LIVE AFTER DEATH

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(1985)

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  Aces High  
  2 Minutes to Midnight  
  The Trooper  
  Revelations  
  Flight Of Icarus  
  Rime Of The Ancient Mariner  
  Powerslave  
  The Number Of The Beast  
  Hallowed Be Thy Name  
  Iron Maiden  
  Run To The Hills  
  Running Free  
  Wrathchild  
  22 Acacia Avenue  
  Children Of The Damned  
  Die With Your Boots On  
  Phantom Of The Opera  

 

ACES HIGH

(Harris)

There goes the siren that warns of the air raid, then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne, got to get up for the coming attack
Jump in the cockpit and start up the engines, remove all the wheel blocks there's no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway, gotta airborne before it's too late
Running, scrambling, flying
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Won't you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high
Move in to fire at the mainstream of bombers, let off a sharp burst and then turn away
Roll over spin round to come in behind them, move to their blindsides and firing again
Bandits at 8 o'clock move in behind us, ten ME-109's out of the sun
Ascending and turning our spitfires to face them, heading straight for them I press down my guns
Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Rolling, turning, diving
Rolling, turning, diving
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Won't you run, live to fly, fly to live, aces high

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2 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT

(Smith/Dickinson)

 

Kill for gain or shoot to maim, but we don't need a reason

The Golden Goose is on the loose, and never out of season

Blackened pride still burns inside, this shell of bloody treason

Here's my gun for a barrel of fun, for the love of living death

 

The killer's on the loose or the Demon's seed, the glamour, the fortune, the pain

Go to war again blood is freedom's stain, don't you pray fro my soul anymore
 
2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb
 
The blind men shout let the creatures out, we'll show the unbelievers
the Napalm screams of human flames, of a prime time Belsen feast...YEAH
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy
We oil the jaws of the war machine, and fee it with our babies
 
2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb
 
The body bags and little rags of children torn in two
And the jellied brains of those who remain to put the finger right on you
As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions to make a better kind of gun
 
2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb
 
Midnight...all night...

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THE TROOPER

(Harris)

 

You'll take my life but I'll take yours too

You'll fire your musket but I'll run you through

So when you're waiting for the next attack

You' d better stand there's no turning back

 

The Bugle sounds and the charge begins

But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath
As I plunge on into certain death
 
The horse he sweats with fear we break to run
The mighty roar of the Russian guns
And as we race towards the human wall
The screams of pain as my comrades fall
 
We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground
And the Russians fire another round
We get so near yet so far away
We won't live to fight another day
 
We get so close near enough to fight
When a Russian gets me in his sights
He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow
A burst of rounds take my horse below
 
And as I lay there gazing at the sky
My body's numb and my throat is dry
And as I lay forgotten and alone
Without a tear I draw my parting groan

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REVELATIONS

(Dickinson)

 

"O God of Earth an Altar, bow down and hear our cry

Our earthly rulers falter, our people drift and die

The walls of gold entomb us, the swords of scorn divide

Take not thy thunder from us, but take away our pride"

 

Just a babe in a black abyss, no reason for a place like this

The walls are cold and souls cry out in pain, an easy way for the blind to go
A clever path for the fools who know, the Secret of the Hangman - the smile on his lips
 
The light of the Blind - you'll see
The venom that tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening - you'll see
 
She came to me with a serpents kiss, as the Eye of the Sun rose on her lips
Moonlight catches silver tears I cry, so we lay in a black embrace
And the Seed is sown in a holy place, and I watched and I waited for the Dawn
 
The light of the Blind - you'll see
The venom that tears my spine
The Eyes of the Nile are opening - you'll see
 
Bind us all together, ablaze with Hope and Free
No storm or heavy weather, will rock the boat you'll see
The time has come to close your eyes, and still the wind and rain
 
For the one who will be King
Is the watcher in the Ring
It is You

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FLIGHT OF ICARUS

(Smith/Dickinson)

 

As the sun breaks above the ground, an old man stands on the hill

As the ground warms to the first rays of light, a birdsong shatters the still

 

His eyes are ablaze, see the madman in his gaze

 

Fly on your way, like an eagle

Fly as high the sun
On your way like an eagle
Fly and touch the sun
 
Now the crowd breaks and a young boy appears, looks the old man in the eye
As he spreads his wings and shouts at the crowd, "in the name of God my father I fly"
 
