Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Encyclopedia
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the seventh studio album
by British
heavy metal
band Iron Maiden
, released in 1988 by EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records
in the US (it was re-released by Sanctuary
/Columbia Records
in the US in 2002). It is the first Iron Maiden
release to feature keyboards
(played by Michael Kenney) and, along with The Number of the Beast
and, later, Fear of the Dark and The Final Frontier
, debuted at No. 1 in the UK charts. It also marks the first appearance of many progressive rock
elements, particularly seen in the length and odd-time signatures
of the title track "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son," and by the fact that it is a concept album
.
came to bassist Steve Harris
after he read The Tales of Alvin Maker
series of novels by Orson Scott Card
. Harris states, "It was our seventh studio album and I didn't have a title for it or any ideas at all. Then I read the story of the seventh son, this mystical figure that was supposed to have all these paranormal gifts, like second sight and what have you, and it was more, at first, that it was just a good title for the seventh album, you know? But then I rang Bruce [Dickinson
, vocalist] and started talking about it and the idea just grew."
After his songwriting contributions were rejected from the band's previous album, 1986's Somewhere in Time, Dickinson felt that his role within the band had diminished, as he "just became the singer," but felt renewed enthusiasm when Harris explained the concept to him; "I thought, 'What a great idea! Brilliant!' And of course I was really chuffed, too, because he'd actually rung me to talk about it and ask me if I had any songs that might fit that sort of theme. I was like, 'Well, no, but give me a minute and I'll see what I can do.'" Speaking about the record in later years, however, Dickinson remarked that "we almost did [something great]," explaining that, "it was only half a concept album. There was no attempt to see it all the way through, like we really should have done. 'Seventh Son...' has no story. It's about good and evil, heaven and hell, but isn't every Iron Maiden record?"
Stylistically, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son develops the sounds first heard on Somewhere in Time, although with the synth
sounds being created more by keyboards rather than bass or guitar synthesizers. Steve Harris is fond of the development, in spite of the fact that the record didn't sell as well as its predecessor in the United States; "I thought it was the best album we did since Piece of Mind
. I loved it because it was more progressive - I thought the keyboards really fitted in brilliantly - 'cause that's the influences I grew up with, and I was so pissed off with the Americans, because they didn't really seem to accept it. Everyone said afterwards that it was a European-sounding album. I'm not so sure about that. What's a European-sounding album? To me, it's just a Maiden-sounding album."
The album debuted at No. 1 in UK Albums chart (their first since The Number of the Beast
) as well as No. 12 in the U.S, while the singles "Can I Play with Madness
", "The Evil That Men Do
", "The Clairvoyant (live)
" and "Infinite Dreams (live)
" reached No. 3, No. 5, No. 6 and No. 6 positions respectively in the UK Singles Chart. Guitarist Adrian Smith
highlights "Can I Play with Madness" as "our first proper hit single. [It] actually started life as a ballad I had been working on called 'On the Wings of Eagles.' Then Bruce had a verse for it but wanted to change the title to 'Can I Play with Madness.' I must admit, it did sound better that way. So we took that one and Steve liked it, too. It was Steve who came up with the time change in the middle and the instrumental passage, which again gave it that lift it needed."
"Only The Good Die Young" was featured on the soundtrack to the episode "Line of Fire" on the 1980s' TV series "Miami Vice".
"The Evil That Men Do", "The Clairvoyant" and "Can I Play with Madness" are played live the most frequently following the 7th Tour of a 7th Tour
.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was Iron Maiden's last studio release to feature guitarist Adrian Smith
until Brave New World in 2000 (although he shares a writing credit on "Hooks in You" from the following album, No Prayer for the Dying
).
with
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, released in 1988 by EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in the US (it was re-released by Sanctuary
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
/Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in the US in 2002). It is the first Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
release to feature keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(played by Michael Kenney) and, along with The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
and, later, Fear of the Dark and The Final Frontier
The Final Frontier
The Final Frontier is a 1986 album by the heavy metal band Keel. It was the band's second album to be produced by KISS bassist Gene Simmons. Videos were filmed for the tracks "Because the Night" and "Tears of Fire."...
