Best of the Beast

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Best of the Beast
Greatest hits album by Iron Maiden
Released 24 September 1996
Recorded 1979–1996
Genre Heavy metal
Length 1:17:45 (single disc)
2:32:41 minutes (2-disc issue)
Label EMI
Producer Martin Birch, Nigel Green, Steve Harris, Iron Maiden, Will Malone
Iron Maiden compilations chronology
Best of the Beast
(1996)		 Ed Hunter
(1999)
Singles from Best of the Beast
  1. "Virus"
    Released: 2 September 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars [1]
Wiki letter w.svg This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Best of the Beast was Iron Maiden's first "best of" album,[2] released in 1996 in three formats: a 34 track (four disc) vinyl, a 27 track (two disc) CD, a 16 track (single disc) CD and MiniDisc (MD).

Contents

[edit] Background

The track listings are mainly made up of the band's greatest hits (singles) and most well-known songs from their 1980-1995 albums, but they also include a new single, entitled "Virus",[2] and an unreleased live version of "Afraid to Shoot Strangers". Both songs had promotional music videos, the latter of which was filmed during The X Factour and originally featured the band's previous lead vocalist, Bruce Dickinson.

The two-CD version contained two songs from the band's 1979 demo tape The Soundhouse Tapes ("Iron Maiden" and "Strange World," of which the latter one was previously unreleased).[2] The 4-disc vinyl pressing is quite rare and has increased in value steadily over the years in music stores and on online auction sites. The standard edition's value has not changed much although the Japanese pressings continue to rise in value. The Best Of The Beast has long since been out of print and has been "replaced" by Edward the Great in most countries as a 'best of' for the band.[3]

The cover art was designed by Derek Riggs, known for having created most of Iron Maiden's early album covers. It is an amalgamation of his most famous works with the band, featuring Eddies from the Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and No Prayer for the Dying eras, as well as those from "The Trooper", Live After Death and a redesign of the Killers album cover.[4]

[edit] Track listing

[edit] Standard edition CD

No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "The Number of the Beast"   Steve Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 4:49
2. "Can I Play with Madness"   Bruce Dickinson, Harris, Adrian Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 3:31
3. "Fear of the Dark (Live)"   Harris A Real Live One (1993), originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 7:21
4. "Run to the Hills"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 3:50
5. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"   Dickinson No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 4:44
6. "The Evil That Men Do"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:35
7. "Aces High"   Harris Powerslave (1984) 4:31
8. "Be Quick or Be Dead"   Dickinson, Janick Gers Fear of the Dark (1992) 3:21
9. "2 Minutes to Midnight"   Dickinson, Smith Powerslave (1984) 6:04
10. "Man on the Edge"   Blaze Bayley, Gers The X Factor (1995) 4:18
11. "Virus"   Bayley, Gers, Harris, Dave Murray New track 6:30
12. "Running Free (Live)"   Paul Di'Anno, Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Iron Maiden (1980) 3:25
13. "Wasted Years"   Smith Somewhere in Time (1986) 5:06
14. "The Clairvoyant"   Harris Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:27
15. "The Trooper"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 4:11
16. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 7:10

[edit] Limited edition CD

Disc One
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Virus"   Bayley, Gers, Harris, Dave Murray New track 6:30
2. "Sign of the Cross"   Harris The X Factor (1995) 11:17
3. "Man on the Edge"   Bayley, Gers The X Factor (1995) 4:18
4. "Afraid to Shoot Strangers (live)"   Harris New version, originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 6:48
5. "Be Quick or Be Dead"   Dickinson, Gers Fear of the Dark (1992) 3:21
6. "Fear of the Dark (Live)"   Harris A Real Live One (1993), originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 7:21
7. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"   Dickinson No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 4:44
8. "Holy Smoke"   Dickinson, Harris No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 3:49
9. "The Clairvoyant"   Harris Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:27
10. "Can I Play With Madness"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 3:31
11. "The Evil That Men Do"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:35
12. "Heaven Can Wait"   Harris Somewhere in Time (1986) 7:24
13. "Wasted Years"   Smith Somewhere in Time (1986) 5:06
Disc Two
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner (live)"   Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Powerslave (1984) 13:10
2. "Running Free (Live)"   Di'Anno, Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Iron Maiden (1980) 3:25
3. "2 Minutes to Midnight"   Dickinson, Smith Powerslave (1984) 6:04
4. "Aces High"   Harris Powerslave (1984) 4:31
5. "Where Eagles Dare"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 6:10
6. "The Trooper"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 4:11
7. "The Number of the Beast"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 4:49
8. "Run to the Hills"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 3:50
9. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 7:10
10. "Wrathchild"   Harris Killers (1981) 2:54
11. "Phantom of the Opera"   Harris Iron Maiden (1980) 7:20
12. "Sanctuary"   Di'Anno, Murray, Harris Iron Maiden (1980) 3:13
13. "Strange World"   Harris Previously unreleased outtake from The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 5:25
14. "Iron Maiden"   Harris The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 3:57

