What does 666 The Number of the Beast mean?

Iron Maiden: 666 The Number of the Beast Meaning

Album cover for 666 The Number of the Beast album cover

666 The Number of the Beast Lyrics

"Woe to you, On Earth and Sea, for the Devil sends the
beast with wrath, because he knows the time is short...
Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the
beast for it is a human number, its number is Six hundred and
sixty...

  1. anonymous
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    Jun 4th 2013 !⃝

    Omfg, you guys, Iron Maiden are NOT freaking Satan worshippers. They clearly stated that themselves (they could be lying, but I'm not a member of the band, so how could I know?) Stop discussing religion below songs that have the word "Satan" "damn" or any bs like that. It's just a song. By the way, this is lyric interpretations.com, not hey,let'sargue-about-religion-.com. If you really want to talk about religion, go to a flipping forum. Aaanddd now that I'm done with my little rant, I think this is about a Satanic ritual or something...or I think they said it was a dream that Steve Harris had...Idk if I'm wrong or not my bad if so.

  2. anonymous
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    Jun 3rd 2013 !⃝

    My interpretation as i hearthe lyrics are that it is about some one that is scared of the devil. He sees evil thing in his dream etc...

    At one point in the song they sing:
    This can't go on, I must inform the law.
    Can this still be real or just some crazy dream.
    But I feel drawn towards the chanting hordes,
    They seem to mesmerize...can't avoid their eyes

    So he doesn't want to be satanic and want to inform the law about this but on the other hand the evil forces have control over him.

    also they sing:
    Cause in my dreams, it's always there,
    The evil face that twists my mind and brings me to despair.


    To me this does not sound like someone that want to be satanic but someone that is the opposite and want to get rid of the evil forces and/or his own demons in his head because it brings him to despair.

    So to me it sounds anti-satanic, not satanic.

  3. anonymous
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    Aug 9th 2011 !⃝

    for 1 thing its not 666 the number of the beast, its just called the number of the beast. second its about a nightmare the bassist steve harris had one night

  4. anonymous
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    May 17th 2011 !⃝

    I have been a huge fan since I was a teenager (over 20 years) I'm also Catholic. People will say stupid stuff about them being satanic...which I knew wasn't true, but didn't know the origin of the lyrics of this particular song. Now I do know and can shut people up with their opinions about Iron Maiden..Of course I've personally find them poetic and some songs teach me history I don't know about. So know I can be at total peace about listening...thanks for the postings

  5. anonymous
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    Apr 17th 2011 !⃝

    The song is based on a dream Steve Harris had after one of the band mates told him about a couple of lost teens who happen to see a group practicing some weird ritual and running like hell, not wanting to get caught and killed.

  6. anonymous
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    Jan 10th 2011 !⃝

    You are all ignorant fools. If you knew anything about Iron Maiden, you would know that Steve Harris wrote these lyrics based on a dream he had. That is all there is to it.

  7. anonymous
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    Jul 14th 2010 !⃝

    The above guy: its not "inform the lord" its "inform the law" to notify them of this ritual he has stumbled across

  8. anonymous
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    May 6th 2010 !⃝

    listen to the last bit of the song. "this can't go on. I must inform the lord." this proves they aren't satanic. "Can this still be real? or just some crazy dream?" this proves Iron Maiden's claims that all this song is about is a bad dream.

  9. cooler9000
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    Jul 2nd 2009 !⃝

    Ok so towards last part of the lyrics it says:
    666- the number of the beast
    666- is made for you and me

    im coming back I will return
    and I'll possess your body I'll make you burn
    i have the fire I have the force
    i have the power to make my evil take it's course.

    so
    i read about band one of the memebers say he is catholic, so if it is true why be in a band that talkes like this harris says it is about a dream and that its from the mie script damien 2
    so if they are really not devil worshippers how come strange noises strange things happened in the studiom before? And why would a true person who believes in God and is regiluis sing this? where is the proof that they are not satanic?

  10. CHAD
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    Oct 2nd 2008 !⃝

    I am a long time rock music fan, and can tell you that in a Hit Parader, or perhaps Circus magazine from the mid eighties, Bruce Dickinson said in an interview that the song was inspired by a nightmare he had. I'm very glad to have found this website, as I am extremely knowledgeable about the history of rock, and heavy metal music. I am considered by all that know me to be the authority on the subject. Some have even suggested I receive an unofficial "P.H.D." in rock and roll. I look forward to sharing my knowledge on as many bands as I possibly can. I also have boxes of rock magazines from the seventies, and eighties, so I could actually do some research for anyone with a special request.

  11. dewy74
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    Jun 10th 2008 !⃝

    Actually the song is about him stumbling on a satanic ritual and he doesn't believe it, it has nothing to do with a dream and yes he does try to contact the authorities "somethings wrong I must inform the law" and he does turn evil at the end

  12. qris24
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    May 1st 2008 !⃝

    It's about realizing that he is The Beast.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  13. anonymous
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    Feb 11th 2008 !⃝

    It's about the devil

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  14. anonymous
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    Oct 6th 2007 !⃝

    Haha, you didn't interpreted anything, that what you just said is clear to everyone who reads this song, you just retyped words haha... I just remember a long time ago interview with Harris, and I think he said something that this event which they are describing is used to terrify children, or something like that, nothing special...

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  15. anonymous
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    May 11th 2007 !⃝

    A story, of a man who has a dream of stumbling upon a portion of hell on Earth, and at first he is disgusted at what he sees, and he fights it and even tries to somehow contact the authorities - but in the end he succumbs and turns evil

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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