The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg
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| "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" | ||
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| Single by Iron Maiden | ||
| from the album A Matter of Life and Death | ||
| B-side(s) | Hallowed Be Thy Name (CD) | |
| Released | 14 August 2006 | |
| Format | CD, 10" clear vinyl disc | |
| Recorded | Sarm West Studios, London in 2006 | |
| Genre | Heavy metal | |
| Length | 7:21 | |
| Label | Columbia Records, EMI Europe | |
| Writer(s) | Dave Murray, Steve Harris | |
| Producer(s) | Kevin Shirley | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Iron Maiden singles chronology | ||
| "The Trooper (live)" (2005) |
"The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" (2006) |
"Different World" (2006) |
"The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" is a song by Iron Maiden on their 14th studio album, A Matter of Life and Death. The song is the leading single from the album, released on 14 August 2006.
The CD single comes with a B-side of "Hallowed Be Thy Name" from the BBC Radio 1 Legends Session. Due to the overall length of the two songs, the single was not eligible for chart inclusion in the UK. The single was also released on 10" clear vinyl single, which includes BBC Sessions versions of "The Trooper" and "Run to the Hills" on the B-side.[1]
Although both the sleeve, and labels, of the 10" vinyl state that it should be played at 33.3 RPM, this is actually incorrect. The correct playing speed is 45 RPM.
A promotional version of the single was released on 14 August 2006, featuring the full version and a shorter version called "edited version" in the US promo CD and "rock club mix" in the UK promo CD (both versions are identical).[2]
On 17 July 2006, a music video for the song was put up on the band's official website for public viewing. The video was first released only for paid fan club members but it instantly leaked within minutes and was viewed by many fans who posted the link on various Iron Maiden discussion forums. The video displays them currently performing in the studio along with classic photos and clips of the band over their lengthy career.
[edit] The character
The single's promotional image shows Eddie (the band's mascot) digging out the grave of Benjamin Breeg, whose tombstone states "Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult". This is a sentence in Romanian, which roughly translates into "here lies a man about whom little is known." The identity of the character is being held secret by band members. Steve Harris, in an interview featured on the DVD (with special edition CD album) was quoted as saying: "Who is Benjamin Breeg? Ah, now that would be telling."
The fictional story of the search for Benjamin Breeg was told in a handful of instalments on a dedicated website throughout July and August 2006. The final chapter began "The person who contacted me from Romania is coming to meet me. I feel that his arrival will finally give me the answers I seek regarding Benjamin Breeg" but ended on a cliffhanger which teasingly provided no answers. This final installment coincided with the release date of the single. The site fooled many readers into thinking it was real.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] 2 track CD
- "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" (Dave Murray, Steve Harris) – 7:21
- "Hallowed Be Thy Name (Radio 1 'Legends' Session)" (Harris) – 7:13
[edit] 10" clear vinyl disc
- "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" (Murray, Harris) – 7:21
- "The Trooper (Radio 1 'Legends' Session)" (Harris) – 3:59
- "Run to the Hills (Radio 1 'Legends' Session)" (Harris) – 3:56
[edit] Credits
- Bruce Dickinson – vocals
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Janick Gers – guitar, backing vocals
- Adrian Smith – guitar, backing vocals
- Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Nicko McBrain – drums
[edit] Sources
[edit] External links
- Music video (stream)
- A website about Benjamin Breeg, the contents of which are as-yet unknown to be real or fictional
