This is the band's highest charting single to date. It was inspired by the poem To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell.
The "single" (the cover of which depicted Eddie romancing a red devil woman in an alley in Gotham City, the bat-signal visible clearly with several Maiden-esque creatures on the ground) was really more of a mini-album.
Used in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child, the fifth installment of the horror series. The version used on the soundtrack featured Janick Gers on guitar, before he had actually joined the band.
The Nightmare on Elm Street version is usually considered an independent work by lead singer Bruce Dickinson because the band wasn't involved and only recorded it after the film and soundtrack were released.
Dickinson explained:
"Here I tried to sum up what I thought Nightmare On Elm Street movies are really about, and it's all about adolescent fear of period pains. That's what I think it is - deep down. When a young girl first gets her period she bleeds and it happens at night, and so she is afraid to go to sleep and it's a very terrifying time for her, sexually as well, and Nightmare On Elm Street targets that fear. The real slaughter in the Freddie movies is when she loses her virginity. That is the rather nasty thought behind it all, but that's what makes those kind of movies frightening."
Lyrics
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 Unchain your back door Invite me around Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, 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 'Cause you know, you know I'm coming soon Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go So pick up your foolish pride No going back Nowhere, no way, no place to hide Let her go Bring your daughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter To the slaughter Bring your daughter Fetch your daughter Bring your daughter Fetch your daughter Bring your daughter Fetch your daughter To the slaughter Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go Bring your daughter Bring your daughter to the slaughter Let her go, let her go, let her go Gonna get you!