, debuted at No. 1 in the UK charts. It also marks the first appearance of many progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
elements, particularly seen in the length and odd-time signatures
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of the title track "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son," and by the fact that it is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
.
History
The idea to base the album around the folklore concept of the Seventh son of a seventh sonSeventh son of a seventh son
The seventh son of a seventh son is a concept from folklore regarding special powers given to, or held by, such a son. The seventh son must come from an unbroken line with no female children born between, and be, in turn, born to such a seventh son...
came to bassist Steve Harris
Steve Harris (musician)
Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
after he read The Tales of Alvin Maker
The Tales of Alvin Maker
The Tales of Alvin Maker is a series of novels by Orson Scott Card that revolve around the experiences of a young man, Alvin Miller, who discovers he has incredible powers for creating and shaping things around him...
series of novels by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
. Harris states, "It was our seventh studio album and I didn't have a title for it or any ideas at all. Then I read the story of the seventh son, this mystical figure that was supposed to have all these paranormal gifts, like second sight and what have you, and it was more, at first, that it was just a good title for the seventh album, you know? But then I rang Bruce [Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
, vocalist] and started talking about it and the idea just grew."
After his songwriting contributions were rejected from the band's previous album, 1986's Somewhere in Time, Dickinson felt that his role within the band had diminished, as he "just became the singer," but felt renewed enthusiasm when Harris explained the concept to him; "I thought, 'What a great idea! Brilliant!' And of course I was really chuffed, too, because he'd actually rung me to talk about it and ask me if I had any songs that might fit that sort of theme. I was like, 'Well, no, but give me a minute and I'll see what I can do.'" Speaking about the record in later years, however, Dickinson remarked that "we almost did [something great]," explaining that, "it was only half a concept album. There was no attempt to see it all the way through, like we really should have done. 'Seventh Son...' has no story. It's about good and evil, heaven and hell, but isn't every Iron Maiden record?"
Stylistically, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son develops the sounds first heard on Somewhere in Time, although with the synth
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
sounds being created more by keyboards rather than bass or guitar synthesizers. Steve Harris is fond of the development, in spite of the fact that the record didn't sell as well as its predecessor in the United States; "I thought it was the best album we did since Piece of Mind
Piece of Mind
Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was originally released in 1983 on EMI, and on Capitol in the US; it was reissued later on Sanctuary/Columbia Records...
. I loved it because it was more progressive - I thought the keyboards really fitted in brilliantly - 'cause that's the influences I grew up with, and I was so pissed off with the Americans, because they didn't really seem to accept it. Everyone said afterwards that it was a European-sounding album. I'm not so sure about that. What's a European-sounding album? To me, it's just a Maiden-sounding album."
The album debuted at No. 1 in UK Albums chart (their first since The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (album)
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
) as well as No. 12 in the U.S, while the singles "Can I Play with Madness
Can I Play with Madness
"Can I Play with Madness" was the sixteenth single released by Iron Maiden. Released in 1988, it is the first single from the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album and hit number 3 in the UK charts. The song is about a young man who wants to learn the future from an old prophet with a crystal ball...
", "The Evil That Men Do
The Evil That Men Do (song)
"The Evil That Men Do" was released in 1988 by Iron Maiden. It is the band's seventeenth single and the second from their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album. The single debuted at number six in the UK charts and quickly rose to number five...
", "The Clairvoyant (live)
The Clairvoyant (song)
"The Clairvoyant" was released in 1988 by Iron Maiden. It is the band's nineteenth single and the third from their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album. The single, which was also released as a clear vinyl, debuted at number six in the UK charts...
" and "Infinite Dreams (live)
Infinite Dreams
"Infinite Dreams" is a live single released in 1989 by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the only single to be released from a home video, 1988's Maiden England. The performance was recorded in Birmingham, England in November 1988 towards the end of the massive world tour to support...
