Due to contractual issues with his previous band, Samson, Dickinson could not be credited for any of his contributions made during the writing of The Number of the Beast.

The subsequent verses shift to the European viewpoint, with lines such as 'Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes / Galloping hard on the plains' and 'Hunting and killing's a game.'

The recurring chorus, 'Run to the hills / Run for your lives,' serves as a haunting reminder of the dire consequences of these conflicts.

"Total Eclipse" was selected as the single's B-side over the song "Gangland", which in turn would appear on the initial version of the album.

[18] An all-star cover version of the song is found on the 2005 tribute album Numbers from the Beast, featuring Robin McAuley on vocals, Michael Schenker and Pete Fletcher on guitars, Tony Franklin on bass and Brian Tichy (Derek Sherinian, B'z) on drums.

[21] Former Babes in Toyland singer and guitarist Kat Bjelland's Katastrophy Wife covered the song in their Heart On EP in 2007.

[24] In 2009, the eventual Swedish Idol 2009 series winner Erik Grönwall sang it during the live shows and released it as a single in the same year, which peaked at No.

[25] Progressive metal band Dream Theater covered the song live, along with the entire The Number of the Beast album, and released it as an "official bootleg" in 2006.

[26] The song is also featured in the soundtracks of several video games, including SSX on Tour (2005) as the title's main theme,[27] and Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned (2009).