Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
band
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in East London, formed in 1975. The band are directed by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris...
. It was originally released in 1983 (see
1983 in music-Events:*Publication of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.*February 6 - Madonna releases her first ever album after signing to Warner Bros.....
) on EMI, and on Capitol in the US; it was reissued later on Sanctuary/Columbia Records. It was the first album to feature drummer
Nicko McBrainMichael Henry McBrain is best known as the drummer for heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982. The nickname 'Nicko' originated from when the keyboard player Billy Day introduced him as "My Italian drummer, his name’s 'Nicko'"...
, who had recently left the
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-based band
TrustTrust was a French rock band closely associated with both AC/DC and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal- Band history :Trust was founded in 1977 by:* Bernard "Bernie" Bonvoisin * Norbert "Nono" Krief...
.
The album ranked 21 on
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
's list of the top 25 metal albums.
Lyrically, the album reflected the group's interest in books and film.
Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States...
band
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in East London, formed in 1975. The band are directed by founder, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris...
. It was originally released in 1983 (see
1983 in music-Events:*Publication of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music by Fred Lerdahl and Ray Jackendoff.*February 6 - Madonna releases her first ever album after signing to Warner Bros.....
) on EMI, and on Capitol in the US; it was reissued later on Sanctuary/Columbia Records. It was the first album to feature drummer
Nicko McBrainMichael Henry McBrain is best known as the drummer for heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982. The nickname 'Nicko' originated from when the keyboard player Billy Day introduced him as "My Italian drummer, his name’s 'Nicko'"...
, who had recently left the
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-based band
TrustTrust was a French rock band closely associated with both AC/DC and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal- Band history :Trust was founded in 1977 by:* Bernard "Bernie" Bonvoisin * Norbert "Nono" Krief...
.
The album ranked 21 on
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
's list of the top 25 metal albums.
Background
Lyrically, the album reflected the group's interest in books and film. For example,
"To Tame a Land" is based on
Frank HerbertFranklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
's
science fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
novelA novel is a long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
DuneDune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the 1966 Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
. "
The 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 June 20, 1983...
" is inspired by
TennysonAlfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS , much better known as "Alfred, Lord Tennyson," was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language.Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, "In the valley of...
's
Charge of the Light BrigadeThe Charge of the Light Brigade was a disastrous charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War...
. "Still Life" is inspired by
fantasyFantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
/
horrorHorror fiction is a genre of fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle and horrify the audience. Historically, the cause of the "horror" experience has often been the intrusion of a disturbing supernatural element into everyday human experience...
writer
Clark Ashton SmithClark Ashton Smith was a poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. It is for these stories, and his literary friendship with H. P. Lovecraft from 1922 until Lovecraft's death in 1937, that he is mostly remembered today. With Lovecraft and Robert E...
's pre-
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
short story
Genius LociGenius Loci and Other Tales is a collection of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories by author Clark Ashton Smith. It was released in 1948 and was the author's third book published by Arkham House. It was released in an edition of 3,047 copies...
. Other inspirations include "
Where Eagles Dare"Where Eagles Dare" is the opening track on Iron Maiden's fourth studio album, Piece of Mind. It begins with a drum introduction by Nicko McBrain and features a fast paced, driving guitar riff and bass line. It is based on the 1967 novel and 1968 film of the same name. The song was also covered on...
", a
filmWhere Eagles Dare is a 1968 World War II spy film directed by Brian G. Hutton and featuring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. The film's screenplay and eponymous 1967 best-selling novel were written almost simultaneously by Alistair MacLean...
by
Brian G. HuttonBrian G. Hutton is an American motion picture actor and director.- Filmography :*High Road to China *The First Deadly Sin *Night Watch *Zee and Co....
, and
screenplay & novelWhere Eagles Dare is a 1968 World War II spy film directed by Brian G. Hutton and featuring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. The film's screenplay and eponymous 1967 best-selling novel were written almost simultaneously by Alistair MacLean...
by
Alistair MacLeanAlistair Stuart MacLean was a Scottish novelist who wrote successful thrillers or adventure stories, the best known of which are perhaps The Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare, both having been made into successful films...
; "Quest for Fire", based on the
film----Quest for Fire is a 1981 film based on the 1911 French novel by J.-H. Rosny aîné . Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and adapted by Gérard Brach, the film stars Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi, and Rae Dawn Chong. It won the Academy Award for Makeup. Michael D...
by
Jean-Jacques Annaud- Biography :Annaud was born in Juvisy-sur-Orge, a southern suburb of Paris, France.He began his career by directing television advertisements in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In his first feature film, Black and White in Color from 1976, he used personal experience obtained during his own...
