Released: 12th February 1982
1. Run To The Hills (Harris)
2. Total Eclipse (Harris, Murray, Burr)
Run To The Hills was Maiden's seventh single (including the Maiden Japan EP), and was Bruce Dickinson's first single with Iron Maiden. It was a huge success, rising as high as number seven on the U.K. charts. It had one of the coolest picture sleeves, showing Eddie and the devil locked in mortal combat atop a boulder (a hill?) in hell. It is the same scenario as on the The Number Of The Beast album cover, complete with the spiralling clouds above the thronging masses of the damned.
Run To The Hills (Harris)
This is the same version as on the Number Of The Beast album.
Total Eclipse (Harris, Murray, Burr)
This is the same version as on the 1998 re-edition of the Number Of The Beast album.
Released: 26th April 1982
1. The Number Of The Beast (Harris)
2. Remember Tomorrow (live) (Harris, Di'Anno)
The Number Of The Beast single was released about a month after the album and made it to number 18 on the U.K. charts. The sleeve picture is an obvious continuation of the Run To The Hills single picture the result of the battle between Eddie and the devil is no longer in any doubt. This is an interesting symbolism that was probably lost on the religious bigots; obviously Eddie is more powerful than the devil. Why then would anyone be interested in worshipping this weak (and now deceased) devil?
Rod Smallwood's comments are taken from the Best Of The B'Sides album booklet included in the Eddie's Archive box.
The Number Of The Beast (Harris)
This is the same version as on the Number Of The Beast album.
Remember Tomorrow (live) (Harris, Di'Anno)
This is a particularly interesting version of 'Remember Tomorrow'. The sleeve notes proclaim that it was recorded live in Italy, and this is supported by Nicko who claims that it was recorded during Bruce's very first gigs with Maiden. Even Rod Smallwood insists on covering the truth in the Best Of The B'Sides album booklet! This claim is however not true. This is in fact the exact same recording of 'Remember Tomorrow' as appears on the Maiden Japan EP! Di'Anno's vocal track has been over-dubbed with Dickinson's new vocal track. I believe that the band actually admitted to this once in an interview, although I do not have the reference for it. However, there is other evidence to support this. Firstly, the two tracks are identical in length and sound the same, which would be a highly improbable occurrence. And most compellingly, whoever did the over-dubbing forgot to remove Di'Anno's "Thank you!" from the end of the song, and so both Di'Anno and Dickinson can be heard shouting "Thank you!" In my opinion, this removes all doubt.
This was recorded when the band went out to tour in Italy with Bruce for the first time in Oct 1981 prior to going into the studio to record 'Number Of The Beast'. We did these 5 shows to get Bruce warmed up live and get into the vibe to write and record 'Beast'. We thought it would make an interesting B side as it was Bruce's first recording with Maiden on his first gigs with us.
Rod Smallwood
