Were Iron Maiden WRONG to include it? Gangland & Total Eclipse Reaction
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
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Gangland is possibly the most hated Iron Maiden song, and not really that much but the fans as it is by the band themselves. The song which has not only never been played live, but Steve Harris himself actually wishes it was never included on Number of the beast and should have been replaced with Total Eclipse. So as a part of our Up the Irons Series let's take a look at some of the most interesting facts about Gangland, discuss its rivalry with Total Eclipse, and then hopefully answer the question whether Iron Maiden were actually wrong to include it on Number of the beast.
And what do you think about Gangland and Total Eclipse?
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Check it out!
01:22 - The gang is all here
03:26 - The story goes...
05:19 - (Not so) simple
08:18 - Verdict
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And which song, Gangland or Total Eclipse do you think should have made it on the album?
Gangland should have made it on to the album. It's way better for the pacing of the album than Total Eclipse. Coming after two mid-paced songs and before the slower paced closer, the album needs a faster paced song like Gangland in that spot.
You just called your jewelry ADORABLE 🥰.... Metal has definitely changed, hasn't it twinkle toes? Used to be for actual men, and hardcore people. You are proof metal is dead promo code boy.
@@youtubehatesfreespeech744 As a metalhead for 37 years, metal is and has always been for anyone who liked it, wanted to listen to it and be part of the scene. Also, I'd love to hear your definition of an 'actual man' because generally speaking, in my experience people who feel the need to talk about being 'real men' are insecure little pussies.
@@marktaylor7162 The only one who feels the need to explain, and excuse themselves is you... Obviously. The metal scene ALWAYS used to be about young males finding space and a community, where they could release the rage, and angst that young males typically have. We were almost all from lower class, poverty stricken families, suffering abuse, violence, and drug abuse. It's always been a heavy, darker scene. Band's sang about murder, satanism, matricide, drug addiction, bad luck, etc. Because that's how people felt, and the music spoke to kid's suffering those types of problems. One could listen to the heaviest music out there, with lyrics that spoke to their life situation. Then go out there and mosh to get the aggression out in a mostly safe environment, and everyone knew the deal. Obviously there were, and are female's in this scene as well. But most fans were, and still are male, for this very reason. So, when I see so called metal "experts", "insiders", "musicians" etc. Doing and saying things that diminish the true identity of the genre, it tick's me off a bit... Because it's just ANOTHER THING that is mostly a male, macho, testosterone laden space, that has been such a huge part of my life. That is being feminized, emasculated, with rainbows, and cute little unicorns, flowers, blah blah blah, etc.etc.etc. To the point where it's no longer what it once was. No longer truly HARD CORE. No longer dark, raging, impactful, real, regardless of who's offended... No longer METAL... If that brothers you, then too bad buddy. However, your opinion is duly noted, and will be placed into the file. Under: I really don't give a shit.
@@youtubehatesfreespeech744 The only one who feels the need to explain and excuse themself is me... says the man who just wrote a 300 word essay. And it doesn't bother me, I find you hilarious. The guy whose manhood you're calling into question for using the word 'adorable' has been putting out his videos fron an actual warzone for the last year, which makes it even more hilarious. I wonder if you'd have the balls. You sound like an incel, man. Chill out.
Gangland is one of my favorite songs. I even liked it more than other masterpieces on the album. It always stood out for me.
It's unique, quirky, features one of my all time favorite drum intro from Clive and is fast enough to aproach thrash territory and melodic enough to be covered by dream theater as a nearly jazz song.
You said it!
Quite a few early Iron Maiden songs are practically thrash metal, actually. "Murders In The Rue Morgue," "Wrathchild," "The Number of the Beast," and "The Trooper" all sound like they could fit alongside classic Metallica or Megadeth.
That drum intro is one of the most unique ones for Maiden in their entire career. And while it is not the strongest track they've ever written I truly think it fits perfectly on notb
@@deantodd8103My main intro to metal was a cassette with Metallica's "Kill 'em All" on one side and Venom's "At War With Satan" on the other, and Maiden's "Number of the Beast" on another. 🤘 Eclipse was no where in sight, and Beast was a perfect album.
