As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s. After several lineup changes, the band went on to release a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's eponymous debut album, 1981's Killers, 1982's The Number of the Beast, 1983's Piece of Mind, 1984's Powerslave, 1985's live release Live After Death, 1986's Somewhere in Time, 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, 1990's No Prayer for the Dying and 1992's Fear of the Dark. In 1982, the band released The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson, who replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer – which was a turning point in their career, helping establish them as one of heavy metal's most important artists. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
Since the return of lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith in 1999, the band has undergone a resurgence in popularity, with a series of new albums and highly successful tours. Released in 2006, A Matter of Life and Death, their 14th studio album, reached top sales in dozens of countries, initiating the series of Iron Maiden's highest-ranked albums. Their 2010 album, The Final Frontier, peaked at No. 1 in 28 countries and received widespread critical acclaim. Their 16th studio album, The Book of Souls, was released on 4 September 2015 to similar success, debuting at No. 1 in the album charts of 24 countries with physical sales and summary in 43 territories with physical and digital sales. Most recently, their 17th studio album, Senjutsu, was released on 3 September 2021 and eventually reached No. 1 in 27 countries.
Iron Maiden have sold over 130 million copies of their albums worldwide, despite minimal radio and mainstream media support. The band's catalogue has sold over 200 million copies worldwide, including albums, singles, compilations and videos. By 2022, their releases have been certified Silver, Gold and Platinum around 600 times worldwide. Iron Maiden have become one of the most influential and revered rock bands of all time, and is credited with influencing countless bands and genres. Critics have stated that the band elevated heavy metal to an art form, proving that academic and musical inspirations can coexist. The band is also hailed as one of the greatest live acts of all time.
The band and its members have received multiple industry awards, including the Grammy Awards and its equivalents in other countries. Other accolades the band has received include Brit Awards, Silver Clef Award, Nordoff-Robbins Award, Ivor Novello Awards, Juno Awards, Guinness Book of World Records, Public Choice International, Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, ECHO Awards, Top.HR Music Awards, Žebřík Music Awards, honorary doctorates, State Prizes, sales recognition, marketing achievements recognition awards, charity and sport awards among many others. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk, BPI Hall of Fame and Kerrang! Hall of Fame. The band is also a part of permanent exhibitions of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, British Music Experience, Rock in Rio Wall of Fame and Wacken Open Air Hall of Fame. Iron Maiden were honoured by Royal Mail UK with dedicated postal stamps and cards. The band as 'bona fide' rock legends belongs to an elitarian circle of British iconic bands honoured with an unique range of stamps, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen and Iron Maiden as the fifth one.
Iron Maiden's lyrics cover such topics as history, literature, war, mythology, society and religion. Many of their songs are based on history, classic literature and film. As of October 2019, the band have played some 2500 live shows, performing for tens of millions of fans. For over 40 years, the musicians have been supported by their famous mascot, "Eddie", who has appeared on almost all of their album and single covers, videos and merchandise. Originally designed by Derek Riggs, Eddie became the main attraction of Iron Maiden live shows, which feature theatrical elements like coloured backdrops, inflatables, pyrotechnics, elaborate lighting rigs, props and stage sets.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Maiden
Studio albums
Iron Maiden (1980)
Killers (1981)
The Number of the Beast (1982)
Piece of Mind (1983)
Powerslave (1984)
Somewhere in Time (1986)
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
No Prayer for the Dying (1990)
Fear of the Dark (1992)
The X Factor (1995)
Virtual XI (1998)
Brave New World (2000)
Dance of Death (2003)
A Matter of Life and Death (2006)
The Final Frontier (2010)
The Book of Souls (2015)
Senjutsu (2021)
Childhood´s End
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd walk a hundred miles
If I could make it to the end
Oh, just to see a smile
You see it in their faces
The sadness in their tears
The desperation and the anger
No hope, no life
Just pain and fear
No food, no love
Just greed is here
Starvation and the hunger
The suffering and the pain
The agonies of all-out war
When will it come again?
The struggle for the power
A tyrant tries again
Just what the hell is going on?
When will it ever end?
No hope, no life
Just pain and fear
No food, no love
Just greed is here
You see the full moon float
You watch the red sunrise
We take these things for granted
But somewhere someone's dying
Contaminated waters
Pollution and decay
Just waiting for disease to strike
Oh, will we learn someday?
No hope, no life
Just pain and fear
No food, no love
No seed, childhood's end
In "Childhood's End" by Iron Maiden, the lyrics depict the grim reality of the sufferings of humanity, the pain and agony of war, the fight for power and the consequences of greed. The song reflects on the desperation, the helplessness and the sadness of those who have nothing – no food, no love, no hope, and no life. The lyrics describe a bleak and depressing world where starvation and hunger seem to be the only things that exist, where contaminated waters, pollution, and decay prevail, all waiting for diseases to strike.
The chorus, "No hope, no life, just pain and fear, no food, no love, just greed is here," summarizes the song's overall themes. The verses describe different scenarios that highlight the widespread suffering of humankind. The singer longs to make someone smile, but the world seems too consumed with its own pain and misery. The closing line, "No seed, childhood's end," suggests that hope has given way to despair, and with that, any possibility of a bright future has been lost.
Iron Maiden's "Childhood's End" is a commentary on the human condition and the seemingly endless cycles of war, poverty, and environmental destruction. The song's themes resonate with many, and even today, the lyrics are still relevant as the world continues to deal with the consequences of greed, power struggles, and environmental degradation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd sail across the ocean
I would go through any lengths to achieve my goals.
I'd walk a hundred miles
I would walk great distances to reach my destination.
If I could make it to the end
If I could just succeed, despite the hardships I may face.
Oh, just to see a smile
To see simple happiness is a rare treasure.
You see it in their faces
The emotion is evident from their expressions.
The sadness in their tears
The tears represent a deep pain.
The desperation and the anger
A combination of desperation and rage.
Madness and the fear
Complete and utter chaos and terror.
No hope, no life
There is no possibility of a better future.
Just pain and fear
All that remains is suffering and terror.
No food, no love
Basic human needs are not fulfilled.
Just greed is here
Only the unquenchable thirst for possession remains.
Starvation and the hunger
The pangs of food deprivation.
The suffering and the pain
The agony of emotional and physical trauma.
The agonies of all-out war
Conflict brings only tragedy and horror.
When will it come again?
The fear that history may repeat itself remains constant.
The struggle for the power
Fighting for domination and superiority over others.
A tyrant tries again
A dictator seeks power over the masses once more.
Just what the hell is going on?
Confusion and desperation regarding the current situation.
When will it ever end?
The hopeless belief in the never-ending cycle of suffering.
You see the full moon float
Nature's cycle of change is witnessed.
You watch the red sunrise
The beauty of life unfolds before your very eyes.
We take these things for granted
The important things in life are overlooked and underappreciated.
But somewhere someone's dying
People are suffering even as we go about our lives.
Contaminated waters
Pollution has poisoned the water supply.
Pollution and decay
The deterioration of the world.
Just waiting for disease to strike
Disease is just waiting for the opportunity to ravage humanity.
Oh, will we learn someday?
Will we ever learn from our mistakes?
No seed, childhood's end
Without the hope of new beginnings, childhood's innocence is lost.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it