Virus (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Virus


Artist = Iron Maiden
from Album = The Best of the Beast
B-side = "My Generation"
"Doctor Doctor"
"Prowler"
"Invasion"
"Sanctuary"
"Wrathchild"
Genre = Heavy metal
Released = August 2, 1996
Recorded = Summer 1996
Length = 12:32
Label = EMI
Writers = (Blaze Bayley, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris
Chart position = #16
Last single = "Lord of the Flies"
(1996)
This single = "Virus"
(1996)
Next single = "The Angel and the Gambler"
(1998)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = Alternative cover Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Single


Lower caption = Short Verson cover

"Virus" is a single from Iron Maiden, released in 1996. It is the first single since 1980's "Women in Uniform" 'that does not appear on any official Iron Maiden studio album. It was, however, featured as a brand new track on the band's first ever career retrospective — 1996's double-disc "The Best of the Beast". It has yet to be performed in Iron Maiden concerts featuring Bruce Dickinson on vocals.

In order to celebrate the band's 21 years, the single was released in three different formats. The first format features the same B-sides as the "Lord of the Flies" single from 1996, which included covers from The Who and UFO. The second features songs from the 1979 compilation album "Metal for Muthas", which marks the only studio recordings to feature former guitarist Tony Parsons. The third features two songs from Maiden's legendary 1978 demo recordings, "The Soundhouse Tapes".

On the EP Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada by Post-rock group Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the track Blaise Bailey Finnegan III features a sample of a man of the same name reciting a poem that he claims to be his own. The poem is in fact the lyrics from Virus that the man plagiarised. The band claimed they didn't realise he was reciting someone else's work until after the EP had been released.

It is the only Iron Maiden song to be credited to both of the band's guitarists.

Track listing

CD 1

# "Virus (Short Version)" (Blaze Bayley, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris) - 3:54
# "My Generation" (The Who cover) - 3:38
# "Doctor Doctor" (UFO cover) - 4:50

CD 2

# "Virus" (Blaze Bayley, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris) - 6:14
# "Sanctuary" (from the 1979 compilation album "Metal for Muthas") - 3:34
# "Wrathchild" (from the 1979 compilation album "Metal for Muthas") - 3:07

12" disc

# "Virus" (Blaze Bayley, Dave Murray, Janick Gers, Steve Harris) - 6:14
# "Prowler" (from the 1978 demo "The Soundhouse Tapes") - 4:20
# "Invasion" (from the 1978 demo "The Soundhouse Tapes") - 3:07

Promotional CD for radio stations

# "Virus" - 3:53
# "Man on the Edge" - 4:11
# "Afraid to Shoot Strangers (Live) - 6:48
# "2 Minutes to Midnight" - 6:02
# "The Trooper" - 4:13
# "The Number of the Beast" - 4:52
# "Wrathchild" - 2:54
# "Strange World" - 5:22
# "Iron Maiden" - 4:01

Credits

"Virus", "My Generation", "Doctor Doctor"

*Blaze Bayley – vocals
*Dave Murray – guitar
*Janick Gers – guitar, backing vocals
*Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
*Nicko McBrain – drums

"Prowler", "Invasion"

*Paul Di'Anno – vocals
*Dave Murray – guitar
*Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
*Doug Sampson – drums

"Sanctuary", "Wrathchild"

*Paul Di'Anno – vocals
*Dave Murray – guitar
*Tony Parsons - guitar
*Steve Harris – bass guitar, backing vocals
*Doug Sampson – drums

External links

* [http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/?url=single30_virus/commentary30a_virus1&lang=eng&link=singles Song Commentary]