Wasted Years - Iron Maiden

Artist: Iron Maiden
Song: Wasted Years
Year: 1986
Album: Somewhere In Time

This is probably the most identified song from the album Somewhere In Time. I missed out on this album when it was first released, but caught up with it a few years later. Their next album would be my first purchase and I didn't see this cassette in my cousin's collection.

Whenever I was over at my cousin's house, I would make a bee line for his music collection. I could listen to anything he had, as long as I put it back where I found it and didn't let my aunt and uncle know about it. I would pour through older Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Aerosmith albums. Part of my love for this genre of music is from those trips to the basement to listen to these albums.

When I finally got my own copy of this album, it was already 1996. Iron Maiden had changed into something that was a pale comparison of itself, or so I thought at the time. I had made a copy of this album using a friend's cassette somewhere around 1988, but my physical store bought copy was still eight years away. I'll put off buying certain albums for an odd assortment of reasons. I may cost more than I'm willing to pay. It might be hard to locate. The most often used reason would be some other album takes priority.

I could stare at this album art for hours back then. I would find new little details every time I looked. I really regret not purchasing this album during the Seventh Son era. I didn't fully appreciate the album and the artwork because of that. I still crank up "Wasted Years" whenever it comes on, so I didn't miss out on that much.

Lyrics:
From the coast of gold, across the seven seas
I'm travellin' on, far and wide
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but
someone else

I close my eyes, and think of home
Another city goes by in the night
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it 'til it's
gone away
And my heart is lying there and will be 'til my
dying day

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for
those wasted years
Face up... make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years

Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind
Can't ease this pain, so easily
When you can't find the words to say it's hard to
make it through another day
And it makes me wanna cry and throw my
hands up to the sky

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for
those wasted years
Face up... make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for
those wasted years
Face up... make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for
those wasted years
Face up... make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years