Parchment would be the best back-to-back pair in the Maiden catalog. I feel like I’m repeating myself, but this is one of those super melodically rich reunion songs that I just love. It’s got a quiet, melodic intro, and it just opens up and goes through so many huge themes in the first half. It’s just bursting with great material.
Then there’s the quiet middle section, where we get the Senjutsu reprise. I really love hearing those lines come back again in a different form, and it’s part of why I think, as good as Hell on Earth is alone, it’s even better as part of one of their finest albums. One of the highlights of the album is when this part just bursts open into “Love in anger…” Incredible.
I really hope they write another album one day so I can see them try to top The Parchment and Hell on Earth. But if they don’t… This is a really good finale.
24. Fear of the Dark
My ranking: #61
This is a good song, deserving of its top 75 place. But listening to this right after Hell on Earth also conveys, to me, a clear contrast that is not favorable to Fear of the Dark. This song has a lot of interesting riffs and melodies and it’s one I’ve gotten far less tired of than other songs that have been played as much as it has. It’s also been surpassed many times now.
Part of the thing about this song is that audiences have improved it through their own additions. The crowd participation that is now standard on this one adds an entire musical element that elevates the song on its own. The album version might not have made my top 75, audiences have ensured that it does. As a result, the intro and the instrumental break are such powerful moments.
As for the rest, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about here (chorus repetition is a non-problem here). I like the last verse the best. There’s an added intensity somehow when Bruce comes in on “Watching horror films the night before…”
This is a really solid Iron Maiden song with a lot going for it. I never really get tired of hearing it. It’s deservedly a classic. But it’s not one I’d put near the top 25 (I suspect I’ll be saying this a few times for the remaining entries).
23. For the Greater Good of God
My ranking: #7 (highest ranking for this song)
I’m a bit surprised I got the top spot on this one, but I’m glad a few others (including Kev!) had it in the 8-10 spots. I absolutely love this song. Absolutely great vocals here, again supported by progressive, melodic instrumentation. One highlight is the intro, and the transition out of it into the heavier music: “Or some that would believe a holy war winner… They fire off many shots…”
The two choruses here are really good. They just open the song up into these huge melodic sections. I really appreciate that they hold back the title chorus (repetition: not a problem here) until after two repetitions of the first chorus and a ton of verses. It gives that sense of them opening it up and giving you something even bigger than the big chorus you’re familiar with.
The highlight is the instrumental section. It just has this huge feeling, almost orchestral at times, and it’s full of beautiful melodies. That part after the solo section is just amazing.
22. Stranger in a Strange Land
My ranking: #31
Yes, so glad this one got a well-deserved high placement! Love the mid-tempo feel and slight groove it has. Great main riff. I love that there’s a lot of space given to the vocals, which add some emotion to Bruce’s performance and the lyrics. Great atmosphere on this one, too.
And, okay, I have spent a lot of time in this countdown saying “great solo by Adrian” or “Adrian does a wonderful solo here.”
Well, of all the wonderful Adrian Smith solos, this is the Adrian Smith solo. The Adrian Smith solo to end all Adrian Smith solos. It never gets old. So much atmosphere and emotion. It’s a small detail, but I really love how you hear someone say something like “hey” when the solo kicks into high tempo. Feels like an audio cue telling you to pay attention to what this guy is about to do.
21. Alexander the Great
My ranking: #12
People are wondering how this song ends up so low, but as you can see from other posts, there is a real contingent of Alexander skeptics.
Count me among the Alexander lovers. This is one of their finest songs ever. The story is similar to a lot of their other epics. There’s a lot of melody and a lot of really fascinating instrumentation. Here, one of the highlights is the intro, with an incredible little solo played by a certain Mr. A.S.
The other highlight is the instrumental section later in the song, which is just fantastic, possibly the best single section of their 80s output. Again a lot of the credit goes to Adrian’s soloing, but there is are also some fantastic melodies courtesy of Steve.
As for the lyrics: Yeah, they’re not the best. But I don’t mind them. They convey the story in a way that is largely uninspiring but still gets the message across. They’re effective enough to get me to think of Alexander the Great when I hear this song, which is enough for me. Overall, the vocal sections here are the weaker parts of this song, anyway. Not that they’re bad, but the main attraction is those transcendent instrumental parts.
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20. To Tame a Land
My ranking: #26
Depending what you think of Phantom and Hallowed, their first attempt at a true epic. I think this is at the very least an iteration on those in terms of ambition and song structure. And generally speaking, it holds up. The instrumental parts of this song are really good. Nice Eastern feel that doesn’t come across as artificial.
The intro is probably the best part, because it sets a really great atmosphere. We also have the climactic verse (“The time… has come… for him…”), which is very strong. The other highlight is the faster version of the main riff following that vocal section, leading into the guitar solos.
19. The Trooper
My ranking: #64
This is a post I’ve always known I would be making. The Trooper is a very good song; one of the best of their 80s hits. It is not this good. They have a ton of better ones. So, yeah, it gets #64 from me.
That said, this really is a very good song. It’s one that does not ever get old for me. The riffs and melodies are just that good. It’s a fascinating historical story, and I think the music conveys the feeling of that story pretty well. I agree with Tim about liking how Adrian and Janick both play the first solo since the reunion.
18. Children of the Damned
My ranking: Unranked (around #100)
Musically, this song is undoubtedly very good. It’s another one from Number of the Beast where the lyrics really hurt it for me. Sorry, but I don’t want to hear a description of a child’s gruesome death. That means I don’t listen to it as often as I otherwise world, and am not fully comfortable when I do listen to it.
That said, there is a lot of great guitarwork here, and Bruce’s performance is very good. It’s a strong song and I appreciate what it laid the groundwork for in the future.
17. Sea of Madness
My ranking: #51
Sometimes I feel like I should have put this higher, but it’s just tough to get a high ranking among all the amazing music they have. #51 is still a really good landing place in my book. I love this song. It features some great riffs and bass playing, along with some really memorable vocal melodies.
The highlight is the instrumental section, which features, yes, a very good solo from Adrian, and the calm vocal section that builds from “It’s madness…” to “On towards the sea we go,” and another really good instrumental part.
This song definitely deserves more attention from the band.
16. Sign of the Cross
My ranking: #6
Okay, I was starting to really get both anxious and excited for this one. I believed in it all along, but the ways and powers of Blaze haters are mysterious and obscure.
One of their very best songs, period. My personal top tier is my top 6, and then there’s a drop-off between six and seven, so this belongs, for me, in the same category as Isle of Avalon, The Parchment, Starblind, The Talisman and *redacted* (talk about anxiety and excitement… surely my #1 is coming, right?).
Sign of the Cross is a dark, melodic masterpiece. It starts in a funeral march, or perhaps a prison cell, and travels through a hurricane or an inferno, only to return to the funeral or cell. We are guided on our journey by Blaze Bayley (and I won’t hear otherwise; you bastards locked out all but two of his songs, let him have his moment*) who starts in a solemn, near-whisper as the song marches quietly forward, until it’s time for him to thunder out:
Standing alone in the wind and rain
Feeling the fear that is growing
Sensing the change in the tide again
Caught by the storm that is brewing
And it’s clear, if it wasn’t already, that we’re with a very different Iron Maiden, yet one that has some familiar hallmarks (“There’ll be penance to pay when it’s judgment day” *guitar melody*). This vocal section is laden with guilt, penance, yet also conviction:
Why then is God still protecting me
Even when I don’t deserve it
Though I am blessed with an inner strength
Some they would call it a penance
…
Holding communion so the world’ll be blessed
My creator, my God’ll lay my soul to rest
Then everything really dies down and the Gregorian chant returns. It’s time for the instrumental section, where we will slowly build back up to the return of the chorus. It’s a return that will have to be earned. I just love these instrumental twists and turns, the riffs and melodies that slowly build us up over the course of several minutes.
The highlight of the song for me is the part after the song has broken out into faster riffing where Dave Murray just bursts out with this incredible, super-fast solo. It’s cathartic, it’s really emotional. Janick’s solo is also good; it carries through on the promise of Dave’s. Then, after some more incredible, thrilling melodies, Blaze rolls back in to deliver the final chorus and bring us full circle:
Lost the love of heaven above
Chose the lust of the earth below
Eleven saintly shrouded men
Came to wash my sins away
And that is our introduction to a darkly brilliant Iron Maiden album that deserved better. Rest in peace: #39, Fortunes of War; #55, The Unbeliever; #67, Blood on the World’s Hands; #71 Judgment of Heaven.
*The production on The X Factor is not good, so I understand preferring the Rock in Rio version on those grounds, but I think the original is better both in tempo and in vocal performance.
15. Flight of Icarus
My ranking: #38
Wow, I didn’t know this one was as loved as all this. I kind of thought I’d be on the high end rather than the low end of it. My understanding was that it was seen as a bit too commercial. Nonetheless, glad to see it get some love!
I think this is a good early example of Maiden storytelling. Not only do the lyrics and vocals convey a (heavily modified) retelling of the Greek myth, but the music really does a great job of giving a sense of the events. The chorus seems to be soaring, as does the first solo section, especially Dave’s solo. Then, after the final chorus, we get this breathtaking solo from Dave that really conveys the sense of flailing and plummeting into the sea.
This is one of a few songs that is absolutely better in studio for reasons unrelated to instrumentation or singers. They just play it too fast live.
14. The Number of the Beast
My ranking: Unranked (around #100)
Yeah, okay, whatever.
Look, it’s a good song. It’s a very good song. There’s nothing wrong with it. Rather atmospheric (especially in the intro), good riffs, good vocals, good solos. Silly lyrics, but inoffensively silly (I guess unless you’re a fundamentalist Christian, but I’m not one).
But I just look at all the songs they have.
And no. This is not their 14th best one.
13. Wasted Years
My ranking: Unranked (76-85 range)
This is probably my first song out. Just a heartbreaking one to omit, because it’s a really good song and I like it a lot, but I just didn’t have room for it with all the Virtual XI songs (including ones about ethereal beings and people who like to hang around Las Vegas) I was busily adding to my list. :P
But seriously, this is a really good song. I love the intro, and the verses and chorus are strong and memorable. If I were to rank again today, maybe it would slip in at #74 or #75. It’s that close.
12. Phantom of the Opera
My ranking: #46
I love this song. Herein lie the foundations for their flowering into a truly progressive band writing interesting, complex songs. And this is one of them, a great song in its own right. The vocal sections are pretty simple, but really fun to sing along to. I prefer Bruce on this song; it feels built for his more operatic style.
The highlight of this song is, of course, the instrumental section. From Dave’s slow solo through a lot of sections with great, melodic riffing and some really thematically appropriate faster solos, this is the foundation for all the great Maiden instrumentals that were to come. It’s always really exciting to listen to.
11. Revelations
My ranking: #11
The last time, I’m fairly, confident, that my ranking will line up with the overall one, unless my #9 drops too early.
I don’t know quite what it is about this one, but ever since I heard it, it’s just been one of my very favorite Maiden songs. I love everything here: the riffs, melodies, solos, vocals and lyrics. The intro really builds a lot of anticipation for me, and the main riff is quite epic. The vocal sections are all real highlights for me. The opening and closing hymns are really good, but the centerpieces are the softer verses and the heavy choruses that contrast with them. They’re just really powerful and epic.
For me, the Live After Death version of this song will always be definitive. Bruce’s voice isn’t pristine, but there’s something about the energy there. Unlike Flight of Icarus, I like the higher tempo. And there’s that moment. “Los Angeles, can you feel it? She came to me with a serpent’s kiss…” What a moment.
This is also a surprisingly progressive song for Bruce’s first solo songwriting outing. There are a lot of moving parts in this, a lot of instrumental sections, and it all comes together really nicely.
My list so far (43/65):
70. Blood Brothers
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
62. Coming Home
61. Fear of the Dark
59. These Colours Don't Run
57. The Evil That Men Do
53. Remember Tomorrow
51. Sea of Madness
50. Dream of Mirrors
49. The Red and the Black
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
46. Phantom of the Opera
43. Out of the Silent Planet
42. Montségur
40. Ghost of the Navigator
38. Flight of Icarus
37. The Clansman
31. Stranger in a Strange Land
29. The Clairvoyant
28. Only the Good Die Young
27. The Book of Souls
26. To Tame a Land
25. If Eternity Should Fail
24. The Longest Day
23. Empire of the Clouds
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
19. Dance of Death
17. Hell on Earth
15. Lord of Light
14. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
13. When the Wild Wind Blows
12. Alexander the Great
11. Revelations
10. The Legacy
7. For the Greater Good of God
6. Sign of the Cross
5. Isle of Avalon
4. The Parchment
3. Starblind
2. The Talisman
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Phantom of the Opera: #17. I wrote in an earlier post that there was one song from the debut (not Phantom) that I would be sad not to see appear on the aggregate list because, to me, it's one of their most important songs. Phantom's appearance here tells me the song in question isn't going to appear. I'll wait till the end to discuss it further though.
Based on your list, I am thinking the song you are talking about from the debut is not the same one I have been referencing, but that is a conversation next week after the countdown is done. :tup :tup
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With Phantom, and Remember Tomorrow before it, I can't imagine anything else from the debut ranking higher.
I would honestly be shocked if a song from the debut was yet to come. I am, however, surprised that one song from the debut didn't make the countdown, but again, we can discuss it next week.
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I feel pretty confident I know what the ten are, but that confidence scares me because I still have a mild doubt about my #1.
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With Phantom, and Remember Tomorrow before it, I can't imagine anything else from the debut ranking higher.
I would honestly be shocked if a song from the debut was yet to come. I am, however, surprised that one song from the debut didn't make the countdown, but again, we can discuss it next week.
Prowler.
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I feel pretty confident I know what the ten are, but that confidence scares me because I still have a mild doubt about my #1.
Great, write ups as always 425, I love your passion even though I disagree with lots of what you have to say :)
Your number 1 song is coming for sure.
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With Phantom, and Remember Tomorrow before it, I can't imagine anything else from the debut ranking higher.
I would honestly be shocked if a song from the debut was yet to come. I am, however, surprised that one song from the debut didn't make the countdown, but again, we can discuss it next week.
Prowler.
Unless there is a major upset the debut is unfortunately done. Looking forward to discussing what missed out but yes I am also really surprised about one song missing out but I guess I can also see why too.
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Finally able to review my list. Only 2 songs in my Top 10 have yet to be revealed. I am 100% confident they will make the cut.
2 songs from the debut is disappointing - I had 6 - though maybe not all that surprising.
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Finally able to review my list. Only 2 songs in my Top 10 have yet to be revealed. I am 100% confident they will make the cut.
2 songs from the debut is disappointing - I had 6 - though maybe not all that surprising.
Yes, I also had 6 and all of mine were actually in my top 50.
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Great write up 425! Enjoyed it so much I ran out of time to write mine. :lol
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#13 - Wasted Years - #58
I really enjoy the melody of the intro and the chorus. It's also a great song to sing live. I've heard it quite a lot so it's a reason the ranking is low. It's still a great song and is the only song I knew from Somewhere In Time.
#12 - Phantom of the Opera - #40
When I first heard this song, I thought the bass intro was amazing. This song really fits Di'Anno's vocals, both him and Bruce sound great on it. I also enjoy the studio's production, I find it to work for some reason. The grittiness of the bass, the vocals, and the rhythm of the song. I'm glad the song made it close to the top 10.
#11 - Revelations - #56
I don't really care much for the intro and first verse, but after that it's great. Bruce's vocals are amazing, the bass sounds awesome, and the solos kick ass. Nothing much else to say.
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Finally able to review my list. Only 2 songs in my Top 10 have yet to be revealed. I am 100% confident they will make the cut.
2 songs from the debut is disappointing - I had 6 - though maybe not all that surprising.
Yes, I also had 6 and all of mine were actually in my top 50.
I had every song from the debut in my top 46 to be exact.
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21 Wasted Years - The opening riff is a seriously overplayed trope but when the song is this good, who cares?
7 Phantom of the Opera - Lucozade. It wouldn't be for years after that advert that I discovered Maiden and someone told me about the link :lol For the uninitiated, here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj87n_dEwRU
20 Revelations - This is certainly one tune that really does benefit from its Live After Death performance but I like the album version, too, although it's just a smidge too slow. What vocal and bass performances, in particular.
47 ranked/18 unranked
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The top 10 is here!! Well, numbers 10 and 9 today!
(https://media4.giphy.com/media/l0CPbjYU8276ahvLa/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611d5e482845ddcfe13be386bcc273ac8d764a21bd7&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
10 Infinite Dreams
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 9
Highest Ranking: 1 (senecadawg2)
Killer song. This didn't totally win me over at first, but eventually it did, which is why it finished at number 2 on my countdown. This might have been number 1 if I liked the sound of Seventh Son... more (it sounds a little thin, not as much oomph as their other 80s albums), but the song is still more than good enough to have been my number 2.
Edit: it is worth noting that I believe this song was at number 1 on the list I had to reject, so had the list been usable, I believe this would have finished a couple spots higher.
09 Moonchild
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (romdrums)
This one likely would have been quite a bit higher for me as well with a better mix/production, but it still finished at 37, which ain't bad at all. There are a couple songs I was surprised to see finish top 10; this was one of them.
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Both great songs, but I do prefer Moonchild. I've also never had an issue with the production on SSOASS.
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Holy shit, Infinite Dreams was NOT on my list of 10 songs I expected would still come.
Aaaaah
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53 Infinite Dreams - Love the guitar noodling.
60 Moonchild - Listening to this again now trying to understand why it'd be a top ten song and, to be honest with you, I'm struggling. It's good. Really good but top ten? Looking forward to reading the insights of those who rated it as such.
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I'm shocked Moonchild came in top 10.
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Wasted Years: #94 - I just don't dig this song. I love the album, and it fits the record nicely, but it's not a song I really go to on it's own.
Phantom Of The Opera: #66 - I recognize it's greatness, and it's place in the catalogue, but this is a song that never really grabbed me, and once I heard the epic on TNOTB, this lost a lot of it's luster and magic. Still, a good tune.
Revelations: #80 - Might should have been higher. I like this song. It just gets lost in the shuffle in a lot of ways. It's the first real "Bruce" song in the catalogue, but, again, like TPOTO, he topped it pretty soon after (Powerslave) so it lost it's luster a bit.
Infinite Dreams: #36 - Great tune from a great album.
Moonchild: #69 - Very good tune, but I am STUNNED that this is this high in the countdown.
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I just bought an Iron Maiden tribute magazine from Classic Rock/Hammer, and they have a "Top 50 Iron Maiden Songs!" feature. It's fascinating to see that compared to my list as well as our group list.
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I really need to do all my write ups. I can’t remember where I fell off of doing them, nor why, but I have been following along and damn this list has been great!
It’s getting close and a lot of great songs aren’t on the board yet, top 8 could be very interesting
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Infinite Dreams: #12 (and my first Bingo line! That completes the teens). This is the only song whose position I would change if I could redo my list. I've listened to the SSOASS album a few times since submitting it and I'd now put Infinite Dreams in the top 5. Love it.
Moonchild: #28. Add me to list of people who are surprised to see this in the top 10, but it's still a top-notch song from an almost flawless album.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#29: The Parchment
#28: Moonchild
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#12: Infinite Dreams
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 48/19
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I mean, I kind of knew it anyway, from the roulettes that I regularly lose, but I am REALLY out of touch on Maiden. I guess I'm in the game in terms of loving them (they're a top three band for me) but when it comes to songs...
75 Only the Good Die Young
73 No Prayer for the Dying
72 Starblind
70 Sea of Madness
69 Moonchild
66 Phantom of the Opera
65 The Wicker Man
62 2 Minutes to Midnight
61 Deja-Vu
58 The Evil That Men Do
57 Killers
51 Ghost of the Navigator
45 Run to the Hills
43 The Red and the Black
41 The Prisoner
40 The Nomad
39 Sign of the Cross
38 Dance of Death
36 Infinite Dreams
34 If Eternity Should Fail
33 Isle of Avalon
32 The Clairvoyant
31 Fear of the Dark
29 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
28 Lord of Light
26 Death of the Celts
25 Prodigal Son
23 Hell on Earth
22 Still Life
20 The Longest Day
17 Blood Brothers
15 Dream of Mirrors
13 Coming Home
10 Murders in the Rue Morgue
8 Stranger in a Strange Land
7 Children of the Damned
1 The Number of the Beast
By my count, 37/30. I can't see more than two, maybe three, of my remaining top 15 making it, and I don't see ANY "Bingo!"'s in my future.
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Nice Katy Perry gif Kev.
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Nice Katy Perry gif Kev.
:loser:
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10 Infinite Dreams
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 9
Highest Ranking: 1 (senecadawg2)
Killer song. This didn't totally win me over at first, but eventually it did, which is why it finished at number 2 on my countdown. This might have been number 1 if I liked the sound of Seventh Son... more (it sounds a little thin, not as much oomph as their other 80s albums), but the song is still more than good enough to have been my number 2.
Edit: it is worth noting that I believe this song was at number 1 on the list I had to reject, so had the list been usable, I believe this would have finished a couple spots higher.
09 Moonchild
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (romdrums)
This one likely would have been quite a bit higher for me as well with a better mix/production, but it still finished at 37, which ain't bad at all. There are a couple songs I was surprised to see finish top 10; this was one of them.
Well...here we go.
Infinite Dreams is the Power Windows of Maiden songs. Such overrated tripe. Starts off like Maiden's attempt to be lounge lizards. A bunch of sections awkwardly strung together. The only part worth a damn is the "help me" section. Needless to say, it was not in my top 75.
Moonchild, on the other hand, is epic. My #2 song on the otherwise mediocre SSOASS. I had heard Can I Play with Madness on the radio before the album was released, so I had relatively low expectations for the album. Moonchild gave me hope, although that was quickly dashed when Infinite Dreams came next. I ranked Moonchild at #8.
We now have "classic era" albums in the top 4 spots, and I'm assuming those four albums will produce four of the final eight songs. Also, congrats to Somewhere in Time for clinching the album championship (assuming its one missing song is still to come)! In fact, if my assumptions are correct, the current top four will be the final top four (although the order of 3-4 may vary). Kev, sorry if this is too much spotlighting...let me know and I'll delete.
*1. Somewhere in Time: 7 songs/277 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13)
2. Piece of Mind: 5 songs/258 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11)
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 6 songs/240 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9)
4. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
5. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
6. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
7. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
8. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
9. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
10. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
11. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
12. Dance of Death: 3 songs/78 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
15. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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By the way...looking at the spreadsheet I've been using to create the standings...
From 56-75, the spread was relatively even between "classic" (including Di'Anno) and "reunion era" songs: 11 "classic" and 9 "reunion."
From 23-60, the spread is slanted toward the "reunion era" almost two to one: 24-13 (plus one Bailey song).
From 9-27, we've had only three "reunion era" songs (and none since #24), plus one Bailey song, against 15 "classic era" songs (including one Di'Anno song).
So far:
Reunion Dickinson: 30
Classic Dickinson: 29
Di'Anno: 6
Bailey: 2
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Well and truly into Classicsville now I see. Catching up:
Flight of Icarus: #44
The Number of the Beast: #23. Arguably the iconic Iron Maiden song. A flawless metal tune that finished this 'low' only due to over-familiarity. If Wildranger were to ask me "What is the objectively greatest Iron Maiden song that nobody on earth could argue with?", this tune would come in at #2 behind what I'm fairly sure is going to be this list's eventual #1 and for whose reveal I'm eagerly waiting in this cold cell.
Winner of the internets for a week in my book :lol :tup
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I hope the bells begin to chime before #1 :neverusethis:
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Your list says there’s 6 songs from SS but there’s only 4.
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infinite Dreams is an outstanding track, I had it at 14. I actually don't mind the production on Seventh Son, it's the best Nicko's bass drum has sounded. Moonchild didn't make the 75.
Also, something tells me Powerslave is about to stage an epic comeback.
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My prediction: 1 each from NOTB, POM, SIT, SS, and DOD. And 3 from PS.
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10 Infinite Dreams
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 9
Highest Ranking: 1 (senecadawg2)
09 Moonchild
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (romdrums)
Into the TOP 10!!!
I had Infinite Dreams at #8. Great tune! I love everything about it. A travesty they didn't play it on the Maiden England tour in 2012.
I hadMoonchild at #36. Excellent tune as well.
I'm shocked Moonchild came in top 10.
Yes, me too.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
38 Run To The Hills
36 Moonchild
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
8 Infinite Dreams
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 43/24
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pg1067, nah, you're fine, and some of these other predictions seem pretty solid, but let's not spotlight and get too specific by naming names, please. (even if some of the ones coming are pretty obvious). :)
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Kev, while we're on the subject, should I lay off referencing the Classic Rock Top 50 until yours is done? (I don't mind.)
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Kev, while we're on the subject, should I lay off referencing the Classic Rock Top 50 until yours is done? (I don't mind.)
Yes, please. :tup :tup
That can be part of the fun post-countdown chatter along with all of us listing our highly ranked songs that didn't make the top 75. :metal
Incidentally, your number 4 song ranked very high for me as well, so I will be on that "I can't believe this didn't make the top 75" bandwagon.
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SSoaSS is my favorite Maiden album, and these two are two two of my favorites, Infinite Dreams obviously being top of them all. I can understand how one might not be wild about the production—in fact, I think I might like some more oomph in there, as well—but at the time when I first discovered the album, this was not on my radar at all, and now it's got its hooks in me.
75 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
74 Stranger In A Strange Land
73 Blood Brothers
72 The Duellists
70 The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
67 The Prisoner
66 Phantom Of The Opera
65 For The Greater Good Of God
63 Only the Good Die Young
62 Flight Of Icarus
61 2 Minutes To Midnight
58 The Legacy
57 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
52 The Trooper
51 The Number Of The Beast
50 The Evil That Men Do
49 Out of the Silent Planet
48 Rainmaker
47 Judas Be My Guide
45 Montesegur
42 Sea Of Madness
41 Still Life
40 The Red And The Black
39 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
38 Starblind
37 Ghost Of The Navigator
36 Lord Of Light
35 The Book Of Souls
33 The Clansman
31 Empire Of The Clouds
28 Wasted Years
24 Fear Of The Dark
21 Can I Play with Madness
19 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
18 Sign Of The Cross
17 The Clairvoyant
15 No Prayer for the Dying
14 Moonchild
13 When The Wild Wind Blows
10 Alexander The Great
9 If Eternity Should Fail
7 Children Of The Damned
6 Dance Of Death
5 Coming Home
4 Revelations
1 Infinite Dreams
Unranked
The Nomad
Heaven Can Wait
Brave New World
Run To The Hills
Hell On Earth
Murders In The Rue Morgue
Remember Tomorrow
The Parchment
The Talisman
22 Acacia Avenue
The Longest Day
Isle Of Avalon
Deja Vu
Dream Of Mirrors
To Tame A Land
The Wicker Man
Killers
Death of the Celts
These Colours Don't Run
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
My split is 46/21
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Kev, while we're on the subject, should I lay off referencing the Classic Rock Top 50 until yours is done? (I don't mind.)
Yes, please. :tup :tup
That can be part of the fun post-countdown chatter along with all of us listing our highly ranked songs that didn't make the top 75. :metal
Incidentally, your number 4 song ranked very high for me as well, so I will be on that "I can't believe this didn't make the top 75" bandwagon.
WOW. Just WOW. That song was one of the ones I assumed WOULD still make it. I may only have one left out of NINE SONGS in my top fifteen that haven't been named yet. MAYBE two, but my confidence is shaken and now I'm not so sure.
Then again, I had a B-SIDE in my TOP FIVE. So there's that.
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Kev, while we're on the subject, should I lay off referencing the Classic Rock Top 50 until yours is done? (I don't mind.)
