Iron Maiden - Flight Of Icarus (Official Video)

"Flight of Icarus" was Iron Maiden's first single released in the United States. The B-side of the single was a cover of Montrose's 1976 song "I've Got the Fire."

This is a retelling of the classic Greek myth of Icarus' flight, but with a twist. In the original, Daedalus and his son, Icarus, escape King Minos' prison by building wax wings and flying away on them. Daedalus warns Icarus not to fly too high, but the cocky teen rebels, his wings melt, and he plummets to his death in what is now called The Icarian Sea (he was reportedly buried by Hercules). In the song, Daedalus watches from the ground, and his advice to his son is to "fly and touch the sun." The now-obedient Icarus does so, and realizes his father tricked him just before his wings melt.

"Flight Of Icarus" was the first Iron Maiden single featuring drummer Nicko McBrain, who replaced Clive Burr.

This was one of the few Maiden songs Steve Harris had no hand in writing. Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith composed it and wrote the lyrics.

Lyrics

As the sun breaks above the ground An old man stands on the hill As the ground warms to the first rays of light A birdsong shatters the still His eyes are ablaze See the madman in his gaze Fly on your way, like an eagle Fly as high as the sun On your way, like an eagle Fly and touch the sun Now the crowd breaks and a young boy appears Looks the old man in the eye As he spreads his wings and shouts at the crowd "In the name of God, my father, I fly" His eyes seem so glazed As he flies on the wings of a dream Now he knows his father betrayed Now his wings turn to ashes, to ashes his grave Fly on your way, like an eagle Fly as high as the sun On your way, like an eagle Fly and touch the sun Fly, on your way, like an eagle Fly as high as the sun On your way, like an eagle Fly as high as the sun On your way, like an eagle Fly, touch the sun On your way, like an eagle Fly Fly as high as the sun