Fear is the Key - when I listen to this song, if I tell myself this is actually a song that is on Balls to Picasso, it becomes listenable. When I realize the truth and it's Iron Maiden playing I hit fast forward. They are better than this. Childhood's End - case in point... Childhood's End. One of the better if not they best track on this album. Real emotion, a driving gallop bass line that we've known for over a decade, and loved every minute of. It's all here. Just give it a listen if you haven't in awhile, or ever.
Wasting Love: We end the first half of the record with the third and final single Wasting Love, penned by Bruce and Janick, written about the hollowness of collecting sexual encounters. I guess they were on a roll after Fear Is the Key. So here we have....a ballad. Or a ballad like song. We start with the guitar harmonies over the slower rhythm that I've heard so many times, and then the song is dricing by a softly played guitar, with Bruce coming in at :49, and it's a really strong vocal performance, easily the song's best feature, and Janick gets a really good solo in at 4:17. There are power ballads I like, and those I dislike, and this falls into the latter category, this is just paint By Numbers writing that is mildly elevated by the performances, leave this s--- for Tattoooed Millionare. I'll pass.
Wasting Love. What is this whiny ****?? I think this is the first time I've ever heard this song all the way through and I won't be rushing back for an encore. Okay that's a lie because I listened to it a second time to cohere my thoughts. The lead guitar line at the very beginning makes me think Bruce is about to sing "he's walking, like a small child". But make no mistake this song is no Children of the Damned. The creepy/crawly guitar thing at 4.04 that leads into the solo is just comically bad, like Spinal Tap or something. Bring on the Puppet Show!
Wasting Love. Ugh. It sucked in 1992 and it sure sucks now. It was hard enough being a metal head back then with grunge taking over. But then the mighty Maiden had to put out some tripe like this. Ouch. It was depressing.
Wasting Love This sounds like a ripoff of Skid Row's "Quicksand Jesus", but they were recorded around the same time, so who knows. Unfortunately, "Quicksand" is a much better song, and this one just sounds like a generic metal ballad of the early 90s.
It does seem strange that Iron Maiden built their career so uncompromisingly while others even in the early- and mid-80s were making sure there was a "commercial" single or two on their albums (or even going totally pop metal). Then IM tried to do exactly that at the same time power ballads and pop-metal songs were going out of fashion. And they did it so clumsily, as one of the upcoming songs off FotD will amply prove. They were really, really lost for a long time there.
Wasting Love Ah Wasting Love, I remember liking it when it was first released but nowadays I can't make it through the whole song. What was it about the early nineties and metal bands doing power ballads? Decent solo from Janick but theres really nothing going on here. Best thing about this single were the live B-sides. 1.5/5 Up and down, up and down...
Wasting Love I might well be the only one (yes, certainly looks like it) but i've always liked this one. For the life of me I can't remember this being a single, i surely would have bought it for the b-sides but it doesnt show up as being a UK hit single, was it just a video made, what were the B-sides or was this not in the UK? One of my favourites on the album, certainly makes my top 3. I remember seeing them play it live, the acoustic guitars on stands (saved them having double neck guitars i suppose.) The only part i struggle with is going from the verse into the chorus, its not that smooth but that aside i've always really liked this one. Not surprised its disliked but it works for me. Nice to hear them trying something new.
It's been long day, I think Im gonna catch up with my review of "Wasting Love" tomorrow. So have fun here people and see you soon
Wasting Love: The riffs are starting to sound very similar on this album for me. I really like the clean guitar section. Bruce sounds great and puts a lot of emotion into his vocals. I know some people call this out for being a generic power-ballad. Perhaps they are right, but I still like it. I think it really showcases Bruce. The end is well done too. They crank it up but still stay within the context of the song. I may just be a sucker for a retro power ballad but I like it. 4 stars out of 5.
There are 2-3 other songs on this album with opening guitar riffs that I get confused with the title track.
Wow i really like Wasting Love , i didnt no the hate for this one. Maiden with this song , changes the subject for one time. The video is great, the solos amazing to play on guitar too. Childhoods end: i like the subject too, great intro to play on guitar, a lot of easy parts. I am a big fan of this album, the sound is good, there is a bunch of videos. The songs that are a little bit less fun are The apparition ( no intro, right away the lyrics), week end warrior a song about soccer.
