Paul Di'Anno began his professional musical career singing with Iron Maiden in 1978. His style has been described as more punk-influenced than Iron Maiden's following vocalist Bruce Dickinson. Di'Anno left the band after two albums, the reasons for so vary between sources; either leaving by his own will or being sacked due to excessive drug and drinking habits with a conflicting personality .
Despite his short tenure in the band, Paul Di'Anno is seen as a major factor in the early development of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement.
After this, Paul moved onto various projects such as Di'Anno, Battlezone and Killers with varying commercial success. Now, his band is simply known as Paul Di'Anno.
In his post-Maiden career, Di'Anno has issued numerous albums over the years, as both a solo artist and as a member of such bands as Gogmagog, Di'Anno's Battlezone, Praying Mantis, Killers, and Rockfellas.
Paul Di'Anno has been in or has recorded with the following bands:
* Iron Maiden (1978 - 1981)
* Di'Anno (1983 - 1985, 2000)
* Gogmagog (1985)
* Battlezone (1985 - 1989, 1998)
* Praying Mantis (1990)
* Killers (1990 - 1997, 2001 - 2003)
* Paul Di'Anno & Dennis Stratton (1995 - 1996)
* The Almighty Inbredz (1999)
* Paul Di'Anno (1997 - 1999, 2000 - Present)
Discography with Iron Maiden:
Title: The Soundhouse tapes
Released: 1979
Track list:
1. Iron Maiden
2. Invasion
3. Prowler
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Title: Running Free
Released: 1980
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
* Dennis Stratton - Guitar
Track list:
1. Running Free
2. Burning Ambition
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Title: Sanctuary
Released: 1980
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
* Dennis Stratton - Guitar
Track list:
1. Sanctuary
2. Drifter
3. I've Got The Fire
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Title: Women In Uniform
Released 1980
Line up:
* Paul Di'anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
* Dennis Stratton - Guitar
Track list:
1. Women In Uniform
2. Invasion
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Title: Twilight Zone
Released 1981
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
* Adrian Smith - Guitar
Track list:
1. Twilight Zone
2. Wrathchild
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Title: Purgatory
Released 1981
Line up:
* Paul Di'anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
* Adrian Smith - Guitar
Track list:
1. Purgatory
2. Genghis Khan
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Title: Metal For Muthas
Released 1980
Line up
* Paul Di'anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Tony Parsons - Guitar
* Clive Burr - Drums
Track list:
1. Sanctuary
2. Wrathchild
======================================
Title: Iron Maiden
Released 1980
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Dennis Stratton
* Clive Burr - Drums
Track list:
1. Prowler
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Running Free
4. Phantom Of The Opera
5. Transylvania
6. Strange World
7. Charlotte The Harlot
8. Iron Maiden
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Title:
Killers
Released 1981
Format CD/LP
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Adrian Smith
* Clive Burr - Drums
Track list:
1. The Ides Of March
2. Wrathchild
3. Murders In The Rue Morgue
4. Another Life
5. Genghis Khan
6. Innocent Exile
7. Killers
8. Twilight Zone
9. Prodigal Son
10. Purgatory
11. Drifter
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Title:
Maiden Japan
Released: 1981
Line up:
* Paul Di'Anno - Vocals
* Steve Harris - Bass
* Dave Murray - Guitar
* Adrian Smith
* Clive Burr - Drums
Track list:
1. Running Free
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Wrathchild
4. Killers
5. Innocent Exile
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Title: Best Of The Beast
Released 1996
Line up: Various Iron Maiden line ups (1980-1996)
Track list (with Paul Di'Anno):
Disc 2.
14. Iron Maiden (Soundhouse 7")
13. Strange World (Soundhouse sessions, unreleased)
12. Sanctuary
11. Phantom Of The Opera
10. Wrathchild
======================================
Title: Best Of B-Sides
Released 2002
Various Iron Maiden line-ups (1980-2002)
Track list (with Paul Di'Anno):
Disc 1.
1. Burning Ambibition
2. Drifter (Live)
3. Invasion
======================================
Title BBC Archives
Released 2002
Line up: Iron Maiden line-ups 1979-1982
Track list (with Paul Di'Anno):
Disc 1. (Friday Rock Show Session (1979))
1. Iron Maiden
2. Running Free
3. Transylvania
4. Sanctuary
Disc 2. (Reading Festival (August 23th 1980))
1. Prowler
2. Remember Tomorrow
3. Killers
4. Running Free
5. Transylvania
6. Iron Maiden
Sanctuary
Paul Di'anno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without money, without luck
I do not have a place to call
Hit the gas, that here I
I′m running free, I'm running free
I′m running free
I'm running free
Spend the night in a jail in Los Angeles
Hear the sound of sirens
They have nothing with me
I'm running wildly
I′m running free
The push to BottleTop
Whiskey, dancing, hard hop
And all the boys are behind me
That′s the way it should
The lyrics of Paul Di'anno's song Sanctuary give us a glimpse into the singer's perspective of being a young and broke individual who is in search of a place to call home. The opening words "Only 16, a pick-up truck, without money, without luck" provide an image of a teenager who has nothing much to his name. He seems to be living his life on the road, with no intention of settling down anytime soon. The line "Hit the gas, that here I" captures the mood of freedom and adventure as the singer hits the gas and takes off.
The chorus, "I'm running free, I'm running free, I'm running free" repeats the idea of freedom, which is the central theme of the song. This phrase represents the singer's need for independence and the desire to live life on his own terms. The second stanza describes a chaotic night in Los Angeles, where the singer ends up spending the night in jail. The sound of sirens adds to the chaos, but the singer feels no connection to them as he remarks "They have nothing with me, I'm running wildly, I'm running free".
The final verse mentions a place called BottleTop, where the singer goes to drink and dance with the boys. He seems to be living life to the fullest and enjoying it with no care in the world. "That's the way it should be" implies that he believes this lifestyle is how life ought to be lived. In conclusion, the song Sanctuary by Paul Di'anno is a song about living life fearlessly and pursuing one's dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Only 16, a pick up truck
At the young age of 16, I owned nothing but a pickup truck
Without money, without luck
I was broke and had no luck in life
I do not have a place to call
I was homeless with nowhere to go
Hit the gas, that here I
I stepped on the gas and left that place behind
I′m running free, I'm running free
I feel liberated and free from my past struggles
Spend the night in a jail in Los Angeles
I found myself spending a night in a Los Angeles jail
Hear the sound of sirens
The sound of sirens echoes in my mind
They have nothing with me
I didn't commit any crime but ended up in jail anyway
I'm running wildly
I'm running away from my troubles and embracing my freedom
The push to BottleTop
I went to BottleTop, a place known for heavy drinking and partying
Whiskey, dancing, hard hop
I drowned out my sorrows with whiskey and dancing to hard rock music
And all the boys are behind me
My new friends and companions are supporting me and having my back
That′s the way it should
This is the life I should be living, free from my past struggles and enjoying the present moment
Writer(s): Stephen Percy Harris, David Michael Murray, Paul Di Anno
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.