His eyes seem so glazed, as he flies on the wings of a dream
Now he knows his father betrayed, now his wings turn to ashes to ashes his grave
 
Fly on your way, like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun
On your way like an eagle
Fly as high as the sun

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RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER

(Harris)

 

Hear the rime of the Ancient Mariner, see his eye as he stops one of three

Mesmerises one of the wedding guests, stay here and listen to the nightmares of the sea

 

And the music plays on, as the bride passes by

Caught by his spell and the Mariner tells his tale
 
Driven south to the land of snow and ice, to a place where nobody's been
Through the snow fog flies on the albatross, hailed in God's name hoping good luck it brings
 
And the ship sails on, back to the north
Through the fog and ice and the albatross follows on
 
The Mariner kills the bird of good omen, his shipmates cry against what he's done
But when the fog clears they justify him, and make themselves a part of his crime
 
Sailing on and on and north across the sea
Sailing on and on and north 'til all is calm
 
The albatross begins with its vengeance, a terrible curse a thirst has begun
His shipmates blame bad luck on the Mariner, about his neck the dead bird is hung
 
And the curse goes on and on and on at sea
And the thirst goes on and on for them and me
 
"Day after day, day after day we stuck nor breath nor motion
As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean
Water water everywhere and all the boards did shrink
Water water everywhere nor an drop to drink"
 
There calls the Mariner, there comes a ship over the line
But how can she sail with no wind in her sails and no tide
 
See...onward she comes, onward she nears out of the sun
See...she has no crew, she has no life wait but there's two
 
Death and she Life in Death, they threw their dice for the crew
She wins the Mariner and he belongs to her now
Then...crew one by one, they drop down dead, two hundred men
She...she, Life in Death, she lets him live, her chosen one
 
"One after one by the star dogged moon, too quick for groan or sigh
Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, and cursed me with his eye
Four time fifty living men (and I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump a life less lump, they dropped down one by one"
 
The curse it lives on in their eyes, the Mariner he wished he'd die
Along with the sea creatures, but they lived on so did he
 
And by the light of the moon, he prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them, God's creatures all of them too
 
Then the spell starts to break, the albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the sea, then down in falls comes the rain
 
Hear the groans of the long dead seamen, see them stir and start to rise
Bodies lifted by good spirits none of them speak, and they're lifeless in their eyes
 
And revenge is still sought, penance starts again
Cast into a trance and the nightmare carries on
 
Now the curse is finally lifted, and the Mariner sights his home
Spirits go from the long dead bodies, form their own light and the Mariner's left alone
 
And then a boat came sailing towards him, it was a joy he could not believe
The pilots boat his son and the hermit, penance of life will fall unto Him
 
And the ship sinks like lead into the sea
And the hermit shrieves the Mariner of his sins
 
The Mariner's bound to tell of his story, to tell his tale wherever he goes
To teach God's word by his own example, that we must love all things that God made
 
And the wedding guest's a sand and wiser man
And the tale goes on and on and on

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POWERSLAVE

(Dickinson)

 

Into the Abyss I'll fall - the eye of Horus

Into the eyes of the night - watching me go

Green is the cat's eye that glows - in the Temple

Enter the risen Osiris - risen again

 

Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave

I don't wanna die, I'm a God why can't I live on
When the Life Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour, I'm a slave to the Power of Death
 
When I was living this lie - Fear was my game
People would worship and fall - drop to their knees
So bring me the blood and red wine - for the one to succeed me
For he is a man and a God - and He will die too
 
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a God why can't I live on
When the Life Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour, I'm a slave to the Power of Death
 
Now I am cold but a ghost lives in my veins
Silent the terror that reigned - marbled in stone
A shell of a man God preserved - a thousand ages
But opens the gates of my Hell - I'll strike from my grave
 
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a God why can't I live on
When the Life Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour, I'm a slave to the Power of Death
Slave to the Power of Death
Slave to the Power of Death

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THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST

(Harris)

 

I left alone my mind was black, I needed time to get the memories from my mind

What did I see can I believe, that what I saw that night was real and not just fantasy

 

Just what I saw in my old dreams, were they reflections of my warped mind staring back at me

Cos in my dreams it's always there, the evil face that twists my mind and brings me to despair