Wasting Love I'm going to be one of the other dissenting views on this one ( @Almost Simon @TexasBuck & @erickana666 ). It's definitely jarring to hear a song like this from Maiden. It's not what we expect. I didn't care for it much when I first got the album and then with the frequent play the video got on MTV I quickly grew to hate it. A few years later, I think after Bruce and Adrian had rejoined, I listened to the song in a different way and it really just exploded for me. Bruce's voice on Wasting Love is an incredible performance. He really sings his ass off and puts out way more emotion than we usually get from him. This isn't Bruce "playing a role", this is a raw and deeply personal set of lyrics. I don't see this song as the "relationship" song that it appears to be. When I hear how Bruce is pouring himself into them, the lyrics come to represent his thoughts on wanting to leave the band and his desperation of being in this situation. He clearly didn't want to be in the band anymore and the endless touring cycles were really destroying him. He put all that into this song - the doubt, the confusion, the frustration, the need to just get out. It's one of the most emotion vocals of Bruce's career. Wasting Love is him being very honest about himself and his role in the band. We know now how disillusioned he'd become at this time period. He's putting it all out there in Wasting Love. I also view this song and Tears of the Dragon as two halves to this concept. Wasting Love is recognizing that something needs to change for him musically and Tears really lays out the reasons and that he's finally ready to take that first step and "throw himself out to the sea". Two of my favorite moments of his career and why I love him so much as a songwriter, lyricist and singer. As for the music part of this song, I really love the sparseness of the first verse and how Nicko lays out. I agree that it's a common thing to do in power ballads to be absent in the beginning and then explode with the chorus, but it really works here. Steve gets a some good fills in throughout the song which isn't something he normally does, the "call and response" kind of thing. I really like the music Janick wrote here in general. That little riff after the chorus is quite cool. I agree that it's a slightly clunky transition back into the intro riff before we head into the solo section, but I get over it pretty quick when that next riff comes up, the one right before the solo. I love that pattern and the way it sets the stage for Janick's damn good solo. It's a great Maiden trademark in how the band slightly changes that pattern while Janick is soloing. Really well done. All around, Wasting Love is a great song. Video thoughts: Man, MTV played the hell out of this video back in 1992. I used to see it all the time, which was really strange for a Maiden video. I assume it's the director's vision of explaining the song lyrics or at least what he sees as the meaning of them (wrong, IMO). It definitely makes the song less appealing. The fire and wind in their hair is incredibly cheesy. I wonder if Nicko got hot with that huge flame behind him? What's up with the priest? It's all very "1992", isn't it? The video is pretty bad and so that makes us 3 for 3 on awful videos for this album. Good job, guys!
Childhood's End I like it. The chorus is great, very different, it stays with you. I agree with @Rose River Bear about the other guitar stuff, it's a little too typical Maiden. The lyrics remind me of some thrash bands like Kreator both in the subject matter and the way it's spelled out. Nothing wrong with that.
The Fugitive: And now we get The Fugitive, written by Steve and inspired by the series that ran from 1963 to 67, about a man who is wrongfully accused of brutally murdering his wife. After he escapes police custody, he seeks to find the real murderer, a one armed man who he saw at the crime scene, before he is convicted and executed for a crime he did not commit. The song begins with a charging riff, and while, again, what Nicko is playing isn't necessarily bad, the drums sound so castrated that it ends up kind of hindering the track, and overall, the chorus is really weak, half baked, the hooks aren't as strong or as compelling as they could be. Yes, there are some very strong solos by Janick and Dave, that are about the only real high point on this song, this song is definitely another miss for the record.
I see this "creepy crawly" guitar part as a signifier of the Sexually Transmitted Disease that is about to infect the narrator. Cool little musical moment to my ears.
Most power ballads had a generic 4/4 beat (I realize WL is 4/4, but hear me out for a second here) - Nicko of course affects subtle changes to the tempo and rhythmic feel, and there's nearly as many change-ups as Rush's YYZ if we start to count each. Many lesser hair band balladeers would also rush a melody line or progressoin, refusing to give any breath or life to a key section of a song. Not Maiden - on Wasting Love, Maiden lets each section ebb and flow, using repetition just to the point of too much, but hovering on the edge of too much to the point that a powerful statement is made. Great harmony intro, FANTASTIC percussion and accents by Nicko, and a rhythm track that changes at the perfect time and perfect place when each section has made its point - mostly very smooth segues too, save for perhaps the verse to chorus as mentioned above. Few lesser hard band balladeers could write and compose at a level that borders on a string quartet/classical concerto movement. Maiden do it here and do it well. I like Quicksand Jesus, but Sebastian Bach oversings and overshrieks - which Bruce has mostly shied away from even while possessing an incredible vocal range.
Love Janick's little riff after the chorus - great mention Cheevy! Janick has a good ear for flow and transitions - as does Nicko. I believe that both are underrated in this regard (its a subtle skill that isn't always easy to pinpoint when listening to a song for the first 10-20 times - but it a skill that gives BIG TIME rewards for repeat listens, and stops the mind/ear from becoming tired with a song too fast).
The Fugitive Another highlight from the album. I love the intro, how it comes blazing at you then quiets a bit and then bam! those drums and guitars come roaring back and smack you around. I think this was the heaviest Maiden sounded for a while. Generic lyrics for sure but this song is about tension and atmosphere. The verses definitely outshine the choruses. Excellent use of keyboards especially at around 4:10. To me this felt the most Maiden track from the album. To me it fits in with "The Prisoner" or "Die w Your Boots On." Good stuff! 4/5
