Hallowed Be Thy Name
Encyclopedia
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a song written by Steve Harris
for the 1982 Iron Maiden
album The Number of The Beast
.The song includes 2 guitar solos: the first is played by Dave Murray,and second was played by Adrian Smith from 1982 until 1988.From 1990, second solo is played by Janick Gers. It is the most covered song by the band with fourteen different versions by artists like Dream Theater
, Machine Head
, Cradle of Filth
and Brown Brigade
.
The cover of the live version recorded in 1993 depicts Bruce Dickinson being impaled from behind by Eddie, in the form of Satan
. The same idea of Eddie killing the departing vocalist had previously been used on the cover of the Venezuelan release of Maiden Japan
(with him holding the severed head of Paul Di'Anno
). This theme was also used during Bruce Dickinson's farewell performance, during the Raising Hell
concert, where horror Illusionist Simon Drake
, after seemingly killing Dickinson in an iron maiden torture device
, gets impaled by Eddie.
The song has also been released as a live single
from the 1993 album A Real Dead One
and on The Best of the Beast, and has become a live staple for Iron Maiden. The band recorded a newer version of this track in 2006 and it was used as a b-sides on the "Different World
" single.
Iron Maiden also recorded this song as part of EMI
's television series 'Live from Abbey Road
'.
This single was also released as a red 45 rpm (7") vinyl.
In the lyrics of the song, the motif
of Gallows Pole explicitly appears, which may allow a link to many works of art involving this motif and also may allow the song to be analyzed in a wider context.
A live version of the song was released as downloadable content in the video game Rock Band 2
on 9 June 2009.
Steve Harris (musician)
Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
for the 1982 Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
album The Number of The Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
.The song includes 2 guitar solos: the first is played by Dave Murray,and second was played by Adrian Smith from 1982 until 1988.From 1990, second solo is played by Janick Gers. It is the most covered song by the band with fourteen different versions by artists like Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
and Brown Brigade
Brown Brigade
Brown Brigade is a reggae-influenced heavy metal band created by former Sum 41 guitarist Dave "Brownsound" Baksh, after leaving Sum 41 in May 2006...
.
The cover of the live version recorded in 1993 depicts Bruce Dickinson being impaled from behind by Eddie, in the form of Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
. The same idea of Eddie killing the departing vocalist had previously been used on the cover of the Venezuelan release of Maiden Japan
Maiden Japan
Maiden Japan, also known as Heavy Metal Army, is a live EP by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The title is a pun of Deep Purple's live album Made in Japan....
(with him holding the severed head of Paul Di'Anno
Paul Di'Anno
Paul Andrews , better known as Paul Di'Anno, is an English singer best known as the first vocalist to record with the iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden, from 1978 to 1981....
). This theme was also used during Bruce Dickinson's farewell performance, during the Raising Hell
Raising Hell (video)
Raising Hell is a concert video by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden, filmed on 28 August 1993 at the Pinewood Studios in London, England and broadcast live on pay-per-view television in North America. It was later bought by the BBC for broadcast in the UK as an edited version. The video is...
concert, where horror Illusionist Simon Drake
Simon Drake
Simon Drake is the stage name of Simon Alexander; a British magician based in London. He is best known for the innovative and shocking television series Secret Cabaret made for Britain's Channel 4.-Early life:...
, after seemingly killing Dickinson in an iron maiden torture device
Iron maiden (torture device)
An iron maiden is a torture device, consisting of an iron cabinet, with a hinged front, sufficiently tall to enclose a human being. It usually has a small closeable opening so that the torturer can interrogate the victim and torture or kill a person by piercing the body with sharp objects , while...
, gets impaled by Eddie.
The song has also been released as a live single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the 1993 album A Real Dead One
A Real Dead One
A Real Dead One is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded in 1992/93 at concerts across Europe, and released on 25 October 1993...
and on The Best of the Beast, and has become a live staple for Iron Maiden. The band recorded a newer version of this track in 2006 and it was used as a b-sides on the "Different World
Different World (song)
"Different World" is the first track from English heavy metal band Iron Maiden's 2006 album A Matter of Life and Death. The song is the band's thirty-fifth single, and is also the second single from the album, released on 14 November 2006 in the United States, and 26 December 2006 in Europe...
" single.
Iron Maiden also recorded this song as part of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
's television series 'Live from Abbey Road
Live from Abbey Road
Live from Abbey Road is a 12-part, one-hour performance series/documentary that began filming its first season during 2006 at Abbey Road Studios in London. Season 2 was filmed between 2007 and 2008, season 3 was filmed in 2009 and Season 4 was filmed in 2011...
