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BLACK SABBATH LYRICS



Black Sabbath


Album: ''Black Sabbath'' (1970)
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Wasp / Behind the Wall of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.
4. Wicked World
5. A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning




Paranoid


Album: ''Paranoid'' (1970)
1. War Pigs / Luke's Wall
2. Paranoid
3. Planet Caravan
4. Iron Man
5. Electric Funeral
6. Hand of Doom
7. Rat Salad
8. Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots



Album: ''Paranoid demo'' (1970 Demo)
1. Walpurgis
2. Planet Caravan
3. Iron Man
4. Fairies Wear Boots




Evil Woman


Album: ''Evil Woman'' (1970 Single)
1. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)
2. Wicked World



Album: ''N.I.B.'' (1970 Single)
1. N.I.B.
2. Behind The Wall Of Sleep
3. The Wizard




The Wizard


Album: ''The Wizard'' (1970 Single)
1. The Wizard
2. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)




Master of Reality


Album: ''Master of Reality'' (1971)
1. Sweet Leaf
2. After Forever
3. Embryo
4. Children of the Grave
5. Orchid (instrumental)
6. Lord of This World
7. Solitude
8. Into the Void




After Forever


Album: ''After Forever'' (1971 Single)
1. After Forever
2. Faries Wear Boots




Black Sabbath Vol. 4


Album: ''Black Sabbath Vol. 4'' (1972)
1. Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener
2. Tomorrow's Dream
3. Changes
4. FX (instrumental)
5. Supernaut
6. Snowblind
7. Cornucopia
8. Laguna Sunrise (instrumental)
9. St. Vitus Dance
10. Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes




Snowblind


Album: ''Snowblind'' (1972 EP)
1. Snowblind
2. St. Vitus Dance
3. Tomorrow's Dream
4. Supernaut




Paranoid - Portuguese release


Album: ''Paranoid - Portuguese release'' (1972 Single)
1. Paranoid
2. Wicked World
3. Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)




Tomorrow


Album: ''Tomorrow's Dream'' (1972 Single)
1. Tomorrow's Dream
2. Laguna Sunrise




Wheels of Confusion


Album: ''Wheels of Confusion'' (1972 Single)
1. Wheels of Confusion
2. Under The Sun




Wicked World


Album: ''Wicked World'' (1972 Single)
1. Wicked World
2. Iron Man




Changes


Album: ''Changes'' (1972 Split album)
1. Changes




Sabbath Bloody Sabbath


Album: ''Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'' (1973)
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. A National Acrobat
3. Fluff (instrumental)
4. Sabbra Cadabra
5. Killing Yourself to Live
6. Who Are You?
7. Looking for Today
8. Spiral Architect



Album: ''Sabbath Bloody Sabbath / Looking For Today / Sabbra Cadabra'' (1973 EP)
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. Looking For Today
3. Sabbra Cadabra



Album: ''Paranoid - french edition'' (1973 Single)
1. Paranoid
2. Rat salad




Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Norwegian Release


Album: ''Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Norwegian Release'' (1973 Single)
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. Changes




Sabotage


Album: ''Sabotage'' (1975)
1. Hole in the Sky
2. Don't Start (Too Late)
3. Symptom of the Universe
4. Megalomania
5. Thrill of It All
6. Supertzar (instrumental)
7. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
8. The Writ




We Sold Our Soul for Rock N


Album: ''We Sold Our Soul for Rock N' Roll'' (1975 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Paranoid
4. War Pigs
5. Iron Man
6. Tomorrow's Dream
7. Fairies Wear Boots
8. Changes
9. Sweet Leaf
10. Children of the Grave
11. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
12. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
13. Snowblind
14. N.I.B.




Hole in the  Sky / Am I Going Insane


Album: ''Hole in the Sky / Am I Going Insane'' (1975 Single)
1. Hole in the Sky
2. Am I Going Insane




Technical Ecstasy


Album: ''Technical Ecstasy'' (1976)
1. Back Street Kids
2. You Won't Change Me
3. It's Alright
4. Gypsy
5. All Moving Parts (Stand Still)
6. Rock & Roll Doctor
7. She's Gone
8. Dirty Woman




Children Of The Grave


Album: ''Children Of The Grave'' (1976 Best of/Compilation)
1. Wheels of Confusion
2. Tomorrow's Dream
3. Changes
4. FX
5. Supernaut
6. Snowblind
7. Cornucopia
8. Laguna Sunrise
9. ST. Vitus Dance
10. Under the Sun
11. Children of the Grave (Live)