[edit] Limited edition vinyl

Disc One
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Virus"   Bayley, Gers, Harris, Dave Murray New track 6:14
2. "Sign of the Cross"   Harris The X Factor (1995) 11:17
3. "Afraid to Shoot Strangers (live)"   Harris New version, originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 6:48
4. "Man on the Edge"   Bayley, Gers The X Factor (1995) 4:11
5. "Be Quick or Be Dead"   Dickinson, Gers Fear of the Dark (1992) 3:25
6. "Fear of the Dark (Live)"   Harris A Real Live One (1993), originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 7:11
7. "Holy Smoke"   Dickinson, Harris No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 3:50
8. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"   Dickinson No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 4:44
Disc Two
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son"   Harris Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 9:53
2. "Can I Play With Madness"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 3:30
3. "The Evil That Men Do"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:33
4. "The Clairvoyant"   Harris Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:27
5. "Heaven Can Wait"   Harris Somewhere in Time (1986) 7:21
6. "Wasted Years"   Smith Somewhere in Time (1986) 5:07
7. "2 Minutes to Midnight"   Dickinson, Smith Powerslave (1984) 5:59
8. "Running Free (Live)"   Di'Anno, Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Iron Maiden (1980) 3:28
Disc Three
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner (live)"   Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Powerslave (1984) 13:18
2. "Aces High"   Harris Powerslave (1984) 4:31
3. "Where Eagles Dare"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 6:10
4. "The Trooper"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 4:10
5. "The Number of the Beast"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 4:49
6. "Revelations"   Dickinson Previously unreleased live recording, originally from Piece of Mind (1983)  
7. "The Prisoner"   Harris, Smith The Number of the Beast (1982) 6:03
8. "Run to the Hills"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 3:54
9. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 7:12
Disc Four
No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "Wrathchild"   Harris Killers (1981) 2:54
2. "Killers"   Di'Anno, Harris Killers (1981) 5:01
3. "Remember Tomorrow"   Di'Anno, Harris Iron Maiden (1980) 5:29
4. "Phantom of the Opera"   Harris Iron Maiden (1980) 7:20
5. "Sanctuary"   Di'Anno, Murray, Harris Iron Maiden (1980) 3:13
6. "Prowler"   Harris The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 4:20
7. "Invasion"   Harris The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 3:07
8. "Strange World"   Harris Previously unreleased outtake from The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 5:25
9. "Iron Maiden"   Harris The Soundhouse Tapes (1979) 4:01

[edit] MD Edition (Europe only)

No. Title Writer(s) Original album Length
1. "The Number of the Beast"   Steve Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 4:49
2. "Can I Play With Madness"   Bruce Dickinson, Harris, Adrian Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 3:31
3. "Fear of the Dark (Live)"   Harris A Real Live One (1993), originally from Fear of the Dark (1992) 7:21
4. "Run to the Hills"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 3:50
5. "Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"   Dickinson No Prayer for the Dying (1990) 4:44
6. "The Evil That Men Do"   Dickinson, Harris, Smith Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:35
7. "Aces High"   Harris Powerslave (1984) 4:31
8. "Be Quick or Be Dead"   Dickinson, Gers Fear of the Dark (1992) 3:21
9. "2 Minutes to Midnight"   Dickinson, Smith Powerslave (1984) 6:04
10. "Man on the Edge"   Bayley, Gers The X Factor (1995) 4:18
11. "Virus"   Bayley, Gers, Harris, Murray New track 6:30
12. "Running Free (Live)"   Di'Anno, Harris Live After Death (1985), originally from Iron Maiden (1980) 3:25
13. "Wasted Years"   Smith Somewhere in Time (1986) 5:06
14. "The Clairvoyant"   Harris Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) 4:27
15. "The Trooper"   Harris Piece of Mind (1983) 4:11
16. "Hallowed Be Thy Name"   Harris The Number of the Beast (1982) 7:10

[edit] Chart performance

[edit] Album

Chart (1996) Position
Austrian Albums Chart 41[5]
Belgian Albums Chart 28[6]
Dutch Albums Chart 25[7]
Finnish Albums Chart 8[8]
German Albums Chart 42[9]
Japanese Albums Chart 26[10]
New Zealand Albums Chart 37[11]
Swedish Albums Chart 11[12]
UK Albums Chart 16[13]

[edit] Singles

Single Chart (1996) Position
"Virus" Dutch Singles Chart 48[7]
Finnish Singles Chart 3[8]
Swedish Singles Chart 31[12]
UK Singles Chart 16[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Prato, Greg. Best of the Beast at Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  2. ^ a b c Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 316. ISBN 1-86074-542-3. 
  3. ^ Wall, Mick (2004). Iron Maiden: Run to the Hills, the Authorised Biography (3rd ed.). Sanctuary Publishing. p. 365. ISBN 1-86074-542-3. 
  4. ^ "Best of the Beast- Riggs Commentary". http://derek.server311.com/riggsart/Pages/maiden.dir/12beast01.html. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
  5. ^ "Iron Maiden- Austrian Albums Chart" (in German). http://austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  6. ^ "Iron Maiden- Belgian Charts". http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  7. ^ a b "Iron Maiden- Dutch Charts". http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  8. ^ a b "Iron Maiden- Finnish Albums Chart". http://finnishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  9. ^ "Iron Maiden- German longplay" (in German). http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/IRON+MAIDEN?sort=entry&type=longplay. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  10. ^ "Best of the Beast- Oricon" (in Japanese). http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/32233/products/music/262466/1/. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  11. ^ "Iron Maiden- New Zealand Charts". http://charts.org.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  12. ^ a b "Iron Maiden- Swedish Charts". http://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Iron+Maiden. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  13. ^ "Official UK Albums Archive 5th October 1996". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/1996-10-05/. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
  14. ^ "Official UK Singles Archive 21st September 1996". http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/1996-09-21/. Retrieved 2011-10-21. 
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