Somewhere in Time (Iron Maiden album)

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Live After Death1985Seventh Son of a Seventh Son1988studioSomewhere in TimeIron Maiden - Somewhere in Time.jpgyesIron MaidenTemplate:Start date<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>January–June 1986<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>* Compass Point (Nassau, The Bahamas)

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Somewhere in Time is the sixth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 29 September 1986 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitar synthesisers.<ref name= "Wall 258">Template:Cite book</ref>

Since its release, Somewhere in Time has been certified platinum by the RIAA, having sold over one million copies in the US.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Somewhere on Tour was the album's supporting tour. In 2023, it was made the focus of the Future Past World Tour, alongside 2021's Senjutsu.

Background

Somewhere in Time is the band's first studio effort following the extensive World Slavery Tour of 1984–85, which was physically draining for the group,<ref name= "Wall 255">Template:Cite book</ref> lasting 331 days and comprising 187 concerts.<ref name="Wall 253">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="ME 88">Template:Cite video</ref> The resulting exhaustion is credited as the main factor in the complete lack of songwriting contributions from lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, whose material was rejected by the rest of the band.<ref name= "Wall 260">Template:Cite book</ref> Dickinson had written several "acoustic-based" songs, explaining that "I felt we had to come up with our Physical Graffiti or Led Zeppelin IV ... we had to get it onto another level or we'd stagnate and drift away", although bassist and primary writer Steve Harris "thought he'd lost the plot completely", surmising that "he was probably more burnt out than anyone at the end of that last tour".<ref name= "Wall 260"/> On the other hand, the record is also notable for the number of "fully formed" songs written by guitarist Adrian Smith,<ref name= "Wall 261">Template:Cite book</ref> who wrote both of the album's singles: "Wasted Years" and "Stranger in a Strange Land", the former of which is the only song on the record not to feature synthesisers.<ref name="guitarworld">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Following the World Slavery Tour, the group were given four months to recuperate, with Harris, Smith and guitarist Dave Murray spending the time experimenting with new equipment.<ref name= "Wall 258"/> The result was a marked change in sound for Iron Maiden, as it was their first to use guitar and bass synthesisers, although on their next release, 1988's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, the effects were provided by keyboards instead.<ref name= "Wall 266">Template:Cite book</ref> Given their time off, this was their first studio album not to be released a year after their previous one, the band insisting that they have more time "to get it right without hurrying for a change", comments Harris.<ref name="Wall 258"/> It was also one of their most expensive records, with the bass and drums recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, The Bahamas, the guitars and vocals recorded at Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, Netherlands; and the mixing taking place at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.<ref name= "Wall 258"/>

While the majority of the release's songs have disappeared from the band's live shows shortly after its supporting tour, "Wasted Years" and "Heaven Can Wait" have appeared on several subsequent tours. On 28 May 2023, nearly 37 years after the album's release, Iron Maiden performed "Alexander the Great" live for the first time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The 2008 tribute CD Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden, released by Kerrang! magazine, features covers of two of the album's songs; "Wasted Years" by DevilDriver and "Caught Somewhere in Time" by Madina Lake.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Songs

Although "space and time" are common themes throughout the release, with songs such as "Wasted Years", "Caught Somewhere in Time", "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "Deja-Vu", the band never intended for it to be a concept album, with Harris stating, "We certainly never went in there and said, 'Right let's write a load of songs on the subject of time.Template:'"<ref name="Wall 259">Template:Cite book</ref>

The album opener and demi-title track "Caught Somewhere in Time", written by Harris, is narrated from the point of view of the Devil (or a demon) offering a man the opportunity to travel in time, in exchange for his soul. Adrian Smith's "Wasted Years", the album's leading single, deals with the themes of homesickness and alienation and was partially inspired by Smith's own experiences during the seemingly-unending World Slavery Tour, and is followed by "Sea of Madness", an up-tempo song by the same author; speaking of those, Harris highlighted their "optimistic message".<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> "Heaven Can Wait" was one of the first songs completed during the writing process, and Harris stated that it is about a person having an out-of-body experience and fighting it with their determination to live.<ref name=":0" />

