Iron Maiden - No Prayer For The Dying (1990)

  

1. Tailgunner
2. Holy Smoke
3. No Prayer For The Dying
4. Public Enema Number One
5. Fates Warning
6. The Assassin
7. Run Silent Run Deep
8. Hooks In You
9. Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter
10. Mother Russia

1. Tailgunner

Trace your way back 50 years
To the Glow of Dresden - blood and tears
In the black above by the cruel searchlight
Men will die and men will fight - yeah!
Who shot who and who fired first?
Dripping death to whet the blood thirst
No radar lock on - skin and bone
The bomber boys are going home

[Chorus]
Climb into the sky never wonder why - Tailgunner
You're a Tailgunner
[repeat]

Nail that Fokker kill that son,
Gonna blow your guts out with my gun,
The weather forecasts good for War
Cologne and Frankfurt? have some more!
Tail end Charlie in the boiling sky
The Enola Gay was my last try
Now that this Tailgunner's gone
No more Bombers (just one big bomb)

[Chorus]


2. Holy Smoke

Believe in me - send no money
Died on the cross and that ain't funny
But my so called friends are making me a joke
They missed out what I said like I never spoke
They choose what they wanna hear - they don't tell a lie
They just leave out the truth as they're watching you die
Saving your souls by taking your money
Flies round shit, bees around honey.

[Chorus]
Holy Smoke, Holy Smoke, plenty bad preachers for
The Devil to stoke
Feed 'em in feet first this is no joke
This is thirsty work making Holy Smoke

Jimmy Reptile and all his friends
Say they gonna be with you at the end
Burning records, burning books
Holy soldiers Nazi looks
Crocodile smiles just wait a while
Till the TV Queen gets her make up clean
I've lived in filth I've lived in sin
And I still smell cleaner than the shit you're in

[Chorus]

They ain't religious but they ain't no fools
When Noah built his Cadillac it was cool
Two by two they're still going down
And the satellite circus just left town
I think they're strange and when they're dead
They can have a Lincoln for their bed
Friend of the President - trick of the tail
Now they ain't got a prayer - 100 years in jail

[Chorus]


3. No Prayer For The Dying

There are times when I've wondered
And times when I've cried
When my prayers they were answered
At times when I've lied
But if you asked me a question
Would I tell you the truth
Now there's something to bet on
You've got nothing to lose

When I've sat by the window
And gazed at the rain
With an ache in my heart
But never feeling the pain
And if you would tell me
Just what my life means
Walking a long road
Never reaching the end

God give me the answer to my life
God give me the answer to my dreams
God give me the answer to my prayers
God give me the answer to my being


4. Public Enema Number One

When it all comes down the line,
And the lights they turn to greed
And you race off with your tires screaming
Rolling Thunder,
And the people choke with poison
Children cry in fear
But you've got your fast bullet,
One way ticket outta here

[Chorus]
Fall on your knees today
And pray the world will mend its way
Get to your feet again
Refugees from the heartbreak and the pain

In the cities in the streets
There's a tension you can feel
The breaking strain is fast approaching
Guns and Riots
Politicians gamble and lie to save their skins
And the Press get fed the scapegoats
Public Enema number one

[Chorus]

A million network slaves
In an advertising new age
I don't need a crystal ball to sell ya
Your children have more brains
Than your drug infested remains
California dreaming as the Earth dies screaming

[Chorus]


5. Fates Warning

Why is it some of us are destined to stay alive
And some of us are here just so that we'll die
How come the bullet hits the other guy
Do we have to try and reason why

[Chorus]
Be it the Devil or be it him
You can count on just one thing
When the time is up you'll know
Not just one power runs the show

Are we the lucky ones saved for another day
Or they the lucky ones who are taken away
Is it a hand on your shoulder from the Lord above
Or the Devil himself come to give you a shove.

