Bruce Dickenson For Secratery Of State...

Two weeks ago, Jackson and I were sharing a couple of beers and watching an Iron Maiden video he’d purchased out in my back yard pavilion when the conversation turned to the Paul DiAnno/Bruce Dickenson contrast discussion. As we were running down our favorites by each, I commented that I was surprised that he’d never quoted the opening lyrics to “Revelations” to me during any of our world affairs discussions since they seemed so eerily prophetic to his point of view on the current state. Here’s the lyric:

"O God of Earth and Altar,
Bow down and hear our cry,
Our earthly rulers falter,
Our people drift and die,
The walls of gold entomb us,
The swords of scorn divide,
Take not thy thunder from us
But take away our pride."

These words, brilliantly sung by Bruce Dickenson, were actually written by G.K. Chesterton as part of an English hymnal. Jackson reprinted them on Savage Distortion this week and an hour hasn’t gone by since I first read it yesterday that the tune hasn’t been playing in my head. Last night I pulled the album out and listened to it from beginning to end and would charge that perhaps Jackson’s position is represented by yet another lyric from “Die With Your Boots On”:

"Another Prophet of Disaster
Who says the ship is lost..."

If Jackson listened to the rest of “Revelations” he’d find these words which I find more suited to my feelings and again strangely prophetic:

Bind all of us together,
Ablaze with Hope and Free,
No storm or heavy weather
Will rock the boat you'll see.
The time has come to close your eyes
And still the wind and rain,
For the one who will be King
Is the Watcher in the Ring. It is you

The light of the Blind - you'll see,
The venom that tears my spine,
The Eyes of the Nile are opening - you'll see.

Nostradamus like ( I hope)…