Iron Maiden, English heavy metal band hailing from Layten, East London, have sold over 70 million albums throughout their extensive 34 year career, beginning in 1975. All told, the band has created 14 studio albums, 9 live albums, and four EP's. Among these include the landmark,

The Number of Beast, an album which was certified platinum in the United States. (Billboard.com)

With such an extensive catalogue of music to choose from, it may be nearly impossible for someone new to this grizzled ancient of a rock act to find something to identify with.

Well, I aim to fix this problem. The following is a list of my picks for the top ten Iron Maiden songs.

10. Moonchild. Moonchild, the opening track on the vastly underrated 1988 album Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, is a haunting melody. It occupies this spot on the list because of its unique sound, along with its corresponding album. Seventh Son was Maiden's second foray into the musical world of synthesizers, and I believe this song is by far the best. The opening synth melody coupled with the three power-chord hits makes for one of the most epic-feeling album openers in my memory. Lyrically, the song uses an epic tale of battles for souls, angels versus demons, to start off Seventh Son's concept of the folk tale of being the seventh son of a seventh son. (Wikipedia). The song is, to put it simply, great.

9. Sanctuary. Sanctuary, from Maiden's debut, self-titled 1980 release, is the quintessential rock song. With lyrical themes of being a bad-ass ("Now I've got to look for/Sanctuary from the law," "Spending big money will get me the guns to survive," and wailing police sirens in the distance) make for an energizing song that will get most anyone to their feet, headbanging along like they've been with this style of music since they were in the womb. It's simply catchy; no one should miss this standout track from Maiden's earlier years.

8. Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Often called, "The thinking man's metal," Iron Maiden has written several songs based on novels, superstitions, folk tales, movies, and other forms of literature. This song is a prime example. Based on the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge of the same name, the song is a 14 minute epic (at least when played live) that takes the listener on a long seaward journey, and features actual lines from Coleridge's poem. One of the main reasons I was initially attracted to Iron Maiden was their sense of storytelling, and I still can't help being enthralled by this Odyssey of a piece of music.

7. Holy Smoke. Unlike other metal bands, religion is a rarely touched upon topic for Maiden. One exception, Holy Smoke, deals with the US televangelist scandals in the 1980's. The song is pretty funny, actually, with references to "Jimmy the Reptile" (Better known as Jimmy Swaggart) and lyrics like "I'm savin' your souls by takin' your money." The song is a tongue-in-cheek commentary about how stupid people can be sometimes. It's a song you just enjoy listening to.

6. Flight of the Icarus. This song is a reference to a story in ancient Greek mythology, about a boy with wings who disobeys his father's advice about not flying too close to the sun. In typical "obey your parents" fashion, the boy's wings turn to ashes, and he falls into the sea. Since this song is one about flying, it seems fitting that the melodies simply soar in this song. The backing power-chord riffs throughout the song serve as a perfect backing for Bruce Dickinson's masterful singing, and for a, here's that word again, soaring guitar solo. What can I say, the melody is perfect. Fly, on your way, like an eagle...fly as high as the sun...

5. Aces High. Another of Maiden's songs about flying, this song, from the album Powerslave, tells of a dogfight during the Battle of Britain during WWII. This song is much more intense than the above, but features just the same masterful musicality. This song is what I believe coined vocalist Bruce Dickinson's nickname, "the air-raid siren," (Maidenfans.com) due to an extremely high, yet simultaneously perfect high note near the end. There's an upbeat quality to this song, much like the edge-of-your-seat fighter plane ride the song describes.

4. Hallowed be Thy Name (Live). Hallowed be Thy Name is my favorite of the set of songs I like to title the "Maiden Overtures." Using the fast-slow-fast-slow pattern of the overture in classical music, this song follows the last hours of a man sentenced to die on the gallows. I picked the live versions of this song because they are played faster than normal, and really show off the instrumental talent of the band, not to mention the incredible vocal range and endurance of Dickinson. It's amazing, the melodies defy description.

3. Fear of the Dark (Live). This is another fantastic song during live sets; it demonstrates yet again the raw talent the band has with their respective axes, skins, and chords. A song about, you guessed it, being afraid of the dark. The song is one anticipated eagerly by fans, and has several sections where the crowd is called upon to sing along. A several-minute long solo section will absolutely blow your mind, as well.

2. The Number of the Beast. This is Maiden's title song, as it were. Coming from Maiden's landmark of the same name, the song was the subject of much controversy after it was released; and the song is now one of the most eagerly awaited by fans. Bass, drums, guitar, and vocals are all excellent here, as above.

1. Run to the Hills (Live). Here it is. In my opinion, Run to the Hills is the best song Maiden ever wrote. It is a fast song used almost always as the show stopping closure of a live set. The song is loosely based on the forced expulsion of Indians from the Midwestern United States. The instruments gallop across the barren wastes, "where hunting and killing's a game," and the vocals are shill and wailing, as is Dickinson's forte. Fans join in on one of the simplest, most chant-able choruses in the history of metal music: "Run to the hills! Run for your life!" A guitar shredding solo follows, and it is one of the most addictive solos to listen to of all time. This song will be stuck in your head hours, days, weeks, months, and years after you hear it. There is an enchanting energy about it, it makes you want to get to your feet and bang your head up and down 'till you get a concussion. The final "Run...for...your...life!" features the guitar smashing, drum hammering, vocal-chord shredding, wild, random ending you'd expect from the end of a metal show. Dickinson's ending scream defies comparison; the man is a masterful vocalist. If you should hear just one Iron Maiden song, this would be it.

You can watch a great performance of Run to the Hills on Youtube here:

Run to the Hills (Rock in Rio)