Yes, please. :tup :tup
That can be part of the fun post-countdown chatter along with all of us listing our highly ranked songs that didn't make the top 75. :metal
Incidentally, your number 4 song ranked very high for me as well, so I will be on that "I can't believe this didn't make the top 75" bandwagon.
WOW. Just WOW. That song was one of the ones I assumed WOULD still make it. I may only have one left out of NINE SONGS in my top fifteen that haven't been named yet. MAYBE two, but my confidence is shaken and now I'm not so sure.
Then again, I had a B-SIDE in my TOP FIVE. So there's that.
I’m with you in that I’ll be very sad not to see that B-side listed. Top 20 for me.
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Your list says there’s 6 songs from SS but there’s only 4.
Damnit...fixed it now.
My prediction: 1 each from NOTB, POM, SIT, SS, and DOD. And 3 from PS.
Same, which means there are two from the debut that I'd have bet any amount of money would be in the top 75 which won't be.
pg1067, nah, you're fine, and some of these other predictions seem pretty solid, but let's not spotlight and get too specific by naming names, please. (even if some of the ones coming are pretty obvious). :)
Thanks, and for sure.
Kev, while we're on the subject, should I lay off referencing the Classic Rock Top 50 until yours is done? (I don't mind.)
Yes, please. :tup :tup
That can be part of the fun post-countdown chatter along with all of us listing our highly ranked songs that didn't make the top 75. :metal
Incidentally, your number 4 song ranked very high for me as well, so I will be on that "I can't believe this didn't make the top 75" bandwagon.
WOW. Just WOW. That song was one of the ones I assumed WOULD still make it. I may only have one left out of NINE SONGS in my top fifteen that haven't been named yet. MAYBE two, but my confidence is shaken and now I'm not so sure.
Then again, I had a B-SIDE in my TOP FIVE. So there's that.
At the moment, only 5 of my top 10 have been revealed, and I remain nearly positive that the other 5 are still to come.
6 of my 11-20 have been revealed. I'm positive one more is still to come and that the other 3 won't make it.
9 of my 21-30 have been revealed. I'm fairly positive the one that's left will make it, but I'm quite surprised it's this high.
Here are some highlights of my top 75 that haven't been revealed and I don't think have any shot of being in the top 8:
11. Sun and Steel - I've loved this song forever. The guitar solo in particular kicks serious ass. Wouldn't be surprised if I was the top ranker for this one.
37. Transylvania - Such a cool instrumental and fairly mature for such a young band.
52. Sheriff of Huddersfield - I'd be willing to bet that I'm the high ranker for this song. Maiden has always had a great sense of humor, and this exemplifies that (and it's catchy and fun otherwise).
61. Gangland - Yes, it's the lowest ranked song from TNOTB, but it's still really good. Not sure why people don't like it.
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Everything not featured as of yet still has a shot to be featured in the top 8. ;)
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Everything not featured as of yet still has a shot to be featured in the top 8. ;)
Awesome...Sheriff of Huddersfield for the win!!!
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Everything not featured as of yet still has a shot to be featured in the top 8. ;)
Awesome...Sheriff of Huddersfield for the win!!!
Made my list!!
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Infinite Dreams (#2)/ Moonchild (#15) Seventh Son is also my fave Maiden album and it has a lot to do with the fact that my fave songs from the album are among my very favorites from the band. Infinite Dreams manages to encapsulate everything Maiden has best, with something a bit different, like that incredible beginning. Amazing song, it goes from something beautiful to “evil” perfectly, with a lot of prog in only 6 minutes. Sure Moonchild would benefit a lot with a better production, like SIT, but it’s really great, like the heavier twin of Infinite Dreams.
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ID - 20 - What an amazing song, I love the tempo shift into the chorus. Then the Aces High model of transposing the chorus from E minor to G minor. There's a few things going on musically in this one too. The middle section where it hints at G major, a change to A minor before the solo and then a shift to F# for Adrian's solo. Lots of cool shit, wonderful song.
MC - 53 - A great heavy opener with a majestic wonderful chorus. Still shocked to see it fall at number 9, but you can't argue with the facts.
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10 Infinite Dreams
Appeared on 24 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 9
Highest Ranking: 1 (senecadawg2)
09 Moonchild
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 5
Highest Ranking: 3 (romdrums)
Infinite Dreams - number 5 for me and my number 1 song from SS. This song encapsulates everything that is awesome about Maiden and the solo section is outstanding. Bruce, is also on fire on this album as a whole and he does a great job on this song including that legendary scream.
Moonchild - 18 on my list and yeah, sure could have been higher. No issue from me that this made top 10. Love the intro including that strong use of keyboards, it really builds and then the song has this amazing tension throughout. The vocals on this track are some of my favourite from Bruce, he really sells this song.
The remaining 8 songs are all in my top 15. 4 in the top 10 and 4 in 11-20. The order is the great mystery...
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Everything not featured as of yet still has a shot to be featured in the top 8. ;)
It's out of our hands now, so how do we feel?
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Fantastic Seventh Son update today!
Infinite Dreams (#3)
Obviously hard disagree with pg1067 on this one...I guess we will have to file it in the same bin as Power Windows, i.e. pure greatness that, in this case, eludes you :biggrin:
For me, this is pure class...Iron Maiden at their most sophisticated, but without losing an ounce of their "edge". So much cool stuff going on. And since I was referring to (my) quintessential Maiden moments when I talked about Wasted Years, here is another one: the harmonized guitars around the 4th minute, reprised about a minute later. Absolute musical bliss, with a fantastic drum part by Nicko. Actually, the whole instrumental section is amazing, but that part just takes it to a whole new level.
Moonchild (#4)
Close to being the highest ranker on this one. I wasn't sure what the general level of appreciation was for this song, and I'm SO happy to see it in the top 10. Great intro with the synths (after the acoustics), building up the tension, and then...BAM! The band is positively on fire for this one. I find the contrast between the sheer speed of the song and the "airy" production kind of brilliant. Fantastic chorus too.
My prediction: 1 each from NOTB, POM, SIT, SS, and DOD. And 3 from PS.
That's my prediction too (and many others', I'm sure ;)). I have to say, speaking of top 10 surprises, I don't think I was expecting the remaining song from POM (if that's what it is, of course) to be THAT high. I mean, it's a great song, but I didn't realize it was so highly regarded. Well, I guess we'll discuss IF and when it's the case...
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#10 -Infinite Dreams - #36
This is an excellent song from Seventh Son. The guitar solo is amazing. Bruce is awesome on this as well and one where the Synth adds some extra atmosphere to the instrumental. It is fascinating that it made it into the top 10.
#9 - Moonchild - #22
I really got into this one live when they opened with it. It was a great way to open the show, the pace of the song is a great energy to set the pace of the show. I remember the people next to me singing along to it, they were really into the show and singing along to the songs, jumping and getting excited when they played these songs. I like the guitar melody in the chorus and especially Bruce's vocals. I don't mind the production on Seventh Son and it actually makes the album for me.
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My prediction: 1 each from NOTB, POM, SIT, SS, and DOD. And 3 from PS.
That's my prediction too (and many others', I'm sure ;)). I have to say, speaking of top 10 surprises, I don't think I was expecting the remaining song from POM (if that's what it is, of course) to be THAT high. I mean, it's a great song, but I didn't realize it was so highly regarded. Well, I guess we'll discuss IF and when it's the case...
Yeah, I agree with this even though I have this 'remaining song' ranked 7 I didn't think it would finish top 10 and then we have another song from POM that missed out all together which I guess is a way more polarising one but still one I rate fairly highly (33 for me).
jammindude's prediction is spot on unless there is a major upset...
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What a disappointingly underwhelming start to the Top 10. They both made my list, but not what I'd consider top tier Maiden songs.
I am trying not to parse through the list too much and project what songs are left, so as to keep some level of suspense. My #1, #3, and #12 are still in play, and locks for the Elite 8. I am reasonably confident in what 4 of the other 5 are. I am stumped on the 8th.
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#83 Infinite Dreams - It took me some time to realize that I don't think it's the masterpiece everyone claims it is. I love the chorus and the lyrics, and the instrumental part with the scream. But those are things I wrote about so many songs by now and they just do it better imo. Also, Maiden trying to be all chill and groovy in the verse just doesn't talk to me.
#31 Moonchild - now this is a song I feel bad about underrating! That intro is legendary and Bruce sounds wicked here. Add this as #23 to my top 10 Bruce performances list ;)
Just one hell of an opening track. I'm surprised it got so high too though.
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Since I apparently fell off at the 62 mark, and we’re in the final run, I thought I’d just do a full reaction to everything that has gone down so far. Sorry for the looooooonnnnnngggg post.
75. Death of the Celts
This was my number 28. Pretty much Clansman part 2, and I really love the instrumental section. I actually love this song, my second highest ranked from the Senjutsu album.
74 The Duellists
This one didn’t make the list. One of only two that didn’t make the list from the Powerslave album. Brilliant song though.
73. Can I Play with Madness
As the second lowest Seventh Son track on my list, this arrived at number 30. Really not super strong, but too damn catchy to fall below the halfway line.
72. Rainmaker
Made my number 41. Should have been the opener of Dance of Death imo. It’s a great fast rocker, one of the very best from Dance of Death and an absolute stunner live.
71. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Didn’t rank. Too long, too slow and one of my least favourites on one of my favourite albums.
70. Out of the Silent Planet
Almost made my list, but due to the disparity between my first and second runs, this dropped to about 83rd overall. I actually way prefer the album version with the extended melodic intro over the leap straight to the chugging from the single version.
69. No Prayer for the Dying - Not ranked. Feels like Infinite Dreams Jr. to me (not the akbum’s only comparable moment with Seventh Son) and landed at about 121st overall. Good song though, just not one I come back to.
68. Déjà Vu
I have a major love/hate relationship with this one. It landed at 77th the first time but 113th the second. Currently on an up with it though. Still, when this isn’t a super strong song off of a majorly amazing album, it’s hard to not feel let down with this one.
67. Judas Be My Guide
Didn’t make the list either time, but it’s absolutely growing on me. Great song.
66. Heaven Can Wait
Number 43 for me! Great hooks, great solos and it gets stuck in my head every time I listen to it.
65. These Colours Don't Run
I’m surprised this didn’t make the list, especially when I have 7 songs from AMOLAD on the list. Landed at 78 in my second list, and I think that’s fairly right.
64. If Eternity Should Fail
Didn’t rank. Great intro, especially live, but it’s a bit of a slouch and the whole Necropolis thing never sat right for me.
63. Prodigal Son - Didn’t land, but again rising up for me. Really unique in the catalog, I wish I’d given it more of a chance, but there are a lot of better songs.
62. Wrathchild
Landed at 51. Way overplayed, but it’s a great little punk rocker that I think really defines the sound of the Di’anno era.
61. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Love the song and it arrived at number 53 on my list. Every part of this song rocks, even if it might feel a little disjointed between the rocking instrumental dominant backhalf and the vocal dominant ballad half. I’d love to see this come back again, as it’s one of my favourite songs from the Maiden England tour.
60. Brave New World
Worst title track to any Maiden album. Great title, but really do not care for the song. I do like the harmony at the end of the solo, but it’s my least favourite song from it’s album leaving it as one if the three that didn’t make it.
59. Only the Good Die Young
One of the two that didn’t make the cut from Seventh Son, but very good album closer. Huge energy, a great bass solo and bringing the intro of the album back to let it go full circle? Love it!
58. The Wicker Man
In my opinion, this is a modern classic and hits at number 34. Yeah, I know people don’t have the best relationship with the reunion era, but this is a great song and a huge statement of “we are back!”
57. Still Life
Not on the list. It’s a great song but it’s a bit out there and one of the few on Piece of Mind that don’t really fit anywhere really.
56. The Nomad
This is a juggernaut of a song with a really unique solo section (even if it turns out this was stolen from Beckett). I have always really liked this song and it deserves its place at 39 on my list.
55. Remember Tomorrow
Deserves a spot on my list, but falls a little short. You know that the band thought highly of it back in the day since this is the song that got Bruce the job. Bring it back to the setlist!
54. Killers
This is my number 13. It’s an awesome song that feels so very Di’Anno to the point that I don’t know if Bruce ever really did this the full justice. Great song!
53. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
My number 20 and highest from Brave New World. I can see why a lot of people wouldn’t have this so high, but I just love it! The little bit of studio outtake afterwards actually really shows how happy they were to be back together.
52. Dream of Mirrors
This one was actually my 54, so I’m not too far behind the actual rank here! Maybe a little roo repetitive for its own good, but damn it’s a fun journey.
51. Isle of Avalon
72 on my list and one of only four to make the list at all. The big jam section in the middle is such a cool vibe, as is a lot if the song, but I’d have loved it even more if the first section was a little shorter.
50. Montsegur
Such a great rocker, landing at my 58. This really could’ve been a vaulted Powerslave song that finally saw the light and it’s absolutely criminal that it was never played live.
49. Lord of Light
Epic! That’s the only word for it. This was my number 45, so 49th feels pretty right. Wish this could’ve stuck around a little longer than the original Matter of Life and Death tour.
48. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
This is the other one that didn’t make the list for me from Somewhere in Time. I can’t really out my finger on it, but this song just never came together for me.
47. Starblind
Didn’t make it, but man I love it. The vocal and riffing feels very disconnected though, but the instrumental section is fantastic! The riff at 5:04 is my favourite riff from Final Frontier and actually one of my favourite riffs ever.
46. The Book of Souls
My number 36. I love everything about this more and more every time I hear it. Was pretty amazing when I saw it in 2016 too!
45. Murders in the Rue Morgue
My 42nd place and it deserved better. This is a song that really could’ve been the opener on Killers if Ides wasn’t there. So fast, so groovy, I LOVE IT!
44. Blood Brothers
Blood Brothers was only just above Wicker Man on my list, making it to number 33. This is such a great live singalong, but on the record it just sits a little too far back. If I was taking the live versions into account, I reckon this would’ve been higher.
43. The Longest Day
I read what you guys have to say about this song. None of you are wrong in thinking that the chorus doesn’t really suit the song. But despite that, I LOVE IT! This was my 17th spot and that might be a little high, but it really is a fantastic song.
42. The Red and the Black
Number 24 and deservingly so. Such a great song, even if more so once Bruce stops telling the story of the song. This contains one of my absolute favourite Maiden riffs at the end of the instrumental section.
41. Run to the Hills
This was my 63. It had to be included, but I am really over this song. There are so many better tracks from Maiden and I get this one was kinda the big one but it just gets drowned out by so many better songs before and after. This was my third lowest ranked off of Beast.
40. The Clansman
My number 15 in both lists. Don’t care if you love or hate Blaze, this song is brilliant.
39. The Evil That Men Do
The solo alone bumps it into number 23 on my list. Adrian’s masterpiece solos wise. Glad this one has stood the test of time in the setlists, making it to many tours since Bruce’s return. Hope I get to see this one in Australia again soon.
38. 22 Acacia Avenue
This was my number 48. Pretty good song, easily the best in the Charlotte story. This is due for a return to the setlist, having been missing since 2003 and clearly being a DTF fan favourite.
37. Coming Home
I can’t believe this didn’t make my list. Such a great ballad, the last truly great one Maiden have produced to date for my money. I could stand to see this one played again.
36. When the Wild Wind Blows
I love this song enough that it made my number 12. Lyrically, it’s a really haunting number. Instrumentally, it’s repetitive but fantastic. Wish I’d actually been well enough to have memories of seeing this live in 2011.
35. The Parchment
One of the few that hasn’t really clicked for me from Senjutsu yet. Not ranked. I think this is a little overlong and not as great as the songs either side of it on the album.
34. 2 Minutes to Midnight
I said in my Duellists writeup that two songs from Powerslave didn’t make my list. This is the other. I’ll always be happy to see it live, but on the album I’ve always found it skippable. Hey Kev, how many lists did this not appear on? Just mine?
33. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
This one was my number 67, the second lowest ranked of the AMOLAD songs that did make my list. I do really like this, but there’s just so much other great content in the album that it hasn’t made it higher up.
32. The Prisoner
Number 68, believe it or not! Number if the Beast is an album that gets a lot more credit than it deserves for me. The songs still rock, but it never hit me the same way it did so many. The Prisoner is a really solid song, but they’ve done a lot better. I do love hearing Adrian and Bruce singing together int the chorus in live versions though.
31. Empire of the Clouds
I used to love this song a lot more when it first came out, but it has come to settle at number 66(6). Gotta love the backhalf when the guitars really come in but this song reuses riffs from a song I love a whole lot more and doesn’t really use them any differently, nor better. It’s great that Bruce got such an ambitious passion project of a song on the album though and it makes a pretty good closer to Book of Souls.
30. The Legacy
This was my number 3. Should have been my number 2, would’ve been my number 2, but on the day I swapped out my number 2 and my number 3 and I HIGHLY regret it. The Legacy is such a great song and a hell of an album closer.
29. Ghost of the Navigator
64th place and lowest charting Brave New World song. I don’t have a whole lot to say here. It’s good, but there’s many I like a lot more.
28. Dance of Death
74th. Man, this is such a good song though. Live versions would’ve ranked a lot higher, but I find the acoustic verses a little lacking on the record.
27. The Talisman
My number 16! Epic in all the right ways and my second favourite from Final Frontier.
26. The Clairvoyant
I had this at 21. I love the contrasting moods of this song. The intro and solos are so upbeat and the whole rest of the song is really dark. Fantastic writing.
25. Hell On Earth
My number 7. Can’t wait to see this live, but it’s one if my favourite album closers ever from Maiden. If the intro was just a bit shorter in the clean section, it would’ve been even higher.
24. Fear of the Dark
Made it to 65. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t stand the album version of this song, even in context with the album. While I also stand with many fans worldwide in feeling like this song could come out of the setlists for a while, it really is one of the best songs live and there’s no better way to experience this one.
23. For the Greater Good of God
My 32nd place (so I’m actually right, if the numbers were mirrored). Great vibe, but the solo section is where this song really lifts for me. Wish I’d gotten to see it on Legacy of the Beast, seeing as it got traded out on this year!s run, I don’t think it’ll be back.
22. Stranger in a Strange Land
Love it! Didn’t deserve to end up at my number 70 in my submitted list. Had it been higher as it deserved to be, this probably would’ve been in the top 20. Has such a cool vibe and I love that it kinda sets up a future album. Should’ve been played on the BNW tour, or at least made the full run of Ed Hunter Tour.
21 Alexander the Great
This was my number 19, but I wish I’d put it lower. I think we’re maybe buying into the legend of this song a bit too much as the lyrics of this one are a bit of a “Bruce reads the textbook to a cool jam session”. Nonetheless, that instrumental section is fantastic. Fingers crossed it happens one day.
20, To Tame a Land
My number 25, so not too far off. Love the instrumental sections, but the lyrics are a little gibberish if you don’t know the source material. Cool harmony to end it out and really cool album closer.
19. The Trooper
My number 26. One of my favourite of the permastaples for sure. Not gonna waste time saying anything you already know, so check out the cover by 2Cellos is what I have ti say here.
18. Children of the Damned
Number 29. Cool song, loved seeing it on the Book of Souls tour. Great to see this one get so high up.
17. Sea of Madness
I’m so glad this made the top 20. Such a great song that has been criminally overlooked by the band. One of the very best Adrian songs of all. Why do I only have this at 62?
16. Sign of the Cross
Even with Blaze’s vocals, this is my number 5 pick. Fantastically proggy and such a great kick off to the latter half of Maiden’s career.
15. Flight of Icarus
61. It’s a cool song but it’s a little boring outside of the live performance, held back by it’s tempo. Would love to see it for myself one day and I hope that, since they’re having so much fun playing it, it gets to stick around a while longer.
14. The Number of the Beast
Bingo! I had this at number 14. Brilliant song!
13. Wasted Years
Best concert closer that I ever saw. Another fantastic song by Adrian, giving me another fantastic Adrian and Bruce duet chorus. This was my number 8.
12. Phantom of the Opera
This was my number 9. Chaotic and amazing and a statement of intent for pretty much the entire Maiden catalog.
11. Revelations
This was my 18th spot. Great track that I haven’t gotten to see live for myself but I really really want to.
10. Infinite Dreams
My number 38. Such a great song! I’ll never get sick of listening to this one or jamming to it on guitar. I think it’s a tragedy they didn’t bring this back on the Maiden England tour.
09. Moonchild
My third favourite Iron Maiden album opener found itself at number 22 on my list. So ominous, but with a super catchy chorus and an awesome trade off solo to boot!
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It's strange how most of the people are bewildered about the placement of Moonchild. How did it end up at number nine then? ;D
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It's strange how most of the people are bewildered about the placement of Moonchild. How did it end up at number nine then? ;D
Looks like a lot of us just had it in decently high ranks, but not at the very apex. Compare it with Infinite Dreams - it has four more top 10 finishes, but it's missing from more lists too. I would expect The Trooper or 2 Minutes to Midnight to be top 10 on a consensus ranking, and Moonchild top 20. There's one other song that I'm predicting will make it that I feel the same about.
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Here comes numbers 8 and 7! :metal :metal
08 Paschendale
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (425, Cool Chris)
I probably underrated this a bit, as I had it at 44, but not sure I see it as a top 10 tune. Many did, however, hence its high finish. This is the only song in the top 10 that isn't from the 80s.
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 2 (romdrums)
Somewhere in Time is the only album where every song from it finished in the top 75, which makes sense to me since I think it is their best. And the opening track is the highest ranked from it. I had this at 12, so I obviously am thrilled with its high finish here.
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Oh, so this is interesting. We now have our top ten of reunion era songs:
1. Paschendale
2. For the greater good of God
3. Hell on earth
4. Dance of death
5. Ghost of the navigator
6. The Legacy
7. Empire of the clouds
8. Brighter than a thousand suns
9. The Parchment
10. When the wild wind blows
I am fine with this. :tup
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This is the only song in the top 10 that isn't from the 80s.
Bloody hell... spoiler alert :lol
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Nope, not a spoiler, just a fact!
Considering how popular their classic era is, the reunion albums collectively did pretty well here, and as the highest ranked song from it in the top 75, Paschendale deserves its flowers for it in real time (rather than getting the "Oh, Paschendale was the highest ranked reunion era song" treatment a week later).
I had Paschendale at 44, and it was my 17th highest ranked song from the reunion era, so that is pretty good. The other 27 were all from the 80s, but the reunion era getting 17 of my top 44 spots is pretty darn good.
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Paschendale: #57. The biggest surprise of the list for me. It's a very good song but there's no way I thought back when this started that it would make the top 10.
Caught Somewhere In Time: #31. Another surprise, I didn't think this would end up being the most popular song on Somewhere in Time (I have 5 count 'em 5 songs from that album above this one). Fantastic tune though. Their best opening track? Let me think. No, that one is - I suspect - still to come. But it's one of the Holy Trinity of Maiden Openers along with [redacted] and Moonchild.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#57: Paschendale
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#31: Caught Somewhere in Time
#29: The Parchment
#28: Moonchild
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#12: Infinite Dreams
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 50/19
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Paschendale (#22)
Just missing my top 20, this is my second highest-ranked song from Dance of Death, after the title-track. Maiden at their cinematic storytelling best. Fantastic quiet/loud contrasts and some epic vocal lines.
Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
Nailed the aggregate ranking! Brilliant, brilliant opener for the album of (almost) the same name. The guitars set the stage beautifully, the whole band enters and then...THAT gallop! We've talked about this earlier on this thread, I think, but I'm still in awe how that's a single-kick drum. Fantastic solos all around. Overall, an incredible song that's well-deserving of a spot in the top 10.
Well, congratulations to Somewhere in Time for being fully represented and, as noted by pg1067 yesterday, for winning the album aggregate top spot. Speaking of albums, we now also have an "official" aggregate ranking for the reunion era. I'll wait for pg's post to comment.
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This is the only song in the top 10 that isn't from the 80s.
That just knocked out two songs from mine...
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Paschendale: #142 - This is the second time I've heard about the "greatness" of this song in the last week. What am I missing? I love that album, a lot, but that's not the song I think of when I think about it. I have TWO songs from this record in the Top 15, but not this one.
Caught Somewhere In Time: #84 - A good tune, but as Dave (sort of) says, there are better on the album.
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Here comes numbers 8 and 7! :metal :metal
08 Paschendale
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (425, Cool Chris)
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 2 (romdrums)
Paschendale is an absolute banger, one of the best war epics as far as I’m concerned. Amazing riffing, great lyrics and amazing solos. This exploded at number 31 for me, but deserves to be much higher,
When I was reviewing the list, I thought I missed something when I saw that Caught Somewhere in Time was missing. This is song 27 in my list, and another great opener!
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I can be counted among those that are somewhat underwhelmed by this update. These are both very good songs, no doubt, 23 and 25 for me, but not my favorites from their respective albums and Paschendale is quite comfortably not my favorite song from the reunion era. At 25/27, is it now the song with the most appearances?
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I can be counted among those that are somewhat underwhelmed by this update. These are both very good songs, no doubt, 23 and 25 for me, but not my favorites from their respective albums and Paschendale is quite comfortably not my favorite song from the reunion era. At 25/27, is it now the song with the most appearances?
Agreed. I had 8 different Reunion songs ahead of it and I seriously believe those to be far better.
Aggregate scores do lead to results like these though, I suppose.
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Paschendale: #142 - This is the second time I've heard about the "greatness" of this song in the last week. What am I missing? I love that album, a lot, but that's not the song I think of when I think about it.
I am flabbergasted - no less! - by that :lol
3 Paschendale - A perfect coming together of music and storytelling. Simple as.
6 Caught Somewhere in Time - Not entirely sure why I ranked this at six even though I really like it. Life's funny like that sometimes :biggrin: Listening now: oh, it's really bloody good. I forget so easily.
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Yup, had Paschendale #2 but some days it's #1. Just an epic emotional saga well delivered by Bruce; an amazing solo section and overall a bunch of great riffs from Adrian. Oh yeah Nicko is great on it as well.
CSIT has fallen a bit over the years due to (you guessed it, repetition) but it still came in at #31. Awesome trade-off between Dave and Adrian. And that right foot of Nicko's . . . . :omg:
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I had Different World at #5. Now I’m sure it won’t be featured!
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I had Different World at #5. Now I’m sure it won’t be featured!
Nearly as tragic as me having most of The X Factor and Virtual XI in my top 75 :biggrin:
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I actually had Futureal and Man on the Edge somewhere too.
Senjutsu at #10, Satellite 15 in the top 20 :lol
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I actually had Futureal and Man on the Edge somewhere too.
Senjutsu at #10, Satellite 15 in the top 20 :lol
Senjutsu at #9 and Satellite at #64 (but still on the list!)
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08 Paschendale
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (425, Cool Chris)
I probably underrated this a bit, as I had it at 44, but not sure I see it as a top 10 tune. Many did, however, hence its high finish. This is the only song in the top 10 that isn't from the 80s.
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 2 (romdrums)
Somewhere in Time is the only album where every song from it finished in the top 75, which makes sense to me since I think it is their best. And the opening track is the highest ranked from it. I had this at 12, so I obviously am thrilled with its high finish here.
Paschendale - I had this song at #38, which is the highest ranking of any reunion era song. It's a really good song, but it's well short of their best stuff.
Caught Somewhere in Time - Going into this countdown, I had no reason to think this song was THIS well regarded. I had it at #22, which is 4th highest among SIT songs. Really, really good, but #7?
Somewhere in Time cements its position in the top spot, which I think is a bit of a surprise. Piece of Mind has a shot at coming within 15 points, but it is locked into the #2 spot (obviously, this assumes what everyone is assuming about the remaining songs). Seventh Son and Number will finish at 3 and 4 (in some order). Still waiting for Powerslave to wake up and join the party, but it will likely end up in the #5 spot (unless one or two songs make surprise appearances and shock the heck out of all of us).
