Hallowed be Thy name - analysis

Analysis of the song "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden, both in content and melodically.



“Hallowed be Thy Name” is a son written by Steve Harris, the bass player in the band Iron Maiden. The song was published the first time in the album “The Number of the Beast”, which was released 1982. The song is about a man who is sentenced to death at the gallows, and his thoughts in the final hours.


Content-based analysis

The song is about a person, who is obviously sentenced to death and don’t have much time left before the execution. Why he is to be executed one does not know. Most likely this is a story of some age, whereas hanging people as a punishment, and being visited by a priest, preparing him for death, isn’t so common nowadays.

The priest visits the cell and begins the preparation. We hear about the person looking through the bars at the outside world. He is thinking back at what have happened and what never will happen, in a world which has gone very wrong for him.

In the third verse we get to know the persons fear, as he realizes he is afraid of dying after all. He tries to convince himself to believe this is just a bad dream, but can’t. He though life is eternal, but now, facing his very own death, starts to doubt. He doesn’t understand his own fear, as he never has been afraid for dying before.

In the fifth verse he cries out: “If there’s a God then why has he let me die?” He is obviously wondering why this is happening and he is probably religious to a certain level.

In the sixth and seventh verse he changes mood, and suddenly becomes curtain of the afterlife and that his soul will never die. Through the final verses he talks about this life on earth, which now he clearly can see, is only an illusion.

Melodic analysis

The song starts off with a short instrumental introduction featuring different sorts of instruments, including guitar and church bells. There is no prelude, and they start right into the song immediately, as if something have been going on for a long time and we are just hearing about it afterwards. The pace seems almost as if it gets slower for each stroke, creating a special and somewhat depressive mood.

The vocal part quickly begins, following the same, slow pace. The first verse is rather special with its fire lines of text in 16 strokes.

Following, the first interlude arrives, increasing the pace and emphasizing the guitar and drums. The melody is mostly the same, but steadier. The vocal recounts the last two words in the first verse, followed by a change in pitch and a transition to a more intense melody, also consisting of a higher pace and volume. This symbolizes the person beginning to be more restless and nervous.

During the second and third verse the guitarists and drummer take use of syncopation making the rhythm quite choppy, and with particular stress at the start and end of each line. This rhythm repeats eight strokes, and we get used to it.

After the fifth verse there is another short interlude. The drums are now playing along constantly, and the sound becomes somewhat chaotic. This is probably a symbol on the person starting to panic, not being able to remain calm anymore.

The third interlude starts of similar to the first one, but slowly gets steadier, as if the guards approaches and take the person with them.

Through the sixth to ninth verse the instruments blend into one another creating a bit messy and complex sound. This is followed by a long instrumental section including a guitar solo, which turns into the melody from the first interlude again. I believe this section symbolizes the person’s death, and the final verse where he cries out: “Hallowed be Thy Name”, could be a sign of his soul surviving and moving on to a better life.

The song finishes with a decline in both pitch and pace.



The content of the song

I'm waiting in my cold cell, when the bell begins to chime.

Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time.

'Cause at 5 o'clock they take me to the Gallows Pole,

The sands of time for me are running low...



Running low--ooohhh...yeah…

When the priest comes to read me the last rites,

I take a look through the bars at the last sights,

Of a world that has gone very wrong for me.



Can it be that there's some sort of error?

Hard to stop the surmounting terror.

Is this really the end, not some crazy dream?



Somebody please tell me that I'm dreaming,

It's not easy to stop from screaming,

But words escape me when I try to speak.

Tears flow but why am I crying?

After all I'm not afraid of dying.

Don't I believe that there never is an end?



As the guards march me out to the courtyard,

Somebody cries from a cell "God be with you".

If there's a God then why does he let me go?



As I walk my life drifts before me.

Though the end is near I'm not sorry.

Catch my soul, it's willing to fly away.



Mark my words believe my soul lives on.

Don't worry now that I have gone.

I've gone beyond to see the truth.



When you know that your time is close at hand,

Maybe then you'll begin to understand

Life down here is just a strange illusion.



Yeah, yeah, yeah...Hallowed be Thy name

Yeah, yeah, yeah...Hallowed be Thy name

Yeah..................................