Interpretation
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a song by the British heavy metal band
Iron Maiden, which tells a story about a man awaiting his execution. The song lyrics are written in first person and give us a deep insight into the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist.
At the beginning of the song, the man waits in his cold cell for the bell to toll, announcing his impending execution. He reflects on his past life and the limited time he has left: "I'm waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime / Reflecting on my past life and it doesn't have much time".
As the priest comes to read him the last rites, he looks through the bars at the last sights of a world that has gone very wrong for him: "When the priest comes to read me the last rites / I take a look through the bars at the last sights / Of a world that has gone very wrong for me".
He struggles with the reality of his situation and the mounting terror, hoping that it's just a crazy dream: "Can it be there's some sort of error / Hard to stop the surmounting terror / Is it really the end not some crazy dream".
As he is led into the yard, he reflects on his life and shows no remorse for what has been. He is ready to accept his death and believes that his soul will continue to live on: "As I walk all my life drifts before me / And though the end is near I'm not sorry / Catch my soul cos it's willing to fly away".
The title of the song, "Hallowed Be Thy Name", is a line from the Christian prayer "Our Father" and is often interpreted as respect and reverence for God. In this song, it could represent irony as the protagonist questions why God has forsaken him, if He truly exists.
The song ends with the realization that earthly life is just a strange illusion and that the true meaning of life may only be understood in the face of death: "When you know that your time is close at hand / Maybe then you'll begin to understand / Life down there is just a strange illusion".
Overall, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a profound song that explores the fear, despair, but also acceptance and hope of a condemned man. It invites listeners to contemplate life, death, and the possible existence of an afterlife.