" reached No. 3, No. 5, No. 6 and No. 6 positions respectively in the UK Singles Chart. Guitarist Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith
Adrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
highlights "Can I Play with Madness" as "our first proper hit single. [It] actually started life as a ballad I had been working on called 'On the Wings of Eagles.' Then Bruce had a verse for it but wanted to change the title to 'Can I Play with Madness.' I must admit, it did sound better that way. So we took that one and Steve liked it, too. It was Steve who came up with the time change in the middle and the instrumental passage, which again gave it that lift it needed."
"Only The Good Die Young" was featured on the soundtrack to the episode "Line of Fire" on the 1980s' TV series "Miami Vice".
"The Evil That Men Do", "The Clairvoyant" and "Can I Play with Madness" are played live the most frequently following the 7th Tour of a 7th Tour
7th Tour of a 7th Tour
The 7th Tour of a 7th Tour was a world tour conducted by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden in 1988 and was the last tour to feature Adrian Smith until 1999.- Opening bands :...
.
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was Iron Maiden's last studio release to feature guitarist Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith
Adrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
until Brave New World in 2000 (although he shares a writing credit on "Hooks in You" from the following album, No Prayer for the Dying
No Prayer for the Dying
Reviews for the album were generally poor, with Allmusic commenting that "the songwriting wasn't up to snuff when compared to such classics as Killers or Number of the Beast" and "as a whole doesn't measure up to the hits." Sputnikmusic were equally negative, stating that "No Prayer for the Dying...
).
Track listing
Personnel
- Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
- lead vocals - Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, synthesized guitars - Adrian SmithAdrian SmithAdrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English musician and one of three guitarists in the heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. He is also one of the band's regular songwriters and, along with bassist Steve Harris, performs backing vocals on some songs.-Biography:While at school, Smith purchased his first...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, synthesized guitars, backing vocals - Steve HarrisSteve Harris (musician)Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals, bass synth - Nicko McBrainNicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
with
- Michael Kenney - keyboards
Production
- Martin BirchMartin BirchMartin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
– producer, engineer, mixing, tape operator - Albert Boekholt – engineer, assistant engineer
- Ronald Prent – engineer, assistant engineer
- George Marino – mastering engineer
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
6 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
4 | |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
3 | |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 | |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
2 | |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 | |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 200 | 12 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Can I Play With Madness Can I Play with Madness "Can I Play with Madness" was the sixteenth single released by Iron Maiden. Released in 1988, it is the first single from the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album and hit number 3 in the UK charts. The song is about a young man who wants to learn the future from an old prophet with a crystal ball... " |
Dutch Singles Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
6 | Seventh Son of a Seventh Son |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
23 | |||
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
3 | |||
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
4 | |||
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
12 | |||
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
23 | |||
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 | |||
| "The Evil That Men Do The Evil That Men Do (song) "The Evil That Men Do" was released in 1988 by Iron Maiden. It is the band's seventeenth single and the second from their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album. The single debuted at number six in the UK charts and quickly rose to number five... " |
Dutch Singles Chart | 23 | ||
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 | |||
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 7 | |||
| UK Singles Chart | 5 | |||
| "The Clairvoyant The Clairvoyant (song) "The Clairvoyant" was released in 1988 by Iron Maiden. It is the band's nineteenth single and the third from their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album. The single, which was also released as a clear vinyl, debuted at number six in the UK charts... " |
Irish Singles Chart | 7 | ||
| UK Singles Chart | 6 | |||
| 1989 | "Infinite Dreams Infinite Dreams "Infinite Dreams" is a live single released in 1989 by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It is the only single to be released from a home video, 1988's Maiden England. The performance was recorded in Birmingham, England in November 1988 towards the end of the massive world tour to support... " |
Irish Singles Chart | 6 | |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 | |||
| 1990 | "Can I Play With Madness / The Evil That Men Do" | UK Albums ChartRe-release of all four singles as part of "The First Ten Years The First Ten Years The First Ten Years is a series of 10 CDs and double 12" singles by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released between 24 February and 28 April 1990, in commemoration of the band's ten year recording anniversary.... " box set. Exceeded the length limit of the UK Singles chart. |
10 | — |
| "The Clairvoyant / Infinite Dreams" | 11 | |||