Album: ''Back Street Kids'' (1976 Single)
1. Back Street Kids
2. Rock & Roll Doctor




Gypsy


Album: ''Gypsy'' (1976 Single)
1. Gypsy
2. She's Gone




It


Album: ''It's Alright'' (1976 Single)
1. It's Alright
2. Rock'n'Roll Doctor



Album: ''She's Gone'' (1976 Single)
1. She's Gone
2. It's Alright




Greatest Hits


Album: ''Greatest Hits'' (1977 Best of/Compilation)
1. Paranoid
2. N.I.B.
3. Changes
4. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
5. Iron Man
6. Black Sabbath
7. War Pigs
8. Laguna Sunrise
9. Tomorrow's Dream
10. Sweet Leaf




Never Say Die


Album: ''Never Say Die'' (1978)
1. Never Say Die
2. Johnny Blade
3. Junior's Eyes
4. A Hard Road
5. Shock Wave
6. Air Dance
7. Over to You
8. Breakout
9. Swinging the Chain




Hard Road


Album: ''Hard Road'' (1978 Single)
1. Hard Road
2. Symptom of the Universe




Heaven and Hell


Album: ''Heaven and Hell'' (1980)
1. Neon Knights
2. Children of the Sea
3. Lady Evil
4. Heaven and Hell
5. Wishing Well
6. Die Young
7. Walk Away
8. Lonely Is the Word




Live at Last


Album: ''Live at Last'' (1980 Live album)
1. Tomorrow's Dream
2. Sweet Leaf
3. Killing Yourself to Live
4. Cornucopia
5. Snowblind
6. Children of the Grave
7. War Pigs
8. Wicked World
9. Paranoid




Die Young


Album: ''Die Young'' (1980 Single)
1. Die Young
2. Heaven and Hell (live)




Neon Knights / Children of the Sea (Live)


Album: ''Neon Knights / Children of the Sea (Live)'' (1980 Single)
1. Neon Knights
2. Children of the Sea (Live)




Mob Rules


Album: ''Mob Rules'' (1981)
1. Turn Up the Night
2. Voodoo
3. The Sign of the Southern Cross
4. E5150
5. The Mob Rules
6. Country Girl
7. Slipping Away
8. Falling Off the Edge of the World
9. Over and Over




Turn Up the Night


Album: ''Turn Up the Night'' (1981 Single)
1. Turn Up the Night
2. Lonely is the Word




Live Evil


Album: ''Live Evil'' (1982 Live album)
1. E5150 (intro)
2. Neon Knights
3. N.I.B.
4. Children of the Sea
5. Voodoo
6. Black Sabbath
7. War Pigs
8. Iron Man




Born Again


Album: ''Born Again'' (1983)
1. Trashed
2. Stonehenge
3. Disturbing the Priest
4. The Dark
5. Zero the Hero
6. Digital Bitch
7. Born Again
8. Hot Line
9. Keep It Warm



Album: ''Trashed'' (1983 Single)
1. Trashed
2. Zero The Hero




Between Heaven and Hell


Album: ''Between Heaven and Hell'' (1985 Best of/Compilation)
1. Hole in the Sky
2. Into the Void
3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4. NIB
5. Paranoid
6. War Pigs
7. Iron Man
8. Wicked World
9. Supernaut
10. Back Street Kids
11. Never Say Die
12. Neon Knights
13. The Mob Rules
14. The Dark/Zero the Hero
15. Black Sabbath




Seventh Star


Album: ''Seventh Star'' (1986)
1. In For The Kill
2. No Stranger To Love
3. Turn To Stone
4. Sphinx (The Guardian)
5. Seventh Star
6. Danger Zone
7. Heart Like A Wheel
8. Angry Heart
9. In Memory




No Stranger to Love


Album: ''No Stranger to Love'' (1986 Single)
1. No Stranger to Love (LP-version)
2. No Stranger to Love (Remix-Version)
3. Angry Heart




The Eternal Idol


Album: ''The Eternal Idol'' (1987)
1. The Shining
2. Ancient Warrior
3. Hard Life to Love
4. Glory Ride
5. Born to Lose
6. Nightmare
7. Scarlet Pimpernel
8. Lost Forever
9. Eternal Idol




