One of the most literary heavy metal bands in the game, Iron Maiden has drawn on a wealth of books to influence their songwriting. To prepare for their upcoming Friday show, here are nine books, poems, or short stories that inspired some of their work.
See Iron Maiden live at the Delta Center on Friday, October 18th!
Seventh Son by Orson Scott Card
The entire album “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son” by Iron Maiden, released in 1988, is primarily influenced by the fantasy novel written by Orson Scott Card the year before. The book takes place in an alternate version of frontier America, where Alvin Miller battles dark forces and possesses magical abilities. The story explores themes of power and destiny, which echo in the lyrics of the songs. In “The Prophecy,” for example, the lyrics try to warn fellow villagers of impending doom after receiving a vision.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This classic about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island explores themes of human nature, civilization, and the loss of innocence. Iron Maiden released the guitar-heavy “Lord of the Flies” track on their 1995 album “The X Factor.” The album artwork depicts the band’s mascot, Eddie, as a literal Lord of the Flies, sitting on a throne with a swarm of flies around him.
Dune by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert allegedly did not allow Iron Maiden to title a track after his book due to a dislike of rock music. So, to work around the issue, bandleader Steve Harris called the track “To Tame a Land.” The song lyrics refer to sandworms, Kwizatz Haderach, Freemen, Caladan, and Muad’Dib from the epic book that explores themes of destiny, ecology, and the dual nature of power.
Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe
This short story by Edgar Allen Poe, written in 1841, is credited as the first modern detective story that follows the murder of two women. Iron Maiden wrote the song from the perspective of a man who stumbles upon the murder and is falsely accused of committing it, marking a departure from the story.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
This dystopian novel, released in 1932, chronicles a future where elite powers of the World State genetically engineer humans to be socially controlled. The title track of the Iron Maiden album, released in 2000, reflects the grim future with lines like “What you see is not real / Those who know will not tell / All is lost, sold your souls / To this brave new world.” The album artwork also includes references to the book.
When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs
This 1982 graphic novel chronicles a post-nuclear fallout told from the perspective of a couple living in London. The song, titled after the book, departs from the storyline by claiming the couple mistook an earthquake for the fallout. The 11-minute track is one of the longest songs Iron Maiden recorded, with complex arrangements, soaring melodies, and different rhythms the band explored.
The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
This sci-fi novel later influenced the making of the film “Village of the Damned” and the sequel “Children of the Damned,” which became the title of Iron Maiden’s 1982 track from “The Number of the Beast.” In the book, a mysterious event causes all women of childbearing age to become pregnant, whose children are then born with unusual characteristics and psychic abilities. The song explores the death of the last child as he faces the humans who want to burn him at the stake.
Moonchild by Aleister Crowley
Iron Maiden had a penchant for Aleister Crowley’s occult world and referenced his work in several songs. “Moonchild,” written in 1917, chronicles a man trying to save the human race by impregnating a woman with a moonchild. In the opening song of “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son,” Iron Maiden reworked the plot of “Moonchild” to chronicle magic rituals performed to prevent the birth of the seventh son.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The single “The Sign of the Cross” from their 1995 release “The X Factor” references “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco. This murder mystery chronicles a 14th-century Italian monastery where the friar and his novice investigate a series of deaths. The book’s religious themes are referenced in several lines in the 11-minute track as he sings, “The name of the rose / A fire in the sky / The sign of the cross.”