So what's wrong with Run to the Hills?
 

I don't get it...maybe there is a Maiden fan that can properly explain this to me, but I really don't see the hate for the song. I mean...it's not the GREATEST Maiden song (I can think of 10-12 better right off hand) but I mean, it's well written, has awesome parts (esp. the drums) and tells a good story. IT's probably the most overplayed Maiden song there is (and that might be the answer right there) but I don't get the vitriol for it in general...

anyone?

Uh...there's hate for this song? I've been to many Maiden shows and I've never seen any hate for it. I've seen tons of love for it when the intro starts. But you may be on to something when you talk about how often it's played. But if that's the case then "Sanctuary" must also be hated.

I've heard some people who are serious Maiden fans trash the song...

I've been a fan for 25, 26 years now. I've never heard anyone trash the song.

I love that song, I think if your a drummer you learn the intro, and if your a guitar player you learn the intro too.. its just one of those songs that everybody knows.

That's always been one of my favorite Maiden songs.

I would like to see it cut from the setlist as well, but it is still a decent song. Definitely not one of their best, but not crap either.

Been a fan for over 20 years as well and never heard this either.

I agree with the others. I've been a Maiden fan since their first LP and have never picked up on this type of vibe. :)

Ditto.

I'm confused. Even my kids love Run to the Hills.

I dunno. Ask that guy where every single Iron Maiden album that came out is the best album of that year.

People were turned off by Metallica's out of tune intro to this song at the end of "Last Caress/Green Hell." :shrug:

Add me to the list of those that has never heard any hate toward this song.

This is the first I've ever heard such a contention. In fact, it's mostly the the opposite, that it's one of their best. I agree.

Mine too. She loves to play it with me on Rock Band. :D

I've never heard of any hate either. It's a classic.

Always been a favorite of mine...

Been a rock fan for 30 years and that's the only song I can name by Iron Maiden.

This was the first Iron Maiden song I heard. I liked it, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting based on the cover art of their LP's. :lol:

I think any hate for it likely comes from overexposure. I would think this is the song most associated with the band.

Didn't know there was any hate for it, either. Love that song.

personally, I never really liked the song since the chorus was a little too much....but that's just me. I always thought it was popular with everyone else.

It's an OK song, but it's my least favorite IM song, of the songs I know by them (I'm a casual fan, and only dig about 10 songs by them).

Count me in a one who really likes that one, and also has never heard any hate about it.

I like it too.

I can't imagine native Americans being too fond of it.

I've never heard the hate for Run to the Hills, but funnily enough, it's probably my least favorite of Maiden's big hits. I don't dislike it, but it doesn't scream "this is a great song!" like The Trooper, Number of the Beast, Powerslave, etc. ad infinitum. The galloping bass line with the vocals in the chorus is pretty cool, but the rest of the song just doesn't do a lot for me.

I like the song, its just overplayed

other songs by bands I love that I dont care to ever hear again

"Rock N Roll All night"
"You Shook Me All Night Long:
"You've Got Another Thing Coming"
"Paranoid"
"School's Out"
"Crazy Train"

Why, because it portrays them as being strong?!?!??! Or because it brings up issues of injustices they may have suffered?

Nothing wrong with that. I think I only left off 3 of their 14 studio albums for my 80's, 90's, and 00's lists.

Run to the Hills is a great song. I guess my only complaint would be that it is overplayed. I have all their live albums and dvds and it's on everyone since '82.

Voters at Maidenfans.com gave it a 4.04/5.00 on 1236 votes.
http://basicpoll.com/result/21653/

The Apparation, now there is a song Maiden fans hate, but I really like.

I don't see why anyone would trash this song. Now "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" is another story.

Agree with on 99% of what you stated, accept i don't think i will ever get sick of hearing "You've got another thing Coming" if i had to mention a Judas Priest song i could probaly live without hearing over and over again it would be "Breaking the Law", also like to add "Detroit Rock City" as one i never want to hear again.

Exactly. :up: It's a pretty heavy song when you read the lyrics.