 
The night was black was no use holding back, cos I just had to see was someone watching me
In the mist dark figures move and twist, was this all for real or some kind of hell
 
666 the number of the beast
Hell and fire was spawned to be released
 
Torches blazed and sacred chants were praised, as they start to cry hands held to the sky
In the night the fires burning bright, the ritual has begun Satan's work is done
 
666 the number of the beast

Sacrifice is going on tonight

 
This can't go on I must inform the law, can this still be real or some crazy dream
But I feel drawn towards the evil chanting hordes, they seem to mesmerise me...can't avoid their eyes
 
666 the number of the beast
666 the one for you and me
 
I'm coming back I will return, and I'll possess your body and I'll make you burn
I have the fire I have the force, I have the power to make my evil takes its course

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HALLOWED BE THY NAME

(Harris)

 

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

Cos at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole

The sands of time for me are running low

 

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 there's been some sort of error
Hard to stop the surmounting terror
Is it really the end not some crazy dream
 
Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming
It's 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'm not afraid of dying
Don't I believe that there never is an end
 
As the guards march me out to the courtyard
Someone calls 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 it's willing to fly away
 
Mark my words please believe my soul lives on
Please 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 there is just a strange illusion

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IRON MAIDEN

(Harris)

Won't you come into my room, I want to show you all my wares

I just want to see your blood, I just want to stand and stare

 
See the blood begin to flow, as it falls upon the floor
Iron Maiden can't be fought, Iron Maiden can't be sought
 
Oh well, wherever, wherever you are
Iron Maiden's gonna get you, no matter how far
See the blood begin to flow, watching it shed up above my head
Iron Maiden wants you for dead
All my feelings cannot be held, I'm happy in my new strange world
Won't you come into my room, I want to show you all my wares
I just want to see your blood, I just want to stand and stare
See the blood begin to flow, as it falls upon the floor
Iron Maiden can't be fought, Iron Maiden can't be sought
 
Oh well, wherever, wherever you are
Iron Maiden's gonna get you, no matter how far
See the blood begin to flow, watching it shed up above my head
Iron Maiden wants you for dead

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RUN TO THE HILLS

(Harris)

 

White man came across the sea, brought us pain and misery

Killed our tribes killed our creed, took our game for his own need

 

We fought him hard we fought him well, out on the plains we gave him hell

But many came too much for Cree, oh will we ever be set free?

 
Riding through dustclouds and barren wastes, galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes, fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back, women and children and cowards attack
 
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
 
Soldier blue in the barren wastes, hunting and killing their game
Raping the women and wasting the men, the only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold, enslaving the young and destroying the old
 
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
 
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

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RUNNING FREE

(Harris/Di'anno)

 

Just sixteen a pickup truck, out of money out of luck

I've got no place to call my own, Hit the gas and here I go

 

I'm running free yeh, I'm running free

I'm running free yeh, I'm running free

 

Spend the night in an L.A. jail, listen to the sirens wail

But they ain't got a thing on me, I'm running wild I'm running free

 
I'm running free yeh, I'm running free
I'm running free yeh, I'm running free
 
Pulled her at the Bottle Top, whiskey dancing disco hop
And all the boys are after me, and that's the way it's gonna be
 
I'm running free yeh, I'm running free
I'm running free yeh, I'm running free

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WRATHCHILD

(Harris)

 

I was born into a scene of angriness and greed of dominance and persecution

My mother was a queen my dad I've never seen I was never meant to be

 

Now I spend my time looking all around, for a man that's nowhere to be found

Until I find him I've never gonna stop searching

I'm going to find my man, gonna travel round
 
Cos I'm a wrathchild
Yeah I'm a wrathchild
Well I'm a wrathchild
I'm coming to get you
Ooh yeah yeah
 
Some say it shouldn't matter ain't nothing gonna alter the course of my destination
But I know I've gotta find some serious piece of mind or I know I'll just go crazy
 

Now I spend my time looking all around, for a man that's nowhere to be found

Until I find him I've never gonna stop searching
I'm going to find my man, gonna travel round
 
Cos I'm a wrathchild
Yeah I'm a wrathchild
Well I'm a wrathchild
I'm coming to get you
Ooh yeah yeah

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22 ACACIA AVENUE

(Harris/Smith)

 

