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 Man of Sorrows
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching people come and go
Carry on their daily lives
Without a thought for the ones alone
Cast the dream aside like throwing
A pebble into the ocean tide
And I'm feeling so alone again
Free the angry from their pain
Cast aside the doubt that
Nothing good can come their way again
Living in a world of lies
No matter how or hard we try
Living life without a dream today
Looking through a mist of truth
That we believe an elusive cloud
The things we find are hard to say now
That we live through day to day
Find it hard to force the reasons
Why we find it hard to die
Now we need to know the truth now
Open our eyes that we can see
So we live and breathe again
Better days for you and me
Can we even hope to deliver this
We are so far away
As one turns against the other
With a brother against brother
Situation like no other, it's a picture of despair
As we look to see the man of sorrows
Passing knowledge to those who don't know
As we watch all our friends passing over
As they pass through the edges of time
And we see what's ahead that awaits us
That no longer do we feel afraid
So we look to see the man of sorrows
And the light is the darkness no more
As we look to see the man of sorrows
Passing knowledge to those
Who don't know
As we watch all our friends passing over
As they pass through the edges of time
And we see what's ahead that awaits us
That no longer do we feel afraid
So we look to see the man of sorrows
And the light is the darkness no more
The lyrics to "The Man of Sorrows" by Iron Maiden offer a somber reflection on the human condition. The song explores the feelings of loneliness and despair that can arise when one feels lost in the world, watching others lead their lives with seemingly little regard for those around them. The sense of isolation is palpable, as the singer of the song feels like a "man without a home" who is disconnected from the rest of society.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more introspective, delving into the nature of truth and mortality. The singer reflects on the elusiveness of the truth and the struggle to find meaning in life amidst the daily grind. The chorus, which repeats "As we look to see the man of sorrows," suggests a spiritual search for guidance and understanding. The song ultimately ends on a note of hope, as the singer comes to a place of acceptance and peace, no longer feeling afraid of what lies ahead.
Overall, "The Man of Sorrows" is a powerful exploration of the human condition, touching on themes of loneliness, despair, truth, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a man without a home
Feeling lost and without a sense of belonging
Watching people come and go
Observing others live their lives from afar
Carry on their daily lives
Continuing with their routines without change
Without a thought for the ones alone
Neglecting those who are solitary
Cast the dream aside like throwing
Discarding aspirations with no care
A pebble into the ocean tide
Like a small and insignificant act
And I'm feeling so alone again
Experiencing solitude once more
Free the angry from their pain
Relieve those who suffer from anger and hurt
Free the captives from the chains
Emancipate those who are imprisoned and restricted
Cast aside the doubt that
Remove uncertainty and disbelief
Nothing good can come their way again
Feeling hopeless and pessimistic
Living in a world of lies
Existing among falsehoods and deceit
No matter how or hard we try
Regardless of our efforts
Living life without a dream today
Existing without aspirations presently
Looking through a mist of truth
Trying to discern reality from fantasy
That we believe an elusive cloud
A belief that is hard to grasp or comprehend
The things we find are hard to say now
It's tough to articulate what we've found
That we live through day to day
The way we exist on a daily basis
Find it hard to force the reasons
Struggle to impose justifications
Why we find it hard to die
Why the idea of death is so challenging
Now we need to know the truth now
We require knowledge and comprehension
Open our eyes that we can see
Let us perceive the world clearly
So we live and breathe again
Allowing us to feel alive once more
Better days for you and me
A brighter future for all of us
Can we even hope to deliver this
Is it even possible to achieve this goal
We are so far away
It seems very distant and unlikely
As one turns against the other
People becoming enemies and battling each other
With a brother against brother
Even siblings fighting each other
Situation like no other, it's a picture of despair
A dire and unprecedented circumstance
As we look to see the man of sorrows
Observing the figure who embodies misery
Passing knowledge to those who don't know
Sharing wisdom with the uninformed
As we watch all our friends passing over
Witnessing our companions dying
As they pass through the edges of time
As they transition into the afterlife
And we see what's ahead that awaits us
What we have to look forward to in the future
That no longer do we feel afraid
No longer terrified of what's to come
And the light is the darkness no more
Illuminating the darkness with hope and clarity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: David Michael Murray, Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it