Aces High Lyrics
Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak
Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne
Got to get up for the coming attack.
Remove all the wheelblocks there's no time to waste
Gathering speed as we head down the runway
Gotta get airborne before it's too late.
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live. Aces high.
Let off a sharp burst and then turn away
Roll over, spin round and come in behind them
Move to their blindsides and firing again.
Ten ME-109's out of the sun
Ascending and turning our spitfires to face them
Heading straight for them I press down my guns
Rolling, turning, diving, going in again
Run, live to fly, fly to live, do or die
Run, live to fly, fly to live, Aces high.
my grandad listens to this song. He was an RAF pilot during WWII. He says it sums it up perfectly.
Explanation for Americans: The Supermarine Spitfire was the RAF's (British Royal Air Force) best fighter in WWII (for attacking other fighters at least) and is now legendary and known to almost everyone in Britain. The Messerschmitt was the Luftwaffe's (germen air force) main fighter, and was regularly used for escorting bombers. This song is can't possibly be about Pearl Harbour, because neither the Japanese or the USAAF used either aircraft.
After France was occupied by German forces, large areas of England were within bomber range for the Luftwaffe. The song is obviously set during the Battle of Britain, as Axis bombers flew over London escorted by ME-109s, trying to destroy Britain's capacity to resist a land invasion. The Spitfires would have gone after the escorting fighters while Hawker Hurricanes took out the bombers. "Flak" = Anti-aircraft fire "Scramble" = Getting out to the planes and into the air as fast as possible when incoming bombers are detected. RAF pilots would wait inside at their airbase, and a siren would sound when Fighter Command ordered them to take off. Ace = A highly skilled fighter pilot.
It's interesting to compare this with The Trooper, which take a very different view of war. They seems to actually celebrate the heroism of the pilots in Aces High. I suppose Iron Maiden recognise that it was not just pointless conflict and that Britain was actually saved from a Nazi invasion.
WWII and the Battle of Britain. That's this song. ME 109 refers to the Meessersmicht BF 109E series, the choice of aircraft for most of the German aces, though the Flocke Wluff 190 and several other German aircraft were much faster and beter handlers than 109s. That's not to say it outperformed the Spitfire, which was a more stable and reliable plane with more firepower and a better dive and roll capability. But I won't go on a warplane rant here... Great song and a nice tribute to the RAF and everything they did for not just Britain but the world at large. For nearly 3 years, these guys kept the Germans at bay over England and prevented Hitler from following through with the invasion of England, which could have very well succeeded and defeated the Allies in Europe.
Is it about the Battle of Britain?
I know that the spitfires were British during WW2 but i don't know if the ME-109's were German or not. It would make sense that they were though.
The air raid siren, scrambling to get airborne to fight...sounds a lot like the Battle of Britain to me.
I love this part of Churchill's speech they added as intro when playing live:
[...] We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, We shall fight in the fields, and in the streets, We shall fight in the hills; We shall never surrender, [...]
June 4, 1940 House of Commons Sir Winston Churchill We Shall Fight on the Beaches
Yeah, I love this song. Is it just me or are all of Iron Maiden's best songs their war songs?
"Aces High", "Paschendale", "Where Eagles Dare" and "The Trooper" for instance...
Exactly. This is a truly brilliant song. It's definately about all the dog fights in world war 2 happening during the battle of Britain. That's fight between planes, not literally between dogs by the way. A song about dogs fighting wouldn't be a good song.
This song is about how The Royal Air Force defended Britain agaisnt over 5000 German bombers in the beginning of WWII
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" -Winston Churchill
Definately about the Battle of Britain (an entirely aerial campaign with no definitive start or end), circa 1940, NOT about Pearl Harbour.
The 'bombers' referred to are likely Heinkel He 111s, a medium bomber extensively used in the Blitz bombing campaign against Britain.
The 'spitfires' are likely the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V, the fighter aircraft which was the pride of the RAF and often credited with the victory over the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. The Messerschmitt Bf 109 (the "ME 109") was basically the German equivalent. The two aircraft spent much of 1940 locked in combat over the skies of southern England, which is what the song is about.
This is the song that got me hooked to Iron Maiden in the first place. It's got some of the best lyrics I've ever heard, and some of the most talented guitar skills as well. It tells a story of being a fighter pilot, and does so magnificently. This is going to remain one of the best songs ever made for a long time to come.