By far my favourite song ever. The 9th and final song on
Iron Maiden's hugely successful 3rd album "The Number of the Beast" (1982) At 7:12 it is the longest song on the album, as there are 2 long periods of instrumentals. The song starts off quite slowly, and increases the tempo as the story it tells progresses. It describes a man's thoughts as he is sent to the
gallows, the feelings of terror, confusion and realization to the fact that he really is afraid of death, contrary to his belief. The vocals end as the man is executed, followed by a long instrumental section, at the end of which are the man's last words "
Hallowed be thy name" Truly an all time classic heavy metal song, from an all time classic heavy metal album, by an all time classic heavy metal band.
Im waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime,
Reflecting on my past life and it doesnt have much time,
Cos at 5 oclock they take me to the gallows pole,
The
sands of time for me are running low,
Running low, ooooh
Yeaaaaaaahh!!!
When the priest comes to read me the last rites,
I take a look through the bars at the last sights,
Of a world that has gone very wrong for me.
Can it be theres some sort of error?
Hard to stop the surmounting terror,
Is it really the end not some crazy dream.
Somebody please tell me that Im dreaming,
Its not so easy to stop from screaming,
But words escape me when I try to speak.
Tears they flow but why am I crying?
After all I am not afraid of dying,
Don't I believe that there never is an end?
As the guards march me out to the courtyard
Someone cries from a cell "God be with you"
If there's a God then why has he let me die?
As I walk all my life drifts before me
And though
the end is near I'm not sorry
Catch my soul cos its willing to fly away
Mark my words
please believe my soul lives on
Don't worry now that I have gone
I've gone beyond to see the truth
When you know that your time is close at hand
Maybe then you'll begin to understand
Life down here is just a strange illusion.
Yeaaaah yeaaah yeah
Hallowed by thy name
Yeaaaah yeaaah yeah
Hallowed be thy name
Yeaaaaaaaaaaah oooooh