; the writer
G. K. ChestertonGilbert Keith Chesterton was one of the most influential English writers of the 20th century. His prolific and diverse output included journalism, philosophy, poetry, biography, Christian apologetics, fantasy and detective fiction....
who is quoted at the beginning of "Revelations", and "Sun and Steel", based on Japanese writer
Mishimawas the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet and playwright, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku.- Early life :Mishima was born in the Yotsuya district of Tokyo . His father was Azusa Hiraoka, a government official, and his mother, Shizue, was the daughter of a school principal in...
's
eponymous essaySun and Steel: Art, Action and Ritual Death is a book by Yukio Mishima. It is an autobiographical essay, a memoir of the author's relationship to his body...
about
samuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
legend
Miyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive style...
. More exotic influences include
Greek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, albeit slightly altered for "Flight of
IcarusIcarus is a character in Greek mythology. He is the son of Daedalus and is commonly known for his attempt to escape Crete by flight, which ended in a fall to his death.-Escape from Crete:...
".
Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, was an English occultist, writer, mountaineer, poet, yogi, and possibly a spy...
influenced a good piece of the remaining lyrics of "Revelations," which was written by Dickinson.
This is the first of four Iron Maiden albums that were not named after a song featured on the album itself (though the words "peace of mind" appear prominently in the album's sixth song, "Still Life"). In its earliest phase the album was named
Food for Thought but was changed so it would suit the artwork more. The name of the last track was meant to be titled "Dune," but Frank Herbert, who disliked heavy rock bands, denied permission to use his book's name and thus a new name had to be chosen.
Included in the liner notes is a slightly altered version of a passage from the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
. As printed in the liner notes, it reads:
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more Death. Neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more brain; for the former things are passed away."
The actual text (from Chapter 21, Verse 4) is nearly identical, except that it says "neither shall there be any more pain..." . This change can be seen either as a reference to the album's name, or the removal of Eddie's brain on the cover, or to drummer Nicko McBrain's inception into the band for this album.
World Piece TourThe World Piece Tour was a concert tour by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from May 2, 1983 to December 18, 1983.-World Piece Tour UK :-World Piece Tour Europe :...
was the tour supporting the
albumAn album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. The most common way is through commercial distribution, although smaller artists will often distribute directly to the public by selling their albums at live concerts or on their websites.-...
.
Hidden message
At the beginning of the sixth track, Still Life, the band included a
hidden messageBackmasking is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backward onto a track that is meant to be played forward...
which could only be understood by playing the album backwards. This was a joke and an intended swing back at the critics who had accused Maiden of being satanic. The backwards-message features Nicko McBrain mimicking
Idi AminIdi Amin Dada , commonly known as Idi Amin, was the military dictator and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979....
(or rather mimicking
John BirdJohn Bird is an English satirist, actor and comedian.-Early life:Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, Bird briefly joined the Socialist Party of Great Britain, while still at school...
mimicking Idi Amin) uttering the following phrase
"What ho said the t'ing with the three "bonce", do not meddle with things you don't understand...", followed by a belch. The phrase itself is taken from the satirical album
The Collected Broadcasts of Idi AminThe Collected Broadcasts of Idi Amin is a British comedy album parodying Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, released in 1975 on Transatlantic Records. It was performed by John Bird and written by Alan Coren, based on columns he wrote for Punch magazine....
by Bird and
Alan CorenAlan Coren was an English humorist, writer and satirist who was well known as a regular panellist on the BBC radio quiz The News Quiz and a team captain on BBC television's Call My Bluff...
.
"What ho" and
"What ho said the t'ing" are phrases that also crop up regularly on McBrain's "Listen With Nicko!" tracks from the
First Ten YearsThe First Ten Years is a series of 10 cds and double 12" singles by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released between February 24 and April 28 1990, to commemorate Iron Maiden's first ten years of releasing singles....
collection.
Track listing
- "Where Eagles Dare
"Where Eagles Dare" is the opening track on Iron Maiden's fourth studio album, Piece of Mind. It begins with a drum introduction by Nicko McBrain and features a fast paced, driving guitar riff and bass line. It is based on the 1967 novel and 1968 film of the same name. The song was also covered on...
" (Steve HarrisSteve Harris is the bassist, band leader and primary composer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. In addition, he plays keyboards, and sings backing vocals. He founded the band as a teenager in 1975...
) – 6:10
- "Revelations
"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. The song is a fan favorite and is frequently performed live....
" (Bruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, TV presenter, airline pilot, radio show host, record producer, fencer, author, and songwriter best known as the vocalist of the metal band Iron Maiden...
) – 6:48
- "Flight of Icarus
"Flight of Icarus" is a 1983 song by Iron Maiden. It is the band's eighth single and the first from the album, Piece of Mind. It was the first single by Iron Maiden that was released in the United States...
" (Dickinson, Adrian SmithAdrian Smith is an English guitarist and one of three guitarists/songwriters in the British band Iron Maiden...
) – 3:51
- "Die With Your Boots On
"Die With Your Boots On" has a number of possible origins:It may come from military parlance where a soldier was persuaded to keep his boots on when engaged in carnal activity so that a surprise attack would not find him unprepared to join the battle....