*1. Somewhere in Time: 8 songs/346 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13), Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
2. Piece of Mind: 5 songs/258 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11)
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 6 songs/240 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9)
4. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
5. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
6. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
7. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
8. Dance of Death: 4 songs/146 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28), Paschendale (#8)
9. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
10. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
11. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
12. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
13. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
14. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
15. Powerslave: 2 song/44 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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I think what I'm finding most surprising is how relatively poorly the Di'Anno albums have done. Only a single song in the top half of the countdown and only two songs in the top 50?! Ranking higher than only NPFTD and FOTD and the two Bailey albums?!
Of course...I'd be ok with being surprised, but I'd be even more disappointed if any of the six songs I think are still to come didn't make it.
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Paschendale (#11)
My fave reunion era song, truly amazing! It really brings something new to Maiden's epics.
Caught Somewhere in Time (#8)
That intro alone is one of best moments in Maiden's discography. But the whole song is gold, specially the middle instrumental section, totally killer.
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08 Paschendale
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (425, Cool Chris)
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 2 (romdrums)
I had Paschendale at #69. Look, Paschendale is a great epic and a fantastic piece of music. But
I would rather listen to 68 other Maiden tunes.
I had Caught Somewhere In Time at #3. I LOVE this song. For an album that has generally not aged well for me, this song has never wavered. It was also the best concert opening tracks. A shame they haven't brought it back.
I think a big reason is that it never sounded quite right live. I have a ton of boots from that tour, and the twin guitars' main line just never sounded right. I would love to hear the line grounded by adding Janick, but it hasn't happened yet and likely won't.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
69 Paschendale
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
38 Run To The Hills
36 Moonchild
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
8 Infinite Dreams
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
3 Caught Somewhere In Time
2 Fear Of The Dark
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 45/24
I think I have it figured out what the rest of the songs are. My 1, 12, 22, & 25 should be there meaning my Top 30 (minus #29, which was a Blaze tune).
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I think what I'm finding most surprising is how relatively poorly the Di'Anno albums have done. Only a single song in the top half of the countdown and only two songs in the top 50?! Ranking higher than only NPFTD and FOTD and the two Bailey albums?!
Agreed! I also find it disappointing that two of their most laid back tunes (I will say what they are later this week), one of which is from the first two albums, didn't make it. I guess fans just love the rock the most.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
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Somewhere in Time cements its position in the top spot, which I think is a bit of a surprise. Piece of Mind has a shot at coming within 15 points, but it is locked into the #2 spot (obviously, this assumes what everyone is assuming about the remaining songs). Seventh Son and Number will finish at 3 and 4 (in some order). Still waiting for Powerslave to wake up and join the party, but it will likely end up in the #5 spot (unless one or two songs make surprise appearances and shock the heck out of all of us).
I agree SiT winning the top spot is a bit surprising...Not "complaining" at all (it's not my #1, but most days it's my #2 :)), it's just that I was expecting something different from the aggregate opinion.
If, as you reasonably point out, Powerslave indeed gets to #5, the ranking will have very well defined blocks. The "classic" NOTB-SSOASS run leads quite solidly, then the whole reunion era follows. Not shocking that AMOLAD leads this block. I thought Dance of Death would do a little better.
And yes, the Di'Anno albums didn't do great, which is surprising on one hand (a good number of us here are not spring chickens - note that I include myself in the group ;D - so I thought they would overall rank higher), but not so much if we consider the "proggy" leanings of the forum (as Dream Team pointed out). I actually enjoyed both the debut and Killers a lot, I guess my own song rankings don't fully reflect that.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
Yeah, I was thinking about this today, but more in regards to Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son doing so well.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
But it doesn't explain the dearth of reunion era songs. The last four albums are prog-metal masterpieces in a lot of ways.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
But it doesn't explain the dearth of reunion era songs. The last four albums are prog-metal masterpieces in a lot of ways.
The reunion era got 43% of the songs (32 of the 75). That is pretty damn impressive, especially when you consider how loved their 80s era is. Sure, the 80s are dominating most of the top slots, but that's to be expected, I would think.
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I'm really struggling with the last six. I'm not naming any names, but I have four that I figure will be there. One's... not a stretch, really, but I'm skeptical I have it right. That means there are two remaining songs I can't even posit a guess as to what they are.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
But it doesn't explain the dearth of reunion era songs. The last four albums are prog-metal masterpieces in a lot of ways.
The reunion era got 43% of the songs (32 of the 75). That is pretty damn impressive, especially when you consider how loved their 80s era is. Sure, the 80s are dominating most of the top slots, but that's to be expected, I would think.
Yup, the ratios are expected, though there have been a few surprises within.
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I'm really struggling with the last six. I'm not naming any names, but I have four that I figure will be there. One's... not a stretch, really, but I'm skeptical I have it right. That means there are two remaining songs I can't even posit a guess as to what they are.
I sent you a PM what the final 6 are.
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I'm really struggling with the last six. I'm not naming any names, but I have four that I figure will be there. One's... not a stretch, really, but I'm skeptical I have it right. That means there are two remaining songs I can't even posit a guess as to what they are.
I sent you a PM what the final 6 are.
Maybe we can compare notes :biggrin: I'm 99.9% sure of what's left. There's always a chance for some late-minute shockers, but I doubt it...
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#24 Paschendale - everything I feel about my current #2, Lord of Light, is how I felt about my old #2. This song is just heart-stopping. Intense solos, epic choruses and a very unique structure. I haven't been feeling it lately so it took a step back this time.
#49 Caught Somewhere in Time - probably could have finished higher for me... Another opener with a legendary intro, this song just pumps you up. The chorus can be grating and that's the main thing that dragged it down.
I'm going to eat my hat if that one PoM song actually makes it to top 6...
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I'd be shocked if the 6 songs I'm predicting to finish top 6 are not correct, although I wouldn't have guessed one of them to be top 6 at the start. The other five are, I think, not very surprising.
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Yeah I mean it’s not a surprise at all. It’s not like it’s stuff from the 90s. Everyone should try to guess the order of the remaining 6 and we’ll use the honor system to see who was closest.
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Yeah I mean it’s not a surprise at all. It’s not like it’s stuff from the 90s. Everyone should try to guess the order of the remaining 6 and we’ll use the honor system to see who was closest.
Good idea.
I just made my guess and emailed it to myself. :biggrin:
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
Well...sure...but there are a lot of '80s metalheads here too.
This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
But it doesn't explain the dearth of reunion era songs.
Classic Dickinson - 30
Reunion Dickinson - 31
Di'Anno - 6
Bailey - 2
The end result will be 36-31-6-2, but 31/75 is hardly a dearth.
The reunion era got 43% of the songs (32 of the 75).
You sure about that?
TNOTB - 5
POM - 5
Powerslave - 2
SIT - 8
SSOASS - 6
NPFTD - 1
FOTD - 3
TOTAL - 30
BNW - 8
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 7
TFF - 5
TBOS - 4
Senjutsu - 3
TOTAL - 31
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The last six are easily;
The Educated Fool
Fortunes of War
Blood on the World's Hands
The Edge of Darkness
When Two Worlds Collide
The Unbeliever
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Paschendale - 23 - Yeah, it's a great tune. I think Maiden did well on this one, Adrian again knocking it out of the park. Love the middle section. E minor for Dave's solo, C# minor for Adrian's, then into G# minor for the refrain, and then an amazing transition into D minor for Janick's solo. One of Maiden's most epic sections of music.
CSIT - 11 - One of my early favs from the band when discovering them. I learned a lot from both these solos, there is so much going on, great for a young guitar player. The gallop is wild and the whole atmosphere is intense. Perfect song.
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08 Paschendale
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 7
Highest Ranking: 1 (425, Cool Chris)
07 Caught Somewhere in Time
Appeared on 23 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 2 (romdrums)
Paschendale - 13 for me. Was totally blown away by this song from first time I heard it. This is the best song from the reunion era for me (and the overall consensus too).
Caught Somewhere in Time - 15 for me. Just a fantastic song featuring some epic guitar solos.
Well at this stage of the countdown my top 3 are still in the running to be 'the top 3' so looking forward to how it plays out.
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Paschendale: #142 - This is the second time I've heard about the "greatness" of this song in the last week. What am I missing? I love that album, a lot, but that's not the song I think of when I think about it.
I am flabbergasted - no less! - by that :lol
Sorry Stadler, but I totally agree with nobloodyname, this ranking of Paschendale could be the biggest shock of the whole countdown. I mean if The Educated Fool ended up as the number 1 Maiden song this would still be a bigger shock! :)
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I'm really struggling with the last six. I'm not naming any names, but I have four that I figure will be there. One's... not a stretch, really, but I'm skeptical I have it right. That means there are two remaining songs I can't even posit a guess as to what they are.
Pretty obvious in my book. There is one I agree seems a bit high for top 6, but pretty sure I know what the 6 are.
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I think what I'm finding most surprising is how relatively poorly the Di'Anno albums have done. Only a single song in the top half of the countdown and only two songs in the top 50?! Ranking higher than only NPFTD and FOTD and the two Bailey albums?!
Agreed! I also find it disappointing that two of their most laid back tunes (I will say what they are later this week), one of which is from the first two albums, didn't make it. I guess fans just love the rock the most.
Yes I also totally agree. There are 13 songs in my top 75 that didn't make it to the overall list and 6 of those are Dianno songs.
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Huge sigh of relief. There it is. And #8 is a much better performance than I expected.
I'll do full writeups for the last four later tonight. I know I'm going to write long for Paschendale.
As for the absence of Di'Anno songs, yeah, for me it's that they're usually pretty simple and consequently much less interesting to me than their later material. I don't think they're bad, but when there are 75 slots and they have what I regard as 10 albums of proggy material (SiT, SSoaSS, every album from 1995-present), I'm just not going to include any instances of "straightforward punky rocker." (My two Di'Anno era inclusions do not fit that profile: Phantom of the Opera and Remember Tomorrow.)
Specifically regarding the laid-back Di'Anno era song that didn't make it, I just don't find it that interesting. It's got nothing to do with "rock versus laid back"—Wait for Sleep is in my Dream Theater top ten. It's about that song specifically not being interesting to me.
The other (non-Di'Anno) laid back song was just outside my top 75.
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Paschendale: #142 - This is the second time I've heard about the "greatness" of this song in the last week. What am I missing? I love that album, a lot, but that's not the song I think of when I think about it.
I am flabbergasted - no less! - by that :lol
Sorry Stadler, but I totally agree with nobloodyname, this ranking of Paschendale could be the biggest shock of the whole countdown. I mean if The Educated Fool ended up as the number 1 Maiden song this would still be a bigger shock! :)
The Educated Fool is a great song! It certainly made my list.
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Actually it seems to me that having that high a percentage of reunion songs is a big, and perhaps unexpected, triumph for that era.
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It's not unexpected at all.
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The Educated Fool came in at number 17 on my list.
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The reunion era got 43% of the songs (32 of the 75).
You sure about that?
TNOTB - 5
POM - 5
Powerslave - 2
SIT - 8
SSOASS - 6
NPFTD - 1
FOTD - 3
TOTAL - 30
BNW - 8
DOD - 4
AMOLAD - 7
TFF - 5
TBOS - 4
Senjutsu - 3
TOTAL - 31
31, yes. I counted 31 so far and then added Paschendale forgetting I had already counted it. :facepalm: :facepalm: :lol :lol
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The Educated Fool came in at number 17 on my list.
Came in at 51 for me, but I love that song.
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Actually it seems to me that having that high a percentage of reunion songs is a big, and perhaps unexpected, triumph for that era.
I agree with you, Dream Team. Even as a big reunion fan, I didn't expect it to do this well, just from the general tone of the forum chatter. I didn't think it would get any top 10 songs, and a lot of songs I was worried about missing out entirely (Isle of Avalon, Montsegur, The Red and the Black) did pretty well.
There were some reunion songs that I had pretty high (none in my top 29, but four in my 30s) that missed out, but some of that was to be expected considering that I included 39 reunion songs total. I had fewer disappointments and more pleasant surprises than I expected on that front.
The Educated Fool came in at number 17 on my list.
Came in at 51 for me, but I love that song.
#69 for me, but there were just so many tough calls. I just love so much on the reunion albums that a lot of Blaze songs ended up in my 50-75 section.
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Actually it seems to me that having that high a percentage of reunion songs is a big, and perhaps unexpected, triumph for that era.
Yes, I would agree with this. I only had 25 reunion era songs on my list and 23 of those made the top 75, the two that didn't are Different World (67) and The Darkest Hour (57). So the reunion era had an additional 9 songs that I didn't have but this was mainly due to me favouring the Dianno era.
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So I am so far behind on this thread, so I’m just going to post my rankings versus the consensus rankings so far:
75 Death of the Celts 42
74 The Duellists NR
73 Can I Play with Madness NR
72 Rainmaker NR
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg 48
70 Out of the Silent Planet NR
69 No Prayer for the Dying NR
68 Deja Vu 39
67 Judas Be My Guide NR
66 Heaven Can Wait 61
65 These Colours Don't Run 25
64 If Eternity Should Fail NR
63 Prodigal Son NR
62 Wratchchild NR
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers NR
60 Brave New World NR
59 Only the Good Die Young 29
58 The Wicker Man NR
57 Still Life NR
56 The Nomad NR
55 Remember Tomorrow NR
54 Killers NR
53 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate 53
52 Dream of Mirrors 70
51 Isle of Avalon 35
50 Montsegur 45
49 Lord of Light 40
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner 66
47 Starblind 18
46 The Book of Souls 47
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue NR
44 Blood Brothers 52
43 The Longest Day 36
42 The Red and the Black NR
41 Run to the Hills 7
40 The Clansmen NR
39 The Evil That Men Do 16
38 22 Acacia Avenue NR
37 Coming Home 60
36 When the Wild Wind Blows NR
35 The Parchment 31
34 2 Minutes to Midnight 67
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns 32
32 The Prisoner 73
31 Empire of the Clouds 28
30 The Legacy 65
29 Ghost of the Navigator 5*
28 Dance of Death NR
27 The Talisman 20
26 The Clairvoyant 41
25 Hell On Earth 31
24 Fear of the Dark NR
23 For the Greater Good of God 37
22 Stranger in a Strange Land 30
21 Alexander the Great 26
20 To Tame a Land 13
19 The Trooper 14
18 Children of the Damned 46
17 Sea of Madness 4
16 Sign of the Cross NR
15 Flight of Icarus 24
14 The Number of the Beast 23
13 Wasted Years 34
12 Phantom of the Opera NR
11 Revelations 12
10 Infinite Dreams 6
09 Moonchild 3*
08 Paschendale 9
07 Caught Somewhere in Time 2*
Total Unranked: 25
Total Ranked: 44
Highest Ranking: 3 that I’ve counted so far.
7 out of my top 10 and 13 out of my top 20 are in so far with six spots to go.
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425, *high five!
Paschendale was obviously the one song I was most curious where it would land. I figured Top 50 was a lock, but beyond that I had no idea. Looks like it ranked all over the place with participants. When I decided to check out the band in earnest, I bought the Essentials CD, which was released after DoD, with the songs in reverse chronological order. Paschendale was the first song. After that 8-9 minutes, I had to press pause on the CD player. I had no idea what just hit me. But from that point on I was fully on board.
Count me in as one of those who is surprised/disappointed at the lack of DiAnno songs on the list.
I am confident in 4 of the remaining, wouldn't have thought the 5th would be this high, and have no idea what the 6th is.
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Alright, the last two days of writeups:
10. Infinite Dreams
My ranking: #18
I think this is a fantastic song, and I'm glad to see it rank this high. It's really a journey from start to finish, with a lot of build-up to it. Every part of it is just so melodically interesting and progresses nicely out of what has come previously. Bruce is fantastic on this; there are so many great moments for him. Particularly there's sort of the first climax, "in heaven or in heeeeeeeeellll," followed a short while later by the huge scream (which, sorry to go after a song that I actually do like again, but is more interesting to me than the most famous Bruce scream). This is absolutely one of my favorite Maiden songs to (try to) sing along with.
But the instrumentals are also fantastic, especially the instrumental sections following the aforementioned scream and after the short bridge. We get a couple of fantastic guitar solos, including probably one of my favorite Dave solos. And then the instrumentation under the final verse really adds a climactic power to Bruce's great performance.
9. Moonchild
My ranking: #36
Interesting that these two ended up back-to-back in reverse order from both how they appear on the album and from how I'd rank them. To me, Infinite Dreams is clearly the superior song, but Moonchild is still incredibly strong in its own right. There's a lot of competition, but it's probably the best Maiden album intro as an intro. (That is, ranking it just on how well it opens the album—I have four track ones ahead of it on my list: Sign of the Cross, If Eternity Should Fail, *you'll see in a minute* and *redacted*.)
Another song from Seventh Son that's both really interesting musically and quite fun to sing. Bruce really goes all out in this particular performance as Sa– I'm sorry, he did tell me that Lucifer's his name. He really sets the scene of foreboding for this story. I like the build-up at the beginning of the song, obviously, and I also really enjoy the instrumental section. Great song that only gets better in the context of the album.
8. Paschendale
My ranking: #1 (tied for highest ranking for this song)
*high five*, Chris!
I did a write-up for this song, just sharing some of my thoughts off the cuff as I listened to it, and then got curious to look back at what I wrote in 2020. And... I honestly think my (more carefully crafted) writeup from then was much better than what I wrote off the cuff today, so I'll include both, but put my words from 2020 first. (It's also interesting to see how my thoughts have changed somewhat, from "Paschendale is an easy #1" to "I'm still pretty comfortable putting Paschendale as #1, but there are a couple of strong challengers.") I think if anyone (such as Stadler) is trying to understand what I see in this song, I made the case better then than I did tonight:
Many of Iron Maiden’s best songs are those highlighting the nature of war, in particular its horrors. In 2003, Adrian Smith and Steve Harris revisited this well-covered ground, but achieved a new level of excellence that they never previously achieved and have not matched since.
Paschendale, the song, presents the drama and horror of Paschendale, the battle, in the most musical and poetic terms imaginable. By giving us the perspective of a single soldier in a single charge of this battle, the lyrics nonetheless show us the full context that brought this horror to be, both historically (“German war propaganda machine / Such before had never been seen”) and philosophically:
Cruelty has a human heart
Every man does play his part
Terror of the men we kill
The human heart is hungry still
Part of the genius of this song is the way each section leads into each other section, even when they are very disparate thoughts. We go from this philosophic idea in the mind of our unnamed soldier immediately to the existential circumstances that face him. With no break, this thought leads directly to:
I stand my ground for the very last time
Gun is ready as I stand in line
Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go
The music here is, of course, also breathtaking. There are so many superb riffs and melodies here, each and every one of them complementing the others beautifully and also linking up superbly with the lyrics. The starts and stops that punctuate the song at certain points mark transitions between ideas, but also match the stop-and-start nature of trench warfare. The most intense section musically, is, of course, the section where our soldier is finally ordered to charge the enemy. The music is majestic, between the massive guitar riffs and the strings, but also run through with a sense of profound horror and tragedy. The instrumental section is superb, with excellent solos from both Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. But the best part of the song, and my favorite part of the entire Iron Maiden discography, is most definitely:
Blood is falling like the rain
Its crimson cloak unveils again
The sound of guns can’t hide their shame
And so we die in Paschendale
… right into my choice for Janick’s very best solo, a truly superb and emotional piece. This section of music and lyrics never fails to get tears from me. The song remains at a nearly unimaginable level of intensity until the very end, which is a sad lament and reminder of the senselessness of this war.
Paschendale pushes the limits of what rock music can do, and is, in my book, very clearly the top choice out of an excellent and storied discography. Many years and many, many listens later, this song still feels so capacious that I can get completely lost in it—which is truly remarkable. Truly a special piece, and highly deserving of my #1 spot.
2022 write-up:
This is a really special song. Over the last couple of years since my previous Iron Maiden list, I've spent more time on The Talisman and The Parchment, and I can't say for sure that one of them won't one day be my #1. But sitting down to look at this list a few weeks ago, I just could not deny Paschendale. I still think it's their best song.
There is just an incredible melding on this song of music and lyrics to paint such a vivid, harrowing, emotional scene. This is one where I don't think I can separate music from lyrics, and I don't think I would want to. They're of a piece with one another to produce this absolutely gripping whole.
I interpret the start-stop nature of this song to be a recreation of the style of combat on the Western Front during World War I, where tense standoffs would be suddenly punctuated by periods of terrible, violent combat. Musically, this creates the opportunity to come in and out of these fades in interesting ways. Perhaps the most compelling one is the one that occurs about three and a half minutes into the song, where Adrian plays this really interesting lead before being joined by the full band and, eventually, orchestra. This goes into one of the most emotional parts of the song:
Cruelty has a human heart
Every man does play his part
Terror of the men we kill
The human heart is hungry still
I stand my ground for the very last time
Gun is ready as I stand in line
Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go
I think I need to once again quote myself from two years ago on why I find this part so powerful: "Part of the genius of this song is the way each section leads into each other section, even when they are very disparate thoughts. We go from this philosophic idea in the mind of our unnamed soldier immediately to the existential circumstances that face him."
Then we get another pause and fascinating re-emergence into an absolutely superb solo section. Dave and Adrian both have great solos here, and then we're punctuated by Bruce coming in with the most tragic scene of the whole song.
Blood is falling like the rain
Its crimson cloak unveils again
The sound of guns can't hide their shame
And so we die in Paschendale
This part just gives me chills. The instrumentation, the lyrics, the performance. It's all so evocative. And then we dive immediately into what is, to me, one of Janick Gers's finest hours. It's exactly the solo that needed to be played at that point in the song. It conveys the emotional intensity and leads perfectly into the denouement, where the protagonist actually dies.
In looking back at my old post, I saw that wolfking gave an analysis of part of what makes that solo so effective, and I thought that would be worth sharing here:
Janicks solo is so epic because of the key change from G# to D. Really interesting transition between keys and builds so much tension, and the D# chord before D key change is just amazingly epic. I love that whole section as Dave's solo is in E then it shifts to C# for Adrian. The blood is falling section is G# then as I said D for Janick. Really amazing section.
The chorus is used really effectively in this song. The repetition is actually a plus in my book, because it gives the words "Home, far away" the feeling of a mantra. And using it just twice in the song means that when it comes back at this crucial moment, it has a feeling of familiarity without feeling tired. In this sense it succeeds exactly where The Longest Day fails. On the second iteration of this secon chorus, we hear a vocal harmony with the higher part really conveying a sense of distress.
I've listened to this song so many times and it still frequently brings tears. It's a masterclass in telling a story through rock music. Iron Maiden has a ton of great songs, many of which I could put at #1, but I don't think I could ever say that Paschendale is unworthy of the honor.
7. Caught Somewhere in Time
My ranking: #22
This is another one of the songs that first got me into Iron Maiden. I think it was the first rock song that I fell with just for the music, without knowing or caring much what the lyrics were about. So that's pretty cool, and an important step on my journey.
This song is, for lack of a better word, just really, really cool. That intro is epic, and from there the band kicks into high energy and does not let up for the remaining seven minutes of the song. Many have commented already on just how inhuman it is that Nicko is playing this with a single bass pedal.
Even though it's a Steve-Harris-penned song, Caught Somewhere in Time gives us the first indication of just how much Somewhere in Time is going to be the Adrian Smith album. Because his solo here is insane. Just really something special.
Bruce also deserves mention here. He just makes those long notes on the chorus feel effortless.
So, yeah, great song.
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The Educated Fool came in at number 17 on my list.
Came in at 51 for me, but I love that song.
...and 59 for me. Especially enjoy the, "time will flow/and I will follow" part. It's the way the voice merges absolutely with the music.
425: excellent write-up of Paschendale, in particular.
And while I'm here: I genuinely love the Di'Anno albums, I do. But there's just so much great material in Maiden's catalogue. Sheer volume, that's why most of the tunes from those two albums missed out for me.
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The Educated Fool came in at number 17 on my list.
Came in at 51 for me, but I love that song.
...and 59 for me. Especially enjoy the, "time will flow/and I will follow" part. It's the way the voice merges absolutely with the music.
425: excellent write-up of Paschendale, in particular.
And the way the music rises, right? I love the way that part feels.
And thanks!
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425 - awesome write ups as always.
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#8 - Paschendale - #9
So glad this ended up ranking in the top 10 and one higher than me. The first time I ever heard this song was live, and I was pleasantly surprised at the intro. The rhythm of the hi-hat, the guitars complimenting them, and the Keyboards adding a sort of dreadful, dreamy sound are what instantly drew me into it. The wind was blowing the backdrop a bit and it really added to the atmosphere and vibe of the song. After the song ended, I turned to my uncle and told him, "That was an awesome Maiden song."
#7 - Caught Somewhere In Time - (Did Not Rank)
As I have stated earlier, most of the Somewhere In Time songs didn't rank much at all due to not hearing it enough/at all. I heard it again just now and it is a great song. I like the vocals and the song is one of the better Iron Maiden songs.
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We continue to inch closer to the top...
06 Where Eagles Dare
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dream Team)
A decent portion of Piece of Mind is still somewhat of a miss for me, but those first three songs are pretty cracking, with the opener here being pretty great. I had it at 17.
05 Powerslave
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Deadeye21)
This was my number 1 song. It won't surprise me if it doesn't remain my favorite by the band as time goes on and I continue to keep listening, but it became my favorite late last year and has stayed there since. An excellent all-around tune.
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And the obvious top 4 will be the top 4! :)
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#109 Behold, the most overrated Maiden song finishes at #6. Well maybe second most overrated song, after The Wicker Man. Cool intro and impressive singing, but the instrumental part is so, so long and I got sleepy so many times listening to it. As with Moonchild, I'm shocked it made the top 10 instead of a more classic song or a reunion song.
#3 Powerslave - the first of my two top 10 songs yet to be revealed... This is one wicked song, from the roaring laugh at the beginning. The riffs here are so evil, especially the prechorus. Bruce does an amazing job at playing a dying pharaoh. And the brilliant solo section turns it from just another great song to an outstanding masterpiece.
And the obvious top 4 will be the top 4! :)
That wasn't how I was expecting this to go honestly! Hard to write without spoiling, but I expected Powerslave to finish top 4 instead of another song, and Phantom or maybe Revelations to fit in too. But this top 4 still makes sense. I wonder if there will be yet another surprise with their order...
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The two lists that left Powerslave off altogether definitely got this from me when entering them into the spreadsheet:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/6e/4c/776e4c9d00d610f867a7eb3881c79e02.gif)
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06 When Eagles Dare
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dream Team)
05 Powerslave
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Deadeye21)
I had Where Eagles Dare at #22. I would have all of their albums by the time Piece Of Mind came out, but Piece Of Mind was the first album that I was waiting for as a fan. I knew Clive was gone and replaced by Nicko, although I originally thought his last name was a joke as it seemed to tie into the album title and art.
Nicko makes his presence known right off the bat with the intro to Where Eagles Dare. But the drumming is ridiculous throughout the song. This album has a pristine production. I think Moonchild would've been great with a Piece Of Mind production. Where Eagles Dare would've been a garbled mess had on been recorded on 7th Son. Anyway, great tune that has been severely underplayed over the years. So happy it made the Legacy setlist. Great tune!
I had Powerslave at #25. In a way, I guess I've always considered Powerslave to be the best of their B-level tracks. I have it at #25 which is very high but I do go back and forth with it a bit. The Powerslave album made such an awful first impression on me , but over time, it has aged quite well.
Powerslave is a great live track, and the ending live is an incredible experience. I takes a show at the midpoint and catapults it to the second half.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
69 Paschendale
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
64
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
40
38 Run To The Hills
36 Moonchild
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
25 Powerslave
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
22 Where Eagles Dare
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
12
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
8 Infinite Dreams
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
3 Caught Somewhere In Time
2 Fear Of The Dark
1
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 74/24
I have noted the empty spots that will be filled up over the next two days..