Years (decades) later and I bought the remastered NOTB and saw a new track listed. 'WTF is that?', I wondered. Listened to it a couple of times - and then removed it from the tracklist. A piece of "prog metal" that had no business being anywhere near an Iron Maiden album (of that era - it somewhat fits in with their more mundane modern stuff).
Gangland was the perfect penultimate track, for the exact reason you've mentioned - it keeps up the energy and 'flow' of the record before heading into the closer. As a standalone track, it's one of my all time favorite IM songs, because the jazzy drumming and gritty, realistic lyrics showcase another dimension of Iron Maiden, one seen on only a few other tracks like Running Free (co-written by Paul DiAnno), and 2 Minutes to Midnight (another Adrian Smith contribution).
Gangland earned its place on that album on multiple levels. Some verý cleverly played up tempo drums yet showing that IM could still retain the power of their earlier work with Paul Di'Anno. Imagine Paul singing this. Imho it would work. Would love to hear that. Weak song on NOTB: Invaders. Gangland and Total Eclipse are both epic tunes.
The ending is awesome as well
Very true. Total Eclipse lacked edge in the studio version but live it was awesome. Gangland is the perfect track in number 7 spot. The solo section sounded like it could have had longer spent on it but that's my only criticism. Not sure Nicko could pull off Clive's swing style that's also evident on The Prisoner. He's always played that one very straight.
I’m totally unfamiliar with any dislike for children of the damned. Bought this record on original release and COTD was considered a killer, killer song by everyone I knew. Brilliant
My favorite all time song, or as it's so hard to gauge, among my Top 10.
I had a Skid Row home video when O was in Junior high that featured a scene of Sebastian Bach doing his vocal warm up at soundcheck in a massive stadium.
He was singing " Children of the Damned" all by himself, and I have to admit, I have always since wanted to hear what that would have become with the band and full production.
Great depressing lyrics, massive imaginative landscape, Heavy Metal classic.
Children of the Damned was my ex’s favorite Iron Maiden song & I’ve never heard anyone say a negative thing about it except it’s kind of similar to Children of the Sea by Sabbath.
Children of the damned was one of the reasons I bought it.
"Gangland" - perfect bridge between "Run to the Hills" and "Hallowed be thy Name"... I have a 1998 CD version. 🤣
I quite like Gangland, always have since 1982. I like the instrumental break in particular
It’s cool because it sounds like they did only one lead break but the other guitarist was still drunk at the pub (then Steve would be, ah leave it it’s great…)
@@j_freed And apparently, no one noticed that Dave's solos were missing and it was released like that. I kind of like it
Gangland is one of my favorite Maiden songs ever! No matter they like or not, they could not make a better song for the past 20 years! Thanks for the videos - really enjoyable deep cuts! Salute and Up the Irons!
'Total Eclipse' is still a hell of a track and damn fun to play live. Iron Maiden did it justice lots of time on stage, so even it didn't made it on TNOTB, it doesn't matter anymore that much. Up The Irons!
Not fun for the singer, that last part is ridiculous!
@@j_freed singers get all the attention, let them deserve it a bit 😂
Bruce has said a few times he really like total eclipse and want to sing it live.
Gangland to me is Maiden’s exciter.
Ironically the next episode on the channel will be about Stained Class 😉
@@MetalPilgrim Love that album! 😃
I really like Total Eclipse and I'd venture that it's a better song, but as a drummer, I have to lean towards Gangland. Clive Burr was a "beast" on the entire album. R.I.P.
Total eclipse was a great song, EP action for Iron Maiden, got the set of Japan imports. Good stuff on those Imports!
I love both songs and wish they would play both live on the next tour🤘🤘🤘
LOVE your channel man. Quality stuff.
Thank you so much!
I'm glad they put both tracks on the 1998 remastered version of the album, because I absolutely love both tracks so much!
The only song on this album I tend to struggle with a bit, is actually the opening track "Invaders"... that's the weakest one on the record for me :)
The hole album is timeless.
