Wrathchild by Iron Maiden

Album: Killers (1980)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This song is about an angry young man searching for his unknown father, presumably with violent intentions: "My mother was a queen, my dad I've never seen, I was never meant to be. Now I spend my time looking all around, for a man that is now where to be found." It was written by Steve Harris, the group's bass player and leader. >>
Suggestion credit:
Ryan - Bethany, OK
"Wrathchild" first appeared on a 1980 compilation called Metal for Muthas, which also includes Maiden's "Sanctuary." The compilation was released before they issued their debut album later in 1980; "Wrathchild" was also included on their second album, Killers, in 1981.
The vocal is by Paul Di'Anno, Iron Maiden's frontman for their first two albums. He fit in well with the group musically but Steve Harris questioned his commitment, and in 1981 he left the group, replaced by Bruce Dickinson. Replacing the lead singer was a bit easier for Maiden than for most groups because the band members didn't show up on their album covers. Instead, they used Eddie, their undead mascot.

Comments: 9

Jobriath from New YorkThis song is thinly veiled anti-Semitism.
Shaun W from UkI interpreted the song as a comment on the Elite families of the world that plot for world dominations such as the Bilderbergs, Windsors, Bush’, Rocklafellas, and the Rothschilds (Wrathchild). A member of the Rothschild family have an illicit affair, the offspring is rejected from the elite, his existence dammed, dose not inherited wealth or power from the Rotherchild trust, but he is imbued with the congenital psychopathic tendencies from his regal bloodline.

"Born into a scene,”
They (the 1%, the elite) control the media, news, pop culture, tech, politics, education, ... and so they the create a theatre of reality (“the world is but a stage” – Old Shakey).

“…angriness and greed, "
The elite families are psychotic totalitarian, gluttons for power.

"... Dominance and persecution"
They believe they are of higher breading than us, they are our masters and we their surfs. In order to live their life of luxury they need to keep us down in the dirt and submissive.

"My mother was a queen",
Royalty are one of the Elite's family blood lines.

"my dad I've never seen, I was never meant to be"
His mother stepped beyond the elite’s code of eugenics and slept with a commoner.

"Say it doesn't matter, ain't nothing gonna alter, The course of my destination"
The New World Order, if true, controls all politics , all governments and all industries, all economics … it doesn’t matter who is voted into office, the elite are still in power.

“I know I've gotta find serious peace of mind, Or I know I'll just go crazy”
His personality is split, as are his blood lines: one a normal commoner other psychopathy elite.

“Until I find him I'm never gonna stop searching, I'm going to find my man”
He wants to find and kill his father for cursing his existence, he is a King without a kingdom.
Rocket Brigade from Ne EnglandMy interpretation would be the subject was conceived by rape and/or domestic abuse. "Born into a scene Of angriness and greed, Of dominance and persecution". "I was never meant to be". And at some point, someone is going to be very sorry of their actions...
João from Portugalthis song Wrathchild seems to be related to the prophet Moses or Sargon of Akkad, who was the first ruler of the Acadian empire. In ancient Sumeria. Sargon and Moses share the same life story. Check Wikipedia. Sargon was born from a empress and never met his father, and so did the prophet Moses. There you have it.
Erny Lopez from Costa Rica, San JoseLove this song!!!
Mike from Helena, MtThe song was not written by Paul Di'anno and was not specifically about his childhood. "Wrathchild", like many other Iron Maiden songs, was written by Steve Harris.
Jimi from London, United KingdomAgain with this song, Paul Di`anno, never met his dad, cos he was young when his dad died, so his mother raised him along with his grandfather who paul loved dearly... so this was written by paul about himself.

J
Sillyrabbit from San Antonio, TxThough this song appeared on their second album, it was actually written prior to the release of the first album. As a bit of trivia, this song contains the phrase "piece of mind", which is the title of the band's fourth album.
Ryan from Bethany, Oka maiden classic

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)Jay-Z

Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is based on the song "It's A Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway play Annie.

Sour TimesPortishead

The eerie percussion and guitar for Portsihead's "Sour Times" was sampled from Lalo Schifrin's "Danube Incident," music composed by the Argentine composer for an episode of Mission Impossible.

Dance Hall DaysWang Chung

Wang Chung's '80s classic "Dance Hall Days" is about how things can start simple but end up complex. First you "take your baby by the hand," but by the end she has an amethyst in her mouth.

Jack & DianeJohn Mellencamp

Jack & Diane started off as an interracial couple; Mellencamp took race references out of the song at the request of his record company.

Paul RevereBeastie Boys

In Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere," the title refers to the name of a horse. They took it from a song in the musical Guys And Dolls where a character sings, "I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere."

SOSRihanna

A section of verse lyrics in Rihanna's "SOS" is made up of titles from '80s hits - check out the part that starts, "Take me on, I could just die up in your arms tonight."