Still Life

Album: Piece Of Mind (1983)
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  • Take a look in the pool and what do you see
    In the dark depths there faces beckoning me
    Can't you see them it's plain for all to see
    They were there oh I know you don't believe me

    Oh, I've never felt so strange
    But, I'm not going insane

    I've no doubt that you think I'm off of my head
    You don't say but it's in your eyes instead
    Hours I spend out just gazing into that pool
    Something draws me there I don't know what to do

    Oh, they drain my strength away
    Oh, they're asking me to stay

    Nightmares, spirits calling me
    Nightmares, they won't leave me be

    All my life's blood is slowly draining away
    And I feel that I'm weaker every day
    Somehow I know I haven't long to go
    Joining them at the bottom of the pool

    Now, I feel they are so near
    I, begin to see them clear

    Nightmares, coming all the time
    Nightmares, will give me peace of mind

    Now it's clear and I know what I have to do
    I must take you down there to look at them too
    Hand in hand then we'll jump right into the pool
    Can't you see not just me they want you too

    Oh, we'll drown together
    It, will be forever

    Nightmares, forever calling me
    Nightmares, now we rest in peace Writer/s: David Michael Murray, Stephen Percy Harris
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

  • Boris Guitarloff from Austin, Texas The song is actually based on the short story, “Genius Loci” by Clark Ashton Smith. If you read the story, you’ll realize that it has much more in common with the song than “The Inhabitant of the Lake”.
  • Martin Sordo from Lawrenceville, GaI finally got it!!! Thx
  • Diverdriver from Petaluma, CaI saw them play this song live in Sacramento, California June 6, 1988. A couple months later a live version was recorded at Monsters of Rock, Donnington and is on disc ten of The First Ten Years box set. Bruce seems to have forgotten the lyrics as he sings them wrong in at least 3 parts.
  • Woody from Woodbridge, VaRead "The Inhabitant Of The Lake" in the book called "Cold Print" by Ramsey Campbell. Still Life is based on that short story.
  • Krk from Stockholm, SwedenWikipedia: "...the band included a hidden message which could only be understood by playing the album backwards. This was a joke and an intended swing back at the critics who had accused Maiden of being satanic. The backwards-message features Nicko McBrain mimicking Idi Amin (or rather mimicking John Bird mimicking Idi Amin) uttering the following phrase "What ho said the t'ing with the three "bonce", do not meddle with things you don't understand...", followed by a belch. The phrase itself is taken from the satirical album The Collected Broadcasts of Idi Amin by Bird and Alan Coren...."
  • Steve from Patchogue, NyA very cool and obscure Maiden song. I forgot all about this one!
  • Todd from Poynette, WiPiece of Mind was released in 1983 not 1993.
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