8. Song References We Could Discuss For Hours
MGMThere's no doubt about it, Iron Maiden has always been huge on references in their songs. Many of their lyrics hearken to classic stories in literature, films, mythology, and history. Take Piece of Mind for example. Where Eagles Dare and Quest for Fire were both based on movies of the same title, while their timeless classic, The Trooper, is about the charge of the Light Brigrade. The Flight of Icarus is obviously based on the Greek myth, while the title for the song, Sun and Steel, is lifted from the memoirs of Yukio Mishima, and makes indirect references to the legendary samurai, Miayamoto Musashi. Over the years some people have claimed these references are childish and come from a lack of having anything original to say. I think all Maiden fans can disrespectfully disagree on that one. The songs were composed for our pure entertainment, handed down to us by a group of guys who know what they like. Knowing Iron Maiden shares the same interests that we do is awesome, and it will continue to strengthen their connection with the fan base for generations to come. We'll take songs referencing movies any day over the drudgery of metal groups who sing nonsense such as the gates of hell sure swing swell or some equally dull rubbish; lyrics that may sound deep on the surface, but actually mean nothing when contemplated.