Stratego Lyrics
How do you read a madman's mind?
Teach me the art of war
For I shall bring more than you bargained for
Give me an ultimatum
That I could not dream of
Spills of a crying nation upon my soul
[Pre-Chorus 1]
For I have not a mortal soul
That you already know
Look at my eyes
There’s no surprise
[Chorus]
Ocean is black, the Devil's track
Looking beyond beneath the sea
Eye of the storm is here again
Been there before you were ever born
Beyond the dark, I feel the pain
It's hidden, but I can’t explain
A cross to bear, a heavy faith
My sorrow whispers, "Time again"
[Post-Chorus]
I hear you calling my name
Come to claim my life again
Pray for me I'm almost there
The pain almost too much to bear
I try to find my way back home
To feel the same again
The voice of nothing listened far too long
Little by little, eat away
I think I've lost my mind
Too late to change now what I left behind
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Hear me, listen my call
I am ready to fall
Lord, hear me now
Let me go
[Guitar Solo]
[Chorus]
Ocean is black, the Devil's track
Looking beyond beneath the sea
Eye of the storm is here again
Been there before you were ever born
Beyond the dark, I feel the pain
It's hidden, but I can't explain
A cross to bear, a heavy faith
My sorrow whispers, "Time again"
About
“Stratego” is the second single from Iron Maiden’s seventeenth studio album Senjutsu. Continuing the theme of war and strategy from the previous song, it tells the story of a warrior in their last moments and their cry for closure.
I wrote a lot of the music for this one and Steve [Harris] brought his melodies in. It’s a basic rock ’n’ roll track with some extra creativity thrown in.
That power chord to minor sixth shift is very dark-sounding and always very effective. It sets up a mood and away you go! It defines the sound of the song, with that element of discordance to it.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Bruce Dickinson:
Stratego is a board game. I’ve never played it, but it’s kind of similar to chess. I was doing a little bit of searching and discovered that Stratego was based on a French board game from the 19th century. That game was based on something called military chess. Japanese military chess, in turn, is a game called shogi. The characters are basically flat stones with Japanese calligraphy on them, each denoting a warrior of some description. You’ve got a black side and a white side, but it’s entirely possible for characters to change sides. Not only that, but they can also transform into a different character. It’s a game of strategy and tactics, but also betrayal and intrigue.
—via Apple Music
- 1.Senjutsu
- 2.Stratego
- 7.Darkest Hour
- 10.Hell on Earth
