Iron Maiden – Wasted Years

“Wasted Years” – Single by Iron Maiden from the album Somewhere in Time
B-side “Reach Out” (The Entire Population of Hackney cover) / “Sheriff of Huddersfield”
Released August 1986
Label EMI
Songwriter Adrian Smith
Producer Martin Birch
Charted No.18 in UK, No.6 in Finland, No.27 in Belgium

Maiden England (re-released in 2013 as Maiden England ’88) is a live video by the band Iron Maiden during their Seventh Son of a Seventh Son world tour, which was dubbed Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour. It was recorded at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England on 27 and 28 November 1988

Written by guitarist Adrian Smith, “Wasted Years” was the first single from the album, and is one of Maiden’s most accessible and mainstream-sounding songs. It is probably as close as they can get to the mainstream and still retain their unique Maiden sound. There is a long and very melodic chorus by Maiden standards.

The song deals with subject of homesickness and alienation, as well as the negative aspects of the band’s nearly year long previous tour and personal problems that Smith and other band members were going through in that period.

The Future Past World Tour marked the end of an era for Iron Maiden, as it was the final tour to feature drummer Nicko McBrain before he retired from touring. The band made the announcement shortly before their December 7, 2024 concert in São Paulo, Brazil, which concluded the tour. “Wasted Years” was the last song McBrain played with Iron Maiden before hanging up his drumsticks.