Wasted Years

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"Wasted Years"
"Wasted Years" cover
Single by Iron Maiden
from the album Somewhere in Time
B-side(s) "Reach Out", "Sheriff of Huddersfield"
Released 6 September 1986
Genre Heavy metal
Length 12:12
Label EMI
Writer(s) Adrian Smith
Chart positions
  • 18 (UK charts)
Iron Maiden singles chronology
Run to the Hills (live)
(1985)
Wasted Years
(1986)
Stranger in a Strange Land
(1986)

"Wasted Years" was the fourteenth single released by Iron Maiden and the first from their Somewhere in Time album. Released in 1986, it was the first single to be written by guitarist Adrian Smith alone. It reached number 22 in the UK charts.

The B-side "Reach Out" was sung by Adrian Smith, with Bruce Dickinson singing backing vocals. This song was performed by Nicko McBrain and Adrian Smith's jam band who called themselves The Entire Population of Hackney.

The song "Sheriff of Huddersfield" is about Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood's decision to move to Los Angeles and buy a house in the Hollywood hills. Apparently he had trouble adjusting to the new lifestyle in LA and often complained to the band about it. Interestingly Rod Smallwood was unaware of the song until it was released on the single (the band had kept it secret). Later, a similar comedy piece mocking Smallwood was released as an unlisted untitled B-side ("Space Station N°5"'s epilogue) in the Be Quick or Be Dead single.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Wasted Years" (Adrian Smith) – 5:06
  2. "Reach Out" (Dave Colwell) – 3:31
  3. "Sheriff of Huddersfield" (Iron Maiden) – 3:35

[edit] Numbers from the Beast version

An all-star cover version of the song is found on the tribute album Numbers from the Beast. It features Dee Snider on vocals, George Lynch and Bob Kulick on guitars, Jeff Pilson on bass, and Jason Bonham on drums. This version follows the basic schedule of Smith's original composition, but varies in terms of guitar solos.

[edit] Credits

Iron Maiden
Bruce Dickinson | Dave Murray | Janick Gers | Adrian Smith | Steve Harris | Nicko McBrain
List of past and present Iron Maiden members
Discography
Studio albums: Iron Maiden | Killers | The Number of the Beast | Piece of Mind | Powerslave | Somewhere in Time | Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | No Prayer for the Dying | Fear of the Dark | The X Factor | Virtual XI | Brave New World | Dance of Death | A Matter of Life and Death
Live albums: Live After Death | A Real Live One | A Real Dead One | Live at Donington | A Real Live Dead One | Rock in Rio | The BBC Archives | Beast Over Hammersmith | Death on the Road
Compilations and box-sets: The First Ten Years | Best of the Beast | Ed Hunter | Edward the Great | Eddie's Archive | Best of the B'Sides | The Essential Iron Maiden
Videos and DVDs: Live at the Rainbow | Video Pieces | Behind the Iron Curtain | Live After Death | 12 Wasted Years | Maiden England | The First Ten Years: The Videos | From There to Eternity | Donington Live 1992 | Raising Hell | Classic Albums: The Number of the Beast | Rock in Rio | Visions of the Beast | The Early Days | Death on the Road
EPs: The Soundhouse Tapes | Live!! +one | Maiden Japan | No More Lies
Singles
"Running Free" | "Sanctuary" | "Women in Uniform" | "Twilight Zone" | "Purgatory" | "Run to the Hills" | "The Number of the Beast" | "Flight of Icarus" | "The Trooper" | "2 Minutes to Midnight" | "Aces High" | "Running Free (live)" | "Run to the Hills (live '85)" | "Wasted Years" | "Stranger in a Strange Land" | "Can I Play with Madness" | "The Evil That Men Do" | "The Clairvoyant (live)" | "Infinite Dreams" | "Holy Smoke" | "Bring Your Daughter...To the Slaughter" | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | "From Here to Eternity" | "Wasting Love" | "Fear of the Dark (live)" | "Hallowed Be Thy Name (live)" | "Man on the Edge" | "Lord of the Flies" | "Virus" | "The Angel and the Gambler" | "Futureal" | "The Wicker Man" | "Out of the Silent Planet" | "Run to the Hills (live '01)" | "Wildest Dreams" | "Rainmaker" | "The Number of the Beast (2005)" | "The Trooper (live)" | "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" | "Different World"
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