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| From left: Toni Iommi (Guitar), John "Ozzy" Osborne (Vocals), Geezer Butler (Bass Guitar and Lyricist), Bill Ward (Drums) |
Elvis, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. Each of these built on what the previous had done (well, Zeppelin and Sabbath were kinda simultaneous) to form the base of nearly all rock and heavy music that came after. Elvis: I respect and understand his importance but not really into his music. Beatles: an insane amount of influential material released in just a few years. I really like some of it, am indifferent to some, and some songs I just cannot listen to. Zeppelin: Love 'em! I own all the Zeppelin albums and they are one of my favorite rock bands of all time. Sabbath: Love 'em MORE! Everything I said about Zeppelin I can say about Sabbath. In addition, Sabbath added a darkness and heavyness that did not exist in Zeppelin's music (well, 90% of it anyway). Sabbath broke ground and open the door to allow all the heavy music and metal that I love to be created. If you are not familiar with the band.... first of all... WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!?.... then watch this cool YouTube documentary of the band describing their story in their own words. It's pretty great. Ozzy is frickin hilarious... always was!
Black Sabbath Documentary - In Their Own Words
One of the first things I learned watching this doc is, before they were Black Sabbath they were a six piece band. Geezer couldn't afford a bass guitar so he took two strings off of his regular guitar. Sounds about right.
On to the business at hand....
Today we are discussing Black Sabbath's first eight albums, released from 1970 to 1978. These are the "Ozzy years" albums. I own all eight on vinyl, and for the first time I have taken pics of my very own copies to kick off the set of songs for each album. It was fun!
Black Sabbath - February 1970
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The first Sabbath record was recorded in two days, but they had been playing for 18 months together. You can tell there is still a lot of the hard blues rock still influencing this one, especially in songs like Wicked World and Evil Woman. My copy is from the 70s, or at least I assume it is since the cover is basically falling apart. The record itself is in really good shape tho!
Song: Black Sabbath
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
The first song on the first album. It's hard to measure how influential this song is. The four guys in Sabbath were initially a blues band called Earth, but there was another band called Earth and there were a million blues based rock bands so Geezer and Ozzy decided to start writing 'dark' music. Here is a quick video of Geezer describing how the song came to be.........
Some information from the Google about the three notes that form the base of Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath.
A tritone is a highly dissonant musical interval spanning three whole tones (six semitones), dividing the octave exactly in half. Known historically as diabolus in musica ("the devil in music") due to its unsettling sound, it is used to create tension, fear, or drama in classical, jazz, and rock music. It acts as a key component of dominant chords, often resolving to a more stable interval."Mars, the Bringer of War" by Gustav Holst heavily utilizes the tritone ... to create an unsettling, intense sound
Holst - Mars Bringer Of War
Key details about the use of tritones in the piece:
Tritone-based Riff: The main, driving theme often cited as a precursor to heavy metal (and specifically influencing Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath) is built around a tritone melody, alternating between notes a tritone apart (e.g., G and C#).
Discordant Harmony: The piece is known for its intense dissonance, using clashing keys and bitonality, rather than a traditional key signature.
Overall Effect: The use of this interval contributes to the "inhuman" and relentless, mechanical horror atmosphere Holst aimed to create for the theme of war.
Song: The Wizard
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
Harmonica! Is this the only song on any of these first albums with harmonica on it? I think it might be! This is probably my second favorite song off the debut album. That harmonica riff is a big reason why. The song sounded familiar to me the first time I heard it. It was years later when I realized why. Six years before ever hearing this song, I had heard the harmonica from it. It was sampled on the Young MC song 'Nonstop'. I had that cassette back in 1989/1990 and listened to it a thousand times... at least.
Enjoy Nonstop by Young MC and see if you can find Ozzy's harmonica!
Song: Nonstop
Artist: Young MC
Album: Stone Cold Rhymin
Release Year: 1989
Song: Behind The Wall Of Sleep
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
Song: Behind The Wall Of Sleep (cover)
Artist: Static-X
Album: Nativity In Black II - Tribute To Black Sabbath
Release Year: 2000
Song: N.I.B.
