Album: Somewhere In Time (1986)

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• "My son ask for thyself another
  Kingdom, for that which I leave
  is too small for thee"
  (King Philip of Macedonia - 339 B.C.)
  
  Near to the east
  In a part of ancient Greece
  In an ancient land called Macedonia
  Was born a son
  To Philip of Macedon
  The legend his name was Alexander
  
  At the age of nineteen
  He became the Macedon King
  And he swore to free all of Asia Minor
  By the Aegian Sea
  In 334 B.C.
  He utterly beat the armies of Persia
  
  Alexander the Great
  His name struck fear into hearts of men
  Alexander the Great
  Became a legend 'mongst mortal men
  
  King Darius the third
  Defeated fled Persia
  The Scythians fell by the river Jaxartes
  Then Egypt fell to the Macedon King as well
  And he founded the city called Alexandria
  
  By the Tigris river
  He met King Darius again
  And crushed him again in the battle of Arbela
  Entering Babylon
  And Susa, treasures he found
  Took Persepolis the capital of Persia
  
  Alexander the Great
  His name struck fear into hearts of men
  Alexander the Great
  Became a God amongst mortal men
  
  A Phrygian King had bound a chariot yoke
  And Alexander cut the 'Gordian knot'
  And legend said that who untied the knot
  He would become the master of Asia
  
  Helonism he spread far and wide
  The Macedonian learned mind
  Their culture was a western way of life
  He paved the way for Christianity
  
  Marching on, marching on
  The battle weary marching side by side
  Alexander's army line by line
  They wouldn't follow him to India
  Tired of the combat, pain and the glory
  
  Alexander the Great
  His name struck fear into hearts of men
  Alexander the Great
  He died of fever in Babylon Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

• Ann0 from Anonymous HqGreat song... wish they played it live. Funny how this song is a testament of what computer software is capable of yet it is abused by so many artists today
• Texaswelder from TexasFirst Maiden album I ever bought in high school. Nearly 30 years later, still my favorite all time band, and this is probably my favorite Maiden song.
• Pete from Brisbane, AuAnother fantastic historical journey by the Irons. Incidentally Bengt, the majority of the guitar solo is in 12/8, with the 2 snare drum + bass breaks done in 15/8. I remember programming parts of this song into OctaMED on an Amiga 1200 in the early '90s and those were the time signatures that made it work. Typically eccentric but sounds brilliant.
• Bengt from Leknes, NorwayThe guitar solo is in 7/8.
• Stoyan from Jambol, BulgariaActually the solo resembles traditional Bulgarian music more precisely the Rachenitsa (ръченица). One of the characteristics of the Bulgarian folk music is that it have a different rhythm than most of the western music maybe that is the reason this computer cant figure out the time signature.
• Jonah from Richmond, United KingdomAlexander the Great born in 356 B.C to Phillip II of Macedon in the city of Pella, and became king at the age of 19.
  Tutored by Aristotle, Alexander the Great earned his title during his conquests of the Asia Minor, and the Persian Empire by being undefeated in battle - ever.
  He conquered an area of 5,200,000sq km, with which spanned his empire - the 24th largest ever to have existed, and at the time was the largest to have ever been made.
  After founding some 20 cities bearing his name (Alexandria etc.), and conquering Persia, he arrived at the border with India, where his army DID in fact invade, but not very far until they revolted, fearing the prospect of facing other large armies and exhausted by years of campaigning, ("Marching on"...), whereupon Alexander finally turned around, and marched homeward.
  Upon hearing the news of his best friend, general and possible lover's death, Hephaestion, and already with a fever, Alexander the Great died, in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon, at age 32.
  His empire split soon after his death, and ever since it declined, with modern day Macedon being a tiny fraction of the size.
  
• Yan from Quebec City, QcTo all of you who believes Maiden don't play Alexander the Great because Smith might not remember the solo you're too naive and blind to see and understand! If you play guitar you'll know that nothing is impossible. Furthermore those guys are pros so 1 afternoon and Smith is back on track with the whole song. Search the reason why somewhere else! By the way, Will, you're right: amazing solos!
• Emarkm from Cheshire, United KingdomIn a radio interview a few years ago, when asked why the band has never played the song live, Bruce answered, "because Adrian can't remember the guitar solo!" It might have been a bit tongue-in-cheek, but he went on to say that, when the song was originally written, they put the solo through a load of (then) very advanced music computer wizardry, and it just couldn't figure out the time signature.
• Todd from Poynette, WiAlexander was ruler from 337 B.C. to 323 B.C.
  He was born in 356 B.C. My earlier dates stated were incorrect.
• Will from San Diego, CaMy favorite guitar solo in all of music

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