The Shining


Album: ''The Shining'' (1987 Single)
1. The Shining
2. Some Kind of Woman
3. Black Moon




Headless Cross


Album: ''Headless Cross'' (1989)
1. The Gates of Hell
2. Headless Cross
3. Devil & Daughter
4. When Death Calls
5. Kill in the Spirit World
6. Call of the Wild
7. Black Moon
8. Nightwing




Blackest Sabbath/Black Sabbath 1970-1987


Album: ''Blackest Sabbath/Black Sabbath 1970-1987'' (1989 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. Paranoid
3. Iron Man
4. Snowblind
5. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
6. Hole In The Sky
7. Rock & Roll Doctor
8. Never Say Die
9. Lady Evil
10. Turn Up The Night
11. The Sign Of The Southern Cross/Heaven & Hell (continued./live.)
12. Children Of The Sea (live.)
13. Digital Bitch
14. Seventh Star
15. Born To Lose



Album: ''Black Moon'' (1989 Single)
1. Black Moon
2. Cloak And Dagger




Call of the Wild


Album: ''Call of the Wild'' (1989 Single)
1. Call of the Wild
2. Devil And Daughter
3. When Death Calls (12" Ep version only)




Devil and Daughter


Album: ''Devil and Daughter'' (1989 Single)
1. Devil and Daughter




Tyr


Album: ''Tyr'' (1990)
1. Anno Mundi
2. The Law Maker
3. Jerusalem
4. The Sabbath Stones
5. The Battle of Tyr
6. Odin's Court
7. Valhalla
8. Feels Good to Me
9. Heaven in Black




Feels Good to Me


Album: ''Feels Good to Me'' (1990 Single)
1. Feels Good to Me (edit)
2. Paranoid (live)




Backtrackin


Album: ''Backtrackin''' (1991 Best of/Compilation)
1. Paranoid
2. Killing Yourself to Live
3. Snowblind
4. Sweet Leaf
5. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
6. Symptom of the Universe
7. Planet Caravan
8. War Pigs
9. Into the Void
10. Electric Funeral
11. Sabbra Cadabra
12. St. Vitus Dance
13. Faeries Wear Boots
14. The Wizard
15. Cornucopia




The Black Sabbath Story


Album: ''The Black Sabbath Story'' (1991 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. N.I.B.
3. Paranoid
4. War Pigs
5. Iron Man
6. Children Of The Grave (edited version)
7. Orchid
8. Lord Of This World
9. Snowblind
10. Tomorrow's Dream
11. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
12. Sabbra Cadabra
13. Symptom Of The Universe
14. Am I Going Insane? (Radio)




The Black Sabbath Story Volume I 1970 - 1978


Album: ''The Black Sabbath Story Volume I 1970 - 1978'' (1991 Video/VHS)
1. N.I.B.
2. Paranoid
3. War Pigs
4. Children Of The Grave
5. Snowblind
6. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
7. Sympton Of The Universe
8. It's Alright
9. Rock'n'Roll Doctor
10. Never Say Die




Dehumanizer


Album: ''Dehumanizer'' (1992)
1. Computer God
2. After All (The Dead)
3. TV Crimes
4. Letters From Earth
5. Master of Insanity
6. Time Machine
7. Sins of the Father
8. Too Late
9. I
10. Buried Alive
11. Time Machine (Wayne's World Mix)




Iron  Man


Album: ''Iron Man'' (1992 Best of/Compilation)
1. Paranoid
2. Iron Man
3. Electric Funeral
4. The Wizard
5. Tomorrows Dream
6. Sweet Leaf
7. Under The Sun
8. Evil Woman
9. N.I.B.
10. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
11. Sabbra Cadabra
12. Black Sabbath




I


Album: ''I'' (1992 Single)
1. I




Time Machine


Album: ''Time Machine'' (1992 Single)
1. Time Machine




TV Crimes


Album: ''TV Crimes'' (1992 Single)
1. TV Crimes
2. Letters from Earth




The Black Sabbath Story Volume II 1978 - 1992


Album: ''The Black Sabbath Story Volume II 1978 - 1992'' (1992 Video/VHS)
1. Black Sabbath
2. Paranoid
3. Iron Man
4. Blue Suede Shoes
5. Hard Road
6. Die Young
7. Neon Knights
8. Trashed
9. Zero the Hero
10. No Stranger in Love
11. The Shining
12. Headless Cross
13. Feels Good to Me
14. TV Crimes
15. Computer God
16. I




