1) An ode to life 'on the road' as a musician as suggested by stanza two whereby you are simply travelling all the time dreaming of returning home. The chorus is therefore slightly sarcastic and ironic - you are living the golden years and may never see them again but need to 'face up' and convince yourself this is true as unlike most you miss your family and friends (verse two) where you feel truly at ease.
2) Probably for me the most important meaning in this song for me is that you should have no regrets in life and make sure you have no regrets by 'facing up and making a stand' at the time rather than doing (or not doing rather) something you know you'll regret later. Particularly the line 'it isn't me but someone else' but even the verse with 'another city going by' suggests this - it can simply be interpreted as a metaphor for time, events and opportunities passing by; with 'in the night' referring to the fact you allowed yourself to become oblivious and didn't take control as you should have (i.e. you should've been awake to the things you'll later regret rather than allowing yourself to ignore and not take action on them).
3) Related to relationships is the third verse 'I got you on my mind' and 'can't ease this pain so easily'. Kind of just like 2) except more specific as it relates to a chance we may have with someone we like/love but let slip away instead of 'facing up and making a stand' and doing something about it. Probably not the intended meaning though - Iron Maiden's music doesn't really refer to stuff like this but certainly can be interpreted this way, particularly if (like me and many others I suppose) you've allowed this to happen and regret it later.
Meanings:
1) An ode to life 'on the road' as a musician as suggested by stanza two whereby you are simply travelling all the time dreaming of returning home. The chorus is therefore slightly sarcastic and ironic - you are living the golden years and may never see them again but need to 'face up' and convince yourself this is true as unlike most you miss your family and friends (verse two) where you feel truly at ease.
2) Probably for me the most important meaning in this song for me is that you should have no regrets in life and make sure you have no regrets by 'facing up and making a stand' at the time rather than doing (or not doing rather) something you know you'll regret later. Particularly the line 'it isn't me but someone else' but even the verse with 'another city going by' suggests this - it can simply be interpreted as a metaphor for time, events and opportunities passing by; with 'in the night' referring to the fact you allowed yourself to become oblivious and didn't take control as you should have (i.e. you should've been awake to the things you'll later regret rather than allowing yourself to ignore and not take action on them).
3) Related to relationships is the third verse 'I got you on my mind' and 'can't ease this pain so easily'. Kind of just like 2) except more specific as it relates to a chance we may have with someone we like/love but let slip away instead of 'facing up and making a stand' and doing something about it. Probably not the intended meaning though - Iron Maiden's music doesn't really refer to stuff like this but certainly can be interpreted this way, particularly if (like me and many others I suppose) you've allowed this to happen and regret it later.