Strange World Lyrics

"Strange World" is a song from the bands debut album Iron Maiden. It was written by Steve Harris, the bass player for Iron Maiden. It is the sixth track from the original US & UK album releases; and the seventh track from the remastered 1998 release CD. "Strange World" tells of a dystopian society, where people never grow old. Amongst other things the narrator (singer) laments how "smiling faces [are] ever so rare". The lyrics also contain what could be allusions or references to several famous dystopian fictions: the lack of aging and any emotions but empty happiness amongst the people could be references to Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; the line "ship of white light in the sky" could be an allusion to the novel We, specifically the scene in which it was discovered most of the world had been destroyed by a superweapon, as nowadays the term "superweapon" would likely be assosciated with nuclear warfare; and the lyric "living here just isn't the place" could be voicing on the running theme amongst dystopian fiction of seemingly perfect societies that beneath the surface really aren't perfect at all. The song that precedes it will always be Transylvania, the famous instrumental piece, because they both merge, as one song if listened to.