"The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" was based on the 1962 British film of the same name and tells the story of a boy reflecting on long-distance running as a way to evade both physically and emotionally from his situation;<ref name=":0" /> in 2017, the song was quoted by Paula Radcliffe (2005 World Champion in the discipline) in a clip about the mental and physical faculties a long-distance runner needs, in the context of the BBC coverage of the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album's second single, "Stranger in a Strange Land", was inspired to Smith by the true story of a sailor who disappeared during an expedition to the North Pole and found years later perfectly preserved in ice, and draws its title from a 1959 Robert Heinlein book.<ref name=":0" /> "Dejà Vu" (the only co-written song in the track list) is about the psychological sensation of déjà vu, whereby someone feels a strong sense of recollection despite the context makes it uncertain or impossible.Template:Sfn The album's closing track, "Alexander the Great (356–323 BC)", is a chronological narration of the life and conquests of Alexander the Great, the King of Macedon from 336 to 323 BC and conqueror of a great portion of Eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor.Template:Sfn

Cover artwork

The cover for Somewhere in Time, created by the band's then-regular artist Derek Riggs, displays a muscular cyborg-enhanced Eddie in a futuristic, Blade Runner-inspired environment.<ref name="Riggs SIT"/> Much like the cover of Powerslave, the wraparound album cover holds a plethora of references to earlier Iron Maiden albums and songs,<ref name="Popoff 87"/> such as:

• The street sign on the corner where Eddie is standing reads Acacia (partially obscured), a reference to the song "22 Acacia Avenue" from The Number of the Beast (1982).<ref name="Popoff 87">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Below "Acacia" is a poster of Eddie from the first album, with graffiti reading "Eddie lives" written on it.<ref name="Popoff 87"/> Torn posters are also featured on the "Sanctuary" and "Women in Uniform" singles.
• A banner with the words "This is a very boring painting" is displayed backward within the lobby of the Bradbury Towers Hotels International. This can be seen to the left of Eddie's right leg.<ref name="Popoff 86"/>
• In the very centre, just above the "Department" sign and behind the cable going to the cyborg's weapon, there is a small vertical phrase in red neon, which reads "Меня Рвёт" [Menya Rvyot], Russian for "I'm vomiting" — or more literally, "it's tearing me up", depending on the context.
• An Eye of Horus neon sign is at the top of a building, a reference to the song "Powerslave" from the 1984 album of the same name.<ref name="Popoff 90">Template:Cite book</ref>
• To the right of Eddie's left leg there is a rubbish bin attached to a lamppost, identical to the one seen on the cover of the Iron Maiden album.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• The haloed black cat from the back cover of the 1985 Live After Death album is on the pavement behind Eddie.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• Below the Eye of Horus is the name, "Websters", a tribute to Charlie Webster, EMI's art director.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• Derek Riggs' artistic signature symbol can be found on Eddie's chest.

References on the back include:

• A clock reading 23:58 ("2 Minutes to Midnight").<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• Below the clock there is a sign which reads "Phantom Opera House", in reference to the song "Phantom of the Opera" from the first album.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• The words "Bollocks again & again" appear just below the "Phantom Opera House".
• A building on the left side carries the sign, "Aces High Bar", a reference to the song of the same name.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• Flying over the "Aces High Bar" is a Spitfire from the "Aces High" cover.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• To the left of the "Aces High Bar" are four letters in yellow and green. These are Hebrew letters spelling out the name of God, namely יהוה, Jehovah/Yahweh.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• Below the "Aces High Bar", is a sign that reads "Sand Dune" in reference to their song "To Tame a Land," from Piece of Mind (1983), based on the Dune novel.
• Many pyramids appear in the background, a reference to the Powerslave album.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• Among the pyramids is a Grim Reaper, similar to that which appears on the covers of "The Trooper" and Live After Death.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• The marquee for the cinema reads Blade Runner, the film which inspired the album's cover.<ref name="Riggs SIT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> It also reads "Live After Death", the name of their 1985 live album.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>

