Even though Iron Maiden was on the brink of worldwide superstardom after its breakthrough sophomore effort, Killers, vocalist Paul Di'Anno left the band at the conclusion of its 1981 world tour. The Number of the Beast is thus vocalist Bruce Dickinson's debut album with the band.
Bruce ripped through the old Maiden material like the Grim Reaper on speed, and entered the Heavy Metal scene all guns blazing, sending the NWOBHM across the international frontier.
The album made UK Number 1, with the singles Run To The Hills making number 35, and the track Number Of The Beast making number 18.
On the Billboard Music Charts, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" hit #50 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The album peaked at #33 and #150 on the Pop Albums and Billboard Top 200, respectively.
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2 Personnel 3 Lyrics |
They're coming in from the sea
Set ablaze the campfires alert the other men from inland
They're coming over the hill
Axes grind and maces clash as wounded fighters fall to the ground
You'd better scatter and run
He's walking like a dead man
Now it burns his hand he's turning to laugh
You're Children of The Damned
Run fight to breathe it's tough
Not a prisoner I'm a free man
If you kill me it's self defence
I'm not a number I'm a free man
What did I see can I believe that what I saw
Just what I saw in my old dreams were they
Cos in my dreams it's always there the evil face that twists my mind
The night was black was no use holding back
Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised
This can't go on I must inform the law
I'm coming back I will return
We fought him hard we fought him well
Riding through dustclouds and barren wastes
Run to the hills run for your lives
Soldier blue on the barren wastes
Run to the hills run for your lives
Dead men -- tell no tales
Face at the window leers into your own
Once you were glad to be free for a while
A knife at your throat another body on the pile
Dead men -- tell no tales
In Gangland you tell no talesTrack listing
There is an extra track, "Total Eclipse," on the "enhanced" version of the CD.Personnel
Recorded at Battery Studios LondonLyrics
Invaders
Harris
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've come the enemy
beneath the blazing sun
the battle has to be won
Invaders ... Pillaging
Invaders ... Looting
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've come to attack
they're coming in for the kill
there's no turning back
Invaders ... Fighting
Invaders ... Marauding
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
the battle's lost and not won
you'd better get away
Invaders ... Raping
Invaders ... PlunderingChildren Of The Damned
Harris
He's walking like a small child
But watch his eyes burn you away
Black holes in his golden stare
God knows he wants to go home
Children of The Damned
(repeat another 3 times)
If he had lived he would have crucified us all
Now he's standing on the last step
He thought oblivion well it beckons us all
Children of The Damned
(repeat another 3 times)
Smiles as the flame sears his flesh
Melting his face screaming in pain
Peeling the skin from his eyes
Watch him die according to plan
He's dust on the ground what did we learn
Your back's against the wall
You turn into the light
You're Children of The Damned
Like candles watch them burn
Burning in the light
You'll burn again tonight
You're Children of The DamnedThe Prisoner
Smith/Harris
On the run kill to eat
You're starving now you're dead on your feet
Going all the way nature's beast
Do what I want as I please
Now you see me now you don't
Break the walls I'm coming out
And my blood is my own now
Don't care where the past was
I know where I'm going ... out
If I kill you then I call it vengeance
Spit in your eye I will defy
You'll be afraid when I call out your name
I'll live my life how I want to
You'd better scratch me from your black book
Cos I'll run rings round youNumber Of The Beast
Harris
I left alone my mind was blank
I needed time to get the memories from my mind
that night was real and not just fantasy
reflections of my warped mind staring back at me
and brings me to despair
Cos I just had to see was someone watching me
In the mist dark figures move and twist
was all this for real or some kind of hell
666 the Number of the Beast
Hell and fire was spawned to be released
as they start to cry hands held to the sky
In the night the fires burning bright
the ritual has begun Satan's work is done
666 the Number of the Beast
Sacrifice is going on tonight
Can this still be real or some crazy dream
but I feel drawn towards the evil chanting hordes
they seem to mesmerise me...can't avoid their eyes
666 the Number of the Beast
666 the one for you and me
And I'll possess your body and I'll make you burn
I have the fire I have the force
I have the power to make my evil take its courseRun To The Hills
Harris
White man came across the sea
Brought us pain and misery
Killed our tribes killed our creed
Took our game for his own need
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came too much for Cree
Oh will we ever be set free?
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom a stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack
Run to the hills run for your lives
Hunting and killing their game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whisky and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old
(repeat to end)Gangland
Smith/Burr
Shadows may hide you but also may be your grave
You're running today maybe tomorrow you'll be saved
You pray for daylight to save you for a while
You wonder if your children will face the killer's smile
In Gangland -- murder's up for sale
Dead men -- tell no tales
In Gangland -- where jail birds die
But it's only your reflection still you tremble in your bones
How long can you hide? How long till they come?
A rat in a trap but you've got to survive
The air tasted good and the world was your friend
Then came the day when the hard times began
Now your alone but alive for how long?
A contract to keep and it's service with a smilev
Murder for vengeance or murder for gain
Death on the streets or a blackened out jail
In Gangland -- murder's up for sale
Dead men -- tell no tales
In Gangland -- where jail birds die