Hallowed be thy name

Hallowed be thy name is a song that is instantly recognized by anyone remotely familiar with Iron Maiden, and rightly so. It is an outstanding piece of art, a timeless classic. The music, which as we have come to expect of Maiden is mind blowing but the crown jewel of the song is its lyrics. Steve Harris can rightfully claim his place as one of the greatest songwriters with this being his masterpiece. The song describes the last thoughts going through the mind of a convict sentenced to death. What follows is a hauntingly beautiful account of those thoughts.

I'm waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime

 Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time

 'Cause at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole

 The sands of time for me are running low

 When the priest comes to read me the last rites

 I take a look through the bars at the last sights

 Of a world that has gone very wrong for me

 Can it be that there's some sort of an error

 Hard to stop the surmounting terror

 Is it really the end not some crazy dream?

 Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming

 It's not easy to stop from screaming

 But words escape me when I try to speak

 Tears they flow but why am I crying?

 After all I am not afraid of dying

 Don't I believe that there never is an end?

 As the guards march me out to the courtyard

 Someone calls from a cell "God be with you"

 If there's a God then why has he let me die?

 As I walk all my life drifts before me

 And though the end is near I'm not sorry

 Catch my soul 'cause it's willing to fly away

 Mark my words believe my soul lives on

 Don't worry now that I have gone

 I've gone beyond to seek the truth

 When you know that your time is close at hand

 Maybe then you'll begin to understand

 Life down there is just a strange illusion