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06 When Eagles Dare
Interesting a song I've never heard makes the top 10.
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The two lists that left Powerslave off altogether definitely got this from me when entering them into the spreadsheet:
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/77/6e/4c/776e4c9d00d610f867a7eb3881c79e02.gif)
Name shame them boss.
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It's the Iron Maiden thread. They'll own up to it, I'm sure.
Although I don't think it's a major crime to have left it off.
One of the upcoming songs was just 11 spaces from missing my list.
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Where Eagles Dare (#34)
I won't deny I am surprised this made the top 10 (top 5, almost!). It's obviously a great introduction for Nicko, and a very good song/opener, but it doesn't wow me.
Powerslave (#5)
Another fantastic writing credit for Bruce. My favorite from the album and just an amazing song all-around. Great main riff and chorus and, man, the instrumental section is so good, especially the slow part with those beautiful leads and then the harmonized guitars' interplay with the bass. Wonderful stuff.
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It's the Iron Maiden thread. They'll own up to it, I'm sure.
Although I don't think it's a major crime to have left it off.
One of the upcoming songs was just 11 spaces from missing my list.
Nah, its no issue at all. I left Hills and TNOTB off my list for fucks sake lol.
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Eagles was at 27 for me. Cracker and I love the long drawn out instrumental section.
Powerslave was number 5 for me too. One of the first full proper guitar solos I learned to play also. Damn that took some time.
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Final update from me before going on holiday!
13 Wasted Years - ranked #50 on mine
Ugh, the main riff is annoying. So much so that I've come to associate the rhythm in the riff (3-3-3-3-2-2) the 'Iron Maiden Rhythm'. Like it's one bar counterpart (3-3-2), it's used in SO MANY Iron Maiden songs that if you start looking for it, you'll find it everywhere. Seriously, have a go, Let's see how many you can find.
12 Phantom of the Opera - ranked #68 on mine
This is like a prehistorical Maiden epic and it's not as good as later songs, but still pretty cool.
11 Revelations - ranked #48 on mine
Ranked this high because of the Live After Death version. The studio version is too slow to be exciting. I'm rather surprised to see it THIS high though.
10 Infinite Dreams - ranked #64 on mine
I may definitely have underrated this one, as I wouldn't have guessed this would end up even close to the top 10, let alone have a #1 finish! I have to listen to this one again, for sure.
09 Moonchild - ranked #23 on mine
Classic tune, really like this one. As you'll see in my final list, it's one of the higher ranked songs from the 80's on mine!
08 Paschendale - ranked #24 on mine
This took a while to click and I still think Montségur is the best track on the album, but it's cool, though they repeat that main riff too often (look, another 3-3-3-3-2-2 :biggrin:) I agree with everyone saying Iron Maiden's lyrics are usually top notch when they're about war.
07 Caught Somewhere in Time - ranked #15 on mine
Awesome, awesome track. Easily my favourite from this album. Glad to see it up high!!
06 Where Eagles Dare - ranked #32 on mine
Yesterday TAC exchanged our top 6 thoughts and I wasn't sure whether it would be this track or a different one. TAC got it right. Surprised to see it at #6 honestly, though it's a fun tune.
05 Powerslave - ranked #33 on mine
Again, I would have expected this a bit lower, but it's a fantastic track either way.
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Assuming both TAC and me are correct for the remaining 4, I showed the open spots on my list too :biggrin:
My list (cursive songs I ranked highest):
#74 22 Acacia Avenue
#73 The Book of Souls
#71 Only the Good Die Young
#68 The Phantom of the Opera
#67 Killers
#66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
#64 Infinite Dreams
#63 Brave New World
#61 No Prayer for the Dying
#59 Wrathchild
#58 The Numbr of the Beast
#57 Death of the Celts
#55 If Eternity Should Fail
#54 Flight of Icarus
#51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
#50 Wasted Years
#49 The Evil That Men Do
#48 Revelations
#47 Run to the Hills
#46 These Colours Don't Run
#44 The Parchment
#43 Sea of Madness
#42 The Nomad
#40 The Legacy
#34 For the Greater Good of God
#33 Powerslave
#32 Where Eagles Dare
#31 Rainmaker
#29 Ghost of the Navigator
#28 Heaven Can Wait
#27 The Clairvoyant
#25 The Clansman
#24 Paschendale
#23 Moonchild
#22 Can I Play With Madness
#21 The Trooper
#20 The Longest Day
#19 Sign of the Cross
#17 Out of the Silent Planet
#15 Caught Somewhere in Time
#14 Empire of the Clouds
#13
#12 Montségur
#11 Coming Home
#9 2 Minutes to Midnight
#8 The Red and the Black
#7 The Wicker Man
#6
#4
#3
#2 Fear of the Dark
#1 Hell on Earth
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Prisoner
Dance of Death
The Talisman
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great
To Tame a Land
Children of the Damned
Ranked/Unranked split: 52/23
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06 When Eagles Dare
Interesting a song I've never heard makes the top 10.
Oops.
Fixed!
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5. Where Eagles Dare (8). Nicko lets us know he's not messing around right off the top. Also, Bruce is in classic Air Raid Siren form here.
4. Powerslave (63). I can understand the love for this song. For me, there are so many others I love more.
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This is mostly a prog forum, which I thin goes a long way in explaining the lack of Di’Anno songs.
But it doesn't explain the dearth of reunion era songs.
Classic Dickinson - 30
Reunion Dickinson - 31
Di'Anno - 6
Bailey - 2
The end result will be 36-31-6-2, but 31/75 is hardly a dearth.
Okay, maybe "dearth" was the wrong word, but I was thinking of the top 25 when I wrote it. I think there's only three reunion songs in the top 25. I do think it's impressive that we're basically 50-50 in the entire list. I'm a big fan of the reunion era and probably listen to it more than the classic era at this point. (Though I do listen to the classic era; I play a lot of Iron Maiden on my guitar while watching Married At First Sight. :))
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I think if anyone (such as Stadler) is trying to understand what I see in this song, I made the case better then than I did tonight:
I just cut that for space, not any disrespect. Yeah, I see it. I don't know that I agree with all of it, but I love when a song instills passion in someone and to see the love for this song is a wonderful thing. I listened to it again last night, and it's not like I think the song blows (though I had it at #142). And it is on an album I love very much, so...
I just appreciate you taking the time to share that insight.
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33 Where Eagles Dare - The drum roll to start the song is, of course, iconic. I always enjoy hearing the story regarding how it came about. And the instrumental section is marvellous.
18 Powerslave - A Maiden classic.
53 ranked/18 unranked (see below)
78 Only the Good Die Young
79 Sea of Madness
83 The Longest Day
88 From Here to Eternity
101 Murders in the Rue Morgue
104 Judas Be My Guide
106 Remember Tomorrow
109 The Book of Souls
112 Lord of Light
114 The Red and the Black
127 Wrathchild
128 Empire of the Clouds
130 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
137 Deja-Vu
147 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
151 Isle of Avalon
152 No Prayer for the Dying
153 Starblind
Still confident the remaining three in my top 20 will appear although getting slightly twitchy (twitchy? Who the hell gets twitchy about a song making an arbitrary list or not?! How absurd!) about one. Nah, it's got to be there.
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Where Eagles Dare came in at 68 on my list. It's obviously a good song, but not as good as The Angel and the Gambler, The Fugitive, and Charlotte the Harlot, just to name a few that didn't make the final list. I had 6 PoM songs on my list, and this was the lowest ranking of the lot.
Powerslave, on the other hand, is a stone-cold classic, and at 11, my favorite from the album. On another day it could easily have been a few spots higher. Love it.
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06 Where Eagles Dare: #6 - Nailed it EXACTLY! I'm with TAC, mostly; I got into Maiden on the Number Of The Beast cycle, so this was the first "fresh" album from the band, and I too thought "McBrain" was a joke. I got the single first (Icarus, with "I've Got The Fire" on the b-side) and was so ready for the record, and this song just SLAYED me. The drum fill opener, the vocal and - and I'm surprised no one mentioned it yet - the GUITAR SOLO! I think that may still be my favorite solo in the catalogue. So evocative.
I've told this story before, but WED was the opener on that tour; I was sitting stage left, about five rows up when the show started, and Bruce's mike didn't work. I swear to this day I could hear him singing - acoustically - over the band. When the first verse was done he came over to the tech on the side right in front of me and was screaming at him. They got the mic working for the second verse or so and things went swimmingly from there. :)
05 Powerslave: #47 - One-third of my favorite album side in the catalogue, but the last of the three on my list. Yes, "Back In The Village" is higher (I ranked it #19).
I'm not disagreeing with this list - it is what it is - but I'm on record already with being out of step with the fandom here; I'm going to have fully six songs in my Top 15 that aren't even in the group top 75.
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Oh yeah Where Eagles Dare. So, over the years Phantom of the Opera was my #1 Maiden song, sometimes threatened by Paschendale or a couple others - but lately it's been WED. The best drumming on any Maiden song, an absolutely iconic vocal performance, a really unique and cool solo from Dave, great epic lyrics, and an amazing crescendo at the end. I remember having the cassette of this album and reading those lyrics and loving them and appreciating the awesome way Bruce sung them.
And really, people are citing repetition as a reason to dislike this song??? It's 6 minutes. You've got 10 minute reunion era songs with endless repetition that get fawned over. Give me a break! And not as good as Angel & the Gambler? :rollin :rollin
Powerslave I had at 36 and is most noteworthy for that amazing instrumental section and especially the way it starts with that melodic guitar line and Steve's tasty bass underneath. Classic stuff.
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06 Where Eagles Dare
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dream Team)
A decent portion of Piece of Mind is still somewhat of a miss for me, but those first three songs are pretty cracking, with the opener here being pretty great. I had it at 17.
05 Powerslave
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Deadeye21)
This was my number 1 song. It won't surprise me if it doesn't remain my favorite by the band as time goes on and I continue to keep listening, but it became my favorite late last year and has stayed there since. An excellent all-around tune.
Glad I'm able to do today's post before I head to the airport.
Where Eagles Dare was my #4 song. A FANTASTIC song and album opener, and my #2 song on my #1 album. Gets you locked in for the near perfect album that is coming.
Powerslave was my #3 song. Bruce is on fire, and the instrumental section kicks all kinds of ass. My band played this for a bit, but it didn't work with only one guitar.
STANDINGS
The opportunity for Beast to take over the #3 spot from Seventh Son is dwindling quickly. The Beast will need a bit of help from Powerslave.
*1. Somewhere in Time: 8 songs/346 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13), Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
2. Piece of Mind: 6 songs/328 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11), Where Eagles Dare (#6)
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 6 songs/240 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9)
4. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
5. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
6. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
7. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
8. Dance of Death: 4 songs/146 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28), Paschendale (#8)
9. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
10. Powerslave: 3 songs/115 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34), Powerslave (#5)
11. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
12. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
13. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
14. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
15. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
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33 Where Eagles Dare - The drum roll to start the song is, of course, iconic. I always enjoy hearing the story regarding how it came about. And the instrumental section is marvellous.
Just re-listening to this, loud. What a tune. I've probably ranked it 15 places too low. But bloody hell, they've just got too many good songs. What a band.
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Only three of my top 10 songs made the final top 10 here, but at least they were my numbers 1 (Powerslave), 2 (Infinite Dreams) and 3 (TBA).
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All of my Top 10 made the countdown, and I would expect that it will be my entire Top 30 (minus my #29).
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06 When Eagles Dare
Interesting a song I've never heard makes the top 10.
Its the sequel! Next album will have Why Eagles Dare. :biggrin:
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Where Eagles Dare: #45. Great song, should probably have been ranked higher but what can I say, when I did the relisten there were 44 other tunes that elicited a slightly louder 'fuck yeah!' from me.
Powerslave: #9. This was in the running to be my #1, and on any given day it could be (when this list is wrapped up on Friday I'm probably going to post my re-edited top 10 because I've continued to listen to Maiden since the countdown began and I'd change a few things around, partly due to other people's write-ups causing me to listen more closely to certain songs). My highest rated song on the album.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#57: Paschendale
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#45: Where Eagles Dare
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#31: Caught Somewhere in Time
#29: The Parchment
#28: Moonchild
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#12: Infinite Dreams
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#9: Powerslave
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 52/19
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13 Wasted Years - ranked #50 on mine
Ugh, the main riff is annoying. So much so that I've come to associate the rhythm in the riff (3-3-3-3-2-2) the 'Iron Maiden Rhythm'. Like it's one bar counterpart (3-3-2), it's used in SO MANY Iron Maiden songs that if you start looking for it, you'll find it everywhere. Seriously, have a go, Let's see how many you can find.
Yeah, once I realized that's a rhythm that fits in 4/4 I realized just how often Maiden uses this rhythm. Gates of Tomorrow is one of the worst offenders of this - the 3-3-3-3-2-2 dominates the intro, chorus and outro so heavily and that totals for like what, half of the song? I think that's why it feels so fillery.
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And really, people are citing repetition as a reason to dislike this song??? It's 6 minutes. You've got 10 minute reunion era songs with endless repetition that get fawned over. Give me a break! And not as good as Angel & the Gambler? :rollin :rollin
This really made me laugh - it is so true. As great as much of the reunion era is, some trimming would have benefited a number of tracks.
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06 Where Eagles Dare
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dream Team)
05 Powerslave
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Deadeye21)
Where Eagles Dare - number 7 for me (missed by one spot!). This is Maiden's second best album opening track and starts off with a now iconic intro from Nicko. The machine gun type riffing really helps set the scene and Bruce delivers a powerhouse performance on this track.
Powerslave - 12 for me. Suprised at the absolute love for this one, two number 1 rankings is unexpected. Another great vocal from Bruce and the instrumental/solo section is one of my absolute favourites.
All of my top 30 apart from 1 song (Purgatory - an obviously very underrated track from Killers for those who never listen to that album...) will make the top 75.
Four (very obvious) songs left and 2 of them get a 27 out of 27 - but which 2 will it be.....
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Where Eagles Dare (#5)
I don't know if there's any other Maiden song so driven by the drums? Anyway, tremendous song with great drumming. For those who complain about the middle instrumental section (which I love as it is), I believe the live version has it shortened a bit. One last thing, I like POM production, although the mix does sound a bit like mono and - my only real complaint - the bass drums sound really low in the mix.
Powerslave (#4)
A masterpiece of a song and another one with very creative parts by Nicko, including a little drum solo! That interlude and soloing are unbelievably inspired.
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More later, but for the record, the instrumental breakdown in Eagles is my favorite Maiden instrumental break of all time. Not only is it not boring…it’s too bloody short. When I was 16 I managed to do some “tape magic” that doubled the length of that riff. It was my favorite song to air guitar too. Totally a masterpiece.
I had it at #9 and it probably should have been higher. I totally didn’t expect this to make the top 10 initially, but by the time we got to 15 and we still hadn’t seen it, I started to get excited because I knew it had to be coming.
I usually hear a lot of people slag on this song, and especially my cherished riff in the instrumental break, so it’s especially surprising to see it as the top rated song from POM.
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So the Final Four are all in my top 11. :metal Great minds and all that . . .
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So the Final Four are all in my top 11. :metal Great minds and all that . . .
Same with me. 1,2,3 and 11 to be precise..
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06 Where Eagles Dare
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 10
Highest Ranking: 1 (Dream Team)
05 Powerslave
Appeared on 25 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Deadeye21)
Where Eagles Dare was my number 6, BINGO!! Alright, it’s a fairly perfect song. This is the first song on Nicko’s first album with the band and he is thrown in your face with one of the most classic drum fills of all time! The rest of the song is an absolute powerhouse too, it’s my second favourite album opener by Maiden and just an extremely excellent song.
Would you look at that, my favourite song made it to number 5! I’ve always loved this song, I think this is Dave’s all time best solo, I think the riff is an absolute juggernaut in the Maiden catalog. It’s amazing and I don’t think they’ve ever topped it!
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More later, but for the record, the instrumental breakdown in Eagles is my favorite Maiden instrumental break of all time. Not only is it not boring…it’s too bloody short. When I was 16 I managed to do some “tape magic” that doubled the length of that riff. It was my favorite song to air guitar too. Totally a masterpiece.
I had it at #9 and it probably should have been higher. I totally didn’t expect this to make the top 10 initially, but by the time we got to 15 and we still hadn’t seen it, I started to get excited because I knew it had to be coming.
I usually hear a lot of people slag on this song, and especially my cherished riff in the instrumental break, so it’s especially surprising to see it as the top rated song from POM.
I agree about the instrumental breakdown in Where Eagles Dare. That could have gone on another minute or two at least. :metal :metal
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More later, but for the record, the instrumental breakdown in Eagles is my favorite Maiden instrumental break of all time. Not only is it not boring…it’s too bloody short. When I was 16 I managed to do some “tape magic” that doubled the length of that riff. It was my favorite song to air guitar too. Totally a masterpiece.
I had it at #9 and it probably should have been higher. I totally didn’t expect this to make the top 10 initially, but by the time we got to 15 and we still hadn’t seen it, I started to get excited because I knew it had to be coming.
I usually hear a lot of people slag on this song, and especially my cherished riff in the instrumental break, so it’s especially surprising to see it as the top rated song from POM.
I agree with ALL of this (although I've never heard many people slag on the song, fortunately).
So the Final Four are all in my top 11. :metal Great minds and all that . . .
Same with me. 1,2,3 and 11 to be precise..
Hmmm...
The Collective Top 10
1-4: My 2, 6, 10 and 13
5: Powerslave - my #3
6: Where Eagles Dare - my #4
7: Caught Somewhere in Time - my #22
8: Paschendale - my #38
9: Moonchild - my #8
10: Infinite Dreams - not ranked
My Top 10
1. To Tame a Land - #20
2. Will be in the top 4
3. Powerslave - #5
4. Where Eagles Dare - #6
5. The Number of the Beast - #14
6. Will be in the top 4
7. Phantom of the Opera - #12
8. Moonchild - #9
9. 22 Acacia Avenue - #38
10. Will be in the top 4
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More later, but for the record, the instrumental breakdown in Eagles is my favorite Maiden instrumental break of all time. Not only is it not boring…it’s too bloody short. When I was 16 I managed to do some “tape magic” that doubled the length of that riff. It was my favorite song to air guitar too. Totally a masterpiece.
I had it at #9 and it probably should have been higher. I totally didn’t expect this to make the top 10 initially, but by the time we got to 15 and we still hadn’t seen it, I started to get excited because I knew it had to be coming.
I usually hear a lot of people slag on this song, and especially my cherished riff in the instrumental break, so it’s especially surprising to see it as the top rated song from POM.
I agree with ALL of this (although I've never heard many people slag on the song, fortunately).
So the Final Four are all in my top 11. :metal Great minds and all that . . .
Same with me. 1,2,3 and 11 to be precise..
Hmmm...
The Collective Top 10
1-4: My 2, 6, 10 and 13
5: Powerslave - my #3
6: Where Eagles Dare - my #4
7: Caught Somewhere in Time - my #22
8: Paschendale - my #38
9: Moonchild - my #8
10: Infinite Dreams - not ranked
My Top 10
1. To Tame a Land - #20
2. Will be in the top 4
3. Powerslave - #5
4. Where Eagles Dare - #6
5. The Number of the Beast - #14
6. Will be in the top 4
7. Phantom of the Opera - #12
8. Moonchild - #9
9. 22 Acacia Avenue - #38
10. Will be in the top 4
Cool, I like this. Mine is:
The Collective Top 10
1-4: My 1, 2, 3 and 11
5: Powerslave - my #12
6: Where Eagles Dare - my #7
7: Caught Somewhere in Time - my #15
8: Paschendale - my #13
9: Moonchild - my #17
10: Infinite Dreams - my #5
My Top 10
1. Will be top 4
2. Will be top 4
3. Will be top 4
4. Children of the Dammed - #18
5. Infinite Dreams - #10
6. Revelations - #11
7. Where Eagles Dare - #6
8. Sea of Madness - #17
9. 22 Acacia Avenue #38
10. Phantom of the Opera #12
We both had 22 at number 9 :metal
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Oh, y'all wanted numbers 4 and 3 today? Oh, okay. ;)
04 Aces High
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (DTA)
I gotta admit that I was stunned to see this finish this high. I had it at 45 and figured it would be a top 20-30 song, but top 5? Wow.
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (Ben_Jamin, Zydar, devieira73, romdrums)
I ended up putting this at 50, and I feel like I overrated it a bit. I think it gets extra points here for being a super duper prog tune, as they have so many songs that are better, but obviously many here do not see it that way.
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I had Aces High at 4. First Maiden song I ever heard and it changed my life forever. Seeing that film clip at age 13 or whatever was the greatest thing I had ever seen.
7th Son was at 13. Wonderful tune. Love Bruce here and an amazing last couple of minutes.
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12 Aces High - ...aaaaaand this is the one I was twitchy about yesterday! But of course it was going to appear. Prototypical Maiden rocker. Should always be preceded by Churchill's speech. Maiden opened with this on Bruce's first show back in the band in Europe (Paris, 9/9/99) and I swear I still have blind spots caused by the pyro that went off when the main riff started :lol Fun fact: I met Rod Smallwood (obviously unplanned) under the Eiffel Tower on the morning of the show.
50 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - I feel this is a good song but nothing more than that. I think Kev is right about it picking up bonus points because of its proggyness. Just like I was about Empire of the Clouds :biggrin:
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My 2nd Bingo line! Give me my miniature stuffed Eddie please.
Aces High: #26. One of their iconic songs and another one that would finish much higher if the question were geared more towards 'greatest Maiden songs' rather than 'tunes I'm digging right now'.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: #27. Going into the relisten I was sure this would be top 10 material. It's still a great song but I was struck anew by how much of the more prog-oriented reunion catalogue I loved, so this proggy lil number got bumped down.
My list so far in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#57: Paschendale
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#45: Where Eagles Dare
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#31: Caught Somewhere in Time
#29: The Parchment
#28: Moonchild
#27: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
#26: Aces High
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#12: Infinite Dreams
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#9: Powerslave
#8: Alexander the Great
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 54/19
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Indeed, I have Seventh Son as my #1.
While I prefer the shorter, catchy, punchy side of Iron Maiden than the more epic, proggy songs (I go to other bands for the epic prog stuff), this one is an exception.
Aces High (#9) - When I got into the band I instantly fell in love with Aces High, and it has been among my Top 10 since then.
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Aces High was my #13, Seventh Son my #6.
My #3 and #4 are left, though I expect my #4 to be the overall #1.
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#27 Aces High - I had to pull this one up like 50 spots when reviewing my list, I have no idea how it ended so low lol. Great song, one of the best choruses and iconic solos. Feels bad but to see it so far away from 2 Minutes though, it's pretty overrated in this regard. I'm also massively surprised it's higher than Powerslave.
#42 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - that's probably the most epic of the 80s songs. The instrumental part gives me chills, it's just so good! But it suffers highly from a relatively weak first half. It's decent at setting the stage I guess. And, for the last time in this list: Repetitive. Chorus. The title being what it is doesn't help at all...
So we're down to the usual suspects! I hope we're in for one last surprise, even though I'd say the odds are like 60-40 for my less favourite song.
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My #3 and #4 are left, though I expect my #4 to be the overall #1.
I reckon what should’ve been my number 3 but was my number 2 will likely be the top song.
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Aces High: #91 - Not a bad song but one that is overshadowed by the rest of the album. I LOVE the single artwork, though, and I have to say, as an opener on the Legacy tour, it did it's job. But honestly, I had Tailgunner, it's sequel, at #30.
Seventh Son: #56 - Maybe another song that should have been higher. I love this song, but it sort of gets lost in the crowd of a great set of songs. I also don't always like how Bruce sings it live, so there's that.
Collective Top Ten:
1-2: Predicting my 5 and 11
3: Seventh Son - my #56
4: Aces High - my #91
5: Powerslave - my #47
6: Where Eagles Dare - my #6
7: Caught Somewhere in Time - my #84
8: Paschendale - my #142
9: Moonchild - my #69
10: Infinite Dreams - #36
My Top Ten:
1 The Number of the Beast
2 A song from the Di'Anno years
3 A song from the Classic Dickinson years
4 A song from the Reunion Dickinson years
5 I predict this is #1
6 Where Eagles Dare
7 Children of the Damned
8 Stranger in a Strange Land
9 A song from the Reunion Dickinson years
10 Murders in the Rue Morgue
Kev, I don't know if you can tell this or not, but did I lead the pack in number of songs where I'm the only one or one of two to leave it off my list? My GOD am I out of step with the group on these rankings....
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Aces High (#9)
The mother of all killer openers!! A minor detail, but I love that Adrian’s guitar distortion at the chorus, it’s fantastic.
Seventh Son (#1)
Well, I had to choose one…so my fave Maiden song had to be from my fave Maiden album. Despite the repetion on the chorus, Bruce’s delivery is amazing on it. I also love Nicko’s drumming, with a great use of the toms, and the instrumental section/solos and the use of keyboards are truly sublime.
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Although I have Aces High all the way down at 34, I totally respect its place on this list. It's a classic as much as any others in the IM catalogue. A great start to a great album, and not so bad live, either!
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son I had exactly where it landed, at 3. There's nothing I can say about this song that hasn't been said before, just that when I first started getting into Maiden, this was the song that blew me away the hardest and the earliest, and it's blowing me away still. The epitome of "epic."
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04 Aces High
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (DTA)
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (Ben_Jamin, Zydar, devieira73, romdrums)
I had Aces High at #64. When This came out, I thought it was the most generic thing ever. I have it at 64, and there's part of me that still considers it too high. Powerslave (the album) has aged quite well, but my early impressions of the album were so damning to begin with.
I had Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son at #12. I am quite surprised this made the Top 3, to be honest. On the other hand, I love this song and while I loved this album straight off, the title track has even grown over time for me.
So far...
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
69 Paschendale
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
64 Aces High
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
40
38 Run To The Hills
36 Moonchild
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
25 Powerslave
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
22 Where Eagles Dare
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
12 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
8 Infinite Dreams
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
3 Caught Somewhere In Time
2 Fear Of The Dark
1
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 49/24
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04 Aces High
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (DTA)
I gotta admit that I was stunned to see this finish this high. I had it at 45 and figured it would be a top 20-30 song, but top 5? Wow.
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (Ben_Jamin, Zydar, devieira73, romdrums)
I ended up putting this at 50, and I feel like I overrated it a bit. I think it gets extra points here for being a super duper prog tune, as they have so many songs that are better, but obviously many here do not see it that way.
Aces High was my #10 song. Second best album opener in the band's catalog. Great guitar solos. Great performance by Bruce.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was my #2 song - second only to To Tame a Land. The chorus blows a little, but it's more than made up for by every other aspect of the song. It's amazing how good this song and Moonchild are while the rest of the album is, at best, mediocre.
STANDINGS
As a result of its title track finishing at #3, SSOASS has clinched the number 3 album spot. All the album spots are now locked in
*1. Somewhere in Time: 8 songs/346 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13), Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
*2. Piece of Mind: 6 songs/328 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11), Where Eagles Dare (#6)
*3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 7 songs/313 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9), Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (#3)
4. The Number of the Beast: 5 songs/237 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14)
5. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
6. Powerslave: 4 songs/187 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34), Powerslave (#5), Aces High (#4)
7. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
8. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
9. Dance of Death: 4 songs/146 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28), Paschendale (#8)
10. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
11. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
12. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
13. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
14. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
15. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
Bonus Standings!
