Hallowed Be Thy Name

Hallowed Be Thy Name is a song written by Steve Harris for the 1982 Iron Maiden album The Number of The Beast. The song describes a man's thoughts just before being sent to the gallows. He begins to feel terror and realizes he really is afraid of dying, despite claims that he's not. At the end of the vocal section, the man gets executed; this is followed by a long instrumental section, culminating in his ambiguous final words, "Hallowed be thy name". Hallowed Be Thy Name begins with a slow tempo and builds up later in the song. Bruce Dickinson showcases his wide vocal range and power at both slow and fast tempo. This song is considered one of Iron Maiden's classics, as well as a classic of heavy metal, and is a staple at live concerts. The song was ranked #7 in Martin Popoff's The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time. The first guitar solo is played by Dave Murray, and the second by Adrian Smith. Since Smith left the band and was replaced by Janick Gers, Gers has played Smith's solo, even after Smith returned to the band. A few lyrics of this song were taken from the song Life's Shadow by English progrock band Beckett. The same song, in particular the instrumental guitarsolo parts, was later also used for The Nomad from their album Brave New World. The cover depicts Bruce Dickinson being impaled from behind by Eddie, in the form of Satan. The same idea of Eddie killing the departing vocalist had previously been used on the cover of the Venezuelan release of Maiden Japan (with him holding the severed head of Paul Di'Anno). This theme was also used during Bruce Dickinson's farewell performance, during the Raising Hell concert, where horror Illusionist Simon Drake, after seemingly killing Dickinson, gets impaled by Eddie. The song has also been released as a live single from the 1993 album "A Real Dead One" and on The Best of the Beast, and has become a live staple for Iron Maiden. The band recorded a newer version of this track in 2006 and it was used as a b-sides on the Different World Single. Cover versions include: Swedish melodic death metal band Ceremonial Oath on Carpet, CD, 1995 on Black Sun Records. British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth on Cruelty and the Beast, CD, 2006 on Music For Nations Records.

[Intro] I'm waiting in my cold cell, when the bell begins to chime Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time Cause at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole The sands of time for me are running low Running low, yeah [Verse 1] 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 that there's some sort of error? Hard to stop the surmounting terror Is it really the end, not some crazy dream? [Verse 2] Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming It's not easy to stop from screaming But words escape me when I try to speak Tears fall but why am I crying? After all I'm not afraid of dying Don't I believe that there never is an end? [Verse 3] As the guards march me out to the courtyard Somebody cries from a cell "God be with you" If there's a God why has He let me go? As I walk my life drifts before me And though the end is near I'm not sorry Catch my soul, it's willing to fly away [Verse 4] Mark my words believe my soul lives on Don't worry now that I have gone I've gone beyond to seek 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 [Guitar solo: Dave Murray] [Guitar solo: Adrian Smith] [Outro] Yeah, yeah, yeah... Hallowed be Thy name Yeah, yeah, yeah... Hallowed be Thy name Yeah