Iron Maiden - 02.Ghost Of The Navigator (New York 2000)

Iron Maiden - Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA, 05 Aug. 2000.
Ghost Of The Navigator (Gers, Dickinson, Harris)
Bruce Dickinson:Vocals
Steve Harris:Bass
Janick Gers:Guitar
Dave Murray:Guitar
Adrian Smith:Guitar
Nicko McBrain:Drums
[Lyrics]
I have sailed to many lands, now I make my final journey
On the bow I stand, west is where I go
Through the night I plough, still my heart, calculate and pray
As the compass swings, my will is strong, I will not be led astray
Mysteries of time clouds that hide the sun
But I know, but I know, but I know
I see the ghosts of navigators but they are lost
As they sail into the sunset they'll count the cost
As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea
The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me
Take my heart and set it free, carried forward by the waves
Nowhere left to run, navigator's son,
Chasing rainbows all my days
Where I go I do not know, I only know the place I've been
Dreams they come and go, ever shall be so,
Nothing's real until you feel
I steer between the crashing rocks, the sirens call my name
Lash my hands onto the helm, blood surging with the strain
I will not fail now as sunrise comes the darkness left behind
For eternity I follow on there is no other way
Mysteries of time clouds that hide the sun
But I know, I know
I see the ghosts of navigators but they are lost
As they sail into the sunset they'll count the cost
As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea
The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me
Take my heart and set it free, carried forward by the waves
Nowhere left to run, navigator's son,
Chasing rainbows all my days
Where I go I do not know, I only know the place I've been
Dreams they come and go, ever shall be so,
Nothing's real until you feel
I see the ghosts of navigators but they are lost
As they sail into the sunset they'll count the cost
As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea
The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me
Take my heart and set it free, carried forward by the waves
Nowhere left to run, navigator's son,
Chasing rainbows all my days
Where I go I do not know, I only know the place I've been
Dreams they come and go, ever shall be so,
Nothing's real until you feel
..........................
''Ghost Of The Navigator'' is a song from the twelfth studio album''Brave New World'' by Iron Maiden, released on 30 May 2000.
''I wrote the thing, the verse and the chorus, with Jan and he came up with this riff, and I just got this thing in my head of, like, Vikings! Like smashing through the seas, big boats and pioneers. Then I thought about navigation. So being a vaguely arty bloke on occasions it struck me as a metaphor for life. So suddenly I had a plot for the song. It was a great big epic sea-faring journey and the journey was life and the navigator was us as we were writing it. Steve said, "That's a really cool middle bit, and we can have this bit in it too" and I really liked it. I don't know if he was on the same wavelength as me but it sounds to me like a big storm 'cos I've already got the navigator lashed to the helm as not to be tempted by the sirens on the rocks trying to distract him. Trying not to be distracted by all the ghosts of his subconscious, the ghosts of his failed aspirations, and also his own fears, that it may all be pointless when he gets there and he does it because he must. That's the only answer he can give. '' (Bruce Dickinson)
The lyrics are a metaphor of life, with the ship sailing West towards the setting sun representing death. The "ghosts of navigators" could be an allusion to all of those who go through life without really realising it, being therefore "lost" and not in control of their navigation. This sentence could also refer to our forebears who have sailed the sames 'seas' as us and whose memory still remains. In any case, "nothing's real until you feel" is probably an advice to experience life to the full, with its ups and downs, or run the risk to have wasted this short time between the cradle and the grave.
''Brave New World'' is the twelfth studio album by Iron Maiden, released on 30 May 2000 (see 2000 in music). It marked the return of longtime lead singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith to the band, who left in 1990, replaced by Janick Gers. It was also the band's first studio recording with three guitar players, as Gers stayed with the band after Smith's return.
The album art and title song are references to the novel of the same name written by Aldous Huxley.

[@Malarkeyzz]

Janick gers is just... too awesome..

[@Queen4Ever21]

HOLY HELL! This sounds like a faster version than the official RiR and BNW version....And I think it sounds AWESOME, just AWESOME!

[@MrBattalion]

superb

[@emankcin1701]

4:48 goosebumbs

[@bayknight20]

thanks for posting this clip. I caught the july 2010 show. this is a great clip but the sound at MSG sucks.