Giving 1 point for the #17 spot and 17 points for the #1 spot (and so on), and then dividing the result by the number of albums per era, the albums rank thusly by era:
1. Dickinson Classic Era - 79 points divided by 7 albums = 11.29 points per album
2. Dickinson Reunion Era - 58 points divided by 6 albums = 9.67 points per album
3. Di'Anno Era - 11 points divided by 2 albums = 5.5 points per album
4. Bailey Era - 5 points divided by 2 albums = 2.5 points per album
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Are you sure all of the album slots are locked in? Sure seems like there's a big song missing from Powerslave that would move that album up to #4 if it's in the top 2.
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Even if that song is #1, it's 75 points, which would put Powerslave in fourth with 262. But in fact, it will end up in fifth unless the obvious thing from another album is somehow not present.
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I think the biggest surprise for me is that FotD was the lowest ranking non-Blaze album apart from NpftD. I wouldn't have expected it to finish in the top half or anything, but it seemed like a lot of folks had a lot more than 3 songs from that album on their list. There are also a couple songs from the debut that I'm disappointed did not make it, and definitely one from Senjutsu. I'm curious to see the 10 or so songs that just missed the cut.
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I think he meant to say that the Top 3 is locked!
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I think the biggest surprise for me is that FotD was the lowest ranking non-Blaze album apart from NpftD. I wouldn't have expected it to finish in the top half or anything, but it seemed like a lot of folks had a lot more than 3 songs from that album on their list. There are also a couple songs from the debut that I'm disappointed did not make it, and definitely one from Senjutsu. I'm curious to see the 10 or so songs that just missed the cut.
Two of my four biggest heartbreakers were from Senjutsu (the other two were from TFF and DoD).
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I had Aces at 9 and Seventh at 5, not much more I can say about them that hasn’t already been said. My 2 favorite Maiden openers are on back to back albums which is cool.
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Despite me having Fear of the Dark at #2, I actually only had one other song from that album on my list and that one didn’t make it.
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Despite me having Fear of the Dark at #2, I actually only had one other song from that album on my list and that one didn’t make it.
I had 6 other songs from that album.
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Even if that song is #1, it's 75 points, which would put Powerslave in fourth with 262. But in fact, it will end up in fifth unless the obvious thing from another album is somehow not present.
Good point. Momentary brain fart on my part!
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Kev, I don't know if you can tell this or not, but did I lead the pack in number of songs where I'm the only one or one of two to leave it off my list? My GOD am I out of step with the group on these rankings....
I don't have access to the spreadsheet now, but I will look later at home.
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Kev, I don't know if you can tell this or not, but did I lead the pack in number of songs where I'm the only one or one of two to leave it off my list? My GOD am I out of step with the group on these rankings....
I don't have access to the spreadsheet now, but I will look later at home.
I don't have access to the spreadsheet at the moment either but the answer is..
(https://c.tenor.com/xZBxUjkJJF0AAAAM/old-school-comedy.gif)
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Going from memory, I am 99.999% sure that the top 2 songs are the only two songs that made all 27 lists.
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I’m the lone holdout on Seventh Son. I really like the album as a whole, but I consider the title track to be their all time weakest epic. It went unranked by me.
There’s a very good reason that they’ve played SOTC on not only one, but TWO reunion tours (and 4 tours total) and AFAIK they haven’t touched SS since the tour for it. It’s just not that great a song.
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04 Aces High
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (DTA)
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Appeared on 26 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 12
Highest Ranking: 1 (Ben_Jamin, Zydar, devieira73, romdrums)
No!! These songs were meant to be the other way around...now my chance of nailing the top 3 is gone but top 2 is still up for grabs..
Aces High - my rank 3. This is Maiden's best opener and best ever chorus, you just cannot help but sing/scream/shout along with this one. Everything about this song is just about perfect and once you add Churchill's speech to the live version - chills down the spine every time. Bruce really shows his chops off to sing this one.
Seventh Son - my rank 11 (and now all my songs from 11 - 20 have been included in the top 75). Put me down as slightly surprised to see this song so high, I kind of thought my ranking just outside the top 10 is where this song would land. I love the intro and the verses are great. The chorus isn't the greatest and then the instrumental section is something special.
Two songs to go, what they are is not in doubt only the order. Hoping I got it correct....
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I’m the lone holdout on Seventh Son. I really like the album as a whole, but I consider the title track to be their all time weakest epic. It went unranked by me.
There’s a very good reason that they’ve played SOTC on not only one, but TWO reunion tours (and 4 tours total) and AFAIK they haven’t touched SS since the tour for it. It’s just not that great a song.
Sorry, I could not disagree more with this post. I think the reason they don't play SS is it is pretty difficult song to pull off live,. I'd say it is the same with Paschendale.
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I’m the lone holdout on Seventh Son. I really like the album as a whole, but I consider the title track to be their all time weakest epic. It went unranked by me.
There’s a very good reason that they’ve played SOTC on not only one, but TWO reunion tours (and 4 tours total) and AFAIK they haven’t touched SS since the tour for it. It’s just not that great a song.
Sorry, I could not disagree more with this post. I think the reason they don't play SS is it is pretty difficult song to pull off live,. I'd say it is the same with Paschendale.
Nah, they're not that difficult.
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Aces High (#17)
Yes, top 5 is somewhat surprising, but this is undeniably an iconic song and a fantastic opener. I guess, if I have to nitpick, I like but I don't love the verses. But it's such a great, driving tune.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (#16)
I think this is a fantastic song (clearly - or it wouldn't have made my top 20), but if I'm completely honest what brings it up a notch (or three ;)) for me is the whole extended instrumental "coda". It's simply amazing. In particular, to add to my collection of truly quintessential Maiden moment, THAT section that starts at 8:50. I mean, that's such a culmination and release. Simple, beautiful, perfect.
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I’m the lone holdout on Seventh Son. I really like the album as a whole, but I consider the title track to be their all time weakest epic. It went unranked by me.
There’s a very good reason that they’ve played SOTC on not only one, but TWO reunion tours (and 4 tours total) and AFAIK they haven’t touched SS since the tour for it. It’s just not that great a song.
They played it on the Maiden England tour in 2012.
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I don't buy the "it's too hard to play" line either. I have heard that about Alexander the Great as well, and I like, what? The whole band is pretty skilled on their instruments, so I can't see any song of theirs as being too difficult to pull off live.
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I don't buy the "it's too hard to play" line either. I have heard that about Alexander the Great as well, and I like, what? The whole band is pretty skilled on their instruments, so I can't see any song of theirs as being too difficult to pull off live.
They're not.
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I don't buy the "it's too hard to play" line either. I have heard that about Alexander the Great as well, and I like, what? The whole band is pretty skilled on their instruments, so I can't see any song of theirs as being too difficult to pull off live.
Right. Unfortunately some of the members have no interest in re-learning songs they haven’t played in awhile.
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Kev, I don't know if you can tell this or not, but did I lead the pack in number of songs where I'm the only one or one of two to leave it off my list? My GOD am I out of step with the group on these rankings....
I don't have access to the spreadsheet now, but I will look later at home.
Okay, I looked, but it is impossible to tell. It would take me hours to figure out who left off the most songs, especially in relation to what songs were left off the fewest lists, but anyone who submitted a list who wants a copy of the master spreadsheet that shows all picks when this is over, shoot me a PM with your email address and I will send it.
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4. Aces High (10). One of their best album openers and another great performance from Nicko.
3. Seventh Son (1). Definitely my favorite Maiden tune. I love everything about this song, and I’m glad to see I’m not alone on this.
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I don't buy the "it's too hard to play" line either. I have heard that about Alexander the Great as well, and I like, what? The whole band is pretty skilled on their instruments, so I can't see any song of theirs as being too difficult to pull off live.
They're not.
That's all good but I wasn't necessarily talking about instruments - it could be vocally for Bruce? For anyone how had/has the VHS of Maiden England from 1988 (I did and watched it hundreds of times) before the song Seventh Son is played, Bruce says when introducing the song 'this is a very difficult song we are going to next, a very difficult song'. It has always been a bit of a mystery to me, as I do agree that of course Maiden are all top notch musicians, why did he say that?
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I think at that time, it may have been true for them. But they more than pulled it off in 2012.
I just think it takes up too much time in the set.
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:facepalm:
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You might want to delete that post.
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I think at that time, it may have been true for them. But they more than pulled it off in 2012.
I just think it takes up too much time in the set.
Yeah, that is probably true. Must have been great to see live in 2012.
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I guess I should have put up the "no spotlighting" sign, but I assumed everyone knew at this point to have the common courtesy to not play spoiler. ;)
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You might want to delete that post.
Deleted.
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I guess I should have put up the "no spotlighting" sign, but I assumed everyone knew at this point to have the common courtesy to not play spoiler. ;)
I'm sorry. :blush
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I guess I should have put up the "no spotlighting" sign, but I assumed everyone knew at this point to have the common courtesy to not play spoiler. ;)
I gotchu bro. You saw how I chastized him, rite? :lol
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All good. I always reserve the right in these threads to shame those who submit incorrect lists or try to play spoiler. :P
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All good. I always reserve the right in these threads to shame those who submit incorrect lists or try to play spoiler. :P
I complied, sorry Kev!
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Kev, I don't know if you can tell this or not, but did I lead the pack in number of songs where I'm the only one or one of two to leave it off my list? My GOD am I out of step with the group on these rankings....
I might be in the running for this as well. I've been swamped and haven't really had time to dive in to the differences between my list and the group list. #3-6 I had 23rd or lower and didn't rank #7. And only 2 of my top 10 will be in the group's top 10.
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Okay, I looked, but it is impossible to tell. It would take me hours to figure out who left off the most songs, especially in relation to what songs were left off the fewest lists, but anyone who submitted a list who wants a copy of the master spreadsheet that shows all picks when this is over, shoot me a PM with your email address and I will send it.
I'll definitely be doing this.
And, hopefully, we've got a spreadsheet guru in our midst who can analyse it all (love analysis, just useless at it myself!).
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Is there a way to post just the list of 75 songs, without their scores, for Excel purposes?
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Ooooh... can't be long until Kev wakes up, makes his coffee and reveals the final two! But in which order will they be? I suspect we ALL know what they are already, of course, even those of us who didn't see Glasser's presumed reveal :lol
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*crosses fingers* Come on Quest For Fire, bring home that trophy...
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Ooooh... can't be long until Kev wakes up, makes his coffee and reveals the final two! But in which order will they be? I suspect we ALL know what they are already, of course, even those of us who didn't see Glasser's presumed reveal :lol
I don't drink coffee. :biggrin: :biggrin:
Is there a way to post just the list of 75 songs, without their scores, for Excel purposes?
Not exactly sure what you mean. Can you clarify what your request is? :)
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And here they are...the top 2! No surprises for anyone, I suspect.
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (jammindude, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
What's amazing is that no one had this at number 1. Three had it number 2, and I had it at number 3 along with two others, so it did have six top 3 finishes. Great, great song. I could easily see this becoming my favorite some day sooner rather than later.
01 Hallowed Be Thy Name
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 20
Highest Ranking: 1 (TAC, nick_z, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm, nobloodyname)
I didn't get the love for this song, even early on last fall when I finally got into the band, but I came around on it mostly. I think it is spectacular musically, which is why I did put it at 13, but some of the vocal melodies leave me a little hollow, so I could not put it in my top 10. I will post the entire list later with all of the total scores, but the margin between this and Rime... really wasn't close (relatively speaking).
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You don’t get the love? This video will show you why…,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOzvCWsV6Js
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I didn't get the love for this song = past tense
Yeesh.
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Oh gotcha. I read it quickly.
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My #3 and #4 are left, though I expect my #4 to be the overall #1.
Yes.
Rime was my #3, Hallowed my #4.
Great finish!
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Nailed it! My 2 favourite Maiden tracks are the overall 1 and 2. I wasn't expecting it but thought there was a good chance, especially for Hallowed to be number 1.
First thing first - great to see both songs appeared on all 27 lists! That is a win right there!
Rime - this is just an amazing unrelenting song that takes you on an epic journey and although there are some great more recent epics, none can compare to this one.
Hallowed - this isn't just my number 1 Maiden song but it is actually my number 1 song from any artist. I don't really have a 'my top 10 songs of all time list' but if I did do it I know this song would be number 1. Sorry Kev, but I think the vocal lines and the lyrics in this song are awesome and the main riff is Maiden's greatest 'duel guitar' lead motif. The breakdown section with the drum fills (my number 1 air drumming performance) leading to the solo section just continues to build up until Bruce comes back in to finish off the song. Just a brilliant track.
My final tally is 62/13.
The songs I didn't rank were:
75 Death of the Celts
74 The Duellists
69 No Prayer for the Dying
66 Heaven Can Wait
64 If Eternity Should Fail
60 Brave New World
59 Only the Good Die Young
52 Dream of Mirrors
56 The Nomad
51 Isle of Avalon
50 Montsegur
40 The Clansman
29 Ghost of the Navigator
The songs I ranked instead with my rankings were:
24 Purgatory
32 Running Free
33 Die with your Boots On
37 Strange World
39 Innocent Exile
43 Total Eclipse
45 Sanctuary
49 Prowler
57 Darkest Hour
60 Run Silent, Run Deep
67 Different World
68 Wasting Love
72 Invaders
My list and ranking in descending order of the songs that made the final 75:
75 Empire of the Clouds
74 Out of the Silent Planet
73 The Red and the Black
71 The Wicker Man
70 Rainmaker
69 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
66 The Clairvoyant
65 Hell on Earth
64 Blood Brothers
63 Can I Play with Madness
62 2 Minutes to Midnight
61 Starblind
59 The Book of Souls
58 The Legacy
56 These Colours Don't Run
55 Killers
54 For The Greater Good Of God
53 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
52 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
51 Run to the Hills
50 To Tame a Land
48 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
47 The Parchment
46 Fear of the Dark
44 Judas be my Guide
42 Sign of the Cross
41 Coming Home
40 The Longest Day
38 Déjà vu
36 Stranger in a Strange Land
35 Dance of Death
34 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
31 Alexander the Great
30 Flight of Icarus
29 The Talisman
28 The Evil That Men Do
27 The Prisoner
26 Murders in the Rue Morgue
25 When the Wild Wind Blows
23 The Number of the Beast
22 Wrathchild
21 The Trooper
20 Lord of Light
19 Still Life
18 Wasted Years
17 Moonchild
16 Prodigal Son
15 Caught Somewhere in Time
14 Remember Tomorrow
13 Paschendale
12 Powerslave
11 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
10 Phantom of the Opera
9 22 Acacia Avenue
8 Sea of Madness
7 Where Eagles Dare
6 Revelations
5 Infinite Dreams
4 Children of the Dammed
3 Aces High
2 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
1 Hallowed be Thy Name
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Rime was my #20 and Hallowed my #2. It could easily have changed place with Seventh Son as my #1 though.
Big thanks to Kev for running this! It was my first participation in any of these. I'm mad at myself for missing the Rush and DT ones.
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Rime of the Ancient Mariner: #46. I recognise its greatness, but in kind of a dispassionate way. This one has never really moved me much to be honest.
Hallowed Be Thy Name: #7. Probably Maiden's greatest song, though due to over-familiarity it finished behind 6 others. One of the all-time great metal songs.
My list in descending order:
#74: If Eternity Should Fail
#72: Run to the Hills
#70: Sign of the Cross
#68: For The Greater Good of God
#66: The Longest Day
#65: Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
#64: Only The Good Die Young
#63: Still Life
#61: Empire of the Clouds
#60: The Clairvoyant
#59: The Evil That Men Do
#57: Paschendale
#56: These Colours Don't Run
#54: Can I Play With Madness
#53: Remember Tomorrow
#52: Judas Be My Guide
#51: Blood Brothers
#49: The Prisoner
#46: Rime of the Ancient Mariner
#45: Where Eagles Dare
#44: Flight of Icarus
#42: To Tame A Land
#41: Rainmaker
#40: The Clansman
#37: 2 Minutes To Midnight
#36: Montsegur
#34: The Wicker Man
#31: Caught Somewhere in Time
#29: The Parchment
#28: Moonchild
#27: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
#26: Aces High
#25: Hell on Earth
#24: Stranger in a Strange Land
#23: The Number of the Beast
#22: Heaven Can Wait
#21: Starblind
#20: Coming Home
#19: Wasted Years
#18: The Red and the Black
#17: Phantom of the Opera
#16: Children of the Damned
#15: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
#14: Revelations
#13: Ghost of the Navigator
#12: Infinite Dreams
#11: Fear of the Dark
#10: 22 Acacia Avenue
#9: Powerslave
#8: Alexander the Great
#7: Hallowed Be Thy Name
#6: No Prayer for the Dying
#5: Sea of Madness
#4: When The Wild Wind Blows
#3: Dance of Death
#1: Afraid To Shoot Strangers
Not ranked:
Death of the Celts
The Duellists
Out of the Silent Planet
The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
Deja-Vu
Prodigal Son
Wrathchild
Brave New World
The Nomad
Killers
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Book of Souls
Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Legacy
The Talisman
The Trooper
Ranked/Unranked split: 56/19
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Aaaaannnd that completes my top 20 :biggrin:
4 Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Remember seeing the breakdown from a live performance in a documentary that went out in the UK as part of the Arena television series. It wasn't like anything I'd ever heard before. It's always stuck with me. Excellent song. So much to like about it.
1 Hallowed Be Thy Name - For me, this is the quintessential Iron Maiden song. It's one of those songs that I'll somehow never tire of hearing. Stadler will be along shortly to tell us this was number 127 on his list :lol
Kev, thank you so much for running a really enjoyable countdown once again. And thanks to everyone else for contributing; I've enjoyed reading literally every single post. Looking forward to the afterparty now :biggrin:
57 ranked/18 unranked for me.
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Here are the 19 songs on my list that didn't make the aggregate top 75, in descending order.
#75: The Writing on the Wall
#73: Flash of the Blade
#71: Lost in a Lost World
#69: Back in the Village
#67: The Prophecy
#62: Darkest Hour
#58: Shadows of the Valley
#55: When the River Runs Deep
#50: Die With Your Boots On
#48: Iron Maiden (this is the song to which I was referring when I said I'd be disappointed if it didn't make the list)
#47: The Fallen Angel
#43: Face in the Sand
#39: Don't Look To the Eyes of a Stranger
#38: Journeyman (a staggering omission from the list in my opinion)
#35: When Two Worlds Collide
#32: Tears of a Clown
#30: Mother of Mercy
#2: Como Estais Amigos
(edited because it's been pointed out to me that The Talisman made the list! It means my final split was 57/18)
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Appreciate the sentiments, everyone! :tup :tup
Now, to unpack a few things:
-The early song I CANNOT believe did not make the top 75 was Prowler. I thought for sure that enough of a fan favorite to make it, but it finished at 77. I had it at 24.
-The two mellow/laid back songs I was dismayed to see not make it were Journeyman (my 15) and Strange World (my 46).
-I was legit surprised that neither Invaders (my 34) nor Die Your Boots On (my 74) made it, but the influx of reunion songs meant that some of the favorites from the classic albums were gonna miss out.
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#48: Iron Maiden (this is the song to which I was referring when I said I'd be disappointed if it didn't make the list)
I always assumed it was this or Prowler, but something you said the other day made me realize that it was Iron Maiden you were probably talking about, not Prowler.
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Here are the 19 songs on my list that didn't make the aggregate top 75, in descending order.
#75: The Writing on the Wall
#73: Flash of the Blade
#71: Lost in a Lost World
#69: Back in the Village
#67: The Prophecy
#62: Darkest Hour
#58: Shadows of the Valley
#55: When the River Runs Deep
#50: Die With Your Boots On
#48: Iron Maiden (this is the song to which I was referring when I said I'd be disappointed if it didn't make the list)
#47: The Fallen Angel
#43: Face in the Sand
#39: Don't Look To the Eyes of a Stranger
#38: Journeyman (a staggering omission from the list in my opinion)
#35: When Two Worlds Collide
#33: The Talisman
#32: Tears of a Clown
#30: Mother of Mercy
#2: Como Estais Amigos
The Talisman made the final list.
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These lists are going to be fascinating.
Here's the rest of my top 75, the ones that didn't make the forum's list.
23 When Two Worlds Collide - bloody love it. I'll bet it's the only time 'declination' has been used in a metal song.
27 Futureal - one of Maiden's best short rockers. Better with Blaze (tm).
28 The Edge of Darkness - just love the feel and Blaze's delivery.
31 Man on the Edge - probably ranked a little too high, good song though.
36 The Fallen Angel - could listen to this on repeat. It's a short song but all three guitarists get a solo and they're all brilliant. Sludgy riff. Feels different for Maiden.
39 Judgement of Heaven - love the melody.
40 The Apparition - unique feel. Pretty much everybody hates it except me. I love it :biggrin:
42 Lost in a Lost World - ranked probably 30 places too high on reflection. But that last minute. Wow.
48 The Time Machine - again, ranked a little too high. Good tune, though.
55 The Unbeliever - another cracker from The X Factor.
56 LIghtning Strikes Twice - you do have to wonder how so many repetitive choruses passed the QC check across Maiden's career but regardless, I really like this tune. Evocative.
58 The Man Who Would Be King - a standout on an album I find oh so dreary otherwise (aside from Coming Home, Where the Wild Blows and The Talisman).
59 The Educated Fool - it's no secret I love Virtual XI and I knew so many of the tracks I chose across this album and The X Factor would effectively be wasted votes but that's love for you, right? 'Time will flow/And I will follow'
63 No More Lies - repetitive chorus again lets it down but I really like it otherwise. Remember when we all thought this song might be alerting us to their imminent retirement? :lol
65 Look for the Truth - love the oh-ohs. Or whatever you call them.
72 Die with Your Boots On - really fun song for such subject matter.
74 Lord of the Flies - Ummmed and ahhhhhhd about this making my top 75. It was close. But it did. And it was another 'wasted' vote :lol Better with Blaze (tm).
75 Transylvania - excellent instrumental. Interesting that none of their instrumentals made the top 75. Genghis Khan is great, too. And the Ides of March.
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I'll give more detailed thoughts later on (working now, or pretending to anyway) but some brief notes:
As I wrote above, the omission of Journeyman from the aggregate list is the biggest surprise to me. Such a unique (for them) and creative song, not to mention beautiful.
As I also wrote above, Iron Maiden (the song) is the only tune I was actively hoping would make the list. To me, it's every bit as 'important' in the band's history as Phantom of the Opera. In just 3 and something minutes it contains most of the seeds that the band would go on to develop into their inimitable sound.
The lack of tunes from Virtual XI is understandable and certainly predictable, but nevertheless I still maintain it is a much better and more creative album than it gets credit for.
I expected Senjutsu to be better represented. Tunes like Darkest Hour and Lost in a Lost World I thought would be shoo-ins for the list. On a related note I never expected Brave New World (the album, but also the song now I mention it) to do as well as it did.
Like I said I'll have more detailed thoughts later on and as discussion progresses. For now let me just add my thanks to Kev for taking the time and effort to give us nice things.
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(edited because it's been pointed out to me that The Talisman made the list! It means my final split was 57/18)
All the cool kids are in the 57/18 club.
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I will post the entire list tonight with the scores and everything, but the crazy thing is that the song Iron Maiden didn't come close to making it. It finished 95th.
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I will post the entire list tonight with the scores and everything, but the crazy thing is that the song Iron Maiden didn't come close to making it. It finished 95th.
For shame, DTF. For shame.
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Rime of the Ancient Mariner was all the way down at 27 for me, but I do think it's a great song. I'm just not as fond of the middle section.
Hallowed Be Thy Name I had at #2. It would take a lot of convincing for anyone to change my mind about this song: it is, by any measure, probably the most Iron Maiden song there is. I don't know how to explain exactly, it sounds silly and tautological, but the reason this song deserves to be #1 is because it is #1. Everything about it is as it should be. It's one of those rare songs that, even if it's not your personal favorite, cannot be denied.
And this:
Big thanks to Kev for running this! It was my first participation in any of these. I'm mad at myself for missing the Rush and DT ones.
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Rime of the Ancient Mariner (#10)
Love this song. I wasn't entirely sure before I sat down and did the ranking whether it would make my top 10, but it eventually did. I imagine there was some mystique around it at the time of release, because it was their longest song to date. But, for me, it just works. Very epic and great storytelling.
Hallowed Be Thy Name (#1)
Nailed it! :biggrin: This was always going to be my number one. There was never a doubt about it. It's as close as it gets to perfection in the genre.
Kev, thanks so much for doing this. As usual, revisiting such an amazing catalog and chatting about it was a TON of fun.
Some "stats" for my ranking vs. the aggregate:
- My ranked/unranked split is 65/10. Out of the 10, 8 I did rank (just out of my top 75), and 2 went unranked.
Out of 75 (my rank in brackets):
75 Death of the Celts (104)
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (94)
65 These Colours Don't Run (102)
52 Dream of Mirrors (79)
49 Lord of Light (90)
42 The Red and the Black (91)
37 Coming Home (83)
33 Brighter than a Thousand Suns (95)
Unranked:
74 The Duellists
36 When the Wild Wind Blows
- My highest ranked song in my top 75 that did NOT make the aggregate top 75: The Pilgrim (had it at 37). Here are all ten that didn't make the aggregate (with my ranking):
The Alchemist (73)
Die With Your Boots On (72)
Be Quick or Be Dead (68)
Purgatory (62)
Darkest Hour (58)
Tailgunner (57)
The Time Machine (56)
The Writing on the Wall (53)
Flash of the Blade (39)
The Pilgrim (37)
- 5 out my top 10 made the aggregate top 10 (Rime, Caught Somewhere in Time, Powerslave, Moonchild, Hallowed).
- Within the songs the made the aggregate 75, the one I "overrated" the most is Rainmaker (29 vs. 72), the one I "underrated" the most is Stranger in a Strange Land (69 vs. 22)
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#9 Rime of the Ancient Mariner - fantastic epic. The main part is a little dry (pun intended) but the interlude and Bruce's scream are legendary. +1 Kev about no #1 finished - what the fuck? I guess we did get another surprise, just not the one I was hoping for ;D
#55 Hallowed Be Thy Name - well, this was expected. I really don't know what to say about it - it's a great song, but once again it's just not a favourite of mine.
Here's my list, bolded songs didn't make it and the numbers in brackets are by how much I "missed":
75 These Colours Don't Run (-10)
74 Days of Future Past
73 Transylvania
72 Coming Home (-35)
71 The Clairvoyant (-45)
70 Deja-Vu (-2)
69 The Duelists (+5)
68 The Number of the Beast (-54)
67 The Mercenary
66 Can I Play With Madness (+7)
65 Como Estais Amigos
64 Man on the Edge
63 When the Wild Wind Blows (+27)
62 The Evil That Men Do (-23)
61 Tears of a Clown
60 Run Silent Run Deep
59 Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
58 Prodigal Son (+5)
57 The Great Unknown
56 Wasted Years (-43)
55 Hallowed Be Thy Name (-44)
54 The Longest Day (-9)
53 Lord of the Flies
52 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (-4)
51 The Pilgrim
50 When the River Runs Deep
49 Caught Somewhere in Time (-42)
48 Fear of the Dark (-24)
47 The Red and the Black (-5)
46 Brave New World (+14)
45 Revelations (-34)
44 Speed of Light
43 The Alchemist
42 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (-39)
41 Only the Good Die Young (+18)
40 Mother of Mercy
39 The Book of Souls (+7)
38 Wrathchild (+24)
37 Back in the Village
36 Stranger in a Strange Land (-14)
35 Killers (+19)
34 Look for the Truth
33 Blood Brothers (+11)
32 Montségur (+18)
31 Moonchild (-22)
30 The Legacy (±0)
29 For the Greater Good of God (-6)
28 Flash of the Blade
27 Aces High (-23)
26 El Dorado
25 The Fallen Angel
24 Paschendale (-16)
23 Alexander the Great (-2)
22 Be Quick or Be Dead
21 If Eternity Should Fail (+43)
20 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (+13)
19 Die with Your Boots On
18 Dance of Death (+10)
17 To Tame a Land (+3)
16 Flight of Icarus (-1)
15 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (+56)
14 Starblind (+33)
13 Dream of Mirrors (+39)
12 2 Minutes to Midnight (+22)
11 Sign of the Cross (+5)
10 Hell on Earth (+15)
9 Rime of the Ancient Mariner (-7)
8 Ghost of the Navigator (+21)
7 Still Life (+50)
6 Isle of Avalon (+45)
5 Out of the Silent Planet (+65)
4 The Talisman (+23)
3 Powerslave (+2)
2 Lord of Light (+47)
1 Empire of the Clouds (+30)
53/22 split.