Cross Purposes


Album: ''Cross Purposes'' (1994)
1. I Witness
2. Cross of Thorns
3. Psychophobia
4. Virtual Death
5. Immaculate Deception
6. Dying for Love
7. Back to Eden
8. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
9. Cardinal Sin
10. Evil Eye




Iron Man


Album: ''Iron Man'' (1994 Best of/Compilation)
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Sweet Leaf
4. Electric Funeral
5. Into The Void
6. Wheels Of Confusion
7. Paranoid
8. Iron Man
9. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
10. Killing Yourself To Live
11. Snowblind
12. Hole In The Sky
13. Laguna Sunrise
14. War Pigs



Album: ''Back To Eden'' (1994 Single)
1. Back To Eden
2. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle




Forbidden


Album: ''Forbidden'' (1995)
1. The Illusion of Power
2. Get a Grip
3. Can't Get Close Enough
4. Shaking Off the Chains
5. I Won't Cry For You
6. Guilty as Hell
7. Sick and Tired
8. Rusty Angels
9. Forbidden
10. Kiss of Death




Guilty as Hell


Album: ''Guilty as Hell'' (1995 Single)
1. Guilty as Hell




Cross Purposes Live


Album: ''Cross Purposes Live'' (1995 Video/VHS)
1. Time Machine
2. Children Of The Grave
3. I Witness
4. Mob Rules
5. Into The Void
6. Anno Mundi
7. Black Sabbath
8. Neon Knights
9. Psychophobia
10. The Wizard
11. Cross Of Thorns
12. Symptom Of The Universe / Drum Solo
13. Headless Cross
14. Paranoid
15. Iron Man
16. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath



Album: ''Get A Grip'' (1995 Video/VHS)
1. Get A Grip




The Sabbath Collection


Album: ''The Sabbath Collection'' (1996 Best of/Compilation)
1. After Forever
2. Supernaut
3. St. Vitus Dance
4. Snowblind
5. Killing Yourself To Live
6. Sabbra Cadabra
7. The Writ




The Sabbath Stones


Album: ''The Sabbath Stones'' (1996 Best of/Compilation)
1. Headless Cross
2. When Death Calls
3. Devil And Daughter
4. The Sabbath Stones
5. The Battle of Tyr
6. Odins Court
7. Valhalla
8. TV Crimes
9. Virtual Death
10. Evil Eye
11. Kiss of Death
12. Guilty as Hell
13. Loser Gets It All
14. Disturbing the Priest
15. Heart Like a Wheel
16. The Shining




Under Wheels of Confusion 1970-1987


Album: ''Under Wheels of Confusion 1970-1987'' (1996 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. N.I.B
4. Evil Woman
5. Wicked World
6. War Pigs
7. Paranoid
8. Iron Man
9. Planet Caravan
10. Hand Of Doom
11. Sweet Leaf
12. After Forever
13. Children Of The Grave
14. Am I Going Insane (Radio) [Radio Edit]




Reunion


Album: ''Reunion'' (1998 Live album)
1. War Pigs
2. Behind The Wall Of Sleep
3. NIB
4. Fairies Wear Boots
5. Electric Funeral
6. Sweet Leaf
7. Spiral Architect
8. Into the Void
9. Snowblind




Psycho Man


Album: ''Psycho Man'' (1998 Single)
1. Psycho Man [Danny Saber Remix Edit]
2. Psycho Man [Radio Edit]
3. Psycho Man [Album Version]




The Last Supper


Album: ''The Last Supper'' (1999 DVD)
1. Program Start
2. War Pigs
3. N.I.B.
4. Electric Funeral
5. Fairies Wear Boots
6. Into The Void
7. Sweet Leaf
8. Snowblind
9. After Forever
10. Dirty Women
11. Black Sabbath
12. Iron Man
13. Children Of The Grave
14. Paranoid
15. Closing Credits




Black Mass


Album: ''Black Mass'' (1999 EP)
1. Paranoid
2. Black Sabbath
3. Iron Man
4. Blue Suede Shoes



Album: ''The Collection'' (2000 Best of/Compilation)
1. Paranoid
2. Tomorrows Dream
3. Back Street Kids
4. Symptom of the Universe
5. Never Say Die
6. Junior´s Eyes
7. Dirty Women
8. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
9. Supernaut
10. The Wizard
11. A National Acrobat
12. Electric Funeral
13. Into the Void
14. Spiral Architect
15. Wicked World