Actually, I would think White people would be more offended. ;)



Run to the hills

(harris)

White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
He took our game for his own need

We fought him hard we fought him well
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came too much for cree
Oh will we ever be set free?

Riding through dustclouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom a stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills run for your lives
Run to the hills run for your lives

Soldier blue on the barren wastes
Hunting and killing their game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good indians are tame
Selling them whisky and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills run for your lives
(repeat to end)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_to_the_Hills

"Run to the Hills" is Iron Maiden's sixth single and the first single from their 1982 album The Number of the Beast. It was written by Steve Harris, bassist and founder of the band.

The song itself is about the conflict between Native Americans and the invading white men. The first verse is written from the point of view of the native Cree, the second and third from the point of view of white soldiers. It may have been inspired by the film Soldier Blue, about the massacre of a peaceful Cheyenne village by US militia (one line goes "Soldier blue in the barren wastes" and then refers to rape and murder amongst other atrocities).

The song was released as a single on 12 February 1982, as a prelude to the album. This would be the first single released by the band to feature current vocalist Bruce Dickinson. On the B-side was a song called "Total Eclipse", which would not be on the initial version of the album. However, the band later regretted this decision, as they thought the song was too good to be only a B-side. "Total Eclipse" was added to the Number of the Beast album when it was re-released in 1998.

The single is the second of three single-covers featuring Riggs' depiction of Satan. He debuted on the single-cover of "Purgatory" and his decapitated head is featured on the single-cover for "The Number of the Beast".

In 1985, "Run to the Hills" was released again as the band's 13th single, now in a live version, taken from the live album Live After Death. However, the single cover-art displayed Iron Maiden's mascot Eddie playing an organ, a setting that is often associated with "Phantom of the Opera". Live versions of "Phantom of the Opera" and "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)" were the B-sides.

In early 2002 "Run to the Hills" was again released as a single, and once again in a live version. This time it was the original studio version again, but with live recordings as B-sides. The single was released to raise money for the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund, to help former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis. In March of 2002, Iron Maiden played three shows at the Brixton Academy in London to raise money for this trust fund, and the single was released around the same time. Two versions of this single exist, with different B-sides.

"Run to the Hills" was released as a video in the early 1980s, which was later remade in the late 90s/early 2000s. The first video consisted of the band performing, interspersed with comical footage featuring Indians from the 1923 James Parrott film Uncovered Wagon. The later video removed all the old film footage and replaced it with Flash animation of Cyborg Eddie (from the Somewhere in Time cover) in a sci-fi Wild West setting, animated by Camp Chaos.

"Run to the Hills" ranked #27 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs [1]

An all-star cover version of the song is found on the tribute album Numbers from the Beast, featuring Robin McAuley on vocals, Michael Schenker and Pete Fletcher on guitars, Tony Franklin on bass and Brian Tichy (Derek Sherinian, B'z) on drums. This version follows the original schema of the song, but varies in terms of guitar solos. Schenker has also added small solos in places where there originally are no solos.

Additionally, a cover of the song appears as a playable track in the music video game Rock Band. It was also featured in the game SSX On Tour as the title's main theme.

What radio stations are you guys listening to that are overplaying Run to the Hills? I want to get that station.

It was my favorite Maiden song along with Two Minutes to Midnight. I like both better than Number of the Beast.

Overplayed to me = the song is on every Maiden playlist, live cd, dvd, greatest hits, etc.

I don't think anyone hates Run to the Hills except people who are stuck on it in Rock Band on drums, LOL.

I resemble that remark (for the most part)...

I know some people get a little burned out on "Run to the Hills," but I don't think I've ever met a Maiden fan who didn't at least like "Run to the Hills." Hell, it was a favorite among most Maiden fans I knew back in the early to mid 80's!

The Maiden songs I wanted dropped from the set list were "Sanctuary," "Iron Maiden," and, especially, "Running Free."

I'm getting my tickets for Maiden's 5/31 Irvine show on Saturday....