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)
The Book of Souls
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Accompany them on a journey with no end
To an afterlife that's rich with fruit of all the gods
And to face the demons
Of their underworld haunts
The sentient is sent to seek out all the truth
A flight to earth that is a given from his birth
Out of the fire is sent to full fill man's desire
The power day and night and death he ruled them
The sky and earth and the fires too
Two headed reptile symbol of his reign
Universes of the underworld
A life that's full of all the wealth and riches
Can never last for an eternity
After living in a golden paradise
The ultimate sacrifice
Prophecy of sky gods, the sun and moon
Passing of old ways will come true soon
Falling of ages, forest of kings
The search for the truth, the book of souls
The rulers of planets and stars
The power of the kings of traders and the wars
Planetary cycles and the phases of the moon
Is in the document a kingdom they will learn
They were praying to the gods of nature
And were living in the cities of stone
Towers reaching upward to the heavens
Sacred wonders for the world unknown
Make their lives be a mystery no more
Records kept and the passing of laws
Sacred gods to the book of lies
When a civilization dies
Prophecy of sky gods
The sun and moon
Passing of old ways will come true soon
Falling of ages
Forest of kings
The lost book of souls, destruction begins
Ascending the throne wearing feathers and shells
He brought back their lives from the void
Alien invasion brings nothing but death
Mass exodus and plant life destroyed
Domain of the earth to the journey of truth
The underworld caves, Mayan slaves
Defeat of the dark lords
The ultimate proof
In the place where the ancestors rule
The book of souls
Iron Maiden's song The Book of Souls is a complex and multi-layered exploration of the themes of death, sacrifice, and the search for meaning and truth in the face of the unknown. The opening lyrics describe the ancient practice of burying sacrifices with kings, who are then accompanied on a journey to the afterlife where they must face the demons of the underworld. This is followed by a vision of a sentient being sent to Earth to seek out the truth and fulfill humanity's desires. The song then moves on to describe the reign of a powerful ruler who rules over the universe and its many underworlds, symbolized by a two-headed reptile. Despite this ruler's control over riches and power, the ultimate sacrifice must still be made.
The song then moves on to describe the prophecy of the sky gods and the passing of old ways. This is followed by a description of the ancient civilizations that prayed to the gods of nature and lived in cities of stone, creating towers that reached toward the heavens as sacred wonders. The song's themes of sacrifice and the search for truth are again highlighted as the mysteries of these ancient civilizations are uncovered in the book of souls. Finally, the song concludes with a vision of the ultimate defeat of the dark lords and the ascendancy of the ancestors who rule in the place where the book of souls is kept.
Line by Line Meaning
Sacrifices buried with kings
The valuable offerings that were buried with the rulers are now accompanying them in their endless afterlife journey and into the underworld where demons lurk.
Accompany them on a journey with no end
The invaluable offerings that were buried with the rulers are now accompanying them unceasingly towards their final destination in the afterlife and beyond.
To an afterlife that's rich with fruit of all the gods
The afterlife where these rulers are headed is filled with abundant and luxurious offerings belonging to different gods.
And to face the demons
In addition to enjoying the offerings of the gods, these rulers must also confront the demons in the underworld.
The sentient is sent to seek out all the truth
Human beings are born with an innate curiosity to seek out the truth of the world around them.
A flight to earth that is a given from his birth
Since birth, humans are expected to seek out the truth using all their capabilities and resources on earth.
To rise from ashes of the dead
Humans believe in rebirth and that one can resurrect from death and live again.
Out of the fire is sent to full fill man's desire
Human desires and aspirations are powerful motivators that can help them rise from the ashes of destruction just like a phoenix emerges from the fire.
The power day and night and death he ruled them
The supreme ruler had control over everything including the cycle of day and night, as well as death itself.
The sky and earth and the fires too
The ruler had an extensive domain which includes the sky, earth, and even the fires.