Some thoughts:
-I wrote this a couple of times, but wow the Blaze albums are underrepresented. There's so much more on both of these albums than just the one epic track... Lord of the Flies, Man on the Edge, The Aftermath, Edge of Darkness, The Educated Fool, Futureal. At least one could have made it...
-Senjutsu is also surprisingly underrepresented. The Writing on the Wall and Darkest Hour were possibilities. No Prayer only getting one song is more expected.
-Powerslave always gets "criticized" for having a weak middle, but only The Duellists making it is a shocker. Die With Your Boots On and Still Life so far below the rest of PoM is criminal in a similar way.
-Yeah, Prowler is probably the biggest surprise. I almost thought it's just getting a super high finish, but obviously that was crushed once Phantom was revealed. Wrathchild and Killers at least made it, but I expected them much higher...
-Did I actually forget Face in the Sand...
-This was so fun, huge props Kev for running this ;D
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2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (19). First time I heard this song was in my junior year in high school's Honors English class. Our focus was on British Literature and we read the poem. My teacher played the whole song for us in class as an example of translating literature into a song. Cool stuff! It was funny to watch the looks on the faces of kids who had never been exposed to anything like that before, while I was throwing the horns and rockin' out.
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name (17). Classic tune, there are just others I like more.
My list:
75. The Man of Sorrows
74. The Alchemist
73. The Prisoner
72. The Man Who Would Be King
71. Satellite 15…The Final Frontier
70. Dream of Mirrors
69. The Time Machine
68. Speed of Light
67. 2 Minutes to Midnight
66. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
65. The Legacy
64. Losfer Words (Big Orra)
63. Powerslave
62. The Nomad
61. Heaven Can Wait
60. Coming Home
59. Mother of Mercy
58. The Red and the Black
57. When The River Runs Deep
56. The Fallen Angel
55. Death or Glory
54. Gates of Tomorrow
53. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
52. Blood Brothers
51. The Great Unknown
50. Senjutsu
49. Different World
48. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
47. The Book of Souls
46. Children of the Damned
45. Montsegur
44. Out of the Shadows
43. Invaders
42. Death of the Celts
41. The Clairvoyant
40. Lord of Light
39. Deja-Vu
38. Face in the Sand
37. For The Greater Good of God
36. The Longest Day
35. Isle of Avalon
34. Wasted Years
33. The Pilgrim
32. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
31. The Parchment
30. Stranger in a Strange Land
29. Only the Good Die Young
28. Empire of the Clouds
27. Hell on Earth
26. Alexander the Great
25. These Colours Don’t Run
24. Flight of Icarus
23. The Number of the Beast
22. The Mercenary
21. Journeyman
20. The Talisman
19. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
18. Starblind
17. Hallowed Be Thy Name
16. The Evil That Men Do
15. The Prophecy
14. The Trooper
13. To Tame a Land
12. Revelations
11. Darkest Hour
10. Aces High
9. Paschendale
8. Where Eagles Dare
7. Run to the Hills
6. Infinite Dreams
5. Ghost of the Navigator
4. Sea of Madness
3. Moonchild
2. Caught Somewhere in Time
1. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Only one of my top 20 failed to make the list, which is pretty cool. Sort of surprised Journeyman didn't make it, as I think that's a great track and one of their best album closers.
Thanks again Kev, for running this! :hefdaddy :metal
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22. The Mercenary
Such an underrated and overlooked track.
Great story about Rime!
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22. The Mercenary
Such an underrated and overlooked track.
Great story about Rime!
I was kind of surprised that didn't make it considering how much of BNW did make the Top 75.
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Wow only those 2 made all 75 lists! Appropriate I guess. Both have been my number 1 in the past. Thanks Kev, great job again!
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You don’t get the love? This video will show you why…,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOzvCWsV6Js
I got chills from that version even just hearing it on that compilation. I saw that tour and that was a BIG part of why I've been a huge fan of Maiden ever since. I know in hindsight there were always tensions between Steve and Bruce, and some reservations about ditching Di'Anno, but I can't IMAGINE someone like Steve who was so set on world domination not being like "HOLY SHIT, we've just hit the MOTHER LODE!" when Dickinson joined.
That's probably my favorite version of that song.
Best reaction:
"That's like, my first reaction to Iron Maiden, and I'm already, like, I'm, like, shaved bald."
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So I've now made a Spotify playlist with the complete Top 75 list for your enjoyment.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5j7PFXD2yMDFf0tdhtrCUP?si=0af8b7a7d41a4080 (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5j7PFXD2yMDFf0tdhtrCUP?si=0af8b7a7d41a4080)
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Kev, my friend, thank you for doing this. Probably my favorite one so far (no knock on the others, I was just more invested in this one).
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner: #11
Hallowed Be Thy Name: #5 (though it's probably my favorite Maiden song when it comes right down to it. It's really one of only a handful of songs I NEVER get tired of, and that I miss when it's not in the set).
My list:
75 Only the Good Die Young
74 Burning Ambition
73 No Prayer for the Dying
72 Starblind
71 El Dorado
70 Sea of Madness
69 Moonchild
68 Iron Maiden
67 Age of Innocence
66 Phantom of the Opera
65 The Wicker Man
64 Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
63 Genghis Khan
62 2 Minutes to Midnight
61 Deja-Vu
60 Mother of Mercy
59 The Writing on the Wall
58 The Evil That Men Do
57 Killers
56 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
55 Speed of Light
54 Lost in a Lost World
53 Run Silent Run Deep
52 Out of the Shadows
51 Ghost of the Navigator
50 The Time Machine
49 The Prophecy
48 Wildest Dreams
47 Powerslave
46 Drifter
45 Run to the Hills
44 The Unbeliever
43 The Red and the Black
42 Stratego
41 The Prisoner
40 The Nomad
39 Sign of the Cross
38 Dance of Death
37 From Here to Eternity
36 Infinite Dreams
35 Darkest Hour
34 If Eternity Should Fail
33 Isle of Avalon
32 The Clairvoyant
31 Fear of the Dark
30 Tailgunner
29 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
28 Lord of Light
27 Purgatory
26 Death of the Celts
25 Prodigal Son
24 The Man Who Would Be King
23 Hell on Earth
22 Still Life
21 Gates of Tomorrow
20 The Longest Day
19 Back in the Village
18 Como Estais Amigos
17 Blood Brothers
16 Strange World
15 Dream of Mirrors
14 New Frontier
13 Coming Home
12 The Angel and the Gambler
11 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
10 Murders in the Rue Morgue
9 Senjutsu
8 Stranger in a Strange Land
7 Children of the Damned
6 Where Eagles Dare
5 Hallowed Be Thy Name
4 Journeyman
3 Total Eclipse
2 Another Life
1 The Number of the Beast
Interesting facts (I think) about my list:
- I had a b-side in the Top 5.
- Yes, "Burning Ambition" made my list
- I had "Journeyman" higher than Hallowed.
- I had THREE songs from TNOTB (and one that should have been there) in my top 10. I think that lineup was the lightning in a bottle. Clive, and at that time Bruce had a sort of... I don't know, nasally, British twang to his voice in that period that I really, really liked. He never quite got that edge ever again, even though he did do some great work later (and is still doing great work).
- Two songs from Killers in the top 10; I love the guitars in "Another Life"; that's the song that made me fall in love with Dave Murray, my favorite member of Maiden (and one of my favorite guitar players of all time).
- Dave, sharing your love for Virtual XI, I had TAATG in my top 15, and Como Estais Amigos in my top 20.
- Kev, Journeyman was #4, and Strange World was #16.
- BACK IN THE VILLAGE, BITCHES. How that didn't make the top 75 is beyond me. Those GUITARS!
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Here is my list
75 The Writing on the Wall
74 Infinite Dreams
73 Gates of Tomorrow
72 Fates Warning
71 Empire of the Clouds
70 Flash of the Blade
69 Out of the Shadows
68 The Angel and the Gambler
67 Running Free
66 Fear Is the Key
65 Sanctuary
64 Don't Look to the Eyes of a Stranger
63 The Fallen Angel
62 Futureal
61 Purgatory
60 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
59 The Clansman
58 No More Lies
57 Moonchild
56 The Prophecy
55 Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
54 The Mercenary
53 The Legacy
52 The Duelists
51 Prodigal Son
50 The Trooper
49 The Book of Souls
48 Prowler
47 Wrathchild
46 Children of the Damned
45 Speed of Light
44 No Prayer for the Dying
43 Genghis Khan
42 From Here to Eternity
41 Our of the Silent Planet
40 Killers
39 Where Eagles Dare
38 Only the Good Die Young
37 The Clairvoyant
36 Senjutsu
35 Alexander the Great
34 The Nomad
33 Lord of the Flies
32 Blood Brothers
31 Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
30 For the Greater Good of God
29 Run to the Hills
28 Wildest Dreams
27 Journeyman
26 Paschendale
25 2 Minutes to Midnight
24 The Number of the Beast
23 Invaders
22 Iron Maiden
21 Dream of Mirrors
20 Dance of Death
19 The Wicker Man
18 Virus
17 To Tame a Land
16 Sign of the Cross
15 Caught Somewhere in Time
14 Phantom of the Opera
13 Brave New World
12 Flight of Icarus
11 Aces High
10 Powerslave
9 Ghost of the Navigator
8 Man on the Edge
7 Mother of Mercy
6 Fear of the Dark
5 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
4 Hallowed Be Thy Name
3 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2 Wasted Years
1 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
My top 4 is almost the same to the final ranking, the fun part happens from 10 to 5.
I LOVE MoTD and MoM.
Something that really surprised me was seeing the appreciation for Where Eagles Dare. I like the song, but never thougt it was THAT liked.
Also, I ranked a lot of instrumentals.
I liked the final ranking, it resembles more of a consensus of what people listen to Iron Maiden for. Bretty gud.
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Rhyme (#10) and Hallowed (#18) are 2 amazing songs and Hallowed totally deserves the status of classic and emblematic song, no doubt. By the way, a great cover by Machine Head, just updating the heaviness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odVsy4gwZGM
About the missing songs from the list... I must say that personally I miss most Be Quick or Be Dead (#19) and Running Free (#24). Be Quick is a killer opener and I love Running Free's original version because of the great Clive's drumming, but my favorite is from En Vivo, with that excellent jam. And, at last, I must say that Iron Maiden was always far from my fave Maiden tunes, unfortunately, since it's the "theme song" of the band. But it's a always a fun live moment and I love that bass/drums unisson.
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@Stadler-nice to see the Journeyman love! One of their most underrated songs, IMHO.
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You don’t get the love? This video will show you why…,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOzvCWsV6Js
I got chills from that version even just hearing it on that compilation. I saw that tour and that was a BIG part of why I've been a huge fan of Maiden ever since. I know in hindsight there were always tensions between Steve and Bruce, and some reservations about ditching Di'Anno, but I can't IMAGINE someone like Steve who was so set on world domination not being like "HOLY SHIT, we've just hit the MOTHER LODE!" when Dickinson joined.
That's probably my favorite version of that song.
Best reaction:
"That's like, my first reaction to Iron Maiden, and I'm already, like, I'm, like, shaved bald."
My emotional state is perhaps a little fragile at the moment (finally move into my new house on Monday/Tuesday), but this video has literally caused tears of joy to leak from my face.
TAC is right. That's why Hallowed is many people's favourite Maiden tune.
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I was really hoping Total Eclipse would make the top 75. I wonder what percentage of folks in this thread have heard it? 50%? 85%? I don’t know. Beast Over Hammersmith version is killer.
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Total Eclipse is actually on my version of NOTB ???
I’ll post my full list including songs that didn’t make it later today, but my top 10 was:
10. Senjutsu
9. 2 Minutes to Midnight
8. The Red and the Black
7. The Wicker Man
6. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
5. Different World
4. Hallowed be thy Name
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Fear of the Dark
1. Hell on Earth
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THANKS KEV!
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Total Eclipse wasn't on the original tracklist, but was added on the 1995 and 1998 reissues.
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Total Eclipse is actually on my version of NOTB ???
I’ll post my full list including songs that didn’t make it later today, but my top 10 was:
10. Senjutsu
9. 2 Minutes to Midnight
8. The Red and the Black
7. The Wicker Man
6. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
5. Different World
4. Hallowed be thy Name
3. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2. Fear of the Dark
1. Hell on Earth
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THANKS KEV!
Other than "Different World", that's a killer list right there. Love it.
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This is exactly what I saw coming at #1, personally. ;)
I will post comments on the top six soon (it's been a busy few days). Thanks again to Kev for running this!
I will post the entire list tonight with the scores and everything, but the crazy thing is that the song Iron Maiden didn't come close to making it. It finished 95th.
For shame, DTF. For shame.
Personally, I don't think that's crazy at all. I don't think that song is actually very good—honestly a bottom ten song for me counting only those on their studio albums. It works as a traditional part of their live show, but as an actual song? Not top 75, not top 100, MAYBE top 150.
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Are you sure all of the album slots are locked in? Sure seems like there's a big song missing from Powerslave that would move that album up to #4 if it's in the top 2.
Looks like I hit "post" before finishing the sentence. You're right (as has since been revealed).
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My list.
75. Blood on the worlds hands
74. Gates of tomorrow
73. Stratego
72. The wicker man
71. Different world
70. Brighter than a thousand suns
69. The book of souls
68. El dorado
67. Hell on earth
66. Futureal
65. New frontier
64. Brave new world
63. The writing on the wall
62. Blood brothers
61. The assassin
60. Paschendale
59. The mercenary
58. The clairvoyant
57. Starblind
56. The longest day
55. If eternity should fail.
54. The fallen angel
53. Holy smoke
52. Burning ambition
51. Losfer words
50. Still life
49. Die with your boots on
48. Hallowed be thy name
47. Innocent exile
46. Charlotte the harlot
45. Back in the village
44. Caught somewhere in time
43. The duelists
42. Another life
41. Total eclipse
40. Wasted years
39. Deja-vu
38. Tailgunner
37. No prayer for the dying
36. Infinite dreams
35. Flash of the blade
34. 22 acacia avenue
33. Remember tomorrow
32. Strange world
31. Seventh son of a seventh son
30. Where eagles dare
29. Twilight zone
28. Iron maiden
27. Transylvania
26. 2 minutes to midnight
25. Aces high
24. Sanctuary
23. Revelations
22. Running free
21. Rime of the ancient mariner
20. Stranger in a strange land
19. Run to the hills
18. Genghis khan
17. Prowler
16. Prodigal son
15. Quest for fire
14. Invasion
13. The trooper
12. Gangland
11. Moonchild
10. Fear is the key
9. Sea of madness
8. Powerslave
7. Number of the beast
6. Invaders
5. To tame a land
4. Sun and steel
3. Phantom of the opera
2. The prisoner
1. Flight of icarus
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I will post the entire list tonight with the scores and everything, but the crazy thing is that the song Iron Maiden didn't come close to making it. It finished 95th.
For shame, DTF. For shame.
I ranked every song on the first album. Shocked that Prowler and Running Free didn't rank :facepalm:
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And here they are...the top 2! No surprises for anyone, I suspect.
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (jammindude, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
What's amazing is that no one had this at number 1. Three had it number 2, and I had it at number 3 along with two others, so it did have six top 3 finishes. Great, great song. I could easily see this becoming my favorite some day sooner rather than later.
01 Hallowed Be Thy Name
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 20
Highest Ranking: 1 (TAC, nick_z, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm, nobloodyname)
I didn't get the love for this song, even early on last fall when I finally got into the band, but I came around on it mostly. I think it is spectacular musically, which is why I did put it at 13, but some of the vocal melodies leave me a little hollow, so I could not put it in my top 10. I will post the entire list later with all of the total scores, but the margin between this and Rime... really wasn't close (relatively speaking).
No surprise at all that Hallowed is #1 (although I had it #6, right below the title track). It's a strong song on its own, but the live versions have given it a super boost. My band used to play it and, while it loses a lot with only one guitar, it was still fun as heck to play.
Rime was epic at its time. So much was made of its length, but when you're a fan of Rush and other such bands, you kind of shrug that stuff off. I remember playing this with my bass teacher and she kept telling me to try to avoid string noise when sliding between the chords. Unfortunately, I didn't know at the time that Steve Harris used flatwound strings, which is a necessity to avoid the string noise. I ranked the song at #13, which is a testimony to just how many strong tracks Maiden has. It succeeded in telling a story where the follow up, Alexander the Great, fell short. The best parts are the instrumental sections before and after the slow middle part.
FINAL STANDINGS
The Number of the Beast falls just one point short of Seventh Son for the #3 slot! The top 5 "classic era" albums take the top 5 spots, followed by the 6 "reunion era" albums and the 2 Di'Anno albums.
1. Somewhere in Time: 8 songs/346 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13), Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
2. Piece of Mind: 6 songs/328 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11), Where Eagles Dare (#6)
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 7 songs/313 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9), Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (#3)
4. The Number of the Beast: 6 songs/312 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14), Hallowed Be Thy Name (#1)
5. Powerslave: 5 songs/264 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34), Powerslave (#5), Aces High (#4), Rime of the Ancient Mariner (#2)
6. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
7. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
8. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
9. Dance of Death: 4 songs/146 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28), Paschendale (#8)
10. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
11. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
12. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
13. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
14. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
15. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
I may post some more stuff when I'm back in town, but for now, here are my songs that didn't make the collective:
11 Sun and Steel
15 Invaders
18 Die with Your Boots On
31 Iron Maiden
33 Quest for Fire
35 Prowler
36 Flash of the Blade
37 Transylvania
41 Purgatory
46 Mother Russia
49 Drifter
51 Tailgunner
52 Sheriff of Huddersfield
53 Run Silent Run Deep
56 Genghis Khan
57 Sanctuary
58 Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)
61 Gangland
63 The Assassin
65 Running Free
67 The Ides of March
72 The Apparition
73 Back in the Village
74 Innocent Exile
75 The Fugitive
Gotta say that I am completely baffled that neither Iron Maiden nor Running Free made the collective top 75. Running Free I can understand. The LAD version is unlistenable and barely watchable on the video. I figured Iron Maiden would have gotten some points just for being so iconic. Also, I LOVE the interplay of the two guitars on the intro and main riffs. Also, y'all can suck it for hating on Sun and Steel and Invaders. Steve's bass riffing on the Invaders verses is unparalleled.
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02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 11
Highest Ranking: 2 (jammindude, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm)
01 Hallowed Be Thy Name
Appeared on 27 of 27 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 20
Highest Ranking: 1 (TAC, nick_z, Puppies_On_Acid, The Realm, nobloodyname)
I had Rime Of The Ancient Mariner at #40. I really do like the song but 40 was as high as I could put it. Still, I would concede that if you could only give someone a handful of Maiden tunes to introduce them, Rime should be part of the group.
I had Hallowed Be Thy Name at #1. What can I say. I'm a lifelong Maiden fan from 1982 and this is still my all time favorite Iron Maiden song, and after learning To Live, is my second favorite song of all time.
My lists ends up against the countdown like this..
72 Stranger In A Strange Land
70 Afraid to Shoot Strangers
69 Paschendale
68 The Nomad
65 Wasted Years
64 Aces High
62 Judas Be My Guide
58 Montesegur
57 Still Life
56 Blood Brothers
54 Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
53 Empire Of The Clouds
50 The Evil That Men Do
48 Heaven Can Wait
45 Revelations
43 Brave New World
42 The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
41 Flight Of Icarus
40 Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
38 Run To The Hills
36 Moonchild
32 2 Minutes To Midnight
30 The Duellists
28 The Trooper
27 The Number Of The Beast
26 Hell On Earth
25 Powerslave
24 When The Wild Wind Blows
23 The Red And The Black
22 Where Eagles Dare
21 Murders In The Rue Morgue
20 The Prisoner
19 The Clansman
18 Remember Tomorrow
17 No Prayer for the Dying
16 Dance Of Death
15 Lord Of Light
14 For The Greater Good Of God
13 The Book Of Souls
12 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
11 Coming Home
10 Sign Of The Cross
9 The Parchment
8 Infinite Dreams
7 The Talisman
6 22 Acacia Avenue
5 Children Of The Damned
4 Phantom Of The Opera
3 Caught Somewhere In Time
2 Fear Of The Dark
1 Hallowed Be Thy Name
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Not Ranked
77 Starblind
79 The Legacy
82 The Longest Day
83 Isle Of Avalon
85 Alexander The Great
87 Deja Vu
90 Rainmaker
92 If Eternity Should Fail
94 Only the Good Die Young
97 Dream Of Mirrors
99 To Tame A Land
101 The Wicker Man
105 Killers
106 Death of the Celts
NR These Colours Don't Run
NR Ghost Of The Navigator
NR The Clairvoyant
NR Prodigal Son
NR Wratchchild
NR Can I Play with Madness
NR Sea Of Madness
NR The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
NR Out of the Silent Planet
NR The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
My split is 51/24
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pg1067
I had Sun and Steel ranked 4 and Invaders at 6. The chorus alone for Sun And Steel makes it top 10 for me.
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pg1067
I had Sun and Steel ranked 4 and Invaders at 6. The chorus alone for Sun And Steel makes it top 10 for me.
Well...how 'bout that? I kinda thought I might be the top ranker for both songs. They're frickin' great!
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Thanks for running this, Kev. :tup
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#4 - Aces High - #17
This is one that I downloaded in my teens when I wanted to hear more Iron Maiden. I instantly loved this song from the get go with the bass intro and the guitars harmonizing. The part that really got me interested was the vocals, specifically the pre-chorus vocals. What I really enjoyed was the guitar during the vocals, that one pitch bomb note, it reminds me of a bomb being deployed from an air bomber. It's a great song that I do praise a lot, but I just enjoy more songs now that I heard more Maiden songs.
#3 - Seventh Son of A Seventh Son - #1
This is my all-time favorite song from them. Like Aces High, the intro drew me in. I enjoy the way the song paces along in the verses, while Bruce sings some of his best vocals. What makes this song #1 for me is the story-telling of Bruce and the way he delivers the lyrics. Once the middle instrumental comes in, it creates a mysterious vibe and atmosphere. I picture a hooded figure, showing up from the mist in the dead of night, telling the listener the "prophecy". The part I love most though is the way it builds up into the main riff then into the awesome guitar solos. I also think this is one of the coolest Iron Maiden endings as well. I went to see them when I found out they were going to do another classic era set production of the Seventh Son era and was not going to pass it up. I like how they brought in the backing keyboardist, having him out there dressed up in costume added to the entire atmosphere of the song live. Also, the stage set-up added another aspect to the atmosphere that enhanced the scene setting of the story for me.
#2 - Rime of The Ancient Mariner - #71
This feels pretty low to me, I would rank it higher, at least top 50. This is another song that brings back memories. In my 8th grade English class we had to read the poem The Rime of The Ancient Mariner and summarize what it's about. I knew who Iron Maiden was and liked the songs I knew from them, so I was amazed when my teacher ended up playing the song one day when the day was about to end. Even though the stereo was cheap, it was neat hearing this song for the first time in school. :lol
The song is amazing in the story-telling and how it also relates to the poem.
#1 - Hallowed Be Thy Name - #25
Of course this would end up the top ranked song, so I am not surprised. There's a good reason why this is a top Maiden song though. The intro, especially the bells, create that atmosphere for the first set of lyrics. The entire song goes through these moments as we follow the prisoner from his cell, walking down the line, and into the gallows. The song has everything I like about Maiden, the build-ups, the story-telling, the great vocals, and the atmosphere. It is deserving of the top spot and one that I will always enjoy hearing live.
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Here’s my entire list, with all the songs that didn’t make the collective top 75 underscored and the songs I ranked highest out of everything made cursive. I don’t have even a single ‘bingo line’ (20-29 came closest) and there’s a few songs I’m genuinely surprised didn’t make the final list. The most notable omission, to me, is the song Iron Maiden. I also find it weird that The Duellists (the only Powerslave song I didn’t rank) made the list while Back in the Village, Flash of the Blade and Losfer Words did not. As far as personal favourites go, I’m a little sad Different World wasn’t featured at all, although I knew it would be a long shot anyway.
75 Invaders
74 22 Acacia Avenue
73 The Book of Souls
72 Man on the Edge
71 Only the Good Die Young
70 Speed of Light
69 Running Free
68 Phantom of the Opera
67 Killers
66 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
65 Stratego
64 Infinite Dreams
63 Brave New World
62 Be Quick or Be Dead
61 No Prayer for the Dying
60 Back in the Village
59 Wrathchild
58 The Number of the Beast
57 Death of the Celts
56 Flash of the Blade
55 If Eternity Should Fail
54 Flight of Icarus
53 Hooks in You
52 Quest for Fire
51 Murders in the Rue Morgue
50 Wasted Years
49 The Evil That Men Do
48 Revelations
47 Run to the Hills
46 These Colours Don't Run
45 Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
44 The Parchment
43 Sea of Madness
42 The Nomad
41 The Fallen Angel
40 The Legacy
39 Prowler
38 Wildest Dreams
37 Futureal
36 Iron Maiden
35 Holy Smoke
34 For the Greater Good of God
33 Powerslave
32 Where Eagles Dare
31 Rainmaker
30 Bring Your Daughter...to the Slaughter
29 Ghost of the Navigator
28 Heaven Can Wait
27 The Clairvoyant
26 Die with Your Boots On
25 The Clansman
24 Paschendale
23 Moonchild
22 Can I Play With Madness
21 The Trooper
20 The Longest Day
19 Sign of the Cross
18 Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
17 Out of the Silent Planet
16 The Writing on the Wall
15 Caught Somewhere in Time
14 Empire of the Clouds
13 Aces High
12 Montségur
11 Coming Home
10 Senjutsu
9 2 Minutes to Midnight
8 The Red and the Black
7 The Wicker Man
6 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
5 Different World
4 Hallowed Be Thy Name
3 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
2 Fear of the Dark
1 Hell on Earth
Unranked on my list:
The Duellists
Deja Vu
Judas be my Guide
Prodigal Son
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
Still Life
Remember Tomorrow
The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Dream of Mirrors
Isle of Avalon
Lord of Light
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Starblind
Blood Brothers
When the Wild Wind Blows
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
The Prisoner
Dance of Death
The Talisman
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great
To Tame a Land
Children of the Damned
Ranked/Unranked split: 52/23
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Kev, thank you for putting your time and effort into this. :hefdaddy What's next up when you get to it? :metal
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Kev, thank you for putting your time and effort into this. :hefdaddy What's next up when you get to it? :metal
He's doing Porcupine Tree.
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Ok well, I'll sit this one out and gear up for another one. :)
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Ok well, I'll sit this one out and gear up for another one. :)
Me too. It's quite possible that it'd be Queensryche.
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Thanks again for the thanks, peeps!