Invaders is the best opening track to any album in history imho and the only function total eclipse makes to the flawless Beast is to ruin the flow imho
@@maxrav1831 You're joking, right? Not even among Maiden's better opening tracks. Sure, it's got a real nice drive, starts off *awesomely,* the verses work well, but then kind of falls into silly territory with the choruses.
Gangland is one of Maiden's very best, which makes it therefore one of rock's very best. Great song, great story and I love jazzy-sounding opening. One of the cool things about it is it covers a subject that is compelling and exciting but not often covered by metal bands.
I love Gangland, a very straight to the point song. I would not change anything in this record. It is an iconic record with its 8 original tracks. With due respect, Steve should not try to rewrite the past.
It's a case of I heard NOTB a MILLION times with the track list not including Total Eclipse, and in Canada I never got to buy the Run to the Hills single, so I never ever heard of Total Eclipse until I got the enhanced version of the album that included it. And Total Eclipse stood out like a sore thumb, because I had heard the album so many times without it, it felt jarring and unnatural everytime it came on. It should have remained a b-side, its a good song, but you can understand why it didn't make the album. Just imagine if Maiden had included The Sherriff of Huddersfield on newer pressings of SiT, that's how it feels everytime I hear Total Eclipse. Out of place.
Lets just have both songs on the record
Yes! Especially now that we can actually do that!
considering both songs are under 4 min, they easily could have fit both.....but i like the idea of one of their better songs being an obscure bside
They're both on the 90s reissue of Number of the Beast, but subsequent re-releases don't include it.
I love Gangland, probably the song that me and my friends have been headbanging the most on in the 80's....
I love both songs. But I think Total Eclipse should have been in the album…what the hell… both songs should be included. TNOTB is a kick ass album.
I always liked Gangland, especially to play at home. The riff is pretty similar to 2 Minutes to Midnight which is a fan favorite and favorite of the band to play, so I don’t really understand the issue…
I think the chorus might be not too catchy... but I really like the song!
@@MetalPilgrim I’d probably rate it with songs like Quest for Fire and Sun and Steel which are good but, this is Maiden we’re talking about. The bar is set pretty high. 😂
I think it would actually be better if they just included both Total Eclipse and Gangland, on this order, and that's btw how I listen to Number of the Beast since the guys relaunched Total Eclipse, I think it feels better listening to it like this, and both songs are great
I agree that TOTAL ECLIPSE does not fit so well between RUN TO THE HILLS and HALLOWED BE THY NAME on the album, but try to hear in this order: INVADERS / TOTAL ECLIPSE / CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED / THE PRISONER / 22 ACACIA AVENUE / THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST / RUN TO THE HILLS / GANGLAND / HALLOWED BE THY NAME and hear as it fits perfectly
That's a really interesting point man. I wonder if it would fit on the vinyl record in such order
Your video analysis are great, thankyou
I remember way back when I bought the cd's from "The First 10 Years" boxed set, and heard Total Eclipse, I was blown away there was an extra track for Number of the Beast. After collecting all their albums, I was obsessed with hearing obscure Maiden tracks. That boxed set is fun with Nikko Mcbrain's talking tracks, and all the B side covers!
As a lifelong ( ok, 7 or 8 years old when 7th Son came out) Maiden fan, I was shocked to learn of a great Maiden song I didnt know about. I was introduced to Total Eclipse through the Death Metal band, Six Feet Under. They did a cover of it on their last GRAVEYARD CLASSICS album of covers called 666 THE NUMBER OF THE PRIEST. A great mix of classic Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.
I would absolutely chooseTotal Eclipse over Gangland, if one did in fact have to be chosen over another.
I dont hate Gangland, but in a choice of which song to be ommitted on such a great momentous album, yes, It would come in last.
I dont think MAIDEN ever did a BAD song, heck I even like the cover of SMOKE ON THE WATER that the fella's played at the Polish wedding on the timeless classic Behind the Iron Curtain DVD.
i love this song! The only song I don't like from this album is total eclipse. Gangland is sick! totally underrated
Agreed!