Rock Champions


Album: ''Rock Champions'' (2001 Best of/Compilation)
1. Heaven in Black
2. Anno Mundi
3. The Illusion of Power
4. Shaking Off the Chains
5. Kill in the Spirit World
6. Guilty as Hell
7. The Law Maker
8. The Law Maker
9. Get a Grip
10. Jerusalem
11. The Gates of Hell
12. Call of the Wild
13. I Won't Cry for You
14. Black Moon




The Best Of Black Sabbath (Platinum Disc)


Album: ''The Best Of Black Sabbath (Platinum Disc)'' (2001 Best of/Compilation)
1. Headless Cross
2. Guilty as Hell
3. Virtual Death
4. Evil Eye
5. When Death Calls
6. The Battle Of Tyr
7. The Sabbath Stones
8. Kiss Of Death
9. Devil And Daughter
10. Valhalla




Symptom of the Universe


Album: ''Symptom of the Universe'' (2002 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. N.I.B.
3. The Wizard
4. Warning
5. Evil Woman (Previously Unreleased In The US)
6. Paranoid
7. Iron Man
8. War Pigs
9. Fairies Wear Boots
10. Sweet Leaf
11. Children of the Grave
12. Into The Void
13. Lord of This World
14. Dirty Women
15. Never Say Die
16. A Hard Road




The Best of Black Sabbath


Album: ''The Best of Black Sabbath'' (2002 Best of/Compilation)
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. NIB
4. Evil Woman
5. Wicked World
6. War Pigs
7. Paranoid
8. Planet Caravan
9. Iron Man
10. Electric Funeral
11. Faries Wear Boots
12. Sweet Leaf
13. Embryo
14. Children of the Grave
15. Lord of This World
16. Into the Void




The Black Sabbath Story Vol.1


Album: ''The Black Sabbath Story Vol.1'' (2002 DVD)
1. N.I.B.
2. Paranoid
3. War Pigs
4. Children Of The Grave
5. Snowblind
6. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
7. Symptom Of The Universe
8. It's Alright
9. Rock And Roll Doctor
10. Never Say Die




The Black Sabbath Story Vol.2


Album: ''The Black Sabbath Story Vol.2'' (2002 DVD)
1. Hard Road
2. Die Young
3. Neon Knights
4. Trashed
5. Zero The Hero
6. No Stranger To Love
7. The Shining
8. Headless Cross
9. Feels Good To Me
10. TV Crimes




Past Lives


Album: ''Past Lives'' (2002 Live album)
1. Tomorrow's Dream
2. Sweet Leaf
3. Killing Yourself To Live
4. Cornucopia
5. Snowblind
6. Children Of The Grave
7. War Pigs
8. Wicked World
9. Paranoid




Never Say Die: Live In 1978


Album: ''Never Say Die: Live In 1978'' (2003 DVD)
1. Symptom Of The Universe
2. War Pigs
3. Snowblind
4. Never Say Die
5. Black Sabbath
6. Dirty Women
7. Rock & Roll Doctor
8. Electric Funeral
9. Children Of The Grave
10. Paranoid



Album: ''Black Sabbath: The Ronnie James Dio Years'' (2004 Best of/Compilation)
1. Neon Knights
2. Lady Evil
3. Country Girl
4. Voodoo
5. The Mob Rules
6. Turn Up The Night
7. TV Crimes
8. Time Machine
9. Letters From Earth
10. Heaven And Hell




The Dio Years


Album: ''The Dio Years'' (2007 Best of/Compilation)
1. Neon Knights
2. Lady Evil
3. Heaven And Hell
4. Die Young
5. Lonely Is The Word
6. The Mob Rules
7. Turn Up The Night
8. Voodoo
9. Falling Off The Edge Of The World
10. After All (The Dead)
11. TV Crimes
12. I
13. Children Of The Sea (live)
14. The Devil Cried
15. Shadow Of The Wind
16. Ear In The Wall




The Dio Years (Sampler)


Album: ''The Dio Years (Sampler)'' (2007 EP)
1. The Devil Cried (radio edit)
2. Heaven And Hell
3. The Mob Rules
4. The Devil Cried (album version)




