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 Talisman
Iron Maiden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And contemplate my life
Will I ever see my countrymen again?
As the captain calls us on the deck
I take my things and walk to the harborside
I glance back one last time
Our problems we leave behind
Ships by the tenfold sail out on the tide
We are pleased to be out and embracing the open sea
Free from our troubles and more free from thee
Inheritors unfulfilled reason behind us
We flee from what is not what is will be
We flee the earth and face our harsh reality
Will death be low mist that hangs on the sea?
We run from the evil tongues
Rash judgements, selfish men
Never to be seen on these shores again
As we sail into ocean size
And lose sight of land
A face of contentment around in the air
We're off now to seek all our fortunes
To the land of our dreams
Riding the waves and the storm is upon us
The winds lash the sails
But the ropes keep them tight
Off in the distance a dark cloud approaching
None could imagine what there was to come
No, there's no one going back
No, there's not a second chance
As we strap onto the side
We pray to God that we won't die
As we ride the rough seas
As we soak from the ocean waves
I just hope for all our lives
And pray that I survive
Four ships are lost in the stormy conditions
The spirits of the sunken crews
Their phantoms follow us
Spirits sails, they drive us on
Through the all consuming waves
Cold mortality, no weapon
Against these ever raging seas
Four leagues and ten and we hit storms again
We just can't get away from the eye of the storm
The birds outsoar the raging storm
But we cannot escape it
Abandoned earth, that we now crave
Is many leagues from safe
Holding on for our dear lives
And we're praying once again
Rotten luck or just jonahed?
The talisman is in my hand
Limbs fatigues, trembling with cold
Blinded from the sea spray salt
Clasping anything we can hold
Heaven's rain upon us falls
Twenty days without a meal
And ten without fresh water still
Those that didn't die in storms
The scurvy rest did slaughter
Westwards the tide
Westwards we sail on
Westwards the tide
Sail by the talisman
We approach the other side
Of the ocean with the tide
In our favor just for once
Welcome greeting our new land
The elation in our hearts
The excitement in our veins
As we sail towards the coastline
Of our golden promised land
Weary limbs fatigued away
I have no life left in me
No more strength and nothing left to give
Must find the will to live
Never thought that we could make it
Truly sight of shores divine
The sickness I am dying from
Never wanted it to end this way
Westwards the tide
Westwards we sail on
Westwards the tide
Sail by the talisman
Westwards the tide
Westwards we sail
Westwards the tide
Sail by the talisman
The Talisman is a song by Iron Maiden that tells the story of a group of people fleeing their homeland on ships in search of a new land where they can start afresh. The lyrics reflect the uncertainties that come with taking such a journey, with the singer wondering if they will ever see their countrymen again. As they sail towards the open sea, they leave behind the problems and troubles they had in their homeland. The journey is not without its challenges, with storms and rough seas posing a significant risk to the ship and its passengers. The talisman mentioned in the song serves as a symbol of hope and protection for the singer, who clutches it firmly in their hand as they face the stormy conditions.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of freedom and release for the passengers as they embark on this new adventure. They feel unburdened by the problems of their past, but at the same time, they are uncertain about what the future holds. The stormy conditions they face during the journey only add to their anxieties, but they continue to sail towards the promised land with the talisman guiding them.
Overall, The Talisman is a powerful song that explores the theme of hope in the face of uncertainty. The lyrics reflect the fears that come with taking a journey into the unknown but emphasize the importance of holding onto hope and staying focused on the goal at hand.
Line by Line Meaning
When I stand and look about the port
I stand and survey the harbor, contemplating my life
And contemplate my life
Reflecting on my existence and its purpose
Will I ever see my countrymen again?
Am I destined to never encounter my fellow nationals again?
As the captain calls us on the deck
As the captain summons us to the deck
I take my things and walk to the harborside
I gather my belongings and move towards the shore
I glance back one last time
I take a final look at my surroundings
Fleeing our nation
We escape from our homeland
Our problems we leave behind
The issues that plagued us are no longer relevant
Ships by the tenfold sail out on the tide
Many ships embark on their journey across the sea
We are pleased to be out and embracing the open sea
We are content to be free of our past and embrace the possibilities of the open water
Free from our troubles and more free from thee
We have no more problems, and we are now free from the individuals that caused them
Inheritors unfulfilled reason behind us
We flee from an unfulfilled legacy and its consequences
We flee from what is not what is will be
We run away from what may never come to pass
We flee the earth and face our harsh reality
We depart from our familiar surroundings and see our true situation
Will death be low mist that hangs on the sea?
