This is an instrumental song that expresses musically the fear, terror, apprehension, and feeling of being overwhelmed. It also "describes" the army's military power. Genghis Khan was a warrior who led the Mongolian empire.
Iron Maiden bass player Steve Harris, who wrote this song, explained: "This was another song where there could have been a vocal melody on top, but it felt good as an instrumental. A vocal would have cluttered it up. Originally it was written to depict the feeling and sound of Genghis Khan's army going into battle. It felt better not to have any guitar solos on this track."
This was released as the B-side to the single for "Purgatory." It is the lowest charting Maiden single to date, and only went as far as #52 in the UK charts.
The 1998 album A Call to Irons: A Tribute to Iron Maiden featured a cover of this by Angel Corpse.
This is one of four instrumental Iron Maiden songs the band has released. The others are "The Ides of March" (also Maiden's shortest song, at one minute and forty-four seconds), "Transylvania" (which was originally meant to have lyrics, but ultimately the band determined it sounded best as just instrumental) and "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)" (the title is "Loss for words- big horror!" as pronounced in a Cockney accent). (thanks, Brett - Edmonton, Canada, for all above)
In 1990 Iron Maiden released a series of CDs called The First Ten Years which contained commentary from their drummer Nicko McBrain in features called "Listen With Nicko." On one of these discs, Nicko said that this song was originally called "Jenkin's Barn." (thanks, Mike - Cumbria, England)
Papa Roach "borrowed" the guitar riff from this song in their hit "Last Resort."
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