Iron Maiden Songs have taken us on a real journey through time, from prehistory, through brutal wars…
Many musical talents have relied on the same familiar subject matter, sex, drugs, drinking, satanism and just plain face kicking rowdiness. But for the founding member of Iron Maiden and the bands most prominent songwriter Steve Harris, none of these commonplace topics ever run across his musical genius. Instead Harris invest his focus on more elaborate lyrics that are either inspired by great literary works or actual historical events. The following is what we consider to be the “Best Iron Maiden Songs Based On Historical Events.”
We hope you agree!
Song: Invaders · Album: The Number Of The Beast · 1982
According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, Viking raiders struck England in 793 and raided Lindisfarne, the monastery that held Saint Cuthbert’s relics. The raiders killed the monks and captured the valuables. The raid marks the beginning of the “Viking Age of Invasion”, made possible by the Viking longship.
Iron Maiden · Invaders · Lyrics
Longboats have been sighted the evidence of war has begun
Many Nordic fighting men their swords and shields all gleam in the sun
Call to arms defend yourselves get ready to stand and fight for your lives
Judgement day has come around so be prepared don’t run stand your ground
They’re coming in from the sea
they’ve come the enemy
beneath the blazing sun
the battle has to be won
Invaders … Pillaging
Invaders … Looting
Set ablaze the campfires alert the other men from inland
Warning must be given there’s not enough men here for a stand
The Vikings are too many too powerful to take on our own
We must have reinforcements we cannot fight this battle alone
They’re coming over the hill
they’ve come to attack
they’re coming in for the kill
there’s no turning back
Invaders … Fighting
Invaders … Marauding
Axes grind and maces clash as wounded fighters fall to the ground
Severed limbs and fatal woundings bloody corpses lay all around
The smell of death and burning flesh the battle weary fight to the end
The Saxons have been overpowered victims of the mighty Norsemen
You’d better scatter and run
the battle’s lost and not won
you’d better get away
to fight another day
Invaders … Raping
Invaders … Plundering
Invaders (2015 Remaster)
Song: Alexander The Great · Album: Somewhere In Time · 1986
Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and a member of the Argead dynasty. He was born in Pella in 356 BC and succeeded his father Philip II to the throne at the age of 20.
“My son ask for thyself another Kingdom, for that which I leave is too small for thee.” – (King Philip of Macedonia – 339 B.C)
Iron Maiden · Alexander the Great · Lyrics
“My son ask for thyself another
Kingdom, for that which I leave
is too small for thee”
(King Philip of Macedonia – 339 B.C.)
Near to the east
In a part of ancient Greece
In an ancient land called Macedonia
Was born a son
To Philip of Macedon
The legend his name was Alexander
At the age of nineteen
He became the Macedon King
And he swore to free all of Asia Minor
By the Aegian Sea
In 334 B.C.
He utterly beat the armies of Persia
[Chorus:]
Alexander the Great
His name struck fear into hearts of men
Alexander the Great
Became a legend ‘mongst mortal men
King Darius the third
Defeated fled Persia
The Scythians fell by the river Jaxartes
Then Egypt fell to the Macedon King as well
And he founded the city called Alexandria
By the Tigris river
He met King Darius again
And crushed him again in the battle of Arbela
Entering Babylon
And Susa, treasures he found
Took Persepolis the capital of Persia
[Chorus:]
Alexander the Great
His name struck fear into hearts of men
Alexander the Great
Became a God amongst mortal men
A Phrygian King had bound a chariot yoke
And Alexander cut the ‘Gordian knot’
And legend said that who untied the knot
He would become the master of Asia
Hellenism he spread far and wide
The Macedonian learned mind
Their culture was a western way of life
He paved the way for Christianity
Marching on, marching on
The battle weary marching side by side
Alexander’s army line by line
They wouldn’t follow him to India
Tired of the combat, pain and the glory
Alexander the Great
His name struck fear into hearts of men
Alexander the Great
He died of fever in Babylon
Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) (2015 Remaster)
Song: Aces High · Album: Powerslave · 1984
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was a British politician, army officer, and writer. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, when he led Britain to victory in WWII.