If you're feeling down depressed an lonely, I know a place where we can go

22 Acacia Avenue meet a lady that I know

So if you're looking for a good time, and you're prepared to pay the price

Fifteen quid is all she asks for, everybody's got their vice

 

If you're waiting for a long time for the rest to do their piece

You can tell her that you know me and you might even get it free
So any time you're down the East End don't you hesitate to go
You can take my honest word for it she'll teach you more than you can know
 
Charlotte can't you get out from all this madness
Can't you see it only brings you sadness
When you entertain your men don't you know the risk of getting disease
 
Someday when you're reaching the age of forty, I bet you'll regret the days when you were laying
Nobody then will want to know, You won't have any more beautiful wares to show any more
 
22, the avenue that's the place where we all go
You will find it's warm inside, the red light's burning bright tonight
 
Charlotte isn't it time you stopped this mad life, don't you ever think about the bad times
Why do you have to live this way, do you enjoy your lay or is the pay
 
Sometimes when you're strolling down the avenue, the way you walk it makes men think of having you
When you're walking down the street, everybody stops and turns to stare at you
 
Beat her mistreat her do anything that you please, bite her excite her make her get down on her knees
Abuse her misuse her she can take all that you've got, caress her molest her she always does want you want
 
You're running away don't you know what you're doing, can't you see it'll lead you to ruin
Charlotte you've taken your life and you've thrown it away
You believe that because what you're earning, your life's good don't you know that you're hurting
All the people that love you don't cast them aside
All the men that are constantly drooling, it's no life for you stop all that screwing
You're packing your bags and you're coming with me

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CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED

(Harris)

 

He's walking like a small child, but watch his eyes burn you away

Black holes in his golden stare, God knows he wants to go home

 

Children of the damned

Children of the damned

Children of the damned

Children of the damned
 
He's walking like a dead man, if he had lived he would have crucified us all
Now he's standing on the last step, he thought oblivion, well it beckons us all
 
Children of the damned
Children of the damned
Children of the damned
Children of the damned
 

Now it's burning his hands, he's turning to laugh

Smiles as the flames sear his flesh
Melting his face, screaming in pain
Watch him die according to plan
He's dust on the ground, what did we learn
 
You're children of the damned
Your back's against the wall
You turn into the light
You're children of the damned
Like candles watch them burn
Burning in the light
You'll burn again tonight
You're children of the damned

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DIE WITH YOUR BOOTS ON

(Smith/Dickinson/Harris)

 

Another Prophet of Disaster, who says the ship is lost

Another Prophet of Disaster, leaving you to count the cost

Taunting us with Visions, afflicting us with fear

Predicting War for millions, in the hope that one appears

 

No point asking when it is

No point asking who's to go
No point asking what's the game
No point asking who's to blame
'Cos if you're gonna die, if you're gonna die
'Cos if you're gonna die, if you're gonna die
 
If you're gonna die, die with your boots on
If you're gonna try, just stick around
Gonna cry, just move along
If you're gonna die, you're gonna die
 
In 13 the Beast is Rising, the Frenchman did surmise
Through earthquakes and starvation, the Warlord will arise
Terror Death Destruction, pour from the Eastern sands
But the truth of all predictions, is always in your hands
 
No point asking when it is
No point asking who's to go
No point asking what's the game
No point asking who's to blame
'Cos if you're gonna die, if you're gonna die
'Cos if you're gonna die, if you're gonna die
 
If you're gonna die, die with your boots on
If you're gonna try, just stick around
Gonna cry, just move along
If you're gonna die, you're gonna die

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PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

(Harris)

 

I've been looking so long for you now, you won't get away from my grasp

You've been living so long in hiding, hiding behind that false mask

 

You know and I know that you ain't got that long to last

Your looks and your feelings are just the remains of your past

 

Standing in the wings there, you wait for the curtain to fall

Knowing the terror and holding you have on us all

 
I know that you're going to scratch me and maim me and maul
You know I'm helpless from your mesmerising cat call
 
Keep your distance walk away don't take his bait, don't you stray don't fade away
 
Watch your step he's out to get you come what may, Don't you stray from the narrow way
 
I'm running and hiding, in my dreams you're always there
You're the Phantom of the Opera, you're the devil you're just out to scare
 
You damaged my mind and my soul, it just floats through the air
You haunt me you taunt me, you torture me back at your lair

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