Today’s single is one of three from the 2003 Dance Of Death album. Technically one of the others is an EP as opposed to a single, but a three-song EP is pretty much just a single. I don’t have it anyway so this three-song single will have to do.

The cover art is simply a shot from the music video. The video itself is, uh …. we’ll get to it in a minute. This is kind of a cool cover even though it’s not the most creative design choice. It was a far more daring choice than the cover of the Dance Of Death album, which I won’t stop complaining about until I leave this mortal realm.

There are several versions of this one, I’ll be going over the European CD release. There is a Japanese CD with two extra B-sides which would be cool to have but of course those go for a bit of a premium. This was also put on on 7-inch vinyl and, of all things, a mini CD. There’s even a DVD issue as well.

Rainmaker

First things first, just behold this music video. That is certainly something. There’s a lot going on there and, well, I don’t know what any of it really is. It does create a striking image and also it’s kind of a pile of shit. I honestly can’t make up my mind all the way on it, sometimes I dig it and other times I want to turn my eyes away from it.

The song though is a pretty good cut from the album. It’s a bit “meat and potatoes” Iron Maiden fare but there’s nothing wrong with a simple and effective song. The guitars come off with a “ringtone” vibe that puts some people off but I was never concerned with it. Dave Murray handles the solo on this one.

Lyrically the song is about rain as a symbol for washing away the grit of the past and renewing one’s self. To be truthful it’s just Bruce singing about rain for nearly four minutes, it’s not that deep.

Dance Of Death – Orchestra Version

The first B-side is a super cool one, it is the title track from the album done with an orchestra. It isn’t radically different from the actual album recording, it is the full song just done with a bit more accompaniment than the original. It’s not a total re-imagining like some metal-meets-orchestra versions are.

The song is nothing short of amazing and the orchestra only enhances it. This song was a Janick Gers contribution, along with Steve Harris. Gers seems especially keen to take a title track and turn it into gold, he did so both on here and The Book Of Souls. This B-side is absolutely worth the price of admission to this single, which in fairness isn’t that hard to get a hold of.

More Tea Vicar

It’s a good thing the single is good and the first B-side is awesome, because this turd also exists. It’s another Maiden joke track, which by this point in their career they’d done plenty of. There’s another one on the first single for this album but again I don’t have it, maybe someday later I’ll get to spin prose about that “masterpiece.” But for today I can have a go at its spiritual sequel.

The song is a some odd jam session where Bruce makes what might be a half-assed attempt at rapping. The lyrics are nonsense, the song isn’t great and Bruce isn’t getting any calls to make a hip-hop record. I don’t mind joke tracks, Maiden have had a few funny ones over the years, but honestly this one just stinks the place up.

That wraps up this one and the presence of Dance Of Death for this initial run of the series. Just three left now and everyone gets a bit of a break from Iron Maiden (maybe) before I get into the live albums.

The Iron Maiden Singles Series

Live! + One

Running Free

Sanctuary

Women In Uniform

Maiden Japan

Purgatory

Twilight Zone/Wrathchild

Run To The Hills

The Number Of The Beast

Flight Of Icarus

The Trooper

2 Minutes To Midnight

Aces High

Run To The Hills (live)

Running Free (live)

Stranger In A Strange Land

Wasted Years

The Clairvoyant

Infinite Dreams

Bring Your Daughter … To The Slaughter

Holy Smoke

Be Quick Or Be Dead

From Here To Eternity

Virus

Out Of The Silent Planet

Rainmaker (you are here)

Different World

The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg

Empire Of The Clouds