[Chorus]

A volcano erupts and sweeps a town away
A hurricane devastates the cities in its way
The grief and misery for the ones that are left behind
The worst is yet to come a hell to face mankind

[Chorus]


6. The Assassin

Now the contracts out
They've put the word about
I'm coming after you

It's not the money I make
It's the thrill of the chase
And I'm coming after you

I watch your every move
Study the things you do
And the pattern of your ways

I watch the way you walk
I hear your telephone talk
I want to understand the way you think

[Chorus]
Better watch out, cos I'm the Assassin
Better watch out, Better watch out
Assassin

I'm in a cold cold sweat
I taste the smell of death
I know the moment's getting closer

And as you walk to the light
I feel my hands go tight
Excitement running through my veins

I've got you in my sights
I've got you dead to rights
The triggers waiting for my finger

I feel adrenalin rush
It's just the final touch
You can kiss your arse goodbye

[Chorus]


7. Run Silent Run Deep

The convoy lights are dead ahead
The Merchantmen lay in their bed,
The trump of... diesels hammers down,
In the oily sea - the killing ground,
His knuckles white his eyes alight,
He slams the hatch on the deadly night,
A cunning fox in the chickens lair
A hound of hell and the devil don't care

[Chorus]
Running silent, Running deep, we are your final prayer,
Warriors in secret sleep, a merchantman's nightmare,
A silent death lies waiting, for all of you below,
Running silent, Running deep, sink into your final sleep

Chill the hearts of fighting men,
In open ocean wondering when?
The lethal silver fish will fly
The boat will shiver - men will die
A cast of millions - a part of play
Killer? Victim? or fool for a day
Obeying an order - men have to die
Us or them - a well rehearsed lie

[Chorus]

The lifeboats shattered the hull is torn,
The tar black smell of burning oil,
On the way down to Davy Jones,
Every man for himself - you're on your own
The wolf eyes watch the crosswire
"Stern tubes ready", "Aim and fire!"
They can pin some medal on your chest,
But in two more weeks - dead like the rest

[Chorus]


8. Hooks In You

I got the keys to view at number 22
Behind my Green door there's nothing to see
Is that a feature, what kind of creature,
Would hang around waiting for a guy like me
Stone cold sober and sitting in silence, laid
back and looking for sympathy
I like a girl who knows where she's bound
I don't like girls who've been hanging around

[Chorus]
Hooks in you, hooks in me, hooks in the ceiling
For that well hung feeling
No big deal, no big sin, strung up on love I
Got the hooks screwed in

[Chorus]

She's tied up she can't come to the phone,
You must have got your wires crossed cos she ain't home
Knock on wood - you know I like that sound
She never could keep her feet on the ground

[Chorus]

Hooks in you, I've got those hooks in you
Hooks in you, in you

Right on the money got it wrapped up tight
New ideas for the decor tonight
Gonna make this house a preservation zone
Gonna set her in concrete set her up on her own

[Chorus]


9. Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter

Honey it's getting close to midnight
And all the myths are still in town
True love and lipstick on your linen
Bite the pillow make no sound
If there's some living to be done
Before your life becomes your tomb
You'd better know that I'm the one
So unchain your back door invite me around

[Chorus]
Bring your daughter, bring your daughter to the slaughter
Let her go, let her go, let her go

Honey it's getting close to daybreak
The sun is creeping in the sky
No patent remedies for heartache
Just empty words and humble pie
So get down on your knees honey
Assume an attitude
You just pray that I'll be waiting
Cos you know I'm coming soon

So pick up your foolish pride, no going back
No where, no way, no place to hide

[Chorus]


10. Mother Russia

Mother Russia how are you sleeping
Middle winter cold winds blow
From the trees the snowflakes drifting
Swirling round like ghosts in the snow

Mother Russia poetry majestic
Tells the time of a great empire
Turning round the old man ponders
Reminiscing an age gone by

Mother Russia
Dance of the Tsars
Hold up your heads
Be proud of what you are
Now it has come
Freedom at last
Turning the tides of history
And your past

Mother Russia
Dance of the Tsars
Hold up your heads
Remember who you are
Can you release
The anger the grief
Can you be happy
Now your people are free