Fan Poll: The 5 Greatest Long Iron Maiden Songs
Just a little bit before Junkyard started its English version, we ran a poll on our older website. We asked you to share your favorite longest Iron Maiden songs. Here is the remastered, remixed, and reimagined version of that original article from 2022. Hey, don’t judge! If Coverdale can do it, why can’t we?
So, what are your favorite longer Iron Maiden songs? By “long,” we mean any song over seven minutes. Iron Maiden is, in many ways, a band synonymous with crafting such songs. Seven minutes might be considered “long” by many global music standards, but not in the world of this legendary band. They know how to pack 10, 13, 15, or even 18 minutes of music into a single song. When it came to selecting the favorites, due to a somewhat lower response on Facebook, we had to consult other platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit.
You chose wisely, carefully, and boldly, one could say, as there are a few surprises on this list alongside some expected picks!
5.Empire Of The Clouds (The Book Of Souls, 2015)
The first surprise on this list comes from the band’s penultimate album. The Book Of Souls was interesting for many reasons, one of which was its length, as it remains Iron Maiden’s longest album to date. A significant part of that title goes to this song, which, at 18:01 minutes, became the longest Iron Maiden song ever, dethroning the legendary Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which held the top spot for 30 years. The song was entirely written and conceived by Bruce Dickinson, who depicted the tragic fate of the British airship R101, which crashed in France in 1930 on its maiden voyage. For this song, Dickinson recorded piano parts for the first time in an Iron Maiden track, and it was also released as a single in 2016. For some, it is unusual and strange; for others, a masterpiece. All in all, a very intriguing choice.
4.Alexander The Great (356-323 B.C.) (Somewhere In Time, 1986)
At number four, we take a trip back in time with the legendary hit Alexander The Great from the Somewhere In Time album. Great historical figures deserve powerful and grandiose songs, and honestly, aside from Maiden, few can pull off such a feat. And they did it in what could be considered the earlier phase of their career. The song narrates the historical story of Alexander the Great, from his birth, his initial conquests, and triumphs, all the way to his sudden death in ancient Babylon. If you’re too lazy to study for a history test, listening to this song might just help you prepare well enough for at least a passing grade, if not higher. As for the music, still featuring two guitars at the time, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray created a little masterpiece, experimenting with synth guitars. Throughout the full 8:37 minutes, you never feel the urge to hit skip, and that’s precisely where the magnificence of this phenomenal song lies.
3.Paschendale (Dance Of Death, 2003)
Certainly the biggest surprise on this list or in this poll. Despite so many great and legendary songs, in a high third place, we have the crushing riff of Paschendale from the Dance Of Death album released in 2003. The song was written by Adrian Smith, who is usually known for shorter works featuring more pronounced elements like catchy riffs and choruses. Here, however, it’s quite the opposite. Heavy, progressive, detailed, and somewhat drawn-out, much like the Battle of Passchendaele from World War I that it describes. If we were to rank Maiden’s epic songs, this one could certainly earn the title of a top-tier deep cut. All in all, it’s a big surprise, considering the number of votes it received far surpassed previous entries. A huge surprise, it must be said, but that’s part of the charm of this poll.
2.Hallowed Be Thy Name (The Number Of The Beast, 1982)
We’re now treading the well-known path of epic, sure-fire choices. Hallowed Be Thy Name is, you’ll agree, synonymous with the word “legendary” in the Iron Maiden vocabulary. It was the first album featuring Bruce Dickinson and likely the first of those “Maiden-long-epic” songs that paved the way for all that followed and, in all honesty, made history. In other words, a timeless song. One of the greatest heavy metal tracks ever, according to many official and unofficial polls. A musical masterpiece by Steve Harris, enhanced by the guitar work of Smith and Murray, whose parts are so vivid and perfectly crafted that fans can’t help but sing along to them at concerts, from way back in 1982 up to the present day. An expected choice, so there’s really nothing more to add.
1.Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Powerslave, 1984)
Finally, we have the winner of this fan-chosen list, and it is, (un)surprisingly, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner from the Powerslave album. As mentioned earlier, this song held the title of the band’s longest track for around thirty years with its 13:39-minute duration. Although that position changed in 2015, the significance of this piece hasn’t diminished one bit since its release. The song is based on the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in which the captain (the Ancient Mariner) tells the tale of how his ship was caught in a storm and all the strange events that followed. Inspired by reading this poem, Steve Harris masterfully transformed it into a composition that, for 1984, was truly something extraordinary. Especially the chilling middle section, where the atmosphere becomes almost blood-freezing… Furious, dark, atmospheric, and majestic—Rime has always been that way, so your choice doesn’t surprise us. It was expected, but some things simply shouldn’t be changed.
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Finally, we’re adding a Spotify playlist featuring all the songs that received votes in our poll. They are arranged based on the points they earned, or the rank they achieved, so if you are interested to see what songs didn’t make this Top 5, make sure to check it out because there are plenty of big surprises waiting!
