Základní údaje
Datum vydání: 3. 9. 1984
Produkce, inženýring a mix: Martin “Pool Bully” Birch
Nahráno: Compass Point, Nassau, Bahamy
Asistent inženýra: Frankie Gibson
Mixováno: Electric Ladyland, New York
Asistent inženýra: Bruce Buchhalter
Mastering: George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York
Všechny skladby vydal: Zomba Music Publishers Ltd
Koncept obalu a design: Derek “The Master” Riggs, Rod Smallwood a Iron Maiden
Fotograf: Moshe Brakha
Manažeři: Rod “I can tak’ it—I’m a Yorkshireman” Smallwood for Sanctuary Music (overseas) Ltd. a Andy “Aye, a large Bacardi and Coke” Taylor For Sanctuary Music Ltd.
Iron Maiden děkují:
Iron Maiden thank the following: Rod and Andy: The Killer Krew – Tony “Computer-Man” Wigens, Dicky “‘Course I’m pissed–It’s a day off” Bell, Dave “I’m already working on thenext tour” Lights, Doug “Megawatt” Hall, Bill “Casanova” Barclay, Warren “I’ve gotta get going very fast” Poppe, Mike “Maudlin” Kenney, Steve “E’s a geezer” Gadd, Steve “Mooshy” Altman, “JT” Thompson, Horace “Mr. Casual” Ward, Ian Black, Vic “Crazy Innit” Vella, John Harte, “Loopey” Newhouse, Paddy, Paul Joe and Dizzy; Ronan, Roger and Derek at Meteorlites; Charlie Kail and his Brilliant Constructions; Turbosound; Keith Wilfort FC; Terry “Totally Together” Berg, Bob Lefsetz, Bill Taylor, Bob Laird; Platinum Travel; Bill Elso and ATI; John Jackson and Fair Warning; Howard Jones; Bill Leibowitz; Patrick McKenna; Paul Fowler; Masa Ito; Ibanez, Dean Markley, Marshall, Electrovoice, Rotosound, Chas Foote, Bill Ludwig; Bobby Leiser and all at Paiste; Jochen Sponsel and all at Sonor; Total Productions; Sunny Bushell; Joe Kovacic and all at Lado Guitars, Toronto; Lorraine, Kathy, Jane and Tamar for putting up with so much; Barry, Clutch, Rangy, Jeff, Rob and Bob; Ira and Homeboy; Peter, Nick and Frank at Le Chalet; Lorraine and Ivy at Compass Point; Donny Robin and Little Bill at the Waterloo; Clive, Ralph, Rachelle and Jan at Zomba; especially “Court Jester” Birch and Mr. Riggs; Chadwell Heath Mob–Chris, Mark, Titch and Paul; Pat Cash and Ian “Barkers” Barclay; Chris Ambler; the travelling fans around the World–you know who you are; Terry “Slasher” Wilson-Slesser; Jeff “I missed it again” Lovell; Andy Curran; Seymour Duncan; Steve Lazarus; Steve Cantwell; Steve Hunter; Melbourne F.C. for winning the cup! Mark at Ilford for the tatts! John and Benny of the Essex Angels; Doc Cardwell; Trevor Searle; ‘H’ Prophet; Jimmy Jones; Mr. Strange; Mrs. Canary for oatmeal and nosebags; Salle Bardakh; Mori and Gascon; Jersey Fencing Club including Reg “Mine’s another pint” snepp; Brain Pitman and London Thames Fencing Club; Eddie R.I.P.; British Rail for UK tour transportation
for Bruce: Bruce’s mum and dad, who still don’t know where he is; Ross “I don’t wanna spend my birthday in Poland” Halfin; Bill Bailey; Charlie Barnett; Steve, Trevor and all the reprobates at the Channel Islands Aero Club; Steve “Can ya handle the Power” Yorke; Lorraine and Jim Colkett… and everybody else we’ve forgotten. Buy us a pint and you too can be on here next year! Beware of false imitations!
This album is dedicated to the memory of Marcus Cowe – a good mate and a great guy.
To the fans – THANKS as always. See you on the
“WORLD SLAVERY TOUR” 84-85
Got any errr! Well… ish! There’s only one ‘um… and that’s Fuck’um! ‘Kin ‘ell! Up the Irons!
