2 Minutes to Midnight (6:00)
1,624,013 plays (258,531 listeners)
“2 Minutes to Midnight” is the tenth single released by Iron Maiden and the second track from their 1984 album Powerslave. The single was released on August 6, 1984 and rose to number 11 in the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson.
The song has references to the Doomsday Clock, the symbolic clock used by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. In September 1953 the clock reached 11:58, the closest the clock ever got to midnight. This occurred when the United States and Soviet Union tested H-bombs within nine months of one another. This song is clearly presenting an anti-war view. The first guitar solo is played by Dave Murray followed by a guitar solo played by Adrian Smith.
The first B-side is a cover of British progressive rock band Beckett’s “Rainbow’s Gold”.
Another B-side, entitled “Mission from ‘Arry”, is a recording of an argument between bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. The argument happened after a show in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the band’s World Piece Tour, and occurred due to a misunderstanding on stage between the two due to technical issues with Harris’ bass, which had led to McBrain’s drum solo going wrong. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson was recording the argument with a concealed tape recorder.
The video of the song is featured on the 2003 video collection Visions of the Beast.
The song was included in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
United States Ambassador Ryan Crocker has a poster of the album in his office.
The guitar riff in the beginning has being used in many other metal songs icluding Welcome to Hell by Venom, Hellbound by Tygers of Pan Tang, Flash Rockin’ Man by Accept and Live Fast Die Young by Saxon.
The song has references to the Doomsday Clock, the symbolic clock used by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. In September 1953 the clock reached 11:58, the closest the clock ever got to midnight. This occurred when the United States and Soviet Union tested H-bombs within nine months of one another. This song is clearly presenting an anti-war view. The first guitar solo is played by Dave Murray followed by a guitar solo played by Adrian Smith.
The first B-side is a cover of British progressive rock band Beckett’s “Rainbow’s Gold”.
Another B-side, entitled “Mission from ‘Arry”, is a recording of an argument between bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain. The argument happened after a show in Allentown, Pennsylvania during the band’s World Piece Tour, and occurred due to a misunderstanding on stage between the two due to technical issues with Harris’ bass, which had led to McBrain’s drum solo going wrong. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson was recording the argument with a concealed tape recorder.
The video of the song is featured on the 2003 video collection Visions of the Beast.
The song was included in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
United States Ambassador Ryan Crocker has a poster of the album in his office.
The guitar riff in the beginning has being used in many other metal songs icluding Welcome to Hell by Venom, Hellbound by Tygers of Pan Tang, Flash Rockin’ Man by Accept and Live Fast Die Young by Saxon.
Video
Added by timlindstedt
Share Video See 13 more
Related Tracks
-
Aces High (4:30)
Iron Maiden -
The Trooper (4:11)
Iron Maiden -
Painkiller (6:04)
Judas Priest -
Breaking The Law (2:32)
Judas Priest -
Holy Diver (5:50)
Dio -
Peace Sells (5:09)
Megadeth
Albums featuring this track
-
Powerslave
Iron Maiden Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Live At Donnington 1992
Iron Maiden Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Live at Donnington
Iron Maiden Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $14.99
- 7digital $14.99
- iTunes $14.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Ed Hunter
Iron MaidenBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Shouts
-
ehigareda wrote:
2 minutes to midnight is a perfect example of Iron Maiden's greatness!!
-
darakchiev wrote:
yeaaaaaaa
-
ShortSonata wrote:
hell yeah
-
person2456 wrote:
I just realized why i love Iron Maiden so much. :D
-
sionborg wrote:
AWESOOOOOOOME !!!!!!!!!
-
djbart1218 wrote:
they really are one of the top five metal bands of all time
-
BartekBo wrote:
I Think its msot overrated maiden song, the pilgrim is most underrated
-
shuttsworth wrote:
2 MINUTES TOOOOOO MIDNIGHTTTTTT!!!
-
steve__ wrote:
GTA:VC <3
-
soukimeister wrote:
AWESOME!!!!
-
C0lbzilla wrote:
And it's because of songs like this that they are one of the greatest metal bands EVER!
-
legrand_zeus wrote:
yeaaaaaaah
-
uziel-666 wrote:
TWO MINUTES TO ERECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
Orange1999 wrote:
Simply the best.
-
DarkScorpion666 wrote:
UP THE IRONS!!
-
calu16 wrote:
DIOSES UUUUUUUU QUE VIVA EL ROCKKKKKK
-
saraonfire wrote:
UP THE IRONS BITCHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
-
AlexSins wrote:
"Kill the unborn in the woooooOOOOOOMB!"
-
Sergeant_E-Flat wrote:
UP THE IRONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
custumfit wrote:
weres eddy
Iron Maiden
2 Minutes to Midnight
full track
Listeners
-
Arafat666
Listening now
-
radek89x
Listening now
-
marcelovisk15
Listening now
-
Hezzwein
Top Listener
-
UniqueStyle
Top Listener
-
garrow
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
arkadios50, msindelar, StrghtJcktSteve and 12 other people loved Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes to Midnight. 1 hour ago
-
IrinaYrina added 2 Minutes to Midnight to the playlist r1. yesterday afternoon
-
IrinaYrina added 2 Minutes to Midnight to IrinaYrina’s library. yesterday afternoon
-
Epsuh, undeadjuggalo, jacekm1974 and 5 other people loved Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes to Midnight. yesterday afternoon
-
HighSpeedFury added 2 Minutes to Midnight to the playlist Iron Maiden - Powerslave. yesterday morning
-
HighSpeedFury, jkleffmt, KillingMizuochi and 8 other people loved Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes to Midnight. yesterday morning
-
GlerinAntroz added 2 Minutes to Midnight to GlerinAntroz’s library. Monday evening
-
GlerinAntroz added 2 Minutes to Midnight to the playlist. Monday evening
-
wasting_death, mastrotux and Yamitoito loved Iron Maiden – 2 Minutes to Midnight. Monday evening
-
fragles193 added 2 Minutes to Midnight to the playlist. Monday afternoon
Related Journals
-
My life according to Iron Maiden
by DrMuller |
14 Jan 2010 | Add comment
-
Najlepsze (je hie hie hie) płyty poznane w 2009 roku.
by Kiciok5 |
18 Dec 2009 | 2 comments
-
My Stats
by ptKevinA |
25 Nov 2009 | Add comment