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
The drum outro on Behind The Wall Of Sleep goes right into Geezer's bass solo that ends with the bass riff for N.I.B. It's pretty cool how they did things like that so much on these 70's rock albums. Running songs all together.
Song: Wicked World
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
Wicked World has jazz and blues elements featured, especially in the intro. When they break into the main riff at 50 seconds in, its pure Sabbath blues, brother! Ozzy sounds so different on this song! I love it! It's almost like he was battling a cold when he recorded this song. Who knows, maybe he was?
Song: Evil Woman
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1970
Evil Woman is a cover (originally by the band Crow). It was only included on the European version of their debut album. A simple bass and guitar riff underlies Ozzy's somewhat raspy vocals (again, something that doesn't really appear on any other albums.... shame!). The chorus will get stuck in your head.
Paranoid - October 1970
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It blows my melon that Black Sabbath's debut and Paranoid were both released in the SAME YEAR. The band initially wanted to title the album War Pigs in protest to the Vietnam War. The record company convinced them that would be too scandalous so they ended up naming the album Paranoid. The album cover makes no sense because that guy with the sword, helmet, and shield was supposed to represent one of the 'war pigs'. None of that matters today as this is credited with being one of the most influential rock albums of all time. I mean, that could be said about most of these albums we are discussing, but, especially these first two.
Song: War Pigs (Live)
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
I chose this live version of War Pigs instead of the album cut because it is one of my favorite live performances.... ever. I think this was recorded before the album was even released since some of the lyrics are different. From various documentaries I've watched I recall the execs were not fond of some of the original words Geezer produced. Two examples that did not make it onto the album version:
Throw the priest into the fire... see them eating dead rats innards
Probably my favorite part about this video is Bill Ward's drumming performance. He is giving it everything he's got and seems almost out of control but still absolutely nails all the incredible fills and flourishes. Ozzy sounds fantastic and both Tony and Geezer are in full force. A band at its peak operational mode!
My favorite cover version is from one of my favorite bands, Faith No More. It's on their debut with Mike Patton, The Real Thing. This is also a live version and they totally nail it. It is true to the original, not really any variance, but that's alright. Well done, dudes!
Song: War Pigs (Live) (cover)
Artist: Faith No More
Album: The Real Thing
Release Year: 1989
Song: Paranoid
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
If you have heard any early Sabbath, you have likely heard this song. The title of the song... Paranoid, the title of the album... Paranoid, the number of times the word 'paranoid' is spoken on the album... ZERO lol. Who cares? Not me! I don't think I had seen this video until putting together this post. It's the boys miming the song for 'music video' way back in 1970. Ozzy looks like he is having a blast, lol.
1:28 - Tony's solo. I love the fuzz sound.
Song: Planet Caravan
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
Song: Iron Man
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
Remember when I said that if you had heard any early Sabbath songs, it was likely Paranoid? Well, the same can be said for Iron Man. It was the first Black Sabbath song I heard, sometime in the late 80s. I remember it affected me immediately and sounded different than anything else I was listening to at the time. I remember it being on a compilation album and have been trying to figure out which one it was. The only one that seems like it's a possibility is the Dazed and Confused soundtrack from 1993, but somehow that's not it. It I remember it being a much lesser-known compilation and was on a cassette tape. Someday I will figure it out!
Song: Electric Funeral
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
Another extremely influential song; Electric Funeral is credited with kicking off the entire Doom Metal genre as well as black metal and death metal. The riff is very simple but effective. Geezer Butler's lyrics paint an incredibly vivid picture.
