One of the Songs on Iron Maiden’s The Book of Souls is About Robin Williams

Iron Maiden and Robin Williams had a long history together, and by “long history,” I mean Williams once used “The Number of the Beast” as part of the punchline during a coke-fueled stand-up performance in 1990, and Nicko McBrain’s favorite movie of all time is Flubber. So, naturally, one of the songs on Maiden’s new album, The Book of Souls, is about Williams.

Bruce Dickinson tells Italy’s Corriere Della Sera:

“My favorite song is one I didn’t write. [The song was written by the group’s Adrian Smith and Steve Harris.] It’s ‘Tears of a Clown,’ which talks about Robin Williams. I ask myself how could he be so depressed when he always seemed to be so happy.”

This news totally bums me out. Not because I’m sad that there will never be a Patch Adams 2, but because when I saw that there was a track called “Tears of a Clown” on the new Maiden album, I was really hoping it was a cover of this classic:

Maiden could really tear that shit up, doncha think?

The Book of Souls is out September 4. It also features a song that will last longer than most lightbulbs. 

[via EW]