'.
This single was also released as a red 45 rpm (7") vinyl.
In the lyrics of the song, the motif
Motif (narrative)
In narrative, a motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. Through its repetition, a motif can help produce other narrative aspects such as theme or mood....
of Gallows Pole explicitly appears, which may allow a link to many works of art involving this motif and also may allow the song to be analyzed in a wider context.
In popular culture
Jamie Thomas skated to the song in Toy Machine's Welcome to Hell video.A live version of the song was released as downloadable content in the video game Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
on 9 June 2009.
Single track listing
- "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (recorded live in Moscow, Russia, on 2 or 3 June 1993) (Harris) – 7:26. The bootleg from the 4 June show contains a different version to this one.
- "The TrooperThe Trooper"The Trooper" is a song written by Iron Maiden bass player Steve Harris. It is Iron Maiden's ninth single, and the second from their 1983 album Piece of Mind. The single was released on 20 June 1983...
" (recorded live in Helsinki, Finland, on 27 August 1992) (Harris) – 3:53 - "Wasted Years" (recorded live in Bremen, Germany, on 16 April 1993) (SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
) – 4:42 - "Wrathchild" (recorded live in Helsinki, Finland, on 27 August 1992) (Harris) – 2:57
Covers
The song was covered in the following years:- 1995 - by Ceremonial OathCeremonial OathCeremonial Oath was a Swedish extreme metal band who formed in 1988 under the name "Desecrator", changed their name to Ceremonial Oath in 1990 and disbanded in 1995. During their short career they released three demos, one EP and two full-length albums...
- 1996 - by Solitude AeturnusSolitude AeturnusSolitude Aeturnus is an American doom metal band that was started in spring 1987 as Solitude, in Arlington, Texas. Their vocalist, Robert Lowe, is also the current singer for the influential doom metal band Candlemass...
- 1998 - by Cradle of FilthCradle of FilthCradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
- 2002 - by Iced EarthIced EarthIced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. Originally formed under the name "Purgatory" in 1984, Iced Earth has released a total of ten studio albums, one live album, three EP's, two compilations and boxsets...
- 2002 - by Dream TheaterDream TheaterDream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
- 2005 - by The Iron MaidensThe Iron MaidensThe Iron Maidens are an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001 as an all-female tribute act to English heavy metal band Iron Maiden...
- 2007 - by Brown BrigadeBrown BrigadeBrown Brigade is a reggae-influenced heavy metal band created by former Sum 41 guitarist Dave "Brownsound" Baksh, after leaving Sum 41 in May 2006...
- 2008 - by Machine HeadMachine Head (band)Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
(Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden) - 2010 - by Guignol and Mischief BrewMischief BrewMischief Brew is a band from Philadelphia which plays DIY anarcho-punk music, also incorporating a variety of styles including American folk, swing, Gypsy-punk and country. It was started by Erik Petersen as a solo project, but eventually grew into a band...
- 2010 - by MotherjaneMotherjaneMotherjane is an Indian rock band from Kochi, India, formed in 1996. The band consists of Suraj Mani , John Thomas , Clyde Rozario , Deepu Sasidharan and Santosh Chandran . They have released a total of two studio albums, and three singles...
- 2010 - by Antim GrahanAntim GrahanAntim Grahan is a black metal band from Nepal. Antim Grahan, in Nepali means 'the last day on earth before the Armageddon' or simply means 'the ultimate eclipse'...
- 2011 - by Edmund WellesEdmund WellesEdmund Welles is an American bass clarinet quartet from Oakland, California. Its members are Cornelius Boots, Jonathan Russell, Jeff Anderle, and Aaron Novik, playing what the group refers to as "heavy chamber music." The group performs many different genres of music, including avant-garde,...
Personnel
- Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
– vocals - Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Adrian SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
- guitar (album version) - Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
– guitar (live single version) - Steve HarrisSteve Harris (musician)Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Clive BurrClive BurrClive Burr is a British drummer, best known as a member of Iron Maiden from 1979 to 1982.-Career:Previously a member of Samson, Burr joined Iron Maiden in 1979...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(album version) - Nicko McBrainNicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(live single version)
Chart performance
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (live) | Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
16 | A Real Dead One A Real Dead One A Real Dead One is a live album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded in 1992/93 at concerts across Europe, and released on 25 October 1993... |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
9 |