Warn you you're gonna die
Storm coming, you better hide
From the atomic tide
Flashes in the sky
Turns people into clay
Radiation minds decay
Robot minds of robot slaves
Lead them to atomic graves
Plastic flowers, melting sun
Fading moon falls upon
Dying world of radiation
Victims of man's frustration
Burning globe of obscene fire
Like electric funeral pyre
Buildings crashing down
To Earth's cracking ground
Rivers turn to wood
Ice melt into blood
Earth lies in deathbed
Clouds cry for the dead
Terrifying rain
Is a burning pain
Electric funeral
Electric funeral
Electric funeral
Electric funeral
And so in the sky
Shines the electric eye
Supernatural king
Takes Earth under his wing
Heaven's golden chorus sings
Hell's angels flap their wings
Evil souls fall to Hell
Ever trapped in burning cells
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Ward / Butler / Iommi / Osbourne
Electric Funeral lyrics © Onward Music Ltd
Song: Hand Of Doom
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
Another brilliant song! Hand Of Doom has great dynamics with the beginning of the song having just Geezer's bass and Ward's extremely groovy bass drum and rim clicks. Before too long the band is all involved, blasting away. At 2:04 they do that Sabbath thing where they change the riff and suddenly you are in a new song within a song. Man, I love this band! 😍
Song: Rat Salad
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
An instrumental! Sweet! This one features Bill Ward's drumming along with most excellent riffage from the guitarists. I wonder what would be in a Rat Salad... other than rat of course. Probably cherry tomato? 🤷♂️
Song: Fairies Wear Boots
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Paranoid
Release Year: 1970
To me, this song is the birth of Blues Metal. The riff on the verses is 100% blues but delivered with a different tone and edge. Some interesting background on the song:
"Fairies Wear Boots" (1970) primarily originated from a tense encounter Black Sabbath had with a group of skinheads in Birmingham, England, who harassed the long-haired band members. The band referred to these hostile, boot-wearing individuals as "fairies".Key details regarding the song's origin include:The Encounter: Bassist Geezer Butler recounted that skinheads (or "hooligans") turned on them at a gig, influencing the lyrics as a "get you back" song against those who bullied them.
Alternative Tales: Tony Iommi previously suggested the title came from a drug-induced hallucination where they saw fairies in boots in a park.
Drug Influence: Ozzy Osbourne later admitted in his autobiography, I Am Ozzy, that he did not remember what the song was about, though it was written during a period of heavy substance use, often linked to LSD.
Instrumental Opening: The song features an opening segment titled "Jack the Stripper," which was a separate, bluesy jam on original pressings.
The lyrics essentially served as a sarcastic, defiant mockery of the aggressive, anti-establishment skinhead culture of the time.
Master Of Reality - July 1971
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It may be safe to say that Master Of Reality is my favorite Sabbath album. I have different favorites at any single point in time, but, as far as listening to an album front to back and loving every minute of it... Master Of Reality wins. My copy of the album was one of the very first used albums I ever purchased when I started buying vinyl about three years ago. It is an old copy from the 70s and I cherish it!
Song: Sweet Leaf
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
This album starts with someone coughing, lol. Then immediately transitions into the sludgiest guitar riff ever put down on recording up to that point. As the coughing and title suggest, this song is a tribute to the devil's lettuce, aka mary jane, aka pot, aka weed, aka ganja, aka trees, aka broccoli, aka bud, aka marijuana...... CANNABIS. I just recently saw a clip of an interview with the band from around the time of Master Of Reality that I absolutely loved and was able to hunt down the interview that includes that clip. Around 1:40 the interviewer asks what sort of things they like and what they do to relax and thats when the fun starts, LOL.
Song: After Forever
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
After Forever is in my top ten Sabbath hall of fame, for sure. Why do I love thee? Let me count the ways...
1. Geezer's bass! The song kicks off with some guitar and bass but the bass is the star of the show. Listen to it!
2. the main riff at 33 seconds in
3. at 1:54 - the first riff change up... more to come!
4. 3:05 - "I think it is true, it is people like you who cruficied Christ."
5. 3:25 - another riff change... funky!... then into an Iommi solo
6. 5:05 - we go out the way we came in, let by Geezers bass. Listen to him fingering those strings!
Song: Embryo / Children Of The Grave
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
I also had to add this cover version of Children Of The Grave from the Nativity In Black tribute album that I loved so much back when I had the CD as a youth. White Zombie!!!!
Song: Children Of The Grave (cover)
Artist: White Zombie
Album: Nativity In Black: A Tribute To Black Sabbath
Release Year: 1994
Song: Orchid / Lord Of This World
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
This is another set of calming instrumental followed by superb rock and roll riffage. I like the instrumental Orchid even more than Embryo. For one things, it's longer ;0). Some of my favorite parts from Lord Of This World:
1:31 - the gorgeous Orchid instrumental fades out and one of my favorite Sabbath riffs of all time come in.