We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight over the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight on the hills. We shall never surrender!
Iron Maiden · Aces High · Lyrics
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
Won’t you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high
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 blindsides 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
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Won’t you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high.
Iron Maiden – Aces High (Official Video)
Song: The Clansman · Album: Virtual XI · 1998
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297.
The actual last words of William Wallace, before being hanged, disemboweled, drawn and quartered, are either unknown or greatly argued. But FREEDOM! does sound perfect!
Iron Maiden · The Clansman · Lyrics
Wake alone in the hills
With the wind in your face
It feels good to be proud
And be free and a race
That is part of a clan
And to live on highlands
And the air that you breathe
So pure and so clean
When alone on the hills
With the wind in your hair
With a longing to feel
Just to be free
It is right to believe
In the need to be free
It’s a time when you die
And without asking why
Can’t you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman…
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
It’s a time wrough with fear
It’s a land wrough with change
Ancestors could hear
What is happening now
They would turn in their graves
They would all be ashamed
That the land of the free
Has been written in chains
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I’ll take what is mine
I am the clansman
And I swear to defend
And we’ll fight to the end
And I swear that I’ll never
Be taken alive
And I know that we’ll stand
And we’ll fight for our land
And I swear that my bairns
Will be born free
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I’ll take what I want
I am the clansman…
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
[x2]
No, no we can’t let them take anymore
No we can’t let them take anymore
We’ve the land of the free
No, no we can’t let them take anymore
No we can’t let them take anymore
No we can’t let them take anymore
We’ve the land of the free
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
It is right to believe
In the need to be free
It’s a time when you die
And without asking why
Can’t you see what they do
They are grinding us down
They are taking our land
That belongs to the clans
Not alone with a dream
Just a want to be free
With a need to belong
I am a clansman…
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I’ll take what is mine
I am the clansman…
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
And I know what I want
When the timing is right
Then I’ll take what is mine
I am the clansman…
The Clansman (Live At Rock in Rio) (2015 Remaster)
Song: Montségur · Album: Dance Of Death · 2003
The Siege of Montségur was a nine-month siege of the Cathar-held Château de Montségur by French royal forces starting in May 1243. After the castle surrendered, about 210 perfecti (members of the most extreme and ascetic class constituting the elite of various religious sects. from Latin, plural of perfectus perfect.) and unrepentant credentes (or believers) were burned in a bonfire on 16 March 1244.
Iron Maiden · Montségur· Lyrics
I stand alone in this desolate space
In death they are truly alive
Massacred innocence, evil took place
The angels were burning inside
Centuries later I wonder why
What secret they took to their grave
Still burning heretics under our skies
Religion’s still burning inside
[Chorus:]
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
As we kill them all so God will know his own
The innocents died for the Pope on his throne
Catholic greed and its paranoid zeal
Curse of the grail and the blood of the cross
Templar believers with blood on their hands
Joined in the chorus to kill on demand
Burned at the stake for their soul’s liberty
To stand with the cathars, to die and be free
The book of Old Testament crippled and black
Satan – his weapon is lust
Leaving this evil damnation of flesh
Back to the torture of lies
The perfect ones willingly died at the stake
And all of their followers slain
As for the knowledge of God they had claimed
Religion’s still burning inside
[Repeat chorus, 3rd verse]
Templar believers with blood on their hands
Joined in the chorus to kill on command
Burned at the stake for their soul’s liberty
Still running heretics under our skies
As we kill them all so God know his own
Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust
The eye in the triangle smiling with sin
No passover feast for the cursed within
Facing the sun as they went to their grave
Burn like a dog or you live like a slave
Death is the price for your soul’s liberty
To stand with the cathars and to die and be free
[Repeat chorus]
Montségur (2015 Remaster)
