"Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a song written by Steve Harris for the 1982 Iron Maiden album The Number of The Beast. It has been acclaimed as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time.
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" has remained in almost all of the band's set-lists since the album's recording, the only exception being the Maiden England World Tour 2012–14.[3] Allmusic describes it as "perhaps the most celebrated of the band's extended epics; it's the tale of a prisoner about to be hanged, featuring some of Harris' most philosophical lyrics."[4] Several band-members have since stated that it is one of their favourite tracks, with Bruce Dickinson describing it as "fantastic" and that performing it live is like "narrating a movie to the audience."[3]
It is one of the most covered songs in Iron Maiden's catalogue, with versions released by artists such as Dream Theater,[5] Machine Head,[6] Cradle of Filth[7] and Iced Earth.
Iron Maiden also recorded the song as part of Channel Four's 2007 television series, Live from Abbey Road,[9] while a version recorded for BBC Radio 1 in 2005 was used as a B-side on the "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" single.[10][11]
The song's title is a line from the Lord's Prayer.
Just a year after the first four ships arrived, it came apparent that Canterbury needed a gaol! What was to be a perfect new colony soon was tainted by the nature of man. So Lyttelton Gaol was opened in 1851, designed by Benjamin Woolfield Mountford (also designed the Cathedral and Museum) and built by the prisoners themselves. Prisoners also made the staff uniforms, even the boots.
Lyttelton Gaol, situated on Oxford Street, could house a maximum of 300 prisoners; such as murderers, lunatics, debtors and thieves. Seven men were hanged inside the walls between 1868 – 1918. There were even 29 cells for female inmates. At the time it was the largest jail in the country and it did take prisoners from other parts of New Zealand.
It was closed and demolished in 1922 when Paparua Prison opened. Only 3 cells remain along with a over-bearing prison wall. During its life time, Sunnyside Mental Hospital opened which took over the care of the mentally ill prisoners and Addington Prison dealt with the overflow.
Today the old gaol houses a garden, a memorial clock for Dr. Upham and Lyttelton Main School. Standing inside, you feel the depressing shadow of the place but yet, you can view the harbour in all its glory…its hard to imagine a gaol in such a place.