I was a little pup when I saw maiden open for priest in 82, still have the tour program, and piece of mind with fastway opening. Got that tour program still and powerslave. I love killers the most and was to young to see that one. Grade school night lol. I would love to hear dianno doing the beast album. Invaders gangland hallowed. Fuck yeah
An underrated deep cut song!
Always loved Gangland and always turned the volume up to max when listening. It's a in your face take this type of song to me.
Really good analysis my man
Excellent analysis. I agree completely. Rock on, brother!
I was always very confused by this !! My number of the beast cd has total eclipse as track 8 just after Gangland , but I could never find it on Apple Musics number of the beast album 😢 now I know why 😅
Gangland has the perfect ending that leads into Hallowed Be Thy Name.
In Gang laaannnddd....YOU TELL NO TALES!!!...
Dong... did did did did de da ...de da
Etc etc
YES, I have always been amazed how nobody ever says that, but it is so true!! It is the perfect lead in to Hallowed Be Thy Name!
@@rf5390 yeah perfect contrast. If they were to have had total eclipse on the NOTB album, they could have possibly put it after Children of the damned and just had an extra song on side one. Might have worked. But no need to scrap Gangland in my opinion.
Awesome breakdown!!!👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼
I love electric guitars, I got Notb when I was 17. I had to leave the Duran Duran girls behind. . 22 acacia Avenue is a blush and unecessary plodder of a song while Gangland is the sharpest and highest point of energy on the record. It's balance is, and I love this song, 'the prisoner'. Total Eclipse, yeh? With my husband theirs was the Loudest concert we ever saw! So loud! 🎵
It was a new dawn, I'm still amazed they made such a power packed record back in the day!
Gangland and the prisoner are 2 of the best. Clive was such a talent. Total Eclipse wasn’t on the album when it came out.
Gangland was one of my dearest (and sadly deceased) friends favourite songs. Keep up the good work man! Slava Ukraini! Robin
Героям Слава! Thanks man. Your late friend had a great taste... may he rest in peace
I absolutely love "Gangland". I can't picture this album without it. It's a high energy metal fire storm of a song. I love "Total Eclipse" too but they should only include it as an extra not change a decades old classic. But these reissues always keep people interested. I don't like changing old classics though. They could have just added "Total Eclipse" and left the rest alone. That would have been the best idea.
I actually think Reach Out should be included on Somewhere in Time as well. I love that song.
As much as I listen to Total Eclipse more than Gangland, I feel like you've made a fair point of Gangland just fitting the album with the pace and so on. Also... Man, the lyrics, I love those! Generally speaking I love both songs the same for mainly one reason - they are not very comparable. Gangland is a fast-paced Thrashy song, while Total Eclipse is slower and generally has a way different feeling to it. I feel like having Gangland as the main one was in fact a good decision when they needed to choose. But right now I'm happy to have them both on the digital album, that's the best way in the end. 💯🤘🏻
Total Eclipse is a great track, but I've always loved Gangland. The flow of the album is thrown off without that drum intro. UP THE IRONS
Sometimes songs just need a chance to exist ... Without fame but not without honor, they provide a contrast or background where the others can shine...
The drums in the begining of Gangland is bad ass!
Love your videoes.
The only version of TNotB that I was aware of for many years was the 1998 remastered CD release, which had both Gangland and Total Eclipse, at track 7 & 8 respectively. I was outraged when I found out that TE was not on the original album, haha - I always thought it was a fantastic track, one of my favourites on the album, whereas Gangland always kind of stuck out to me as the odd one out. It feels like a holdover from the first two albums, in its more gritty style and lyrical content. Not a bad song by any means but I definitely prefer TE myself.
One of my all time favorite Maiden tracks . Gangland rocks . Awesome chorus - Dead men tell no tales Gangland murder's up for sale . Never heard Total Eclipse till a week ago after watching Beast Over Hammersmith . I think Total Eclipse sounds like a Paul Di'Anno song or better suited for him . Gangland would be in my top 5 or 10
Gangland is a TUNE! Love it always have🤘 NOTB is a Beast of an Album all killer … No Filler!
