Bruce Dickinson joined Iron Maiden in 1981 and released his first album with the band, The Number of the Beast , in 1982. The album became a classic and represented the turning point that propelled the band's career to a global level.
The album features several songs that have become classics of world heavy metal. Besides the title track, it includes one of Iron Maiden's greatest songs, "Hallowed Be Thy Name," which Bruce discussed in an interview with the French magazine Enfer ( via FC Iron Maiden Bulgaria ) in 1983.
In the same interview, when asked about his thoughts on the final part of the lyrics, which ends with the character discovering that life is an illusion, he said: "So many things happen on this earth, and so many people miss them because they are blinded by illusions."
The vocalist revealed that, at the time, the band members considered the track the best song of Maiden's career. The bassist and founder of the band, Steve Harris Iron Maiden's debut album , released in 1980.
The song can be considered conceptual, as its lyrics address several distinct themes. The original idea was aligned with tracks like "Purgatory" or "Twilight Zone," both from the 1981 album Killers . Harris's intention was to construct a theatrical narrative.
The song's story is portrayed from the perspective of someone being led to the gallows. As he nears the end, he begins to see things differently. From fear arises hope, as he believes he will return. Hence the biblical reference Be Thy Name."
The song has already been played at 1,899 shows by the band, making it the third most performed song, according to the website Setlist.fm .
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