2 Minutes To Midnight – English Lyrics

• By: Iron Maiden
• Album: Powerslave

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the powerful world of Iron Maiden with "2 Minutes to Midnight," a song that transcends typical heavy metal to offer sharp social commentary. Through its aggressive riffs and potent lyrics, you can explore English vocabulary related to war, politics, and global anxiety. This track is a masterclass in how music can convey urgent messages and historical context, making it a captivating way to engage with the language and themes of classic metal.

[English]

Kill for gain or shoot to maim

But we don't need a reason

The golden goose is on the loose

And never out of season

Blackened pride still burns inside

This shell of bloody treason

Here's my gun for a barrel of fun

For the love of living death

The killer's breed or the demon's seed

The glamour, the fortune, the pain

Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain

Don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight

The hands that threaten doom

2 minutes to midnight

To kill the unborn in the womb

The blind men shout, "Let the creatures out!

We'll show the unbelievers"

Napalm screams of human flames

For a prime-time Belsen feast, yeah

As the reasons for the carnage cut

Their meat and lick the gravy

We oil the jaws of the war machine

And feed it with our babies

The killer's breed or the demon's seed

The glamour, the fortune, the pain

Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain

Don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight

The hands that threaten doom

2 minutes to midnight

To kill the unborn in the womb

The body bags and little rags

Of children torn in two

And the jellied brains of those who remain

To put the finger right on you

As the mad men play on words

And make us all dance to their song

To the tune of starving millions

To make a better kind of gun

The killer's breed or the demon's seed

The glamour, the fortune, the pain

Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain

Don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight

The hands that threaten doom

2 minutes to midnight

To kill the unborn in the womb

Midnight

Midnight

Midnight

It's all night

Midnight

Midnight

Midnight

It's all night

Midnight, all night

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
kill /kɪl/ A1	verb - to cause the death of (a person, animal, or plant).
gain /ɡeɪn/ B1	noun - an increase in wealth or resources. verb - obtain or secure (something desired or valuable).
shoot /ʃuːt/ A2	verb - to fire a bullet or arrow from a weapon.
maim /meɪm/ C1	verb - to wound or injure (someone) so that part of the body is permanently damaged.
golden /ˈɡoʊldən/ B1	adjective - made of or resembling gold.
loose /luːs/ B1	adjective - not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached.
season /ˈsiːzən/ A2	noun - each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter).
blackened /ˈblækənd/ B2	adjective - made black or dark.
pride /praɪd/ B1	noun - a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements.
burns /bɜːrnz/ A2	verb - to be damaged or destroyed by fire.
shell /ʃel/ B1	noun - a rigid outer covering of an animal, egg, or fruit.
treason /ˈtriːzən/ C1	noun - the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government.
gun /ɡʌn/ A1	noun - a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are fired by explosive force.
barrel /ˈbærəl/ B1	noun - a cylindrical container, traditionally made of wooden staves and hoops.
fun /fʌn/ A1	noun - enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure.
death /deθ/ A1	noun - the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism.
killer /ˈkɪlər/ A2	noun - a person or thing that kills.
breed /briːd/ B1	noun - a stock of animals or plants within a species having a distinctive appearance and typically having been developed by deliberate selection.
demon /ˈdiːmən/ B2	noun - an evil spirit or devil.

Key Grammar Structures

• Kill for gain or shoot to maim

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase "Kill for gain" uses the imperative mood to give a command or instruction.

• The killer's breed or the demon's seed

  ➔ Possessive case

  ➔ The phrase "killer's breed" shows possession, indicating that the breed belongs to the killer.

• Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain

  ➔ Conjunction usage

  ➔ The conjunction "and" connects two independent clauses, emphasizing the relationship between going to war and the consequences.

• Don't you pray for my soul anymore

  ➔ Negative form

  ➔ The phrase "Don't you pray" uses the negative form to express a refusal or rejection of an action.

• The hands that threaten doom

  ➔ Relative clause

  ➔ The phrase "that threaten doom" is a relative clause providing more information about "the hands."

• To kill the unborn in the womb

  ➔ Infinitive phrase

  ➔ The phrase "to kill the unborn" uses the infinitive form to express purpose or intention.

• The body bags and little rags

  ➔ Noun phrase

  ➔ The phrase "body bags and little rags" is a noun phrase that lists items related to the theme of death.