As mentioned in my previous post about Black Sabbath, I love covering a famous tune from time to time and try to make it my own. There are certain songs that also work just on an acoustic guitar, and that is always an indicator for a great song (see The Beatles). One of those songs is clearly The Trooper by Iron Maiden. The song is also a good example that it only takes three chords to write an amazing song (solo section excluded). As a huge Iron Maiden fan, I quoted two other Iron Maiden hits in my e-guitar solo - any die-hard Maiden fans here who can guess the tunes? My wife @patschwork also gave a great look behind the scenes of the video shoot, which you can find here.
The Trooper
You'll take my life, but I'll take yours too
You'll fire your musket, but I'll run you through
So when you're waiting for the next attack
You'd better stand, there's no turning back
The bugle sounds, the charge begins
But on this battlefield, no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horses' breath
As I plunge on into certain death
The horse, he sweats with fear, we break to run
The mighty roar of the Russian guns
And as we race towards the human wall
The screams of pain as my comrades fall
We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground
And the Russians fire another round
We get so near, yet so far away
We won't live to fight another day
We get so close, near enough to fight
When a Russian gets me in his sights
He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow
A burst of rounds take my horse below
And as I lay there gazing at the sky
My body's numb and my throat is dry
And as I lay forgotten and alone
Without a tear, I draw my parting groan