1:59 - the kick ass riff switches up into an even more kick ass-ey riff for the verses. GROOOVE. Ozzy starts singing. His vocals are super duper wunderbar on this album.
3:00 - I believe this song's lyrics were written from the perspective of satan / el diablo....
Your world was made for you by someone above
But you chose evil ways instead of love
You made me master of the world where you exist
The soul I took from you was not even missed yeah
You think you're innocent you've nothing to fear
You don't know me you say, but isn't it clear?
You turn to me in all your worldly greed and pride
But will you turn to me when it's your turn to die, yeah
Song: Solitude
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
Flute! Why do I love flute in rock and metal songs? I blame Jethro Tull. Like Planet Caravan from the Paranoid album, this song just puts me in that chill space. I like Solitude even more that Planet Caravan. If you were wondering, YES, that is Ozzy singing. Crazy, right?
:39 - appearance of the flute!
2:03 - "You just laughed when I begged you to stay. I've not stopped crying since you went away." These lyrics are followed by a simple but tasteful subdued solo. So damn good.
Song: Into The Void
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Master of Reality
Release Year: 1971
Up into the night sky, they blast
Through the universe, the engines whine
Could it be the end of man and time?
Back on earth, the flame of life burns low
Everywhere is misery and woe
Pollution kills the air, the land, and sea
Man prepares to meet his destiny, yeah
Rocket engines burning fuel so fast
Up into the black sky, so vast
Burning metal through the atmosphere
Earth remains in worry, hate, and fear
With the hateful battles raging on
Rockets flying to the glowing sun
Through the empires of eternal void
Freedom from the final suicide
Freedom fighters sent out to the sun
Escape from brainwashed minds and pollution
Leave the earth to all its sin and hate
Find another world where freedom waits, yeah
Past the stars in fields of ancient void
Through the shields of darkness, where they find
Love upon a land a world unknown
Where the sons of freedom make their home
Leave the earth to Satan and his slaves
Leave them to their future in the grave
Make a home where love is there to stay
Peace and happiness in every day
Song: Into the Void (Sealth)(cover)
Artist: Soundgarden
Album: B side to Jesus Christ Pose single
Release Year: 1991
Vol 4 - September 1972
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Ok, another 'mind blown' stat: Sabbath's first four albums were released in a period of just over two and a half years. The material on these four albums inspired nearly all heavy music from 1972 until today (at least in my opinion). There are two things that stick out in my mind when I think about Vol. 4 due to various documentaries I have watched and listening to the audiobooks of both Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler's autobiographies:
Thing 1: The band did copious amounts of cocaine during this period.
- Geezer Butler has shared several stories regarding the band's lifestyle while recording Vol. 4 in Los Angeles in 1972.
- According to Butler, the band’s spending on cocaine significantly exceeded the actual cost of producing the album. He has estimated that while the record cost approximately $60,000 to make, their cocaine bill was roughly $75,000.
- Reflecting on their time in a rented mansion in Bel-Air, he described the atmosphere as "completely mental" and "worthy of Caligula," noting that the debauchery was "unbelievable." He recalled a dealer who would visit the house and empty washing detergent boxes—disguised as brands like Persil or Oxo—that were actually filled with cocaine, creating "little mountains" of the substance on the table.
- Butler also recounted a specific incident at the mansion involving a panic button:
While sitting in the house, Ozzy Osbourne noticed a button under a window and pressed it out of curiosity.It turned out to be a direct link to the police.Butler described the band's frantic reaction, saying they had to dump their "great big bowl of cocaine" down the toilet before the officers arrived.
- The drug's presence was so central to the sessions that the band originally intended to name the album Snowblind, a title taken from a track Butler wrote about the drug. Though record executives eventually forced them to change the title to Vol. 4, the band included a nod to their habits in the liner notes, writing: "We wish to thank the great COKE-Cola Company of Los Angeles."
Thing 2: The band nearly killed drummer Bill Ward after spray painting him head to toe in gold paint.