I think they're both fantastic songs and should have both made the album. The multimedia CD re-releases of the late 90s added Total Eclipse in, just before Hallowed be thy Name. I agree with what you say about the tempo and intensity building through Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills and Gangland, and dropping you at Hallowed by thy Name. My initial thought is to take the coward's way out and add it in between 22 Acacia Avenue and The Number of the Beast, making it the meat in the sandwich of the original release's sides A and B. However, maybe it might have been good, just after Invaders. The choppy end of Invaders, kinda matches the choppy start of Total Eclipse. The end of Total Eclipse would lead well into Children of the Damned.
Thinking about it, Total Eclipse also works well between Children of the Damned & The Prisoner, as well as between The Prisoner & 22 Acacia Ave.
If Wikipedia is to be believed, all 9 songs clock in at 43:36, which shouldn't be too much for a vinyl release. Somewhere in Time is 51:18 for the sake of comparison.
Nice content
The bridge of this song is actually the first part of a Iron Maiden song I could play on guitar and sing at the same time, so thought that was very cool.
What is your favorite off this album? Mine is 22 Acacia Ave.
Same
Although I like Total Eclipse more than Gangland, I do really like Gangland because of the reasons you stated: it's very different. I also agree that it should not be replaced with Total Eclipse because with Gangland, you really have a versatile record in Number of the Beast. Total Eclipse is not that far away from the overall sound of the album as a whole. I'd even say that Total Eclipse would fit better on an album like Piece of Mind or Powerslave
the delux vinyl reissue replaces gangland with total eclipse, and it just doesn't flow like the original. going from the up tempo feel and that scream into hallowed is a banger, where total eclipse (also a banger) just sort of plods into hallowed.
È sempre stata una delle mie preferite canzoni
For me absolutely the best song from the album that can be classified as thrash metal.
I really like "Gangland". The way it ends fits perfect with the next song ( "Hallowed Be Thy Name"). I find "Total Eclipse" rather boring.
They played it(gangland) in 2008 in edmonton,ab,CA :) ... love the song .... never heard total eclipse
Gangland is a great tune! Always loved that one. KInd of a Judas Priest vibe.
NICO @Licksofthebeast recorded a Dave style solo for Gangland - it’s great!
Bruce Dickinson hit a B5 on that song Gangland. That scream almost sounds like that of Ian Gillan of Deep Purple.
Gangland is one of my all time favs. 🤘🏻
The c d players loop reappearing mode was made just for that drum rol jam on gangland,Tell no tale!!🥴
Total Eclipse is one of my favorite Iron Maiden songs. But Gangland is imo underrated. It's fast and short a type of song they forgotten how to make since they 2000..
I agree, Gangland has been part of the record for decades and it just fits.
I don't think Total Eclipse has the same vibe as the rest of the album. Even though it's a great tune, I still think Gangland fits, especially before Hallowed Be Thy Name. Perfect running order on the album imo.
Gangland and Invaders are epic song's. Obviously not boring enough for Steve 😆
I love both songs, but what I love is all the history of the songs. Where the hell do you find all this information? UP THE IRONS!!!
Are you kidding me?? Gangland and Total Eclipse are great songs. Both deserve inclusion on the album
I have the 98ish remaster and it has both. Never really bothered me, to be honest.
Agreed
Both songs are great, however I am partial to Gangland. For me, everything about that song is fantastic. Clive's drumming, Steve's bass lines, Bruce's vocals, Adrian and Dave's guitar work are all phenomenal. I listened to the reissue with Total Eclipse in place of Gangland and notice a big energy drop between Run To The Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name. It all comes down to personal preference, but both songs are strong stand alone songs. 🤘😎🤘
I would never dream of replacing Gangland, but Total Eclipse should have been on the album somewhere.