Live at Hammersmith Odeon


Album: ''Live at Hammersmith Odeon'' (2007 Live album)
1. E5150
2. Neon Knights
3. N.I.B.
4. Children of the Sea
5. Country Girl
6. Black Sabbath
7. War Pigs
8. Slipping Away
9. Iron Man
10. The Mob Rules
11. Heaven and Hell
12. Paranoid
13. Voodoo
14. Children of the Grave




The Devil Cried


Album: ''The Devil Cried'' (2007 Single)
1. The Devil Cried



black sabbath

BLACK SABBATH BIOGRAPHY

Black Sabbath is a British band incalculably influential for heavy music. Originaly comprising Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums), in the early '70s they were the first to pair heavily distorted, sonically dissonant blues-rock at crushingly slow speeds with lyrics about mental pain and abominations of war (they came from Aston - a poor district of Birmingham damaged by bombing during World War 2), thus giving birth to generations upon generations of metal bands that followed in their wake.

Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham, England in 1968 under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band (soon shortened to "Polka Tulk"), and later Earth. Initially a blues-rock band, Earth moved in a darker direction when their bassist, Geezer Butler, a fan of the black magic novels of Dennis Wheatley, wrote lyrics for an occult-themed song titled "Black Sabbath" (the song name was inspired by a 1963 Mario Bava film), and Tony Iommi wrote a riff based on the "diablos in musica", i.e. the Devil in Music. This interval, diablos in musica, had been banned centuries ago due to its dark and dissonant sound, and rarely - if ever - featured in popular music culture. In their Last Supper concert film, the band stated that the song is based on an experience Geezer had one night when he saw a black object at the end of his bed and noticed the next day that an occult book Ozzy had given him was missing. When the band found themselves being confused with another local band called Earth, they adopted the song title as their new name.

As the band evolved, they added more European folk elements and gothic flourishes to their sound, that was not like any other group during their time. Their lyrics dealt with darker issues than most conventional rock. Towards the late '60s, bands were into the peace movement and the dying hippie culture, whilst Sabbath chose to distinguish themselves by dealing with heavier issues; the occult, war, apocalypse, anti-drug messages, and gothic storytelling. Their music also conveyed a sense of anger and anti-establishment, the likes of which had never been heard before.

It was this mix of dark lyrical themes and a slower, ominous sound that made Black Sabbath a significant element in the genre that would later be known as heavy metal.

The group found its signature sound almost by accident. When the group was rehearsing in a studio which was situated opposite a cinema showing a horror movie, Osbourne recalls that Tony Iommi said to the rest of the band, "If people pay to see scary movies, why wouldn't they pay to listen to scary music?" The band began to purposely write dark, ominous riffs in an attempt to be music's answer to horror movies.

Despite their doom-laden image, much of the group's early material featured acoustic guitar, piano, symphony orchestras, keyboards, and even horns. After the band's first four albums, the group became increasingly psychedelic, experimental and progressive, leaving much of their dark metal roots behind. The last two Osbourne-fronted albums, Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die! (1978) left a lot of fans dissatisfied with the band, as drugs and alcohol abuse began to take its toll on each member.

Osbourne was fired in 1978 for becoming increasingly unstable and unwilling to work with the material that, by this time, Tony Iommi was writing more or less entirely himself. Osbourne started a highly successful solo career in 1980.

In 1979 Tony Iommi recruited former Rainbow members singer Ronnie James Dio and bassist Craig Gruber. Gruber was recruited because Geezer Butler was rumoured to be leaving the band, but this never eventuated and Gruber was dismissed. Black Sabbath's first album with Dio, Heaven and Hell, proved to be a success, and saw the band's highest American charting since 1975's Sabotage. It was on this tour that Dio popularised the "devil horns" hand gesture, which has since become a symbol of heavy metal music in general. The album also marked the inclusion of Quartz's guitarist-turned-keyboardist Geoff Nicholls (Nicholls has not been consistently credited as an official member, and has often been forced to play live shows from backstage for supposed aesthetic purposes, but he has co-written many songs and has stayed with Black Sabbath through all subsequent incarnations). Also during the tour, drummer Bill Ward quit the band for personal reasons (both his parents died within a rather short period, and Ward was struggling with alcoholism and other addictions). Drummer Vinny Appice joined to complete the tour and then record the next album Mob Rules, in which an early version of the title track appeared in the movie Heavy Metal.

Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice left the band after supposed disputes over the mixing of the live album Live Evil, and persued a solo career together. Black Sabbath re-enlisted drummer Bill Ward, and, along with ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan (who agreed to join the band whilst heavily intoxicated), released Born Again in 1983. It reached a respectable #2 in the UK music charts, a success not seen since Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, ten years previously. However, the album was not received particularly fondly by critics or fans alike, and not even by singer Ian Gillan. The tour that followed was to provide a wealth of material for the spoof documentary on rock 'n' roll culture, Spinal Tap. Drummer Bill Ward was still recovering from poor health and so did not tour for the Born Again album. Instead, fellow Brummie Bev Bevan, formerly of The Move and the Electric Light Orchestra, took to the drumstool for the tour obligations.

Once the tour was over, Ian Gillan left the band to rejoin his Mk.2 Deep Purple band mates. From here on the line-ups of Black Sabbath changed unrelentlessly, with Tony Iommi being the only constant member. Between 1986 and 1995 Black Sabbath released 7 studio albums and one live album, including a reunion album with the Mob Rules line-up (1992's Dehumanizer). In 1997 the original line-up reunited for a proper world tour (as opposed to the one-off Live Aid in 1985, and Costa Mesa gigs on Ozzy's "Farewell" tour in 1992) and have toured on and off since.

Currently the Mob Rules line-up have reunited once more under the banner "Heaven & Hell" and are touring the world in 2007, promoting Black Sabbath - The Best of: the Dio Years featuring three new tracks and a release of Black Sabbath Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, 1982.

VH1's '100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock' ranked them second, behind Led Zeppelin. They were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Black Sabbath Discography:
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1970)
Master of Reality (1971)
Vol. 4 (1972)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Sabotage (1975)
Technical Ecstasy (1976)
Never Say Die! (1978)
Live at Last (1980)
Heaven & Hell (1980)
Mob Rules (1982)
Live Evil (1983)
Born Again (1983)
Seventh Star (1986)
The Eternal Idol (1987)
Headless Cross (1989)
Tyr (1990)
Dehumanizer (1992)
Cross Purposes (1994)
Cross Purposes Live (1994)
Forbidden (1995)
Reunion (1997)
Live at Hammersmith Odeon (2007)

Alphabetical Personnel:
Don Airey - keyboards
Vinny Appice - drums
Bev Bevan - drums
Mike Bordin - drums
Jo Burt - bass
Geezer Butler - bass
Terry Chimes - drums
Gordon Copely - bass
Laurence Cottle - bass
Bob Daisley - bass
Ronnie James Dio - vocals
Dave Donato - vocals
Ian Gillan - vocals
Ray Gillen - vocals
Rob Halford - vocals
Glenn Hughes - vocals
Tony Iommi - guitar
Ron Keel - vocals
Tony Martin - vocals
Neil Murray - bass
Geoff Nicholls - keyboards
Ozzy Osbourne - vocals
Cozy Powell - drums
Bobby Rondinelli - drums
Eric Singer - drums
Dave Spitz - bass
Adam Wakeman - keyboards
Rick Wakeman - keyboards
Dave Walker - vocals
Bill Ward - drums
Jezz Woodruffe - keyboards



BLACK SABBATH GENRES
Heavy/Traditional, Doom Metal

BLACK SABBATH LYRICAL THEMES
Doom, Drugs, Life, Death, Religion

BLACK SABBATH ORIGIN
United Kingdom (Birmingham), formed in 1969

BLACK SABBATH CURRENT RECORD LABEL
Sony Music Entertainment

BLACK SABBATH STATUS
On hold

BLACK SABBATH CURRENT LINE-UP
Ozzy Osbourne - Vocals (Iommi (guest), The Prospectors, The Black Panthers, Approach, Music Machine, Rare Breed, Black Label Society (Guest))
Tony Iommi - Guitars (Heaven And Hell (UK), The In Crowd, The Birds and the Bees, The Rockin' Chevrolets, The Rest, Mythology, Jethro Tull)
Terrance "Geezer" Butler - Bass (Heaven And Hell (UK), Rare Breed)
Bill Ward - Drums (The Rest, Mythology)
Adam Wakeman - Keyboards

BLACK SABBATH PREVIOUS LINE-UP
Saxophone:
- Alan "Aker" Clarke

Guitars:
- Jimmy Phillips (The Prospectors)
- Brian May (Oct 1988, as guest) (Queen, Iommi)

