Man On the Edge
Iron Maiden Lyrics


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The freeway is jammed and it's backed up for miles
The car is an oven and baking is wild
Nothing is ever the way it should be
What we deserve we just don't get, you see

A briefcase, a lunch, and a man on the edge
Each step gets closer to losing his head
Is someone in heaven? Are they looking down?
Nothing is fair, you look around

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

He's sick of waiting, of lying like this
There's a hole in the sky for the angels to kiss
Branded a leper because you don't fit
In the land of the free you just live by your wits

Once he built missiles, a nation's defense
Now he can't even give birthday presents
Across the city he leaves in his wake
A glimpse of the future, a cannibal state

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

The freeway is jammed and it's backed up for miles
The car is an oven and baking is wild
Nothing is ever the way it should be
What we deserve we just don't get, you see

A briefcase, a lunch, and a man on the edge
Each step gets closer to losing his head
Is someone in heaven? Are they looking down?
Nothing is fair, just you look around

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

Falling down
Falling down
Falling down

Falling down




Falling down
Falling down

Overall Meaning

Man On the Edge by Iron Maiden is a powerful song that speaks of the struggles and frustrations of modern life. The lyrics paint a picture of a man on the brink of a breakdown as he navigates the crowded, chaotic freeway of his daily commute. He's consumed by anger and impatience, stuck in a system that doesn't seem to care about him.


The singer describes the man as carrying a briefcase and lunch, an ordinary sight that belies the pressure and stress he's feeling. The gap between what he deserves and what he actually gets is widening, pushing him closer and closer to the edge. He was once a part of the system, building missiles for the nation's defense, but now he's just another cog in the machine. He's lost his sense of purpose and his ability to provide for those he cares about.


The chorus of the song, "Falling down, falling down", reinforces the sense of hopelessness and despair that the man is feeling. He's slipping further and further away from the life he wants and the person he used to be. The song ends on the same note it began, with the freeway jammed and nothing fair. It's a powerful critique of modern society and the toll it can take on those who struggle within it.


Line by Line Meaning

The freeway is jammed and it's backed up for miles
The traffic on the road is congested and delayed


The car is an oven and baking is wild
The vehicle is hot and uncomfortable


Nothing is ever the way it should be
Things never go as planned or perceived


What we deserve we just don't get, you see
Despite the effort, people sometimes do not receive the expected outcome


A briefcase, a lunch, and a man on the edge
A working individual carrying the essentials but mentally and emotionally unstable


Each step gets closer to losing his head
The situation worsens for the individual, leading to a potential breakdown


Is someone in heaven? Are they looking down?
Questioning the existence and actions of a higher power


Nothing is fair, you look around
The world is unjust and unfair when observed


Falling down
Representing the mental and emotional collapse of the individual


He's sick of waiting, of lying like this
The individual is tired of inactivity and pretense


There's a hole in the sky for the angels to kiss
Imagining a void in the sky for the deceased to leave and the angels to reach


Branded a leper because you don't fit
Being socially ostracized because of being different or not complying with the norm


In the land of the free you just live by your wits
Even in a free society, one must be cunning to survive


Once he built missiles, a nation's defense
He was once responsible for the safety of the country through creating weapons


Now he can't even give birthday presents
He is currently incapable of even fulfilling basic tasks


Across the city he leaves in his wake
The individual's impact is felt across different geographical locations


A glimpse of the future, a cannibal state
Foreshadowing a bleak outlook for the future where people prey on each other




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bayley Cooke, Janick Gers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@xxmoises14xx88

The freeway is jammed and it's backed up for miles
The car is an oven and baking is wild
Nothing is ever the way it should be
What we deserve we just don't get you see

A briefcase, a lunch and a man on the edge
Each step gets closer to losing his head
Is someone in heaven are they looking down
'Cause nothing is fair just you look around

Falling down

He's sick of waiting of lying like this
There's a hole in the sky for the angels to kiss
Branded a leper because you don't fit
In the land of the free you just live by your wits

Once he built missiles a nation's defence
Now he can't even give birthday presents
Across the city he leaves in his wake
A glimpse of the future a cannibal state

Falling down

The freeway is jammed and it's backed up for miles
The car is an oven and baking is wild
Nothing is ever the way it should be
What we deserve we just don't get you see

A briefcase, a lunch and a man on the edge
Each step gets closer to losing his head
Is someone in heaven are they looking down
'Cause nothing is fair just you look around

Falling down



All comments from YouTube:

@mikaelberglund1444

I wish Iron Maiden could make more songs like this, short and speedy

@ninaholicova3984

I agree. Now as they' ve aged, we cannot await an energy like this...but it would be great.

@svsps

Yeah. All the songs now are way too long

@dannysoler05

I agree but their last album still kicked ass!

@red3994

Not gonna find it on the newer albums bud

@valentinotoscano3944

Kind of like be quick or be dead

15 More Replies...

@haydendraycott7897

Dunno why Blaze gets so much hate. True, he's not as operatic as Dickinson, but he nailed it here! Kind of like Di'Anno's guttural sound and Dickinson's operatic style molded into one!

@AdamYoudell

+Bill Day (Zintok5) Yep. There's a reason Steve chose him. I'm sure he could have chose somebody that was a Dickinson imitator and that's what most fans would have preferred, but that's Steve. He's always done it his way, no compromises. The big reason that he's one of my top musical heroes:)

@thorthunderlungs5171

I think the biggest difference for me in the Blaze years was that Adrian was gone. The songwriting just ain't the same without him. They had some good ones though. I just saw the acoustic version of Blood Brothers with Blaze and holy shit it's good. Blaze would have been ridiculous on that album.

@MsJagger19

Who? Steve Harris. I agree with you. A lot of people can go ahead and call Steve an a--hole and say he's arrogant until the cows come home. But if it weren't for him being strict about what he wants out of Maiden, this band would not be as successful as they are. I know Paul Di'Anno used to call him "Sergeant Major Harris" because he was supposedly bossy. I have to admit that Steve is an awesome bass player. And an overall awesome guy in general. I checked out some of the stuff he did with that project of his, British Lion. Not too bad :D

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