Two headed reptile symbol of his reign
The symbol of the supreme ruler's reign was a two-headed reptilian creature which he used to represent his power.
Universes of the underworld
The underworld is believed to be home to different parallel universes, each with its unique characteristics and inhabitants.
A life that's full of all the wealth and riches
Even a life filled with all the luxury and riches one can imagine can't last forever.
Can never last for an eternity
The fleeting nature of life means that nothing can last forever.
After living in a golden paradise
After experiencing the extravagant lifestyle of a golden paradise, one must face its consequences and make the ultimate sacrifice.
The ultimate sacrifice
The ultimate price that one must pay for living a life of luxury is death.
Prophecy of sky gods, the sun and moon
The great sky gods have predicted the fate of the world and the role played by celestial bodies such as the sun and the moon.
Passing of old ways will come true soon
The old ways will soon be replaced by new ones as the world evolves.
Falling of ages, forest of kings
As the ages pass, one can see the fall of the great empires and the once-powerful kings turning into dust.
The search for the truth, the book of souls
The quest for knowledge and discovery is encapsulated in the book of souls that holds the answers to the mysteries of the universe.
The rulers of planets and stars
The rulers of the world held power over celestial bodies such as planets and stars, which gave them an immense sense of mastery.
The power of the kings of traders and the wars
The kings had the power to launch wars and to control the economy, which resulted in accumulating wealth for their own benefits.
Planetary cycles and the phases of the moon
The knowledge of the universe and its cycles, including planetary orbits and moon phases, were highly valued and guarded secrets among the elites.
Is in the document a kingdom they will learn
The knowledge contained within the book of souls could help a kingdom prosper beyond imagination.
They were praying to the gods of nature
The people of that time believed in the power of nature and worshiped different gods associated with natural phenomena.
And were living in the cities of stone
These people lived in grand cities made of stone that helped them withstand the test of time.
Towers reaching upward to the heavens
Their cities featured tall towers that stretched towards the sky as a spectacle of human architectural and engineering achievement.
Sacred wonders for the world unknown
These grand edifices were a mystery to the world, and their spiritual significance was known only to the initiates.
Make their lives be a mystery no more
Their secrets can now be uncovered as archaeologists and historians dig deep to decode the mysteries.
Records kept and the passing of laws
To maintain the order and preserve the knowledge, these people kept detailed records and passed strict laws to safeguard them.
Sacred gods to the book of lies
The book of souls held the truth, but other books also existed containing misinformation and lies that misled the people.
When a civilization dies
When the civilization comes to an end, the book of souls retains the knowledge that was lost with its people and can serve as a guide for future generations.
The lost book of souls, destruction begins
If the book of souls is lost or destroyed, it signifies the end of the civilization and the beginning of its ruin.
Ascending the throne wearing feathers and shells
The person who sits on the throne must wear traditional attire made of feathers and shells, signifying their authority and status as a ruler.
He brought back their lives from the void
The ruler was believed to have the power to bring the dead back to life from the void.
Alien invasion brings nothing but death
The arrival of an unknown or foreign entity could result in death and destruction.
Mass exodus and plant life destroyed
An overwhelming catastrophe could force thousands of people to leave their homes, abandoning their plant life to wither away and die.
Domain of the earth to the journey of truth
The quest for knowledge and truth encompasses everything on earth, and the search for them is an unending journey.
The underworld caves, Mayan slaves
The underworld was believed to have caves where slaves toiled away to meet the demands of their rulers, as was the case with the Mayans.
Defeat of the dark lords
The powerful and evil rulers who were feared and worshipped by their subjects eventually met their defeat.
The ultimate proof
The ultimate measure of one's success and rulership is their ability to overcome the greatest challenges and prove their worth.
In the place where the ancestors rule
The place where the ancestors live, be it the afterlife or any other realm, is held as a sacred site and is respected by the living.
The book of souls
The book that contains the secrets of the universe and is an ultimate guide for humankind, as well as a testament of the great civilizations from the past.
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