• The cinema is named "Philip K. Dick Cinema", named after the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the book on which the film Blade Runner was based.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• More Blade Runner references include "Dekkers Department Stores" and a "Tyrell Corp" sign.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• In the background, "Bradbury Towers" can be seen, a reference to the Bradbury Building which is prominent in Blade Runner.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• To the right of the clock is a neon sign which reads "Ancient Mariner Seafood Restaurant", a reference to the song "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" from the Powerslave album.
• On the bottom left hand side of the cover is "The Ruskin Arms", famous for being one of the first venues in which Iron Maiden performed.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• On the second floor of the "Ruskin Arms" building is a woman sitting in a red lit room which, a reference to Charlotte the Harlot, a repeated character in the band's songs.<ref name="Popoff 86"/>
• Just above "The Ruskin Arms" is a neon sign that reads "Rainbow", another famous venue where Iron Maiden recorded a live video in 1980.
• Above and to the left of the "Rainbow" sign is a neon sign reading "L'Amours Beer Gardens", a reference to the "L'Amours" rock venue which Iron Maiden once played in Brooklyn, New York City.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• On the roof of the same building is the TARDIS from the BBC TV series Doctor Who.<ref name="Popoff 87"/> The TARDIS is also featured on the cover of the "Wasted Years" single.
• Above the Bradbury Towers neon sign is Icarus in flames falling from the sky, in the same style of the cover for the band's 1983 single "Flight of Icarus".<ref name="Popoff 87"/> According to Riggs, Icarus is supposed to look like the logo used by Swan Song Records, a label founded by Led Zeppelin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• On the walkway above the clock is an electronic sign that says "LATEST RESULTS.......WEST HAM 7........ARSENAL 3", a nod to Steve Harris who is a West Ham United supporter.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• At the right edge below, just near the band, there is another sign in Russian – Кефир ("Kefir").<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• Just above the "KEFIR" sign is a street sign reading "Upton Park," which was the name of West Ham's former stadium.
• There is a sign which reads "Tonight: Gypsy's Kiss", a reference to Harris' first band.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• On the right side, above the "Bradbury Towers" sign, is a sign in Japanese, "浅田　彰," which refers to a notable Japanese philosopher, economist and critic, Akira Asada.
• To the right of the pyramids is a sign reading "Long Beach Arena," which is where most of the Live After Death live album was recorded.
• The Syncom sign refers to the 1961 NASA program of the same name.
• The neon sign above the band reads "Maggies Revenge" and refers to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who appears on the cover of the "Sanctuary" and "Women in Uniform" singles.
• One of the buildings is labelled "Asimov Foundation", a reference to the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• A character wearing a large cloak stands above the walkway's right side, which Riggs claims is Batman.<ref name="Popoff 86">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Above and slightly to the right of the cloaked character reads more Hebrew lettering, "ג'ין" (Gin, in English).
• On the right side of the walkway and just above the "Latest Results" sign is the bracket that holds Eddie's skull together from the Piece of Mind album onwards, which Riggs drew as a cartouche.<ref name="Popoff 86"/>
• In the bottom right hand corner all five members of the band are standing in a line. Dickinson is holding a brain, a reference to Piece of Mind album, and drummer Nicko McBrain is wearing aviator goggles (he had a pilot's license by this time, long before Dickinson) and a T-shirt that says "Iron What?". According to Riggs, the band complained because the pictures of themselves were not accurate enough.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• To the right of "Long Beach Arena" is a sign which reads "Hammerjacks", a night club and concert hall in Baltimore, frequented by the band.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• Below Hammerjacks is a sign that reads "Tehe's Bar", which is where the choir vocals in the middle of "Heaven Can Wait" were recorded.<ref name="Popoff 90"/>
• To the left of the clock is a sign that reads "Herbert Ails", a reference to the author Frank Herbert who wrote the Dune novel, upon which the Iron Maiden song, "To Tame a Land", is based. Herbert had also died that same year, explaining the word "Ails". The reference also refers to the unfriendly response the band received from Herbert (via his agent) regarding permission to use "Dune" as the song's title.<ref name="Popoff 87"/>
• Beneath the Phantom Opera House sign, there is a sign that reads "EMI REC.". All of the band's albums, outside North America, have been released by EMI Records.

Riggs came up with all the in-jokes and references and it took him 3 months to complete the 15x32 inch painting. The process wore him out completely as he underestimated the complexity of the artwork and said he would never paint anything this convoluted ever again.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.<ref name="liner">Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

Iron Maiden

• Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
• Dave Murray – guitars, guitar synthesiser
• Adrian Smith – guitars, guitar synthesiser, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Reach Out"
• Steve Harris – bass, bass synthesiser
• Nicko McBrain – drums

Production

• Martin "Masa" Birch – producer, engineer, mixing, tape operator
• Bruce Buchhalter – second engineer
• Sean Burrows – assistant engineer (Compass Point Studios)
• Albert Boekholt – assistant engineer (Wisseloord Studios)
• Ronald Prent – assistant engineer (Wisseloord Studios)
• George Marino – mastering engineer
• Derek Riggs – sleeve illustrations
• Aaron Rapoport – photography
• Rod Smallwood – management, sleeve concept
• Andy Taylor – management
• Hugh Gilmour – reissue design (1998 edition)

Charts

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Chart (1986–1987)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	23
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)<ref name=FINI>Template:Cite book</ref>	1
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Somewhere in time".</ref>	14
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="JPN">Template:Cite book</ref>	16

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Chart (1998)	Peak position

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Chart (2010–2013)	Peak position

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Chart (2019–2021)	Peak position