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)
Revelations
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bow down and hear our cry
Our earthly rulers falter
Our people drift and die
The walls of gold entomb us
The swords of scorn divide
Take not thy thunder from us
Take away our pride"
Just a babe in a black abyss
No reason for a place like this
The walls are cold and souls cry out in pain
An easy way for the blind to go
A clever path for the fools who know
The secret of the Hanged Man, the smile on his lips
The light of the blind
You'll see
The venom tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening
You'll see
She came to me with a serpent's kiss
As the Eye of the Sun rose on her lips
Moonlight catches silver tears I cry
So we lay in a black embrace
And the seed is sown in a holy place
And I watched, and I waited for the dawn
The light of the blind
You'll see
The venom that tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening
You'll see
Go
Bind all of us together
Ablaze with hope and free
No storm or heavy weather
Will rock the boat you'll see
The time has come to close your eyes
And still the wind and rain
For the one who will be king
Is the watcher in the ring
It is You, oh
It is You
Iron Maiden's song Revelations is a powerful and emotive plea to a higher power to intervene and ease the suffering of the human race. The opening line, "Oh, God of Earth and Altar, Bow down and hear our cry," is a call to the divine to intervene in the affairs of Earth, as it seems that our earthly rulers have failed us and our people are suffering as a result.
The second verse is an evocative depiction of a person lost in the abyss of life, with no sense of purpose or direction. The metaphor of the walls being cold and the souls crying out in pain is a powerful image of despair and isolation. The line "The secret of the Hanged Man, the smile on his lips" is a reference to the tarot card of the same name, which represents surrendering oneself to fate and accepting unpleasant truths.
The final verse is a call to unite and work together towards a better future, with the hope that we will be guided by a higher power. The lines "The time has come to close your eyes, and still the wind and rain" suggest that sometimes we need to quiet our own fears and doubts to see the way forward. The final line, "It is You, oh, It is You" is a declaration of faith and a surrendering to the idea that there is a higher power at work.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, God of Earth and Altar
Addressing a deity – an higher power of Earth and Altar.
Bow down and hear our cry
Genuflection intended to implore a response from a god or higher power.
Our earthly rulers falter
Leaders on earth are failing its people.
Our people drift and die
The people are detached and dying.
The walls of gold entomb us
The wealthy are imprisoning everyone else.
The swords of scorn divide
Hatred is causing divisions.
Take not thy thunder from us
People need to stop receiving lightning bolts.
Take away our pride
Pride is causing harm and needs to be taken away.
Just a babe in a black abyss
Lost and helpless, a mere child.
No reason for a place like this
Negative situation that seems inexplicable to naive people.
The walls are cold and souls cry out in pain
A lonely, desolate place where people are hurt and damaged.
An easy way for the blind to go
An accessible path for ignorant people.
A clever path for the fools who know
Deceitful route for those who think they know.
The secret of the Hanged Man, the smile on his lips
Mystery behind the Hanged Man's smile being revealed.
The light of the blind
An illuminating force for the ignorant.
You'll see
The meaning will be clear to all.
The venom tears my spine
Poisonous emotions causing deep physical pain.
The Eyes of the Nile are opening
Mysterious forces are becoming apparent.
She came to me with a serpent's kiss
Betrayal from someone alluring.
As the Eye of the Sun rose on her lips
Powerful light illuminating the deception.
Moonlight catches silver tears I cry
The painful and grave outcome is starting.
So we lay in a black embrace
The embrace carries negative symbolism.
And the seed is sown in a holy place
The beginning of a significant and sacred event.
And I watched, and I waited for the dawn
The wait for resolution continues.
Go
Movement towards the next event with urgency.
Bind all of us together
Uniting everyone and creating harmony.
Ablaze with hope and free
Hopeful and unrestricted.
No storm or heavy weather
Impervious to hardships.
Will rock the boat you'll see
Steadfastness cannot be deterred.
The time has come to close your eyes
Accepting a significant change.
And still the wind and rain
Steadying oneself despite challenges.
For the one who will be king
The true victor will emerge.
Is the watcher in the ring
The one surveying everything is the most powerful.
It is You, oh
All signs point to it being you.
It is You
The person meant to be revealed has been identified.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bruce Dickinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it