This is a retelling of the classic Greek myth of Icarus' flight, but with a twist. In the original, Daedalus and his son, Icarus, escape King Minos' prison by building wax wings and flying away on them. Daedalus warns Icarus not to fly too high, but the cocky teen rebels, his wings melt, and he plummets to his death in what is now called The Icarian Sea (he was reportedly buried by Hercules). In the song, Daedalus watches from the ground, and his advice to his son is to "fly and touch the sun." The now-obedient Icarus does so, and realizes his father tricked him just before his wings melt.
This was Iron Maiden's first single released in the United States. The B-side of the single was a cover of Montrose's 1976 song "I've Got the Fire."
The album cover shows Icarus' wings being torched by Eddie, the band's mascot.
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