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)
Shadows of the Valley
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking in a dark world that's been
Kissed with sadness
Without sunlight things are born
To the dead of nightmares
Soulless demons laughing in a sea of madness
Listen closely to the raven's call
Try as might to make sense of it all
Will it be for the penance of men
Follow north for the call of the wild
Look all out for a small wayward child
Lay in fear as the dark raven crows
Look for guidance from the one who knows
He lived on this earth for a time and a half
Playing a tune to the old man's laugh
The fear that's inside the men of the oath
In the script of the book that he wrote
Ask them the questions
Tell them no lies
A cry for freedom
Praying that they wouldn't die
Mind over matter
Cry over sins
Their lives are over now
Ended before they begin
As the raven again passes by
I can hear all the wake fathers cry
That the first born of all men will die
That their lives will be taken from them
Face the danger a battle of wills
Strength and courage a cure for all ills
We believe in that thou shall not kill
But others are ready to spill
The hearts of all men since beginning of time
Living with temptation
Wanting and crime
A walk in the shadow of the valley of death
Knowing I'll take my last breath
Ask them the questions
Tell them no lies
A cry for freedom
Praying that they wouldn't die
Mind over matter
Cry over sins
Their lives are over now
Ended before they begin
The hearts of all men since beginning of time
Living with temptation
Wanting and crime
A walk in the shadow of the valley of death
Knowing I'll take my last breath
Ask them the questions
Tell them no lies
A cry for freedom
Praying that they wouldn't die
Mind over matter
Cry over sins
Their lives are over now
Ended before they begin
Into the valley of death fear no evil
We will go forward no matter the cost
Into the valley of death follow me now
Bring me your souls and I'll make it our last
Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh
Ask them the questions
Tell them no lies
A cry for freedom
Praying that they wouldn't die
Mind over matter, cry over sins
Their lives are over now
Ended before they begin
The lyrics of Iron Maiden's "Shadows of the Valley" paint a bleak, introspective picture of a person wandering through a dark, cold mist alone. The landscape is not only physical but also emotional, as we see the singer facing a world devoid of sunlight and stained with sadness. The lyrics evoke an eerie and ominous image of soulless demons laughing amidst a sea of madness. The raven's call is a recurring motif in the song, symbolizing death and the fleeting nature of life, as we see the singer grappling with the relentless march of time.
The song seeks to explore the age-old question of human existence - why are we here? The singer tries to make sense of the world around him, praying hard that our world will not come to an end. We see the fear inside the men of the oath, and we hear the wake fathers cry. The lyrics go on to ask some profound questions about morality and the nature of human temptation, as we see the hearts of all men since the beginning of time living with a constant struggle between good and evil.
Ultimately, the song seems to suggest that we all must face death and that our lives are over before they even begin. The singer urges us to ask ourselves the tough questions, to tell the truth, and to cry over our sins. We should have a cry for freedom, but also understand the fragility of our lives and the importance of making the most of the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Wandering aimlessly in a cold dark mist I follow
I am lost in a dark and cold world without direction
Walking in a dark world that's been kissed with sadness
I am travelling in a world that is filled with sadness and pain
Without sunlight things are born to the dead of nightmares
In this dark world, nightmares are born without any hope of light or happiness
Soulless demons laughing in a sea of madness
The demons in this world have no soul and they are laughing in a never-ending sea of madness
Listen closely to the raven's call
Pay attention to what the raven is saying
Praying hard for our world not to end
I am hoping and praying that the world will not come to an end
Try as might to make sense of it all
I am trying my best to understand everything that is happening
Will it be for the penance of men
Is this all happening because of the sins of human beings?
Follow north for the call of the wild
Head North to find the untamed lands
Look all out for a small wayward child
Be on the lookout for a lost and wandering child
Lay in fear as the dark raven crows
I am afraid as the raven caws in the darkness
Look for guidance from the one who knows
Find someone who understands what's happening and ask for their advice
He lived on this earth for a time and a half
Someone who had lived on Earth made an impact that lasted beyond their lifetime
Playing a tune to the old man's laugh
Making music that brought joy to someone who was advanced in age
The fear that's inside the men of the oath
The people who make promises are fearful of breaking them
In the script of the book that he wrote
This is recorded in a book of knowledge
Ask them the questions, tell them no lies
Ask people the honest questions for truthful answers
A cry for freedom, praying that they wouldn't die
A request for freedom and safety from death
Mind over matter, cry over sins
Mental strength can help you overcome physical obstacles, but the pain of wrong actions requires lamentation
Their lives are over now, ended before they begin
Their lives are over prematurely
Into the valley of death fear no evil
Do not be afraid when you need to face death
We will go forward no matter the cost
We will continue to move forward regardless of the price
Into the valley of death follow me now
Come with me, we're going to face death head-on
Bring me your souls and I'll make it our last
Surrender yourself to me and I'll ensure that this is our final stand
The hearts of all men since beginning of time, living with temptation, wanting and crime
All human beings since the start of time have been living with the temptation to commit wrongdoing
A walk in the shadow of the valley of death, knowing I'll take my last breath
This is a journey into darkness where I know I will breathe my final breath
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Janick Gers, Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it