Revelations (Iron Maiden song)

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“Revelations”
Song by Iron Maiden
Album Piece of Mind
Genre Heavy metal
Length 6:48
Piece of Mind track listing
Where Eagles Dare
(1)
Revelations
(2)
Flight of Icarus
(2)


"Revelations" is the second track from Iron Maiden's fourth studio album Piece of Mind. It is one of the few Maiden songs written solely by Bruce Dickinson.

On earlier live performances of the song, Dickinson played rhythm guitar on one section that required a dual lead performed by Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. In more recent performances such as Eddie Rips Up The World Tour and Somewhere Back In Time World Tour, the rhythm guitar section was performed by Janick Gers, giving Dickinson more freedom around the stage.

[edit] Influences

It is based partly on a book by Aleister Crowley, but this is also juxtaposed with a verse taken from a hymn by G.K. Chesterton[1], which forms the first verse of the song:

O God of earth and 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.