Keyboards:
- Rick Wakeman (1973) (Yes, ABWH [stands for: Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe])
- Gerald "Jezz" Woodruffe (1975-1977, 1987)
- Don Airey (1978-May 1979) (Alaska (UK), Anthem (Jpn), Deep Purple, Divlje Jagode, Empire (Ger), Glenn Tipton, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Iommi, Rainbow, Sinner (Ger), The Cage, M.S.G., Whitesnake)
- Geoff Nicholls (May 1979-1987, 1987-Jun 2004) (Quartz, Tony Martin)

Vocals:
- Dave Walker (Oct 1977-Jan 1978) (Fleetwood Mac, Savoy Brown)
- Ronnie James Dio (May 1979-Nov 1982, Apr 1991-Nov 13 1992) (ex-Rainbow, Hear 'n Aid, Munetaka Higuchi (Guest), Heaven And Hell (UK), Elf)
- Ian Gillan (Jan 1983-Mar 1984) (Deep Purple, Ian Gillan Band)
- Dave Donato (sometime in 1984) (White Tiger)
- Ron Keel (sometime in 1984) (Steeler (US), Saber Tiger)
- Glenn Hughes (Sep 1985-Mar 1986) ( ex-Deep Purple, Erik Norlander, Aina, Iommi, Voodoo Hill, Trapeze)
- Ray Gillen (Mar 1986-Aug 1987) (see also Sun Red Sun, Rondinelli, guest for Savatage, Badlands) (R.I.P. 1961 - 1993, Aids Related Complications)
- Tony Martin (Aug 1987-Apr 1991, Dec 1993-sometime in 1996) (Empire (Ger), Rondinelli, The Cage, M3, Giuntini Project)
- Rob Halford (Nov 14-20, 1992, August 26th 2004) (Judas Priest, Fight (US), Two, ex-Hear 'n Aid)

Drums:
- Vinny Appice (Aug 1980-Nov 1982, Apr 1991) (Heaven And Hell (UK), Dio, Derringer, WWIII, Erik Norlander, Power Project, Minoru Niihara (Guest), Hear 'n Aid (Guest))
- Bev Bevan (Aug 1983-Mar 1984, Jun 1987-Oct 1987) (ELO)
- Eric Singer (Sep 1985-Jun 1987, Oct 1987-Jan 1988) (Kiss, Alice Cooper, E.S.P., Lita Ford, Stream (US), Avantasia)
- Terry Chimes (Nov 1987-May 1988) (The Clash, Hanoi Rocks, Generation X)
- Cozy Powell (Oct 1988-Oct 1990, Oct 1994-sometime in 1996) (Glenn Tipton, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Rainbow, Tony Martin, Brian May, Graham Bonnet, Michael Schenker Group, Whitesnake) (R.I.P. April 5, 1998, single car accident).
- Bobby Rondinelli (Dec 1993-Oct 1994) (Rainbow, Sun Red Sun, Riot, Warlock (Ger), Doro, Quiet Riot, Scorpions, Blue Oyster Cult, The Lizards)
- Mike Bordin (Mar 1997-Jun 1997) (Faith No More, Ozzy Osbourne, Jerry Cantrell)
- Shannon Larkin (Jul 1 1997) (Wrathchild America, Souls At Zero, Ugly Kid Joe, Glenn Tipton, Godsmack)

Bass:
- Gordon Copley (Jan 1985-Sep 1985)
- Dave "The Beast" Spitz (Fall 1985-Spring 1987) (Americade, Impellitteri, Stream (US),White Lion, Great White)
- Bob Daisley (Aug 1986-Jan 1988) (Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, Yngwie J. Malmsteen , Planet Alliance, Dio, guest for Jorge Salan, Stream (US))
- Jo Burt (Feb 1988-Mar 1988) (Virginia Wolf)
- Laurence "Lol" Cottle (Oct 1988-Jun 1989)
- Neil Murray (Jun 1989-Oct 1990, Oct 1994-sometime in 1996) (Empire (Ger), Brian May, Whitesnake, Gary Moore, M3, National Health, Company of Snakes, Bow Wow, Gogmagog (UK), Rondinelli, Driveshaft (Guest), Iommi (Guest), Tony Martin)

Honourable mention to guest vocalist Ice-T (Tracy Morrow) on the "Forbidden" LP (1995) (Body Count, guest for Six Feet Under (US))

 


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