Man on the Edge

"Man on the Edge" is a single from the Iron Maiden album The X Factor released in 1995. The song is based on the film Falling Down, starring Michael Douglas. It was the first single the band released with Blaze Bayley on vocals.

"Man on the Edge"
Single by Iron Maiden
from the album The X Factor
B-side
  • "The Edge of Darkness"
  • "Judgement Day"
  • "Justice of the Peace"
  • "I Live My Way"
  • "Blaze Bayley Interview"
Released25 September 1995 (1995-09-25)
Recorded1994 – August 1995
StudioBarnyard (Essex)
GenreHeavy metal
Length4:13
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Iron Maiden singles chronology
"Hallowed Be Thy Name (live)"
(1993)		 "Man on the Edge"
(1995)		 "Lord of the Flies"
(1996)

Synopsis

In addition to an interview with Bayley and another track from The X Factor, the single features three originals that did not make the album's final cut. It is one of two Blaze Bayley era songs to make it onto the Edward the Great compilation, along with "Futureal", as well as one of three to make it onto Best of the Beast along with "Sign of the Cross" and "Virus".

Iron Maiden frequently played this song during the Ed Hunter tour in 1999, making it one of 5 Bayley era songs to survive in concerts after his departure (The others being "Lord of the Flies", "Sign of the Cross", "Futureal", and "The Clansman").

A live version of this song from 1999 is featured on the 2000 single release of "The Wicker Man" and on the compilation From Fear to Eternity from 2011, with Bruce Dickinson on vocals.

There were three videos made for this song. One is filmed on location at Masada, Israel, the second is a more cinematic video of the band performing as a man throws himself off a building, and the third is a 'sneak-peek' promo video consisting only of clips of 'pratfalls' from black and white silent movies was used for promotional purposes prior to release. This third version appears as an 'Easter Egg' on the 'Visions of the Beast' DVD.

The song was featured in the video game Carmageddon 2.

On the cover of CD 1 Eddie's brain has been cut in half, though on CD 2 he still has his brain attached. The 12" Picture Disc was the same as CD 1 though because it moved within the sleeve it could look very different, very much like an "X" in the right position.

Track listing
CD single 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Man on the Edge"
4:19
2."The Edge of Darkness"
6:40
3."Judgement Day"
  • Bayley
  • Gers
4:09
4."Blaze Bayley Interview - Part I" 5:41
CD single 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Man on the Edge"
  • Bayley
  • Gers
4:19
2."The Edge of Darkness"
  • Harris
  • Bayley
  • Gers
6:40
3."Justice of the Peace"
3:38
4."Blaze Bayley Interview - Part II" 5:55
12" picture disc
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Man on the Edge"
  • Bayley
  • Gers
 
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
2."The Edge of Darkness"
  • Harris
  • Bayley
  • Gers
6:40
3."I Live My Way"
  • Harris
  • Bayley
  • Gers
3:48

Personnel

Production credits are adapted from the CD,[1][2] and picture disc covers.[3]

Iron Maiden
Production
  • Nigel Green – producer, mixing
  • Ronal Whelan – mastering

Chart performance
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Finnish Singles Chart 1[4]
French Singles Chart 33[5]
Norwegian Singles Chart 18[6]
Swedish Singles Chart 23[7]
UK Singles Chart 10[8]

Cover versions
gollark: We would probably notice people doing recruitery things anyway. This is pointless.
gollark: I'm sure people can be in the air force and interact in good faith on discord.
gollark: Do you know that this isn't just a regular person who is also in some sort of army thing? Prior experience elsewhere or something?
gollark: Unless people do actual recruitering or advertising it is not an issue.
gollark: Yes, indeed.

References
  1. "Man on the Edge" CD One (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 25 September 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Man on the Edge" CD Two (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 25 September 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "Man on the Edge" Picture Disc Single (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 25 September 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. "Iron Maiden Discography". The Official Finnish Charts. Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  5. "Discographie Iron Maiden". SNEP (in French). Lescharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  6. "Iron Maiden discography". VG-lista. norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  7. "Iron Maiden discography". Sverigetopplistan. swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  8. "Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive 7 October 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
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