Full list below:
01 Hallowed Be Thy Name 1781
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1562
03 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son 1523
04 Aces High 1508
05 Powerslave 1471
06 When Eagles Dare 1355
07 Caught Somewhere in Time 1312
08 Paschendale 1245
09 Moonchild 1232
10 Infinite Dreams 1227
11 Revelations 1197
12 Phantom of the Opera 1193
13 Wasted Years 1120
14 The Number of the Beast 1096
15 Flight of Icarus 1074
16 Sign of the Cross 1059
17 Sea of Madness 1045
18 Children of the Damned 1036
19 The Trooper 1026
20 To Tame a Land 1022
21 Alexander the Great 966
22 Stranger in a Strange Land 965
23 For the Greater Good of God 949
24 Fear of the Dark 943
25 Hell on Earth 939
26 The Clairvoyant 922
27 The Talisman 894
28 Dance of Death 890
29 Ghost of the Navigator 874
30 The Legacy 821
31 Empire of the Clouds 818
32 The Prisoner 799
33 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns 784
34 2 Minutes to Midnight 771
35 The Parchment 770
36 When the Wild Wind Blows 763
37 Coming Home 729
38 22 Acacia Avenue 727
39 The Evil That Men Do 723
40 The Clansmen 710
41 Run to the Hills 699
42 The Red and the Black 690
43 The Longest Day 685
44 Blood Brothers 645
45 Murders in the Rue Morgue 631
46 The Book of Souls 615
47 Starblind 614
48 The Loneliness of the Long Distance… 610
49 Lord of Light 600
50 Montsegur 596
51 Isle of Avalon 594
52 Dream of Mirrors 593
53 The Thin Line Between Love & Hate 592
54 Killers 590
55 Remember Tomorrow 583
56 The Nomad 551
57 Still Life 545
58 The Wicker Man 540
59 Only the Good Die Young 513
60 Brave New World 510
61 Afraid to Shoot Strangers 500
62 Wrathchild 495
63 Prodigal Son 487
64 If Eternity Should Fail 476
65 These Colours Don’t Run 474
66 Heaven Can Wait 468
67 Judas Be My Guide 458
68 Déjà vu 446
69 No Prayer for the Dying 446
70 Out of the Silent Planet 430
71 The Reincarnation of Benjamin… 429
72 Rainmaker 422
73 Can I Play with Madness 409
74 The Duelists 385
75 Death of the Celts 382
76 Strange World 381
77 Prowler 379
78 Die with Your Boots On 375
79 Journeyman 373
80 Flash of the Blade 352
81 Darkest Hour 347
82 Senjutsu 344
83 The Fallen Angel 338
84 Invaders 335
85 Total Eclipse 333
86 The Prophecy 314
87 Mother of Mercy 311
88 Lost in a Lost World 309
89 Run Silent Run Deep 292
90 Purgatory 288
91 The Man Who Would Be King 278
92 Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) 275
93 Be Quick or Be Dead 269
94 The Writing on the Wall 257
95 Iron Maiden 256
96 Different World 248
97 Sanctuary 238
98 Mother Russia 237
99 Tailgunner 233
100 Out of the Shadows 228
101 The Pilgrim 227
102 Back in the Village 224
103 Another Life 223
104 Genghis Khan 218
105 The Time Machine 214
106 Man on the Edge 206
107 Fear is the Key 203
108 Sun and Steel 203
109 Running Free 195
110 Childhood’s End 182
111 Satellite 15…The Final Frontier 179
112 Futureal 177
113 Wasting Love 175
114 Speed of Light 174
115 The Edge of Darkness 174
116 No More Lies 170
117 Lord of the Flies 162
118 The Educated Fool 162
119 Face in the Sand 159
120 Tears of a Clown 159
121 Charlotte the Harlot 155
122 Innocent Exile 155
123 Public Enema Number One 152
124 Death or Glory 151
125 Fates Warning 150
126 Look for the Truth 150
127 The Man of Sorrows 148
128 Como Estais Amigos 145
129 Quest for Fire 142
130 When Two Worlds Collide 141
131 Transylvania 139
132 2 A.M. 135
133 Wildest Dreams 130
134 Twilight Zone 129
135 The Alchemist 127
136 Drifter 125
137 The Unbeliever 125
138 Fortunes of War 123
139 Stratego 121
140 The Angel and the Gambler 120
141 The Mercenary 118
142 When the River Runs Deep 117
143 Invasion 115
144 Virus 114
145 New Frontier 112
146 The Fugitive 111
147 The Great Unknown 110
148 Blood on the World’s Hands 107
149 Don’t Look to the Eyes… 105
150 Bring Your Daughter… 101
151 Gangland 95
152 Chains of Misery 91
153 Gates of Tomorrow 89
154 Age of Innocence 85
155 Shadows of the Valley 80
156 El Dorado 76
157 From Here to Eternity 73
158 Holy Smoke 73
159 The Aftermath 60
160 Days of Future Past 55
161 Judgement of Heaven 52
162 The Assassin 51
163 Reach Out 46
164 The Apparition 40
165 Judgement Day 39
166 Sheriff of Huddersfield 34
167 Burning Ambition 26
168 Hooks in You 23
169 Weekend Warrior 22
170 Lightning Strikes Twice 20
171 The Ides of March 18
172 Justice of the Peace 10
173 Bayswater Ain’t a Bad Place.. 0
174 Black Bart Blues 0
175 I Live My Way 0
176 More Tea Vicar 0
177 Nodding Donkey Blues 0
178 Pass the Jam 0
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Great final list. It kind of seems that the songs ranked 76 - 100 nearly cover everything that felt like it was missing from the Top 75.
Thanks again Kev, this was really great fun and as always really well run. This has been my favourite so far and looking forward to the next one.
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2:00 AM git over 21% of its points from me, and at #29, was the only song in my Top 30 that didn't make the list.
Kev, great job. Really well organized and a perfect pace. Really love the format (total lists/Top 10 finishes/highest ranker..).
Unfortunately, I have to sit out the next one.
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Alright, finally getting around to post on the top six:
6. Where Eagles Dare
My ranking: #16
I did not expect this one to land this high, but I'm happy that it did! I think it's one of the very best songs of their 80s output. I'm a big fan of the triumphant-sounding atmosphere, which is especially conveyed by the riffs in this song. There is a lot of great riffing throughout this one, just a near-constant sense of momentum. I think the instrumental section is great; the best part of the song, actually. The use of repetition here is really good and calls to mind the repetition that they would come to do more and more on later albums. Of course, there's also the long solo section in the middle, which is interesting and fitting with the atmosphere.
Of course, we also have the introduction to Mr. Nicko McBrain at the beginning of this one. I think his role in the band has been continually understated over the years (though understandably so, given that the band has one of the all-time great metal singers, all-time great metal bassists, and pioneering guitar duos). I think he enhances so much of their music, and this song is one where his presence is notable long after the first few seconds have passed.
5. Powerslave
My ranking: #33
An impressive fact about Bruce's career with Iron Maiden, which is often overlooked, is that on the first two albums where he was allowed to be a credited songwriter, his second and third overall with the band, he wrote two brilliant, complex songs that are credited only to him: Revelations and Powerslave.
Of the two, my preference is for Revelations, but they're both excellent pieces. I find the Egyptian setting of Powerslave pretty interesting, and made real by the music (not just the lyrics). A lot of great, thematically fitting riffs on this one. But the highlight is the instrumental section, which provides an awesome build-up from a very quiet section back into the heavy main riff.
Bruce is great here as a singer, too, of course, with a very theatrical performance (even in the studio, where he was presumably not wearing that mask).
4. Aces High
My ranking: #41
I don't quite consider this an elite Iron Maiden song, but it's in the next group after elite, and definitely one of the best of the best-known classics. In this case, it has all the hallmarks that make it popular, like the catchy main riff and vocal melodies, but it also has a good amount of depth that keeps me coming back to it. It has a fantastic intro, enhanced even more when preceded by the snippet from Churchill's speech. And it has a great instrumental section, which the song unexpectedly enters directly after the first chorus. Both solos here are excellent, giving an actual feeling of dogfighting planes, and I like the way they move into the subsequent riff.
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
My ranking: #9
I wasn't quite sure how high this one would climb, so it's nice to see it made the top three—definitely a worthy choice for that honor. To me, this is the climax of their musical development throughout the 1980s. From Phantom of the Opera to Hallowed Be Thy Name to To Tame a Land to Rime of the Ancient Mariner to Alexander the Great, everything was building to this. This song just has so much going on in it, so much epic grandeur—from the intro to the verses to the grand finale. The fact that it's also another step in the development of "Steve Harris writes a chorus that's just the title of the song eight times" poses no obstacle to it being a top ten Maiden song.
The first section, through the last chorus, is epic enough on its own, but the last 60% of the song is even more magical, if possible. The quiet middle section here is a greater success than the one in Rime, because there's a really effective sense of build-up across that section. Even the voiceover is part of that build-up. Once you're familiar enough with this song, you can tell how close you are to the end just from hearing a snippet of this section, because the drums and guitar just mount and mount and mount until the song bursts out with a new riff on the epic theme.
And this solo section is phenomenal. I've been singing the "Adrian Smith is the best Maiden guitarist" song for this whole countdown, but I feel like they had to have known it here by having Dave take the first two solos (which are excellent in their own right), then entering a new riff before handing it off to Adrian to take the song home to the massive outro with two solos of his own.
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
My ranking: #20
I don't listen to Rime of the Ancient Mariner often anymore. I usually feel that I've gotten my fill of the song. But whenever I do break it out, I really can't deny it. I like a number of their later epics better than it at this point, but this still a crucial stepping stone toward those later achievements and a superb song in its own right. I think for Rime, like for Seventh Son, there's a lot to like in the first, vocal-heavy part, but what really elevates the song comes toward the end.
That's not to say the first third isn't very good. At times I think it leans pretty heavily on doing the Maiden-gallop thing, but it works, especially as the song goes into later and richer parts of that section. I think the highlight is the "There goes the mariner" section.
But the magic really happens in the second half. As I mentioned in my Seventh Son writeup, I think the quiet middle section of this song doesn't work quite as well as it could have. It feels repetitive without enough variety to give a sense of build-up. That said, it is effective in as far as conveying a certain part of the story. And the transition out of it is a truly vital part of the song. The whole build-up from "The curse it lives on in their eyes" through the climactic line "Then, down in falls, comes the rain" is one of Bruce's finest sections ever.
And then the rain does indeed come down in falls, in the form of a truly fantastic instrumental section. The build into it is tantalizingly slow at first, but then so energizing once it gets going. It's one of the great instrumental parts in their discography, even though it's shorter than a lot of others. And then it carries a lot momentum into the final vocal section, which to me makes what is actually the same riff and verse melody as the intro sound far more interesting here and give the song a fairly climactic outro.
As more time goes on, it's possible more reunion epics will come to eclipse this song for me. But when I do go back to this, I still can't deny its brilliance. Given the general 80s preference among the voters here, I can't argue with this as a top three selection.
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name
My ranking: #8
So, I mentioned that I think Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the climax of a development in songwriting that included this song. But there's just something special about Hallowed Be Thy Name that places it on par with its more complex successor—or slightly ahead of it, seeing as I put Hallowed 8th on my list and Seventh Son 9th.
The power here is in atmosphere and emotion combined with exciting instrumentation. Both of those combine in all the right ways to make this a perfect outing for the band. The intro is just chilling, especially when played live and slowed way down (as they sometimes do) to give Bruce room to work with the emotions. The alternation of epic riffs and operatic vocal sections for the next few minutes just really works here. There's a sense of approaching climax in the music, and Bruce is able to do a lot to sell the emotions of the moment, while also being able to show off his range and power. See the way he sometimes works the strange illusion line.
Then the song just opens up into one of the most explosive, energetic sections of their entire discography. This is especially true played live, when every audience gets hugely into the increasingly fast and intense instrumentals. Count me as perhaps the rare person who is happy that Janick continues to play the second solo instead of Adrian. I love them both, and I think Janick does sometimes flub it, but when he's on, his approach conveys more of a frantic feeling, which fits thematically with this song, especially as we approach the climactic moment.
And then there's nothing new I can say about the final build up and Bruce's last two lines. One of the great Maiden moments, one that is still exciting even after having heard it probably hundreds of times.
This is one of their great songs, one that has absolutely stood the test of time. Although there are a few newer songs that I enjoy more than Hallowed Be Thy Name, I absolutely can't fault anyone for putting it first. I knew this was where our journey would end, and I'm happy to see my prediction become reality.
Placements of the overall listed songs on my list (53/75):
75.
74.
73.
72.
71.
70. Blood Brothers
69.
68.
67.
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
65.
64. The Trooper
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
62. Coming Home
61. Fear of the Dark
60.
59. These Colours Don't Run
58.
57. The Evil That Men Do
56.
55.
54.
53. Remember Tomorrow
52.
51. Sea of Madness
50. Dream of Mirrors
49. The Red and the Black
48. Death of the Celts
47. The Nomad
46. Phantom of the Opera
45.
44.
43. Out of the Silent Planet
42. Montségur
41. Aces High
40. Ghost of the Navigator
39.
38. Flight of Icarus
37. The Clansman
36. Moonchild
35.
34.
33. Powerslave
32.
31. Stranger in a Strange Land
30.
29. The Clairvoyant
28. Only the Good Die Young
27. The Book of Souls
26. To Tame a Land
25. If Eternity Should Fail
24. The Longest Day
23. Empire of the Clouds
22. Caught Somewhere in Time
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
20. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
19. Dance of Death
18. Infinite Dreams
17. Hell on Earth
16. Where Eagles Dare
15. Lord of Light
14. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
13. When the Wild Wind Blows
12. Alexander the Great
11. Revelations
10. The Legacy
9. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
8. Hallowed Be Thy Name
7. For the Greater Good of God
6. Sign of the Cross
5. Isle of Avalon
4. The Parchment
3. Starblind
2. The Talisman
1. Paschendale
Overall, I think I did alright, with just over two-thirds of my songs making the list and my entire top 29. I'm planning to reveal and do shorter writeups for the 22 other songs over the next few days.
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I had 51 out of the 75 make my list.
Quick takeaways:
* Still highly disappointed in the lack of songs from the debut.
* Still don't get the love for SiT.
* I had 2 Blaze songs, so that was fairly in line with the group.
* My highest ranking song that didn't make the list: Sanctuary at #15
* Highest ranking group song that didn't make my list: Powerslave at #5.
75 Another Life
74 The Fallen Angel
73 Strange World
72 Alexander the Great
71 To Tame a Land
70 Prodigal Son
69 22 Acacia Avenue
68 Fear of the Dark
67 Moonchild
66 Different World
65 Rainmaker
64 Brave New World
63 Face in the Sand
62 Out of the Silent Planet
61 Darkest Hour
60 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
59 The Writing on the Wall
58 Isle of Avalon
57 Shadows of the Valley
56 Coming Home
55 Sign of the Cross
54 The Man of Sorrows
53 The Trooper
52 Where Eagles Dare
51 Hell on Earth
50 Death of the Celts
49 Senjutsu
48 Montségur
47 The Book of Souls
46 Ghost of the Navigator
45 Mother of Mercy
44 The Alchemist
43 The Pilgrim
42 The Great Unknown
41 The Longest Day
40 The Clansman
39 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
38 These Colours Don't Run
37 Prowler
36 Tears of a Clown
35 Murders in the Rue Morgue
34 Transylvania
33 Lord of Light
32 Out of the Shadows
31 The Talisman
30 Purgatory
29 The Parchment
28 Death or Glory
27 Speed of Light
26 Infinite Dreams
25 The Time Machine
24 The Clairvoyant
23 Aces High
22 Dream of Mirrors
21 Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
20 Remember Tomorrow
19 For the Greater Good of God
18 No More Lies
17 Wrathchild
16 Children of the Damned
15 Sanctuary
14 The Number of the Beast
13 The Red and the Black
12 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
11 If Eternity Should Fail
10 Killers
9 The Legacy
8 Dance of Death
7 Revelations
6 Flight of Icarus
5 Empire of the Clouds
4 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
3 Hallowed Be Thy Name
2 Phantom of the Opera
1 Paschendale
Man this was fun. This was the first thing I looked at every morning when I got online. This also might be the last one I participate in, as the other bands that have been tossed around I don't have much, if any, of an emotional connection with.
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Chris, who would you have a connection with?
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Rime came in at 46 for me. Number 2 is way too high IMO.
Hallowed was 18 but always predicted it was going to be number 1.
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2:00 AM git over 21% of its points from me, and at #29, was the only song in my Top 30 that didn't make the list.
I had it at 32 :metal
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- BACK IN THE VILLAGE, BITCHES. How that didn't make the top 75 is beyond me. Those GUITARS!
Yeah, I want to smack myself for leaving that off my top 75. When I did my last amendment to it, I was adding a few of the newer songs and Back in the Village sadly was one of the casualties. Admittedly, tracks 3 through 6 from Powerslave, all of which I like a lot, all kind of bounce around as to which ones I like the most, and that must have been on the downside the day I locked in my list. For shame, I know.
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-75-80 are appropriately the songs that felt missing from the list...
-The Prophecy was 68 points from scoring Seventh Son a full set.
-The Fallen Angel missed by only 45 points, but The Mercenary finished 141 so BNW wasn't that close (below TAATG? The fuck?)
-The missing AMOLAD songs are all really close together! #96, #100, #101.
-There's a 69 rank gap between Mother of Mercy (#87) and El Dorado (#156). Damn, if anything I'd expected this to be the other way around...
-Blaze wasn't really close to making it, Man on the Edge is the next highest ranked Blaze song at #106. :(
-I told you Lightning Strikes Twice will get #1! It's #1 from the bottom if you discount b sides and instrumentals :D
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Thanks again to everyone who submitted a list and participated in this thread. It was mostly a lot of fun! :)
FINAL STANDINGS
The Number of the Beast falls just one point short of Seventh Son for the #3 slot! The top 5 "classic era" albums take the top 5 spots, followed by the 6 "reunion era" albums and the 2 Di'Anno albums.
1. Somewhere in Time: 8 songs/346 points – Déjà Vu (#68), Heaven Can Wait (#66), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (#48), Stranger in a Strange Land (#22), Alexander the Great (#21), Sea of Madness (#17), Wasted Years (#13), Caught Somewhere in Time (#7)
2. Piece of Mind: 6 songs/328 points – Still Life (#57), To Tame a Land (#20), The Trooper (#19), Flight of Icarus (#15), Revelations (#11), Where Eagles Dare (#6)
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son: 7 songs/313 points – Can I Play with Madness (#73), Only the Good Die Young (#59), The Evil That Men Do (#39), The Clairvoyant (#26), Infinite Dreams (#10), Moonchild (#9), Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (#3)
4. The Number of the Beast: 6 songs/312 points – Run to the Hills (#41), 22 Acacia Avenue (#38), The Prisoner (#32), Children of the Damned (#18), The Number of the Beast (#14), Hallowed Be Thy Name (#1)
5. Powerslave: 5 songs/264 points – The Duellists (#74), 2 Minutes to Midnight (#34), Powerslave (#5), Aces High (#4), Rime of the Ancient Mariner (#2)
6. A Matter of Life and Death: 7 songs/218 points – The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (#71), These Colours Don’t Run (#65), Lord of Light (#49), The Longest Day (#43), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (#33), The Legacy (#30), For the Greater Good of God (#23)
7. Brave New World: 8 songs/186 points – Out of the Silent Planet (#70), Brave New World (#60), The Wicker Man (#58), The Nomad (#56), The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (#53), Dream of Mirrors (#52), Blood Brothers (#44), Ghost of the Navigator (#29)
8. The Final Frontier: 5 songs/182 points – Isle of Avalon (#51), Starblind (#47), Coming Home (#37), When the Wild Wind Blows (#36), The Talisman (#27)
9. Dance of Death: 4 songs/146 points – Rainmaker (#72), Montsegur (#50), Dance of Death (#28), Paschendale (#8)
10. The Book of Souls: 4 songs/121 points – If Eternity Should Fail (#64), The Book of Souls (#46), The Red and the Black (#42), Empire of the Clouds (#31)
11. Senjutsu: 3 songs/93 points – Death of the Celts (#75), The Parchment (#35), Hell on Earth (#25)
12. Iron Maiden: 2 songs/85 points – Remember Tomorrow (#55), Phantom of the Opera (#12)
13. Killers: 4 songs/80 points – Prodigal Son (#63), Wrathchild (#62), Killers (#54), Murders in the Rue Morgue (#45)
14. Fear of the Dark: 3 songs/76 points – Judas Be My Guide (#67), Afraid to Shoot Strangers (#61), Fear of the Dark (#24)
15. The X Factor: 1 song/60 points – Sign of the Cross (#16)
16. Virtual XI: 1 song/36 points – The Clansman (#40)
17. No Prayer for the Dying: 1 song/7 points – No Prayer for the Dying (#69)
And thanks to you, sir, for these constant updates! Very nicely done as always.
The order looks really darn good, for the most part. I think the first two albums deserved more love and are better than a majority of the reunion albums, and I'd slide up Powerslave a few spots obviously, but A Matter of Life and Death being the highest rated reunion record, the four 90s albums all sitting at the bottom, and Somewhere in Time at number 1 all nail the bullseye, IMO. :tup :tup
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So finally getting around to doing this, songs I had ranked that didn't make the cut:
16 Total Eclipse
26 Tailgunner
27 Invaders
29 Be Quick or Be Dead
30 Mother Russia
37 Charlotte the Harlot
39 New Frontier
41 The Prophecy
44 The Man Who Would be King
46 Wasting Love
51 Prowler
52 Man of Sorrows
54 Lost in a Lost World
55 The Fugitive
56 Innocent Exile
60 Wildest Dreams
61 Chains of Misery
62 Quest for Fire
63 El Dorado
64 The Assassin
65 Face in the Sand
66 Darkest Hour
68 Strange World
70 Childhood's End
71 Shadows of the Valley
72 Mother of Mercy
73 Age of Innocence
75 Back in the Village
I frequently read criticisms of most of those, and I have no idea why. They sound fine to my ears.
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Dream Team, you mentioned Total Eclipse a couple of days ago, wondering if everyone has heard it, and I see you have it at #16 here. I want to just mention that I really like it, probably better than anything on TNotB besides HBTN and The Prisoner, and that it came very close to making my list. Like, if it had been top 80 instead of top 75, I'd probably have had it.
One of the 80s songs you had in your top 50 is one I included, too, and really think deserved to make it. I wrote a little about it below.
I also have some of the reunion songs that you mention here, some pretty high... I'll reveal them in the next couple of days. I did not have The Man of Sorrows, but it's cool to see it fairly high in a list. Would be top 85 for me—I came close to including it.
Okay, I wanted to do some short writeups for the songs that were on my list but not mentioned in the countdown. I'm going to try to keep these a lot shorter than my writeups for the main 75, but just to give a special mention to the other songs I included. I'll probably do this in three posts—I had 22 songs that didn't make the list, so I'll do 8, 7 and 7. Just to give a sense of the flow of my list, I'll list the intervening songs without comments.
I'd like to see others do this as well, because I think it'd be interesting to see what people have to say about some of the less popular choices.
75. The Angel and the Gambler
Overall ranking: #140
Yes, this song is on my list. It's awesome, and my only regret, if any, is that I didn't put it higher. For a long time, I shared the typical criticism of this song, that it's too repetitive and would be better if it was shorter. I no longer think that. If you can get to a place where you just accept the fact that, yes, he's going to sing the same three lines a lot of times, I don't think it's a problem. The choruses are really varied in a way that keeps it from being monotonous. And the song itself is really fun and exciting. A great driving or running song.
Yes, this post is going to have a lot of Virtual XI. I really like this album, but it doesn't rank as high for me as my top favorites, so a lot of songs from it (and actually both Blaze albums) were in my 50-75 range. I've always liked a lot, but during some hard times in the last few years, I've listened to it more than usual. The Angel and the Gambler is a song that just makes me happy.
74. Como Estais Amigos
Overall ranking: #128
This is a beautiful, emotional song that's definitely driven heavily by Blaze's voice—I don't know if I'd want to hear it without him as the singer. That said, there's some really interesting instrumentation in the second half. It's a Gers/Bayley writing credit, and it definitely bears the stylistic hallmarks of both the two most maligned Iron Maiden members at their very best. Great ending to the Virtual XI album.
Trivia: Blaze has said that this is his favorite song that he did with Iron Maiden.
73. Stratego
Overall ranking: #139
I'm on record as a huge fan of the band's newest album, and Stratego is no exception. I didn't figure it would make the list, but I'm a little surprised to see it down in Angel and the Gambler range. Maybe that's a byproduct of TAATG having a few dedicated fans and Stratego mostly having people who like but don't love it.
I just love the vocal melodies on this one. Everything is memorable and feels pretty epic, especially the chorus. It also fits in really well on the album, as a kick of energy after the title track. Like many of the songs on this album, it's sparing with the chorus, and I think that's to its advantage—gives it both familiarity and power when it kicks in for the second time after the instrumental break.
72. The Prophecy
Overall ranking: #86
Like the group, I ranked 7 out of 8 songs on Seventh Son, but it wasn't the same 7. Rather than playing with madness, I prefer to hear the cry of the seven whistlers.
I don't really get why this one gets less love than the other songs on the album. It has a lot of nice melodies in the intro and especially the acoustic outro, Bruce going all out in terms of theatricality, and a really interesting instrumental break. I really enjoy it.
71. Judgment of Heaven
Overall ranking: #161
One of the challenges ranking songs from The X Factor is that for a long time, I've really thought of this album as a continuous experience that is better than the sum of its parts. I still mostly agree with that, but in recent years, I've gained a greater appreciation for some of the individual parts on their own.
Judgment of Heaven is one that kind of came out of nowhere for me. For a long time, I thought of it as one of the lesser songs on the album, though one I still liked. I think that's the general opinion, which is why I'm not surprised to see it way at the bottom even relative to other Blaze songs. But then I heard Thomas Zwijsen's acoustic arrangement (https://youtu.be/OhXtnPZHOh0) of it, with acoustic guitar, violin, and Blaze on vocals. This also came during a tough part of my life, and it was kind of a revelation for me in terms of this song. Especially, it brought my attention to the really nice instrumental melodies, particularly during the break. It's now in the top half of the album for me.
70. Blood Brothers (overall: #44)
69. The Educated Fool
Overall ranking: #118
There was some discussion about this song a few pages ago, and it was great to see that some people put this song far higher than I did. It's worthy of more consideration.
The intro is really pretty and melodic, taking good advantage of the softer side of Blaze's voice. The rest of the song lives up to it, conveying a really uplifting mood, to me. This is especially true when the second chorus kicks in: "Time will flow, and I will follow." It feels even grander the second time, since the instrumental break has built up some momentum and intensity.
68. Virus
Overall ranking: #144
The only non-album track on my list. Total Eclipse came very close, but ended up among the first ten out. Virus has long captivated my interest. First, it was unusual for them to so openly lash out at their critics. Second, it has two very distinct parts that are both good in their own right and, I think, come together quite well at the end. It's kind of reminiscent of Dreams of Mirrors. The first half has a really creepy feeling, between the repeated guitar melody and Blaze's low, quiet vocals. The second half is just melodically interesting to me—I like the "Every good thing's laid to waste" verse melody and the "Rats in the cellar" melody (and the choral patch used before Blaze comes in on that part is interesting). It brings out an angrier side of Blaze's voice that I think works well.
67. Blood on the World's Hands
Overall ranking: #148
Over the years, I've gone back and forth between having this song as one of the standouts on The X Factor and having it as part of the pack. Last few years, it's definitely been in the standout camp. I think part of what's going on here is that this song is meant to have a really epic sound, and the production kind of undercuts that. But when I look through the production to hear the song itself, I think it's an excellent one. Steve plays a really interesting bass intro, the verses are interesting and aggressive, and the highlight is the big "Blood on the world's hands" refrain that follows the solo section. The sudden ending is clever and works well, I think.
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (overall: #53)
Next post, probably tomorrow, will begin with #65. The next batch is more on the Reunion side of the Reunion:Blaze ratio, although I have a few Blaze songs left.