Sestava
Steve Harris – basykata
Dave Murray – kytara
Nicko McBrain- bicí
Bruce Dickinson – zpěv
Adrian Smith – kytara
Seznam skladeb
1. Aces High (Harris)
2. 2 Minutes To Midnight (Smith, Dickinson)
3. Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) (Harris)
4. Flash Of The Blade (Dickinson)
5. The Duellists (Harris)
6. Back In The Village (Smith, Dickinson)
7. Powerslave (Dickinson)
8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Harris)
Remasterovaná verze z roku 1998 obsahuje navíc multimediální sekci s klipy:
1. 2 Minutes To Midnight
2. Aces High
Texty
Aces High [4:31] (Harris)
There goes the siren that warns of the air raid
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we’ve got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack
Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines
Remove all the wheel blocks there’s no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway
Got to get airborne before it’s too late
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving…
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high
(2:09 – Solo: Dave Murray)
(2:23 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
Move in to fire at the mainstream of bombers
Let off a sharp burst and then turn away
Roll over, spin round to come in behind them
Move to their blind sides and firing again
Bandits at 8 O’clock move in behind us
Ten Me-109s out of the sun
Ascending and turning our spitfires to face them
Heading straight for them I press down my guns
Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high
2 Minutes to Midnight [6:04] (Smith, Dickinson)
Kill for gain or shoot to maim but we don’t need a reason
The Golden Goose is on the loose and never out of season
Blackened pride still burns inside this shell of bloody treason
Here’s my gun for a barrel of fun for the love of living death
The killer’s breed or the demon’s seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom’s stain
But don’t you pray for my soul anymore
2 minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb
The blind men shout let the creatures out, we’ll show the unbelievers
The napalm screams of human flames, of a prime-time Belsen feast… YEAH!
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies
The killer’s breed or the demon’s seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom’s stain
But don’t you pray for my soul anymore
2 minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb
(2:45 – Solo: Dave Murray)
(3:06 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
The body bags and little rags of children torn in two
And the jellied brains of those who remain to put the finger right on you
As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions, to make a better kind of gun
The killer’s breed or the demon’s seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom’s stain
But don’t you pray for my soul anymore
2 minutes to midnight, the hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight, to kill the unborn in the womb
Midnight… midnight… it’s all night
Midnight… midnight… all night!
Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra) [4:15] (Harris)
Instrumental
(2:07 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
Flash Of The Blade [4:05] (Dickinson)
As a young boy chasing dragons with your wooden sword so mighty
You’re St. George or you’re David and you always killed the beast
Times change very quickly and you had to grow up early
A house in smoking ruins and the bodies at your feet
You’ll die as you lived in a flash of the blade
In a corner forgotten by no-one
You lived for touch, for the feel of the steel
One man and his honour
The smell of resined leather, the steely iron mask
As you cut and thrust and parried at the fencing master’s call
He taught you all he ever knew to fear no mortal man
And now you’ll wreak your vengeance in the screams of evil men
You’ll die as you lived in a flash of the blade
In a corner forgotten by no-one
You lived for touch, for the feel of the steel
One man and his honour
(2:02 – Instrumental)
You’ll die as you lived in a flash of the blade
In a corner forgotten by no-one
You lived for touch, for the feel of the steel
One man and his honour
The Duellists [4:10] (Harris)
He threw down a glove you made the mistake of picking it up now you’re gone
The choosing of guns or fighting with swords the choice of weapons is done
He’ll tear you apart as soon as you start, you know you don’t have a chance
OH… OH… Fight for the honour
Fight for the splendour
Fight for the pleasure
OH… OH… Fight for the honour
Fight for the splendour
Fight for your life!
Ready to start the duel begins the best man wins in the end
A lunge and a feint, a parry too late, a cut in the chest and you’re down
Seeing the stain then feeling the pain, feeling the sweat on your brow
OH… OH… Fight for the honour
Fight for the splendour
Fight for the pleasure
OH… OH… Fight for the honour
Fight for the splendour
Fight for your life!
(2:52 – Solo: Dave Murray)
(3:40 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
The fighting resumes, a silence looms, the swordsmen move ‘gainst each other
A cut and a thrust, a parry, a blow, a stab to the heart and you’re down
The Angel of Death hears your last breath, meanwhile the Reaper looks on
OH… OH… Fought for the honour
Fought for the splendour
Fought for the pleasure
OH… OH… Fought for the honour
Fought for the splendour
Fought to the death
Back In The Village [5:02] (Smith, Dickinson)
Turn the spotlights on the people, switch the dial and eat the worm
Take your chances, kill the engine, drop your bombs and let it burn
White flags shot to ribbons, the truce is black and burned
Shellshock in the kitchen, tables overturned
Back in the Village again, in the Village
I’m back in the Village again
Throwing dice now, rolling loaded, I see sixes all the way
In a black hole, and I’m spinning, as my wings get shot away
Questions are a burden and answers a prison for oneself
Shellshock in the kitchen, tables start to burn
Back in the Village again, in the Village
I’m back in the Village again
(2:31 – Solo: Dave Murray)
(3:14 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
No breaks on the inside, paper cats and burning barns
There’s a fox among the chickens, and a killer in the hounds
Questions are a burden and answers a prison for oneself
Shellshock in the kitchen, tables start to burn
Back in the Village again, in the Village
I’m back in the Village again
But still we walk into the valley and others try to kill the inner flame
We’re burning brighter than before, I don’t have a number I’M A NAME!
