Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 3:00 PM
I was not introduced to Greek mythology by my public school. I was introduced to Greek mythology by Iron Maiden. In '83, "Flight of Icarus" sounded much more interesting than the stuff that Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle were singing about. Who was this rebellious youth who was determined to fly on his wings like an eagle, no matter what his elders said? We didn't have an Internet back then, so I was forced to ask the librarian in the Springfield Public Library. She came back from the stacks with a book of classical legends that I must have read a dozen times, memorizing the names and abilities of the heroes and gods, and even drawing terrible pictures of Artemis and Hephaestus on the cover of my notebook. This prepared me well for my Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and for the upcoming Hubris Unit in English class.
It also taught me that there was a lot more substance to heavy metal than my elders were willing to acknowledge. Bruce Dickinson's treatment of the Icarus story isn't to the letter, but he sure got the spirit right, especially during the hellacious, sun-addled scream that crowns the track. The band would later complain about the slow tempo of the recorded version of "Flight of Icarus," but it feels right to me: a song about a Greek myth ought to be a little ponderous. "Icarus" isn't the best song on "Piece of Mind" -- that, as any Maiden fan knows, is "The Trooper" -- but it was the one that pried open the ears of resistant American radio programmers. And well it should have: that chorus is as catchy as anything Adam Ant had for us at the time.
Other highlights include a pretty guitar solo, and typically imaginative bass playing by the great Steve Harris. Don't miss the part of the video where "Eddie" (that's the imaginary evil skeleton member of the band) is turned up louder than the guitars, and Dickinson mugs for the camera like a mad warlord. I also remember finding the trip through the infrared canyon hypnotic. Hey, I was eleven years old. When your other options for entertainment are Parcheesi and "The Love Boat," a little headbanging can be edifying.
Songs of the Day are posted weekdays at 3 p.m. For past Songs of the Day, click here.
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