Gates Of Tomorrow

i cant believe no one has commented on this song yet. amazing song. i still have yet to find a maiden song i dont like.

what the hell? no man, that's wrong. and religion doesn't just help make things better, it's about your faith that helps, which equals "saving yourself." God's not gonna help you if you don't ask.

Seems to be mostly about taking responsibility, but I'm not an interpreter. :-)

definitely about taking responsibility

I think its pretty obvious that this song is about giving up on religion. Iron Maiden members have stated they have nothing against religion, and most are deeply religious, but they still write some amazingly deep and introspective and thoughtful songs about (and against) religion.

"Weaving a thread round your heart and your soul Deceiving your eyes and delaying your goal "

That part is about how religion tried to bind your life and what you do, and tries to keep your eyes closed to all else in the world and make you believe what they want you to believe, which in many cases dalays your goals, especially the pursuit of knowledge.

"Ships in the night when they pass out of sight Deliver their cargo of earthly delights To the women and children, the souls of the dead"

I'm still not sure about these lines, but I think it has something to do with how shallow the lives of people's are, always focusing on "Earthly delights", though the ship passing into the night might have a double meaning. And possibly "the souls of the dead" is saying that people who focus on earthly delights have dead souls maybe? Or possibly saying that followers of major religions have dead souls because they believe what the deceit of the religion, and therefore, their faith is going to waste.

"I've opened their book and no mercy is shed"

This is an obvious reference to the bible or qu'ran, or any holy book, and how eager the religious leaders are to pull you into their religion. Once you show a little interest, they relentlessly try to pull you in even further.

"You want forgiveness and you want it cheap I don't give redemption rewards for the meek"

Those lines are about how people simply believe that by becoming religious, all the bad things theyve done are forgiven, instead of having to work to make things better. However, becoming religious does nothing to help make up for bad things the person might have done, hence why no redemption is given to the meek.

"Suffering evil when you pay the price of fame There isn't a god to save you if you don't save yourself You can't blame a madman if you go insane Give me the strength so I carry on"

That part seems to be encouraging a person to not rely on religion to make all things better, and to actually do something themselves to help better the world and themselves. It also plays on how all things in life are attributed to god's will. "You cant blame a madman if you go insane" is about how someone answers questions about themselves and things they do by simply saying "thats how god made me!"

"Trapped in the web - but I cut the threads"

Shows how belief in religion is binding and constricting, much like a web, but by giving up religion, youre cutting the threads and freeing yourself.

"Trapped in the web - no mercy is shed "

Again, about how eager religious zealots are to pull other people in. Also, could be about how no exceptions are made for people, all people are equal to the same stipulations in religions. Though that would be contradictory of most common criticisms of religion, and how "everybody but us is going to hell". Also, possibly about how so many seemingly innocent and simple things are condemned by some religions.

"Trapped in the web - slaves to the dead"

Is about either how religious zealots live their lives based on how they want to live after death, granted there is an afterlife; or about how the founders of today's major religions are all dead, as is the logic behind belief in these religions, and yet people still believe them as if it were told to them by god himself.

"Show you the gates of tomorrow"

The gates of tomorrow is a metaphor for the act of giving up religion, and living life how you want to live your life. Its about achieving the freedom that comes with no longer living your life by the binding constriction of religions.

come on. it's obviouly ironic that no ones gotten it yet. its about being trapped on the internet and what its doing to the futer.

This song is very much about celebrities as well. "Suffering evil when you pay the price of fame" refers to celebrities who are metaphorically being sucked into "evil" lifestyles. and "There is no God to save you, if you don't save yourself" refers to how they don't try hard enough to get out of their situation. This line is also true about relgion though. People need to understand that simiply being religious and going to chruch on sundays isn't enough spirituality for what thier intentions are. No God truly can save you if you first don't save yourself. Its like getting over an addiction, getting over denial is when you frist make progress. You must admit to yourself your 'sins' and map out how to change your life before you can make real progress. I listen to this song mostly just to here Bruce sing it with such truth and strength and, there is a quality of personal emotion in it too.

This song is about how people don't think for themselves and blame others for their lot in life. It's about how you make your own destiny. The 'gates of tomorrow' refer to the future but more specifically the after life(as in the gates of heaven). The first stanza is about temptation, whether it be drugs, fame, greed, etc. As in the Devil's temptation for instance, where people give in for temporary gain but then suffer eternal punishment(going to hell by selling your soul).

The second talks about judgment. The book probably refers to the book of life from the bible(revelations) wherein if your name doesn't appear you are not allowed into heaven. This is the judgment you face when you die based on how you lived your life. 'Cheap forgiveness' refers to the fact that some people think they can commit evil and easily be forgiven(by going to church, or giving to charity, for example). Not giving redemption is just saying they don't feel pity for people who are evil and receive the judgment they deserve.

The third verse is basically saying bad things happen to people who do bad things. They pay the price for doing anything to get what they want. Simply praying or turning toward religion isn't enough to save you, you have to change and save yourself. You can't blame anybody but yourself if you let someone led you astray.

The chorus is about how he went the wrong way a got trapped in the sins of fame but cut loose of it. Now he now the way to salvation(earthly or heavenly however you interpret it). No mercy is shed refers to the fact that if he can do it anybody can and he doesn't feel pity if you can't. Slaves to the dead is talking about blindly following a religous or outdated philosophy like a sheep that can't find salvation on his own.