Members of Black Sabbath have frequently discussed the notorious gold paint incident, which took place in 1972 while recording Vol. 4 in Los Angeles. The prank nearly proved fatal for drummer Bill Ward.
Tony Iommi’s Account
The guitarist has been the most vocal about the incident, often expressing regret over how dangerous their "pranks" became.
On the idea: "One night, Bill Ward... got back to the house and he couldn't get his clothes... so for some silly reason, we had an idea to paint him gold."
On the reaction: "He was laughing at first, but then he got really violently sick... I had to phone 911... They went, 'What?'; 'We painted him gold and he's throwing up.' And of course they came out and they just ripped us apart. 'You idiots, you could've killed him!'"
On the aftermath: "We had to use paint stripper to get it off... He looked like a beetroot by the end. Really stupid, I mean, you never thought of the consequences, really. He could’ve died there."
Ozzy Osbourne’s Account
In his memoir I Am Ozzy, the singer reflected on the group's reckless behavior during that period.
On the toxicity: "I look at the can, and it says, 'WARNING: DO NOT SPRAY ON SKIN — HIGHLY TOXIC.' I poisoned Bill!"
On the general atmosphere: Ozzy noted that the band was often "completely out of it" on drugs, which led to poor decision-making. He also recalled a similar incident where he accidentally poisoned Ward by spraying toxic paint on him during a bathroom break, leading to Ward blacking out and rolling down a hill.
Despite the severity of the incident—which caused Ward to suffer from convulsions and blocked pores—Iommi has joked in more recent years about their long-distance friendship, saying, "I can't paint him gold by email." 🤣😂
Song: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
The first thing you'll notice about Vol. 4, the production is much brighter and less muddy. It also shows a continued evolution of both the songwriting and instrumentation for the band. Some of my favorite parts from this opener Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener, its a long one!:
2:25 - song switches gears into a new riff and ups the tempo. Maybe this is when Wheels of Confusion ends and The Straightener begins?
2:50 - the instrumental section continues but changes up again with a new riff and some cool effects.
3:31 - yet ANOTHER riff change and Ozzy comes back in with his superb vocals, then it quickly switches back again to the original verse riff. How the hell did they keep track of all this when playing live?!?!
5:15 - ok, ok, I was wrong earlier about the transition from Wheels of Confusion to The Straightener. THIS is definitely the spot.... I think... probably. I don't there there are any more vocals from here on out. Just instrumental magic and soloing!
Song: Tomorrow's Dream
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
The guitar riff, driving rhythm, and lyric "Well, I'm leaving tomorrow at daybreak." make me feel like I am flying down the road in a vehicle of some sort.
:35 - the 'hookiest' part of the song for me. Everything drops out but Tony's guitar for a catchy string bend. It returns a couple times I think.
1:54 thru 2:20 - brief solo section sandwiched between two hooky bendy thingies and then back to the main riff for more Ozzy. This album has a couple shorter songs, this being one of them. Not typical for the band. Possibly due to all that Columbian Dandruff they were inhaling!!!
Song: Changes
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
I've never really been a fan of this song, but felt like it was important to include in this discussion. It was a first for Sabbath in that the lyrics seemed pretty personal. Below is the video of Yungblud singing Changes at the Back To The Beginning show in July 2025. He won a Grammy for the performance.
I have looked up Yungblud on Amazon Music and listened to a sampling of a few of his songs and am not really into it yet. However, I just heard his version of Changes the other day for the first time and I really really like it. I can see why he won an award for it.
Song: Supernaut
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
Back in November of 2024 I did a post on this song. Check it out here, if interested. It was just my 4th post and in it, I mentioned I would eventually be doing a bigger Black Sabbath article. Hey, look at that! I wasn't full of moose piss!
Supernaut is, at this moment in time (it will always change!), my FAVORITE Sabbath song. I absolutely love all the riffs, the melodies, the vocals, the drumming... all of it! That can be said for a lot of Sabbath songs, so, what sets this one apart? Its the incredible little instrumental break at 2:36. It starts with an incredible drum riff from Bill Ward then in comes Tony with some acoustic strumming. It only lasts for a short while then they dive right back into the heavyness. I look forward to that part of the song every time I listen to it. Chef's friggin kiss.
