The Evil That Men Do

Iron Maiden

About The Evil That Men Do

"The Evil That Men Do" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the band's seventeenth single and the second from their seventh studio album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988). The single debuted at number six in the UK charts and quickly rose to number five. The single's B-sides are re-recordings of "Prowler" and "Charlotte the Harlot" which appear as tracks number one and seven/eight respectively on the band's debut album Iron Maiden. The title of the song is taken from Marcus Antonius's speech while addressing the crowd of Romans after Caesar's murder (Act 3, scene 2, "The Forum") in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones. " Bruce Dickinson may sometimes repeat this before playing the song, but with the order of the clauses reversed (as he did in Rock in Rio). The poetic lyrics of the song are not related. The guitar solo in "The Evil That Men Do" is played by Adrian Smith while the guitar solo in "Prowler '88" is played by Dave Murray. In "Charlotte the Harlot '88", the first guitar solo is played by Dave Murray followed by Adrian Smith. 


Year:
2013
4:17
109 
#1

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Love is a razor and I walked the line on that silver blade
Slept in the dust with his daughter, 
Her eyes red with the slaughter of innocence
But I will pray for her, I will call her name out loud
I would bleed for her, if I could only see her now 
Living on a razor's edge, balancing on a ledge
Living on a razor's edge, balancing on a ledge
Balancing on a ledge, living on a razor's edge
Balancing on a ledge, you know, you know 

The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on

Circle of fire my baptism of joy at an end it seems
The seventh lamb slain, the book of life opens before me
And I will pray for you, someday I may return
Don't you cry for me, beyond is where I learn 

Living on a razor's edge, balancing on a ledge
Living on a razor's edge, you know, you know 

The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on

Living on a razor's edge, balancing on a ledge
Living on a razor's edge, you know

The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on, yeah
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil that men do lives on and on
The evil, the evil that men do
The evil, the evil, the evil that men do

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Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London that was formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter, Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; ten live albums; four EPs; and seven compilations. more »

9 fans

Written by: Adrian Frederick Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Stephen Percy Harris

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Genre Classification
"The Evil That Men Do" belongs to the heavy metal genre which has characterized Iron Maiden's music throughout their career.
Album Origin
This song is from the band's 7th studio album, "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", which was released in 1988.
Chart Performance
The song reached number five in the UK Singles Chart, making it one of Iron Maiden's most successful songs.
Song Composition
It is written by band members Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, and Steve Harris.
Legacy and Influence
"The Evil That Men Do" continues to be a staple during Iron Maiden's live concerts, showcasing its popularity among fans.
Lyrics Inspiration
The song's lyrics are inspired by Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", particularly from the line spoken by the character Marc Antony: "The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones."
Single Release
Although the "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" album was released in 1988, "The Evil That Men Do" was released as a single ahead of the album on 18 March 1988.
Permanent Live Set
The song is one of only five Iron Maiden songs to have been played on every tour since its release.
Unique Format
The phonograph 7" vinyl single edition of "The Evil That Men Do" contains the song "Prowler '88" as its B-side, which is a re-recording of their 1980 single "Prowler".
Cover Versions
This iconic Iron Maiden song has been covered by many artists, including the Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica and rapper Ghostface Killah who sampled it in his song "The Hilton."

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