" (Dickinson, Smith, Harris) – 5:28
- "The 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 June 20, 1983...
" (Harris) – 4:15
- "Still Life" (Dave Murray
Dave Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the original members of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He joined the band just two months after their inception in 1975.- Career :As a boy, Murray was a fanatical football player and fan as well as a keen cricketer...
, Harris) – 4:53
- "Quest for Fire" (Harris) – 3:41
- "Sun and Steel" (Dickinson, Smith) – 3:26
- "To Tame a Land
"To Tame a Land" is the closing track on Iron Maiden's fourth studio album, Piece of Mind.It was inspired by the classic science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert. However, when Steve Harris requested permission from the author to name the song "Dune" and to use a spoken quotation as the track's...
" (Harris) – 7:27
1995 reissue bonus CD
- "I Got the Fire
"I Got the Fire" is a song from the Montrose album Paper Money in 1974. While many consider the album to be an inferior follow up to their debut the previous year, this song stands out as a great song with a riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's Black Dog. It is said that this is the only song from...
" (MontroseMontrose was a Californian hard rock/heavy metal band. The band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and former Van Halen member Sammy Hagar.-History:...
cover)
- "Cross-Eyed Mary
"Cross-Eyed Mary" is a song by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their album Aqualung . The song is about "Cross-Eyed Mary", a schoolgirl prostitute who prefers the company of "leching greys" over her schoolmates....
" (Jethro TullJethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the songs, vocals and flute work of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and guitarist Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969....
cover)
Cover versions
Two songs were covered for the 2008 tribute album
Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden; "
The 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 June 20, 1983...
" by
Coheed and CambriaCoheed and Cambria is an American rock band from New York, formed in 1995. The band was originally named "Shabütie"; however, the name was changed to "Coheed and Cambria" when drummer Nate Kelley departed...
and "
To Tame a Land"To Tame a Land" is the closing track on Iron Maiden's fourth studio album, Piece of Mind.It was inspired by the classic science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert. However, when Steve Harris requested permission from the author to name the song "Dune" and to use a spoken quotation as the track's...
" by
Dream TheaterDream Theater are an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Myung, John Petrucci, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, before they dropped out to support the band...
.
Album
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1983 |
UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
3 |
| U.S. Pop Albums |
14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 200 |
70 |
Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
Album |
| 1983 |
"Flight of Icarus "Flight of Icarus" is a 1983 song by Iron Maiden. It is the band's eighth single and the first from the album, Piece of Mind. It was the first single by Iron Maiden that was released in the United States...
" |
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 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
|
11 |
"Piece of Mind" |
| U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock stations are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981 issue...
|
8 |
| "The 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 June 20, 1983...
" |
UK Singles Chart |
12 |
| U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks |
28 |
| 1990 |
"Flight of Icarus" |
UK Singles Chart |
7 |
"The First Ten Years The First Ten Years is a series of 10 cds and double 12" singles by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released between February 24 and April 28 1990, to commemorate Iron Maiden's first ten years of releasing singles....
" |
| 2005 |
"The Trooper" (live) |
Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
|
5 |
"Death on the Road Death on the Road is a live CD, LP, and DVD released by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden on August 30 2005 , respectively on February 6, 2006...
" |
| Greece |
9 |
| Spain |
1 |
| Sweden |
5 |
| Switzerland |
61 |
Certifications
| Country |
Certification |
Sales/shipments |
Year |
| US |
1x Platinum |
1,000,000+ |
1986 |
| UK The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide...
|
1x Platinum |
300,000+ |
1995 |
| Canada A cria is the name for a baby camelid such as a llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. It is thought to come from the Spanish word criar.-Alpaca crias:...
|
2x Platinum |
200,000+ |
2006 |
| Germany |
Gold |
250,000+ |
1996 |
| Finland |
Gold |
25,000+ |
1990 |
| Spain |
Gold |
50,000+ |
1983 |
Personnel
- Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, TV presenter, airline pilot, radio show host, record producer, fencer, author, and songwriter best known as the vocalist of the metal band Iron Maiden...
– vocalsSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist...
- Dave Murray
Dave Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the original members of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He joined the band just two months after their inception in 1975.- Career :As a boy, Murray was a fanatical football player and fan as well as a keen cricketer...
– guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
- Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith is an English guitarist and one of three guitarists/songwriters in the British band Iron Maiden...
– guitar, backing vocalsA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
- Steve Harris
Steve Harris is the bassist, band leader and primary composer of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. In addition, he plays keyboards, and sings backing vocals. He founded the band as a teenager in 1975...
– bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, backing vocals
- Nicko McBrain
Michael Henry McBrain is best known as the drummer for heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982. The nickname 'Nicko' originated from when the keyboard player Billy Day introduced him as "My Italian drummer, his name’s 'Nicko'"...
– drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...