IMO Gangland belongs to TNOTB as much as all the other songs on the album. From a musical point of view, it's one of their wildest rides, it's fantastastic; what most people miss is also the relevance and the beauty of the lyrics: Gangland is about the fight for freedom in a world of criminals and the escape from people who want to destroy your life - some verses are pure poetry; at the times cities were gangs' war zones. Music and lyrics are interwoven in a magnificent way. The hate this song has received from Harris and Dickinson is excessive, and I suspect it's because it was written by Smith starting from an input by Clive Burr, and Martin Birch liked it a lot and worked on it to get the best out from the whole band, and they delivered a great song. Also, from Dickinson autobiography, when they listened to the song in the production phase everybody agreed that it was too good and had to be part of the album, so why the fuss after so many years, and after The Number of the Beast is widely recognized as one of the most influential albums in heavy metal of all time? Messing up with the original tracklist, to the point of cutting it out, was childish.
By the way, I have also tried to listen to TNOTB with Total Eclipse included: it's a big downer in the flow of the album, as much as I love that song, at least in that spot of the tracklist, but that's my opinion.
Why choose? include them both.
You may be interested in this - it’s discussed towards the end ! czcams.com/video/APV41IEpE_0/video.html
Gangland is fucking phenomenal, so is Total Eclipse
Most hated Maiden song is a real stretch! I think amongst fans it has to be The Angel and the Gambler?
Clive's drum pattern on Gangland reminds me of Ian Paice on crack!
I had that picture sleeve 45. It's a good song. But the great album was and is fine as it was released.
Both are excellent, just classics.
I've always like Gangland. A killer middle section.
Gangland kicks ass
Better than Invaders and I like it more than Run to the Hills
Not a fan of total eclipse, but ganagland is a jam... And kids of the damned is damn near a masterpiece.
Gangland was definitely an underdeveloped song. A really fast boogie, think EVH ‘Hot for Teacher.’ But it had the right vibe and was classic high-energy era Maiden, far more than anything they did later on. All their later albums have a more matured, restrained quality.
Leave well enough alone! Gangland kicks ass!
🤘🤘🤘
O my god thrash jazz Jaco Pastorious is smiling down from heaven👍🥰❤️
Imagine King Diamond singing on Total Eclipse…
Great topic and nice additional info. Nevertheless; I never cared for this song. Compared to the other NotB-songs both Gangland and Invaders are sub-par imho.
Total eclipse is the bomb
Both are really good songs.
I love that song. And Much other songs never played.
Great song.. and so was total Eclipse
. I have the E.P. single
Personally, I like both of those songs and can't imagine the album without them.
I've never missed a second solo in gangland, the rhythm guitar pattern in that section is just too good and tasteful so it really doesn't matter much.
Gangland was a Killers song on the wrong album, it was definitely a Di'Anno Song
I FAR prefer Gangland over Total Eclipse, and wished it was on the 3LP 40th anniversary with Beast Over Hammersmith. It buggered that package up 🤪
Gangland is a funny song to me. I hear a lot *about* people who don’t like it. But, I’ve met very few Maiden fans who *actually* don’t.
Personally, I’ve always loved it.
A bit like AC/DC's Back In Black, Number Of The Beast is akin to the little girl in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem:
"When she was good, she was very very good, and when she was bad...", well if not exactly horrid, it certainly has a fair share of filler, of which Gangland (closely followed by Children Of The Damned) is the most conspicuous.
While it does possess energy, no matter how well Clive drums and Bruce sings, there is no disguising it's mediocrity - highlighted further by it being sequenced between the masterpieces that are Run To The Hills and Hallowed Be Thy Name - and, if you were going to a concert, what, of the many splendid gems in the Maiden catalog, would you choose to sacrifice, in order to hear Gangland live? Aces High? Revelations? Fear Of The Dark? Thought not.
Aces High has weak vocals (not even singable by Bruce). Fear of The Dark? Give me a break. The band was practically maimed by that time.
Total Eclipse slams! Great music & lyrics. Gangland...not so much. It's not a terrible song, it's just ok. Sticks out like a sore thumb surrounded by all the bangers.