"The Trooper" is Iron Maiden's ninth single, released on 20 June 1983, and the second from their 1983 album Piece of Mind. It was one of only a few songs to get much radio airplay in the US, thus peaking at No. 28 on the US Mainstream Rock charts. It also achieved success in the UK, peaking at No. 12 in the UK Singles Charts as well as gaining a much better reception than the band's previous single, "Flight of Icarus". A live version of the song, from Death on the Road, was issued in 2005.
Lyrics:
You'll take my life, but I'll take yours too
You'll fire your musket, but I'll run you through
So when you're waiting for the next attack
You'd better stand, there's no turning back
The bugle sounds and the charge begins
But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath
As I plunge on into certain death
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
The horse he sweats, with fear, we break to run
The mighty roar of the russian guns
And as we race towards the human wall
The screams of pain as my comrades fall
We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground
And the russians fire another round
We get so near yet so far away
We won't live to fight another day
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
We get so close, near enough to fight
When a russian gets me in his sights
He pulls the trigger, and I feel the blow
A burst of rounds take my horse below
And as I lay there gazing at the sky
My body's numb and my throat is dry
And as I lay forgotten and alone
Without a tear I draw my parting groan
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Members:
Vocals: Bruce Dickinson
Guitar: Dave Murray
Guitar: Adrian Smith
Bass: Steve Harris
Drums: Nicko McBrain
Writer(s):
Steve Harris
Production:
Producer, Engineer: Martin Birch
Cover illustration: Derek Riggs