Back in the Village again, in the Village
I’m back in the Village again
Back in the Village again, in the Village
I’m back in the Village again
Back in the Village
I’m back in the Village
I’m back in the Village… again!
Powerslave [7:12] (Dickinson)
Into the Abyss I’ll fall – the eye of Horus
Into the eyes of the night watching me go
Green is the cat’s eye that glows in this temple
Enter the risen Osiris – risen again
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don’t wanna die, I’m a God, why can’t I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I’m a slave to the power of Death
When I was living this lie, fear was my game
People would worship and fall, drop to their knees
So bring me the blood and red wine for the one to succeed me
For he is a man and a God – and He will die too
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don’t wanna die, I’m a God, why can’t I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I’m a slave to the power of Death
(3:06 – Solo: Dave Murray)
(3:55 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
(4:41 – Solo: Dave Murray)
Now I am cold but a ghost lives in my veins
Silent the terror that reigned – marbled in stone
A shell of a man God preserved for a thousand ages
But open the gates of my Hell – I will strike from the grave
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don’t wanna die, I’m a God, why can’t I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I’m a slave to the power of Death
Slave to the Power of Death…
Slave to the Power of Death…
Rime Of The Ancient Mariner [13:45] (Harris)
Hear the rime of the Ancient Mariner
See his eye as he stops one of three
Mesmerises one of the wedding guests
Stay here and listen to the nightmares of the Sea
And the music plays on, as the bride passes by
Caught by his spell and the mariner tells his tale
Driven south to the land of the snow and ice
To a place where nobody’s been
Through the snow fog flies on the albatross
Hailed in God’s name, hoping good luck it brings
And the ship sails on, back to the North
Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on
The Mariner kills the bird of good omen
His shipmates cry against what he’s done
But when the fog clears they justify him
And make themselves a part of the crime
Sailing on and on and North across the sea
Sailing on and on and North ’til all is calm
The albatross begins with its vengeance
A terrible curse a thirst has begun
His shipmates blame bad luck on the Mariner
About his neck the dead bird is hung
And the curse goes on and on at sea
And the curse goes on and on for them and me
“Day after day, day after day, we stuck nor breath nor motion
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean
Water, water everywhere and all the boards did shrink
Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink.”
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE (1798–1834)
There, calls the Mariner, there comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide?
See… onward she comes, onward she nears, out of the sun
See… she has no crew, she has no life, wait but there’s two
Death and she Life in Death, they throw their dice for the crew
She wins the Mariner and he belongs to her now
Then… crew one by one, they drop down dead, two hundred men
She… She Life in Death, she lets him live, her chosen one
“One after one by the star dogged moon, too quick for groan or sigh
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, and cursed me with his eye
Four times fifty living men, (and I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, they dropped down one by one.”
SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE (1798–1834)
The curse it lives on in their eyes
The Mariner he wished he’d die
Along with the sea creatures
But they lived on, so did he
And by the light of the moon
He prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them
God’s creatures all of them too
Then the spell starts to break
The albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the Sea
Then down in falls comes the rain
(9:15 – Solo: Adrian Smith)
(9:41 – Solo: Dave Murray)
Hear the groans of the long dead seamen
See them stir and they start to rise
Bodies lifted by good spirits
None of them speak and they’re lifeless in their eyes
And revenge is still sought, penance starts again
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on
Now the curse is finally lifted
And the Mariner sights his home
Spirits go from the long dead bodies
Form their own light and the Mariner’s left alone
And then a boat came sailing toward him
It was a joy he could not believe
The Pilot’s boat, his son and the hermit
Penance of life will fall onto Him
And the ship it sinks like lead into the sea
And the hermit shrieves the Mariner of his sins
The Mariner’s bound to tell of his story
To tell his tale wherever he goes
To teach God’s word by his own example
That we must love all things that God made
And the wedding guest’s a sad and wiser man
And the tale goes on and on and on…