Be Quick Or Be Dead – English Lyrics

• By: Iron Maiden
• Album: Fear of the Dark

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw energy of Iron Maiden's 'Be Quick Or Be Dead' to experience a powerful heavy metal track that vividly critiques societal corruption. Learning the lyrics and their background offers insight into politically-charged English vocabulary and the impactful storytelling characteristic of heavy metal music.

[English]

Covered in sinners and dripping with guilt

Making your money from slime and from filth

Parading your bellies in ivory towers

Investing our lives in your schemes and your powers

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief's in your head

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief in your head

Be quick or be dead

Be quick

Or be dead

See what's ruling all our lives

See who's pulling strings

See what's ruling all our lives

See who pulls the strings

I bet you won't fall on your face

Your belly will hold you in place

The serpent is crawling inside of your ear

He says you must vote for what you want to hear

Don't matter what's wrong, as long as you're alright

Pull yourself, stupid, rob yourself blind

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief in your head

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief's in your head

Be quick or be dead

Be quick

Or be dead

...

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief's in your head

You've got to watch them, be quick or be dead

Snake eyes in heaven, the thief's in your head

Be quick or be dead

Be quick

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sinners /ˈsɪnərz/ B1	noun - people who commit sin
guilt /ɡɪlt/ B1	noun - the feeling of having done something wrong
money /ˈmʌni/ A2	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
filth /fɪlθ/ B2	noun - dirt or grime
towers /ˈtaʊərz/ B1	noun - tall, narrow buildings
powers /ˈpaʊərz/ B1	noun - the ability to do something
watch /wɒtʃ/ A2	verb - to look at something for a period of time
snake /sneɪk/ A2	noun - a long, limbless reptile
thief /θiːf/ A2	noun - a person who steals
heaven /ˈhevən/ B1	noun - a place of eternal happiness
ruling /ˈruːlɪŋ/ B2	noun - the exercise of power or authority verb - exercising power or authority
strings /strɪŋz/ B1	noun - thin cords or threads
face /feɪs/ A2	noun - the front part of the head
serpent /ˈsɜːrpənt/ C1	noun - a snake, especially a large one
crawling /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/ B1	verb - moving on hands and knees
vote /voʊt/ B1	verb - to express one's preference in an election
blind /blaɪnd/ B1	adjective - unable to see