Is death waiting for us in the depths of the sea?
We run from the evil tongues
We flee from malicious lies and rumors
Rash judgments, selfish men
Unjustified opinions and self-centered individuals
Never to be seen on these shores again
We will never set foot on these shores again
As we sail into ocean size
We navigate through vast, open water
And lose sight of land
As land disappears from view
A face of contentment around in the air
I sense an atmosphere of satisfaction all around me
We're off now to seek all our fortunes
We depart to find our own success
To the land of our dreams
We are heading towards our ideal destination
Riding the waves and the storm is upon us
We are navigating through rough seas amidst a storm
The winds lash the sails
The strong winds hit the sails
But the ropes keep them tight
However, the ropes keep the sails in place
Off in the distance a dark cloud approaching
A dark cloud looms in the distance and approaches our ship
None could imagine what there was to come
Nobody could predict what was about to happen
No, there's no one going back
There is no chance of turning back
No, there's not a second chance
We do not have another opportunity
As we strap onto the side
We hold on tight to the side of the ship
We pray to God that we won't die
We express our hope to god that we will survive
As we ride the rough seas
We navigate through the turbulent waves
As we soak from the ocean waves
We get wet from the splashing water of the sea
I just hope for all our lives
I desire for all of our survival
And pray that I survive
I personally hope that I persist
Four ships are lost in the stormy conditions
Four ships face a tragic downfall due to the unfavorable storm
The spirits of the sunken crews
The souls of the drowned crew members
Their phantoms follow us
Their spirits haunt us even today
Spirits sails, they drive us on
Perhaps their spirits guide us through the waves
Through the all-consuming waves
We persevere through the all-engrossing waves
Cold mortality, no weapon
Death, a reality of life, is unconquerable
Against these ever-raging seas
The unpredictable and turbulent seas are a formidable opponent
Four leagues and ten and we hit storms again
Once again, after enduring a distance of forty-four nautical miles, we are faced with hostile weather
We just can't get away from the eye of the storm
We, unfortunately, cannot escape the wrath of the tempest
The birds outsoar the raging storm
Despite the violent hurricane, the birds fly above it seamlessly
But we cannot escape it
However, we cannot avoid it
Abandoned earth, that we now crave
Now we yearn for an abandoned and desolate land
Is many leagues from safe
However, many nautical miles separate us from a safe destination
Holding on for our dear lives
We cling onto the verge of death
And we're praying once again
We pray once more in anticipation of rescue
Rotten luck or just jonahed?
Is our misfortune a result of luck or punishment from god?
The talisman is in my hand
I clutch onto a charm or object of religious significance
Limbs fatigued, trembling with cold
Our bodies are exhausted and shivering with cold
Blinded from the sea spray salt
We are temporarily blinded by the salt spray from the sea
Clasping anything we can hold
We hold onto anything or anyone within reach
Heaven's rain upon us falls
We are drenched by the rain pouring down
Twenty days without a meal
We haven't eaten in twenty days
And ten without fresh water still
We have also been without a fresh supply of water for ten consecutive days
Those that didn't die in storms
Those who survived the storms
The scurvy rest did slaughter
Were killed by a deadly disease called scurvy, which is caused by vitamin deficiency
Westwards the tide
The sea is flowing westward
Westwards we sail on
We continue our westward journey
Sail by the talisman
We use the talisman as we sail
We approach the other side
We are nearing the opposite side of the ocean
Of the ocean with the tide
We use the direction of the tide to reach our destination
In our favor just for once
For this instance, we have luck on our side
Welcome greeting our new land
We are warmly welcomed to our new land
The elation in our hearts
Our hearts are filled with joy and excitement
The excitement in our veins
Our bodies are overcome with eagerness
As we sail towards the coastline
We approach the shore by sea
Of our golden promised land
The place we were dreaming of, finally coming to fruition
Weary limbs fatigued away
Our tired bodies have lost vitality
I have no life left in me
I am too exhausted to continue living
No more strength and nothing left to give
I have no more energy or resources left to offer
Must find the will to live
I need to discover a reason to keep living
Lyrics © 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