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01 Hallowed Be Thy Name 1781
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1562
Damn! With both songs being on everyone's lists, I'd have expected the margin to be much closer.
166 Sheriff of Huddersfield 34
Did anyone other than Tim and I rank it?
And thanks to you, sir, for these constant updates! Very nicely done as always.
The order looks really darn good, for the most part. I think the first two albums deserved more love and are better than a majority of the reunion albums, and I'd slide up Powerslave a few spots obviously, but A Matter of Life and Death being the highest rated reunion record, the four 90s albums all sitting at the bottom, and Somewhere in Time at number 1 all nail the bullseye, IMO. :tup :tup
Happy to contribute to your venture, and thanks again! :tup
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01 Hallowed Be Thy Name 1781
02 Rime of the Ancient Mariner 1562
Damn! With both songs being on everyone's lists, I'd have expected the margin to be much closer.
I noticed that too. That's a big separation between #1 and #2.
Putting my own personal preferences aside, Hallowed is the song I would have wanted to be at #1. It was #3 for me. As has been said elsewhere, if someone said to me "what's this band all about?" that would be the first song I'd play for them.
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166 Sheriff of Huddersfield 34
Did anyone other than Tim and I rank it?
No, you were the only two.
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If anything this thread introduced me to some songs I didn't know existed. Their covers never interested me much, though Doctor, Doctor would have made my list were it allowed. But I didn't realize they had that many non-album original tracks.
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If anything this thread introduced me to some songs I didn't know existed. Their covers never interested me much, though Doctor, Doctor would have made my list were it allowed. But I didn't realize they had that many non-album original tracks.
There haven't been any new ones for years (if any?), sadly. We can probably blame the shift to digital for that.
And on the subject of non-album tracks: Paschendale (Orchestral Version) came up on shuffle a couple of days ago. Safe to say that version wouldn't have been in my top ten. It's horribly overdone.
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Alright, gotta start with saying a huge thank you to Kev for another great countdown list. I look forward to whatever could be next. I’m hoping for a Metallica one at some stage, but I’m up for whatever you have for us.
Here is my top 75 as I entered it. Not as it should have been, since my 2 and 3 were in the wrong order. Bolded are the ones that didn’t make the master list.
1. Powerslave
2. Hallowed Be Thy Name
3. The Legacy
4. Sign of the Cross
5. Aces High
6. Where Eagles Dare
7. Hell On Earth
8. Wasted Years
9. Phantom of the Opera
10. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
11. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
12. When the Wild Wind Blows
13. Killers
14. Number of the Beast
15. Clansman
16. Talisman
17. Longest Day
18. Revelations
19. Alexander the Great
20. Thin Line Between Love & Hate
21. Clairvoyant
22. Moonchild
23. Evil That Men Do
24. Red and the Black
25. To Tame a Land
26. Trooper
27. Caught Somewhere In Time
28. Death of the Celts
29. Children of the Damned
30. Can I Play With Madness
31. Paschendale
32. For the Greater Good of God
33. Blood Brothers
34. Wicker Man
35. Die With Your Boots On
36. Book Of Souls
37. Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)
38. Infinite Dreams
39. Nomad
40. Man Who Would Be King
41. Rainmaker
42. Murders in the Rue Morgue
43. Heaven Can Wait
44. Flash of the Blade
45. Lord of Light
46. Sanctuary
47. Lord of the Flies
48. 22 Acacia Avenue
49. Mother Russia
50. Public Enema Number One
51. Wrathchild
52. Different World
53. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
54. Dream of Mirrors
55. Man on the Edge
56. When the River Runs Deep
57. Back in the Village
58. Montsegur
59. Death or Glory
60. Mercenary
61. Flight of Icarus
62. Sea of Madness
63. Run to the Hills
64. Ghost of the Navigator
65. Fear of the Dark
66. Empire of the Clouds
67. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
68. The Prisoner
69. Gates of Tomorrow
70. Stranger in a Strange Land
71. Blood on the World’s Hands
72. Isle of Avalon
73. The Writing on the Wall
74. Dance of Death
75. Pilgrim
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My list is below (I bolded the ones that did not make the final top 75.
Looks like I had a brain cramp, as Back in the Village did make my list.
63 of my 75 made it.
01 Powerslave
02 Infinite Dreams
03 Rime of the Ancient Mariner
04 The Number of the Beast
05 Stranger in a Strange Land
06 Run to the Hills
07 Alexander the Great
08 Wasted Years
09 For the Greater Good of God
10 Sea of Madness
11 The Legacy
12 Caught Somewhere in Time
13 Hallowed Be Thy Name
14 Flight of Icarus
15 Journeyman
16 Blood Brothers
17 Where Eagles Dare
18 Dream of Mirrors
19 The Prisoner
20 Starblind
21 The Nomad
22 The Clairvoyant
23 Revelations
24 Prowler
25 The Pilgrim
26 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
27 The Talisman
28 Ghost of the Navigator
29 Children of the Damned
30 When the Wild Wind Blows
31 Brighter Than a Thousand Sons
32 Only the Good Die Young
33 Lord of Light
34 Invaders
35 Phantom of the Opera
36 Flash of the Blade
37 Moonchild
38 The Longest Day
39 Isle of Avalon
40 2 Minutes to Midnight
41 The Duelists
42 Coming Home
43 Brave New World
44 Paschendale
45 Aces High
46 Strange World
47 Dance of Death
48 The Thin Line Between Love and Hate
49 Killers
50 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
51 To Tame a Land
52 Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
53 The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
54 Prodigal Son
55 These Colours Don't Run
56 Wrathchild
57 Out of the Shadows
58 Murders in the Rue Morgue
59 Remember Tomorrow
60 The Man Who Would Be King
61 Fear of the Dark
62 Deja Vu
63 Rainmaker
64 The Red and the Black
65 Running Free
66 The Evil That Men Do
67 Back in the Village
68 Hell On Earth
69 The Trooper
70 Heaven Can Wait
71 Empire of the Clouds
72 The Parchment
73 If Eternity Should Fail
74 Die with Your Boots On
75 The Book of Souls
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I’m celebrating my 24th wedding anniversary this weekend so I’ve been a little caught up with the wife. My write ups of each individual song do take quite a bit of time so I’m going to try to get to that very soon. But for now I can do a copy paste of my top 75.
1. Sign of the Cross
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner
3. Hallowed Be Thy Name
4. The Parchment
5. The Legacy
6. Death of the Celts
7. Revelations
8. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
9. Where Eagles Dare
10. Paschendale
11. For the Greater Good of God
12. When the Wild Wind Blows
13. Coming Home
14. Phantom of the Opera
15. The Prisoner
16. Isle of Avalon
17. Aces High
18. Fear of the Dark
19. Sea of Madness
20. 2 Minutes to Midnight
21. These Colors Don't Run
22. The Clairvoyant
23. Murders in the Rue Morgue
24. 22 Acacia Avenue
25. Moonchild
26. Blood on the Worlds Hands
27. Children of the Damned
28. The Number of the Beast
29. Remember Tomorrow
30. The Trooper
31. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
32. 2 A.M.
33. Empire of the Clouds
34. To Tame a Land
35. Killers
36. Stranger in a Strange Land
37. Wrathchild
38. The Red and the Black
39. Days of Future Past
40. Heaven Can Wait
41. Afraid to Shoot Strangers
42. The Writing on the Wall
43. Brave New World
44. Strange World
45. Senjutsu
46. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
47. The Clansman
48. Still Life
49. Wasted Years
50. The Longest Day
51. Powerslave
52. Prodigal Son
53. Caught Somewhere in Time
54. Be Quick or Be Dead
55. Losfer Words (Big Orra)
56. Out of the Shadows
57. The Talisman
58. The Flight of Icarus
59. Back in the Village
60. Virus
61. The Speed of Light
62. Edge of Darkness
63. Innocent Exile
64. If Eternity Should Fail
65. Drifter
66. Flash of the Blade
67. Prowler
68. Man on the Edge
69. Dream of Mirrors
70. The Educated Fool
71. Alexander the Great
72. The Darkest Hour
73. The Man Who Would Be King
74. The Great Unknown
75. Run Silent Run Deep
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Happy Anniversary man! Nice list! Sign of the cross at #1, That's some heavy duty shit right there, good for you!!!! :tup
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Here's my second of three posts on the songs that made my list but not the overall list:
65. Senjutsu
Overall ranking: #82
Cool to see that this one came close to making the general list. It's been hard to tell quite how well it's been received. For my money, it's a really cool album opener, the third in a row that is somewhat different than the typical Maiden fare. I like how the music, especially the rhythms, contribute to the feeling of a city preparing for invasion. I think it works best as a lead-in to the full album experience.
64. The Trooper (overall: #19)
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (overall: #71)
62. Coming Home (overall: #37)
61. Fear of the Dark (#24)
60. No More Lies
Overall ranking: #116
I wasn't sure whether to expect this one—I figured it might fall victim to there being so many great longer reunion pieces and the general dislike for repetitive choruses. But #116 is way lower than I would have predicted.
I think this song is slightly worse for its "song title eight times" chorus, but it has so much in its favor. Namely, it's just so melodically rich. The intro is just so lush and beautiful. The lyrics are really fascinating and evocative, and I really like Bruce's performance.
59. These Colours Don't Run (overall: #65)
58. When Two Worlds Collide
Overall ranking: #130
People like to talk about The Educated Fool as the underrated Virtual XI song, and I totally agree that it's great and underrated. But my choice for that title is When Two Worlds Collide. I really like the way this one starts out and then bursts out into a really heavy, powerful song. Somehow Iron Maiden made "I check the declination" into a really cool line. Great instrumental section, too, and I love the last couple minutes, too—it ends with some really strong melodies.
57. The Evil That Men Do (overall: #39)
56. The Writing on the Wall
Overall ranking: #94
It only took a couple of listens for me to realize that this one is something special—and consequently, to start getting me really excited about Senjutsu. This is easily my favorite first single of the reunion era, and since I usually like a lot of songs better than the first single, that was a good sign. Of course, that was borne out—this is my #56 song in the band's discography, but sixth on the album as a whole.
The main riff is just infectious. So good, so memorable. Different yet familiar. The verses are quite good, as well. And Adrian's solo is awesome. Just a really good song.
55. The Unbeliever
Overall ranking: #137
This is sort of a strange closing epic, but it's one that I've long found really appealing. For one thing, it feels like a cathartic, if still pessimistic, ending to The X Factor. We get one of Blaze's most aggressive vocal performances and some of Steve's darkest lyrics, and I just find it all really compelling. The atmosphere and the vocal melodies are just there, and the instrumental section is exactly what we need at this point on the album. That last chorus brings some extra aggression for a powerful ending, too.
54. The Alchemist
Overall ranking: #135
The end result for this one was a bit disappointing for me. I kind of thought people were starting to recognize how great it is, and I thought it might make the list, but it ended up down in Unbeliever territory.
Anyway, I'm a big fan of The Final Frontier, as most people know by now, and that emphatically includes the first half. This is a great little song. A lot of energy, a lot of melody, a great instrumental section... tons to love. I particularly love the vocal melodies, the way Bruce almost spits out some of the lines on the verses ("I curse you Edward Kelly") and then brings out a really catchy chorus.
53. Remember Tomorrow (overall: #55)
52. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier
Overall ranking: #111
I think Satellite 15 is one of the coolest things ever. So different from everything they've done and everything people expect from them, and so good at creating a powerful atmosphere without sacrificing musicality (the guitar parts throughout this section are awesome). And Bruce is just incredible here. He sings such huge lines with a ton of emotion. It's such a fantastic way to open my favorite Iron Maiden album.
The Final Frontier is a very good but not great Maiden rocker. I like the verses and lyrics a lot, and Adrian plays a really awesome solo. It does have the repeating chorus problem, although that doesn't detract too badly. I would probably have it down toward the 60s/70s on its own, and Satellite 15 up toward the 30s. #52 feels like a good place for a song that represents the unification of the two into in a single piece.
51. Sea of Madness (overall: 17)
50. Dream of Mirrors (overall: #52)
49. The Red and the Black (overall: #42)
48. Death of the Celts (overall: #75)
47. The Nomad (overall: 56)
46. Phantom of the Opera (overall: 12)
I'll conclude with one more post about the last seven songs I included.
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It's interesting to see Senjutsu have the worst showing on the list out of the reunion albums, considering it should still have the 'new car smell' bonus associated with it. I've generally struggled to get into the album myself.
Cool list BTW. Started my list but never got around to finishing it off as real life got in the way (and I really needed to replay certain albums, to give a fair ranking).
No More Lies would have been in my top ten!
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I agree with your assessment on Satellite 15!! Really enjoy that one, and I had it at #18 :)
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So help me out... Burning Ambition got 26 points. I ranked it 74, so that gave it, what, 2 points? Where did the other 24 come from?
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It's interesting to see Senjutsu have the worst showing on the list out of the reunion albums, considering it should still have the 'new car smell' bonus associated with it. I've generally struggled to get into the album myself.
It's possible that people are being conservative in ranking it because it's so new. I know I am (yes, #4, #17, two in the thirties, #48, #56, #65 and #73 represent my conservative ranking of those songs). It's also possible that reunion Maiden in general tends to age better with time. I've seen a lot of people in the last few months mention that this or that reunion album clicked with them only recently.
No More Lies would have been in my top ten!
I agree with your assessment on Satellite 15!! Really enjoy that one, and I had it at #18 :)
Awesome! Cool to see songs like these get high placements from people.
Here are the last of the songs from my list that did not make the overall list. At the bottom of this post I'll also have my entire list with the ones that did not make the overall list bolded.
Let's pick up where we left off, at #45...
45. Futureal
Overall ranking: #112
This is the song I was hoping for as the third Blaze track, and, uh... wow. It didn't even come close, did it? So I feel licensed now to say y'all are underrating this song by so much. This is quite simply one of their best short rockers. It's full of energy; it comes charging right of the gate and just does not let up for its whole three minute runtime. Great main riff, catchy chorus, excellent Dave Murray solo that comes right out of the chorus, what's not to love? Even if you can't stand Blaze (even though he's great on this), Bruce sang it on their 1999 tour. There are just no excuses here. :P
44. Mother of Mercy
Overall ranking: #87
Another entry in the "the first half of The Final Frontier is great, too, guys!" folder. I love this song. It's got a ton of melody and I find it quite emotionally moving. All the verses are just really, really good, both musically and lyrically. I really like the way a couple of the verses have a more laid back first half and then kick into a more intense gear ("You tell me what is certain but I'll tell you what is true" and especially "I don't hold with bad religion"). In fact, that second one is worth quoting under evocative Maiden lyrics:
I don't hold with bad religion, understand what's underneath it
Now I come to think of it, I just don't hold at all, you know it
You say you are a holy man, but what is it you do?
From where I stand is nothing but a hollow man I see
And, of course, there's the end of the song, which is really intense and moving. Great piece.
43. Out of the Silent Planet (overall: #70)
42. Montségur (overall: #50)
41. Aces High (overall: #4)
40. Ghost of the Navigator (overall: #29)
39. Fortunes of War
Overall ranking: #138
One challenge in terms of getting songs from The X Factor besides Sign of the Cross onto the list was always going to be the fact that fans of the album seem to have really different choices for favorites. (This is why I thought Futureal had the third-best chance out of any Blaze song despite the fact that TXF is generally held in higher regard than VXI.) I think Man on the Edge probably has the broadest appeal among Maiden fans, but hardcore X Factor fans are ambivalent about it. A lot of TXF fans seem to like The Edge of Darkness, but that's around the middle of the album for me, and didn't quite make my top 75.
For me, the second-best song on TXF is Fortunes of War. It embodies the best of what they're doing on this album. You get the slow, moody, atmospheric first third, which to me has such a compelling motif with the quiet guitar melody punctuated by a loud drum hit. Then it slowly builds up with a really memorable melody into a heavy, intense middle section, carried by Blaze's deep, intense vocal part. At last, it opens into a final section that uses some familiar Maiden elements (namely, the gallop and the twin guitar solo section) but cast in a more darker, desperate context than we're used to hearing them in. Finally, we return to the brooding intro to bring the song full circle.
It's a more challenging song than a lot of Maiden's material. But I think Fortunes of War is an absolute masterpiece.
38. Flight of Icarus (overall: #15)
37. The Clansman (overall: #40)
36. Moonchild (overall: #9)
35. Lost in a Lost World
Overall ranking: #88
This has had the most ambivalent reaction of the 'Arry Quadrilogy on Senjutsu, but while I agree it's a cut below The Parchment and Hell on Earth, I think it's a shade better than Death of the Celts and still among their finer epics. Everything really superb besides the chorus, which isn't bad, just not great. The intro is really cool and unusual for Maiden, and it breaks into the heavy part of the song quite nicely. The instrumental section is also quite good.
The best thing here, though, is the amazing melody that first comes out set of heavy verses, and returns again at the end of the song:
Feel the spirit of the old ones standing proud upon their race
And the testament to ancestors that are never to retrace
Burn the flame of innocence as they ride into the sun
Thinking now of our forefathers that are lying dead upon
Holy ground and sacred earth now
Revisit stolen youth
The twisting and winding of that melody is just so magical, and it's incredible to hear it both in the heavier context and then for a long time at the end of the song. I think I might have put this song in the top 75 even if it had nothing going for it besides that melody.
When I first listened to the album, I was actually immediately quite taken with this song. This was the point in the album where I really started thinking this was an incredibly special album, because the first three tracks were all really good (but I'd heard two of them already, and then the first of four huge epics is so interesting and so good). I hope this song ends up growing on people over time.
34. Darkest Hour
Overall ranking: #81
It would've been nice to see Senjutsu get a fourth song, and it looks like this was deservedly the closest to claiming that honor. This, to me, is the stunning reunion power ballad that Coming Home seems to be for a lot of people (not that I don't think Coming Home is great, but I think this is better). Bruce definitely takes the spotlight on this one, and gives a great performance on some absolutely epic vocal parts. I'm pretty interested in Churchill as a historical figure, so these lyrics are really fascinating to me, as well. Great imagery from Bruce:
I watch the sun move away as I embrace the night
And my black dog has its day
For six long years you shall not pass
Barbarians at the gate we will overcome
...
Turn the ploughshares into swords
You sons of Albion, awake, defend this sacred land
I said Bruce takes the spotlight, and he does, until he lends it to his songwriting partner Adrian to lay down an incredible solo. And Dave doesn't drop the baton when it's handed to him, either. The leads on the last choruses are excellent, too. Some might say this song is a little too long for what it is, and on paper, I can see that. But I like that this one takes its time.
33. Powerslave (overall: #5)
32. Face in the Sand
Overall ranking: #119
Another one that I'm pretty disappointed didn't make it. Dance of Death's performance here was interesting, because Paschendale, Dance of Death and Montségur got the high placements that they deserved, and Rainmaker, which is worthier than a lot of things that did make the list, was also present. But No More Lies got overlooked, and so did this gem.
Face in the Sand is all about the atmosphere. It starts with nice little calm melody, but soon enters an intense, disquieting section, punctuated by some pretty prominent strings and Nicko's intense playing. There's a really awesome buildup here before the double bass (only time ever on a Maiden song) fully kicks in along with the heavy riffs and prominent strings. The two minutes it takes for Bruce to come in would alone make this worthy of the top 75, but the vocals add a lot of intensity and atmosphere to this song in their own right.
The second half of the song isn't as noteworthy as the intro, but it absolutely carries forward on its promise. Just such an epic piece. Paschendale is an impossible act to follow, but you couldn't do much better than Face in the Sand.
31. Stranger in a Strange Land (overall: #22)
30. The Man Who Would Be King
Overall ranking: #91
Speaking of impossible acts to follow, The Talisman is one. And yet they did manage to follow it with a song that's top 30 in its own right. The Final Frontier is a great album, people.
I think it's sort of expected at this point that in a run of epic songs that are, respectively, Smith/Harris, Smith/Harris/Dickinson, Gers/Harris, Murray/Harris and Harris, the Murray/Harris song would end up being treated as sort of the odd one out.
But while I ultimately agree this one is the least of the five, this one is so beautiful in its own right. The intro is so compelling, such a traditionally Dave Murray opening, and the transition into the heavier section is pretty grand, too. I really love the second stage of this set of verses ("Life is not a rehearsal...").
And what about the instrumental section after the first chorus? So fascinating and unusual, and such an interesting solo from Dave on that part. It transitions later into a more traditional instrumental section, though one that still has a Dave touch, and that part is still excellent. The finale, also, has some very beautiful guitarwork. To me, this is just beautiful, melodically rich piece of music. One of the band's finer tracks that has the misfortune of landing right in the midst of many of their very finest.
My full list (songs that did not make the overall list are in bold):
75. The Angel and the Gambler (overall: #140)
74. Como Estais Amigos (overall: #128)
73. Stratego (overall: #139)
72. The Prophecy (overall: #86)
71. Judgment of Heaven (overall: #131)
70. Blood Brothers (overall: #44)
69. The Educated Fool (overall: #118)
68. Virus (overall: #144)
67. Blood on the World's Hands (overall: #148)
66. The Thin Line Between Love and Hate (overall: #53)
65. Senjutsu (overall: #82)
64. The Trooper (overall: #19)
63. The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg (overall: #71)
62. Coming Home (overall: #37)
61. Fear of the Dark (overall: #24)
60. No More Lies (overall: #116)
59. These Colours Don't Run (overall: #65)
58. When Two Worlds Collide (overall: #130)
57. The Evil That Men Do (overall: #39)
56. The Writing on the Wall (overall: #94)
55. The Unbeliever (overall: #137)
54. The Alchemist (overall: #135)
53. Remember Tomorrow (overall: #55)
52. Satellite 15... The Final Frontier (overall: #111)
51. Sea of Madness (overall: #17)
50. Dream of Mirrors (overall: #52)
49. The Red and the Black (overall: #42)
48. Death of the Celts (overall: #75)
47. The Nomad (overall: #56)
46. Phantom of the Opera (overall: #12)
45. Futureal (overall: #112)
44. Mother of Mercy (overall: #87)
43. Out of the Silent Planet (overall: #70)
42. Montségur (overall: #50)
41. Aces High (overall: #4)
40. Ghost of the Navigator (overall: #29)
39. Fortunes of War (overall: #138)
38. Flight of Icarus (overall: #15)
37. The Clansman (overall: #40)
36. Moonchild (overall: #9)
35. Lost in a Lost World (overall: #88)
34. Darkest Hour (overall: #81)
33. Powerslave (overall: #5)
32. Face in the Sand (overall: #119)
31. Stranger in a Strange Land (overall: #22)
30. The Man Who Would Be King (overall: #91)
29. The Clairvoyant (overall: #26)
28. Only the Good Die Young (overall: #59)
27. The Book of Souls (overall: #46)
26. To Tame a Land (overall: #20)
25. If Eternity Should Fail (overall: #64)
24. The Longest Day (overall: #43)
23. Empire of the Clouds (overall: #31)
22. Caught Somewhere in Time (overall: #7)
21. Afraid to Shoot Strangers (overall: #61)
20. Rime of the Ancient Mariner (overall: #2)
19. Dance of Death (overall: #28)
18. Infinite Dreams (overall: #10)
17. Hell on Earth (overall: #25)
16. Where Eagles Dare (overall: #6)
15. Lord of Light (overall: #49)
14. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns (overall: #33)
13. When the Wild Wind Blows (overall: #36)
12. Alexander the Great (overall: #21)
11. Revelations (overall: #11)
10. The Legacy (overall: #30)
9. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (overall: #3)
8. Hallowed Be Thy Name (overall #1)
7. For the Greater Good of God (overall: #23)
6. Sign of the Cross (overall: #16)
5. Isle of Avalon (overall: #51)
4. The Parchment (overall: #35)
3. Starblind (overall: #47)
2. The Talisman (overall: #27)
1. Paschendale (overall: #8)
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So help me out... Burning Ambition got 26 points. I ranked it 74, so that gave it, what, 2 points? Where did the other 24 come from?
Someone else ranked it at 52!
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So help me out... Burning Ambition got 26 points. I ranked it 74, so that gave it, what, 2 points? Where did the other 24 come from?
Someone else ranked it at 52!
:tup
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NICE! It's a decent tune; not really in keeping with the first album style-wise, but it's clearly Maiden.
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Sorry I fell so far behind. I can't even remember where I left off, and I'm too short on time to go hunting, so I'm just going to keep this post to the final top 10.
10. Infinite Dreams - Me: unranked
It's a pretty cool song, but top 10? This was a bit shocking. Never thought of this as a top 10 Maiden song.
9. Moonchild - Me #25
Now THIS is more like it. After being initially disappointed with SIT and then not bothering to even pick up SS, a friend of mine said "NO. You've GOT to hear this!" And as soon as the opening of Moonchild kicked in I was absolutely hooked. This is my 2nd highest ranked song from SS, finishing only 3 places behind The Clairvoyant.
8. Paschendale - Me #10
Best song from DOD by a landslide. On the whole, I didn't really care much for this album, but this song is a big exception. Very worthy of a top 10 finish.
7. Caught Somewhere in Time - Me #53
Once I saw all the other songs from SIT place, I knew this one had to be coming, but I was shocked to see it finish this high. Still a good song. Just not seeing it as #7
6. Where Eagles Dare - Me #9
I already posted about this earlier. Can't get enough of that middle section riff. Fantastic album opener. In fact, the opening 3 from POM is probably the biggest reason that I long considered it my favorite Maiden album.
5. Powerslave - Me #51
This one had to grow on me. When the album was new, I actually considered it to be one of the weaker tracks on an otherwise strong album. But time has been very kind to it. I just never considered it to be this untouchable holy grail of Maiden songs the way that many do.
4. Aces High - Me #17
Third best album opener in their entire catalog (SOTC is the best, WED is 2nd). As people have already pointed out, I love the way this song FEELS like a dogfight. Bruce's delivery on the pre-chorus makes you feel like you're actually in the plane.
3. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Me - Unranked
Sorry guys. But on revisiting this song, it immediately struck me as their weakest epic. I knew it would be somewhere in the countdown, because I know people love it. And I really do like the album as a whole, but much of this song (especially the chorus) is a bit of a bore.
2. Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Me #2
Spot On!!! Still seems to be the epic by which all epics are judged. I like that the structure is very different from all other epics that would come later. No quiet intro, just jump straight into the story. I'd like to hear them change it up to something like this more often. The middle section to me is not slow or dragging, it's storytelling and it's done incredibly well. And the crescendo to the "down in falls comes the RAAAAIIIIIINNNNNN" part is just chilling. Beautifully executed song.
1. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Me #3
No doubt about it. If you're going to introduce someone to Iron Maiden, this is the song to do it with. It's epic, but at just 7 minutes it's still easily digestible for the newcomer. A very worthy #1. If you're not a fan by the time you get to "when the priest comes to read me the last rites", then this band is just not for you. Absolutely iconic.
Thank you Kev for putting this together. Life gets freaky. All my other posts are often from my phone and 9 times out of 10 I'm using "talk to text" because of time constraints. But for these, I actually have to sit down at my computer and type things out on a keyboard. And it is a labor of love. These are the moments that I get in my man cave to just sit and let the world stop for a little bit and enjoy the tunes. Thank you for giving me the excuse to go to the mancave and get away from things.
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All my other posts are often from my phone and 9 times out of 10 I'm using "talk to text" because of time constraints. But for these, I actually have to sit down at my computer and type things out on a keyboard. And it is a labor of love. These are the moments that I get in my man cave to just sit and let the world stop for a little bit and enjoy the tunes. Thank you for giving me the excuse to go to the mancave and get away from things.
I love that you wrote that. I would see the updates first thing in the morning, and read the responses throughout the day while thinking of all the things I want to write when I got home from work and hoping that I remembered them all.