Hard Times

Hard Times is a song by British Heavy Metal band Samson, from their 1980 album Head On! The album was the first Samson album to feature Bruce Dickinson on lead vocals. Now if that name sounds familiar, it’s because this was the band Dickinson played in, before he joined Iron Maiden.

I first heard this song a year or two ago, as a brief clip of this song was featured in The Number of the Beast episode of the BBC documentary series; Classic Albums. I went in search of the song, found it, and quickly drew to like it.

The music video is a bit mad to say the least. It features a very strong roadie, setting up a concert for a group of head banging fans, whilst also trying to keep the performance going smoothly, whilst also fending off some fans, with the help (and hinderance) of some zombie like characters in orange jump suits. And whilst that is going on, the band simply play their song in their own style, whilst Bruce constantly tries to get his long hair under control.

Compared to his later work in Iron Maiden, the song is rather light, and somewhat near fluffy too. It carries some heavy notes, but ones which drive an energy packed positive sounding piece, which all builds to a very catchy chorus. This then repeats, all leading to a conclusion, involving some audience involvement via a clapping section, before then throwing itself back into that riff.

Hearing/watching this song now is interesting, and it’s a song which makes you wonder. You wonder how different the music scene may have been if Bruce had stayed with Samson. Would Iron Maiden have become international stars without him? Could Samson have become the international success that Iron Maiden has become all these years later? Would there even still be an Iron Maiden?