Comparing ’s to The Charge of the Light Brigade

Iron Maiden’s The Trooper Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade You'll take my life but I'll take yours too Half a league, half a league, You'll fire your musket but I'll run you through Half a league onward, So when you're waiting for the next attack All in the valley of You'd better stand there's no turning back. Rode the six hundred.

The Bugle sounds and the charge begins “Forward, the Light Brigade! But on this battlefield no one wins Charge for the guns!” he said. The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath Into the valley of Death As I plunge on into certain death. Rode the six hundred. The horse he sweats with fear we break to run The mighty roar of the Russian guns II And as we race towards the human wall “Forward, the Light Brigade!” The screams of pain as my comrades fall. Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground Someone had blundered. And the Russians fire another round We get so near yet so far away Theirs not to make reply, We won't live to fight another day. Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die. We get so close near enough to fight Into the valley of Death When a Russian gets me in his sights He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow Rode the six hundred. A burst of rounds take my horse below. III And as I lay there gazing at the sky Cannon to right of them, My body's numb and my throat is dry Cannon to left of them, And as I lay forgotten and alone Cannon in front of them Without a tear I draw my parting groan. Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell

Rode the six hundred.

IV Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered.

Plunged in the battery-smoke Right through the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reeled from the sabre stroke Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.

V Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell. They that had fought so well

Came through the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.

VI When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!