Iron Maiden - Westpac Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand, Feb. 22, 2009, during the Somewhere Back In Time Tour 2008-2009.
Special thanks for this DVD goes to Doctor Bootleg and Thinnistlizzy.
Powerslave (Dickinson)
Bruce Dickinson:Vocals
Steve Harris:Bass
Janick Gers:Guitar
Dave Murray:Guitar
Adrian Smith:Guitar
Nicko McBrain:Drums
[Lyrics]
Into the Abyss I'll fall -- the eye of Horus
Into the eyes of the night watching me go
Green is the cat's eye that glows in this temple
Enter the risen Osiris -- risen again
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a God, why can't I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I'm a slave to the power of Death
When I was living this lie, fear was my game
People would worship and fall, drop to their knees
So bring me the blood and red wine for the one to succeed me
For he is a man and a God -- and He will die too
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a God, why can't I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I'm a slave to the power of Death
Now I am cold but a ghost lives in my veins
Silent the terror that reigned -- marbled in stone
A shell of a man God preserved for a thousand ages
But open the gates of my Hell -- I will strike from the grave
Tell me why I had to be a Powerslave
I don't wanna die, I'm a God, why can't I live on?
When the Life-Giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I'm a slave to the power of Death
Slave to the Power of Death...
Slave to the Power of Death...
..................................
''Powerslave'' is a song from Iron Maiden's fifth studio album 'Powerslave' ,and it was released in 1984.
This is a song about a dying Egyptian Pharaoh lamenting on the limits of his power.
The Eye of Horus mentioned in the song has a very specific meaning. For the ancient Egyptians, the Eye of Horus or wedjat -- the "Whole One" -- was a powerful symbol of protection, and was also considered to confer wisdom, health and prosperity. Horus (whose name means "He who is above" and is itself a Latin form of a Greek word for the Egyptian name Heru or Hor) was one of the most important Egyptian gods, a sun-god represented as a falcon or with the head of a hawk (one of the first animals to be worshipped in Egypt), whose right eye was the Sun and whose left eye was the Moon (symbols previously encountered in 'Revelations' on the Piece Of Mind album). He was the son of Osiris (god of the underworld) and Isis (mother goddess). Osiris was slain by his own brother, the evil Set (jackal-headed god of night), and Horus fought Set to avenge his father's death, winning the battle but losing an eye in the process. The eye was restored by the magic of the god of wisdom and the moon, Thoth, and this allowed Horus to grant Osiris rebirth in the underworld (hence the verse in the song: "Enter the risen Osiris, risen again"). The Eye of Horus symbol was used in funerary rites and decoration, as instructed in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. After 1200 BC, it was also used by the Egyptians to represent fractions, based on repeated division by two.
The eye itself is represented as a figure with 6 parts, these parts corresponding to the six senses: Touch, Taste, Hearing, Thought, Sight, and Smell. The eye was considered to be the receptor of "input" and had these six doors to receive data.
The dying Pharaoh therefore probably sees the Eye of Horus as the loss of his senses to the power of death, and the "risen Osiris" is the equivalent of the Reaper in Western civilisations, waiting for him as he passes away. He reflects on his past life and he doesn't seem to have any remorse about having ruled the land with terror. He even pushes the sarcasm as to welcome his successor with "blood and red wine", apparently hoping that the dictatorial rule will carry on after he's gone.
The last verses deal with the infamous "Mummy's curse", a belief created by authors of fantastic fiction in the 19th Century and perpetuated by sensational press journalists in the early 20th Century when archeologists discovered and explored pharaohs' tombs. All this has of course a perfectly rational explanation, but it fits perfectly well with the Egyptian folklore and tales of long-dead pharaohs striking from the grave.(Source:www.ironmaidencommentary.com)
'Powerslave' is the fifth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on September 2, 1984 on EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in the US (it was re-released by Sanctuary/Columbia Records in the US in 2002). It is notable for its Egyptian theme displayed in the album art, as well in the title track's musical style. It contains a musical re-telling of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which uses pieces of the original poem as lyrics, and is the longest song Iron Maiden have ever recorded at a length of 13 minutes and 38 seconds.(Source:Wikipedia)
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adrian smiths solo rules. so bad ass
tonyhawksacriminal 2 years ago
awesommmmeeee
maidenwildM 2 years ago
OMG! thank you for uploading all this!!! all of it! your awesome! I was going to go to the Christchurch concert but I couldnt make it :( nevermind! as long as other NZ maiden fans enjoyed it for me its all good!
UP THE IRONS!
thanks again!!!
racygal427 2 years ago
looking and sounding great!!!!!!!!
Bowtye1 2 years ago
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Crowtation 2 years ago