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)
Sign Of The Cross
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silhouettes stand against the sky
One in front with a cross held high
Come to wash my sins away
Standing alone in the wind and rain
Feeling the fear that is growing
Sensing the change in the tide again
Feel the anxiety hold off the fear
Some of the doubt in the things you believe
Now that your faith will be put to the test
Nothing to do but await what is coming
Why then is God still protecting me
Even when I don't deserve it
Thought I am blessed with an inner strength
Some they would call it a penance
Why am I meant to face this alone
Asking the question time and again
Praying to God won't keep me alive
Inside my head feel the fear start to rise
They'll be saying their prayers when the moment comes
There'll be penance to pay when it's judgment day
And the guilty'll bleed when the moment comes
They'll be coming to claim
Take your soul away
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
A fire in the sky
The sign of the cross
They'll be coming to bring the eternal flame
They'll be bringing us all immortality
Holding communion so the world be blessed
My creator my God, lay my soul to rest
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
A fire in the sky
The sign of the cross, yeah
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
A fire in the sky
The sign of the cross
The name of the rose
The sign of the cross
Lost the love of heaven above
Chose the lust of the earth below
Eleven saintly shrouded men
Came to wash my sins away
The lyrics to Iron Maiden's "Sign of the Cross" depict a man standing alone in a storm, questioning his faith and fearing for his life. He reflects on his past sins and wonders why God is still protecting him, even though he doesn't deserve it. The "eleven saintly shrouded men" are likely a reference to the apostles, and the chorus contains references to the sign of the cross and the sacrament of communion.
The lyrics can be interpreted as a commentary on the fragility of belief in times of crisis, as well as the struggle to reconcile personal shortcomings with religious teachings. The urgency and intensity of the music reinforces the sense of both fear and determination expressed in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Eleven saintly shrouded men
A group of holy men are present, likely to perform a ritual
Silhouettes stand against the sky
The holy men are visible against the sky
One in front with a cross held high
One member of the group is holding a cross
Come to wash my sins away
The group is present to cleanse the singer's sins
Standing alone in the wind and rain
The singer is alone in difficult circumstances
Feeling the fear that is growing
The singer is becoming increasingly fearful
Sensing the change in the tide again
The singer senses that a significant event is imminent
Caught by the storm that is brewing
The singer is caught up in a tumultuous situation
Feel the anxiety hold off the fear
The singer is trying to control their fear
Some of the doubt in the things you believe
The singer is starting to doubt their beliefs
Now that your faith will be put to the test
The singer's faith is about to be challenged
Nothing to do but await what is coming
The singer can only wait for the upcoming event
Why then is God still protecting me
The singer is questioning why they are still protected by God
Even when I don't deserve it
The singer feels unworthy of God's protective power
Thought I am blessed with an inner strength
The singer thinks they have an inner strength or resolve
Some they would call it a penance
Some may refer to the singer's strength as penance
Why am I meant to face this alone
The singer is questioning why they must face their struggles alone
Asking the question time and again
The singer continues to ask themselves this question
Praying to God won't keep me alive
The singer knows that praying to God won't necessarily save them
Inside my head feel the fear start to rise
The singer is feeling scared
They'll be saying their prayers when the moment comes
Others will be praying alongside the singer when the event happens
There'll be penance to pay when it's judgment day
There will be consequences to face on judgment day
And the guilty'll bleed when the moment comes
Those who are guilty will face punishment
They'll be coming to claim Take your soul away
Death or some other force will take the singer's soul
The sign of the cross
The symbol of Christian faith
The name of the rose
A reference to a book and/or a symbol of secrecy
A fire in the sky
A celestial or otherworldly event is occurring
They'll be coming to bring the eternal flame
Those who come will bring an eternal flame
They'll be bringing us all immortality
Those who come will bring immortality to all
Holding communion so the world be blessed
The participants are sharing in a symbolic/religious ritual to bless the world
My creator my God, lay my soul to rest
The singer is asking their God to give them peace in death
Lost the love of heaven above
The singer feels they have lost the love of God
Chose the lust of the earth below
The singer gave into earthly desires rather than their faith in God
Came to wash my sins away
The holy men arrived to cleanse the singer's sins
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it