Be Quick or Be Dead
"Be Quick or Be Dead" | ||||
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Single by Iron Maiden | ||||
from the album Fear of the Dark | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 13 April 1992[1] | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 3:24[2] | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers | |||
Producer(s) | Martin Birch, Steve Harris | |||
Iron Maiden singles chronology | ||||
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"Be Quick or Be Dead" is a song by English
Synopsis
The song is about several political scandals taking place at the time of its release, including the
The B-side features two official songs and one hidden track, including an original blues number ("Nodding Donkey Blues") and Montrose cover ("Space Station No. 5"), and the unlisted "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be". The last is a spoken word comedy piece by Bruce Dickinson (along with acoustic guitar accompaniment from Janick Gers) in which he imitates and makes fun of Maiden manager Rod Smallwood. A similar mockery of Smallwood was released before, as a B-side titled "Sheriff of Huddersfield", which was available on the "Wasted Years" single.
Track listings
7-inch single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers | 3:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
2. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Steve Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Dave Murray, Nicko McBrain | 3:11 |
12-inch single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 3:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
2. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Murray, McBrain | 3:11 |
3. | "Space Station No. 5" (Montrose Cover) | Ronnie Montrose, Sammy Hagar | 3:47 |
UK 12-inch single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 3:24 |
2. | "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be" (Hidden Track) | Dickinson, Gers | 8:05 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
3. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Murray, McBrain | 3:11 |
4. | "Space Station No. 5" (Montrose Cover) | Montrose, Hagar | 3:47 |
CD single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 3:24 |
2. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Murray, McBrain | 3:11 |
3. | "Space Station No. 5" (Montrose Cover) | Montrose, Hagar | 3:47 |
UK CD single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 3:24 |
2. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Murray, McBrain | 3:11 |
3. | "Space Station No. 5" (Montrose Cover; includes hidden track "Bayswater Ain't a Bad Place to Be") | Montrose, Hagar | 11:57 |
French CD maxi-single
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Be Quick or Be Dead" | Dickinson, Gers | 3:24 |
2. | "Nodding Donkey Blues" | Harris, Dickinson, Gers, Murray, McBrain | 3:11 |
3. | "Space Station No. 5" (Montrose Cover) | Montrose, Hagar | 3:47 |
4. | "The French Message From Bruce Dickinson" | Dickinson | 1:02 |
Personnel
Production credits are adapted from the 7 inch single and picture disc covers.[2][3]
Iron Maiden
- Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
- Dave Murray – guitar
- Janick Gers – guitar
- Steve Harris – bass guitar, producer
- Nicko McBrain – drums
Production
- Martin Birch – producer
- Derek Riggs – sleeve illustration
- Mike Prior – photography
- George Chin – photography
Charts
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[4] | 47 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] | 47 |
Denmark (IFPI)[6] | 5 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] | 12 |
Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista)[8]
|
2 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[9] | 32 |
Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 10 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] | 27 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[12] | 26 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] | 12 |
Norway (VG-lista)[14] | 3 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 15 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 15 |
2 |
References
- ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 April 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Be Quick or Be Dead" 7 Inch Single (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 13 April 1992.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Be Quick or Be Dead" Picture Disc Single (Media notes). Iron Maiden. EMI. 13 April 1992.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 24. 13 June 1992. p. 18. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 18. 2 May 1992. p. 37. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Be Quick or Be Dead". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead". VG-lista. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Iron Maiden – Be Quick or Be Dead". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 April 2020.