Song: Snowblind
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
Snowblind. What would have been the title track if Black Sabbath had gotten their way in naming this album.
:16 - after a short intro riff, we go into one of the grooviest metal swings ever. Ozzy starts in with the verse. His vocal melody on the verses are so catchy!
:37 - In case there was any question what this song is about. Geezer Butler actually whispers the word "cocaine" at the end of this verse line.
3:26 - The boys kick into a higher gear for a bit!
Funny enough, I was familiar with the System Of A Down cover version of Snowblind before the original. Much like Static-x's version of Behind The Wall Of Sleep, System Of A Down make this song very much their own!
System Of a Down cover version:
Song: Cornucopia
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
Cornucopia is a song that I have only heard a few dozen times compared to hundreds. Vol 4 has quite a bit of meat to chew and I am really enjoying digging in to the entire collection of songs.
:31 - After a super cool intro (noticing a pattern?) it transitions into the verse riff.
:00 thru 1:31 - Good golly, only 90 seconds in and there have been five different changes in riff and melody. The coke is kicking in , boys!
1:43 - now it REALLY changes up. Is that a GONG?
Song: Laguna Sunrise
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
Laguna Sunrise is a wonderful instrumental track. It's a great break from the battering we take from the heavier songs, lol.
Song: St. Vitus Dance
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
Another one of my most favorite Sabbath songs! I remember back in the days of file sharing (early 2000s) I had downloaded a bunch of Sabbath songs that I had never heard before and this was one of them. I could not believe this song was never a single or on any of their compilations. It is so extremely catchy and somewhat upbeat, so not the typical Sabbath song. I only have one complaint... it's too short! LOL
Song: Under The Sun / Every Day Comes And Goes
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Vol 4
Release Year: 1972
The final track/song on the masterpiece that is Vol. 4. Let's look at some highlights, shall we? Yes... yes, we shall. Do you really need to answer yourself, Nick? Shut up, Nick, and just let me be me!
:32 - Super doomy intro riff morphs into the verse riff. See why they call Tony Iommi the riff master? Well, you should.
1:55 - This is gonna shock you.... its a new song within the song! I love it. This section is interspersed with Bill Ward drum fills. Get 'em, Bill!
3:55 - Yet another switch-up! I love the descending riff. It is instrumental magic from here on out. At the very end the tempo keeps slowing and getting more and more sluggish. Like a beast slowly retreating back to the shadows from which it came.
I had never really read through all the lyrics for this song until now. I really dig 'em. Here are a few of my favorite lines....
Well, I don't want no preacher telling me about the god in the skyNo, I don't want no one to tell me where I'm gonna go when I die
People hiding their real face and keep on running their rat race
Behind each flower there grows a weed, in their world of make-believe
So believe what I tell you, it's the only way you'll find in the end
Just believe in yourself, you know you really shouldn't have to pretend
Don't let those empty people try and interfere with your mind
Just live your life and leave them all behind
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After a month in Los Angeles with no results, the band opted to return to the UK, where they rented Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, in which the likes of Led Zeppelin, Mott the Hoople and Deep Purple wrote and recorded. The medieval surroundings may have revitalised the band musically, but also left a sinister impression; in the liner notes to the 1998 live album Reunion, Iommi recalls, "We rehearsed in the armoury there and one night I was walking down the corridor with Ozzy and we saw this figure in a black cloak ... We followed this figure back into the armoury and there was absolutely no one there. Whoever it was had disappeared into thin air! The people that owned the castle knew all about this ghost and they said, 'Oh yes, that's the ghost of so and so. We were like 'What!?'"
In his autobiography Osbourne cracks, "We weren't so much the Lords of Darkness as the Lords of Chickenshit when it came to that kind of thing ... We wound each other up so much none of us got any sleep. You'd just lie there with your eyes wide open, expecting an empty suit of armour to walk into your bedroom at any second to shove a dagger up your arse."
In 2001 (Geezer) Butler admitted to Dan Epstein of Guitar World, "We almost thought that we were finished as a band ... Once Tony came out with the initial riff for 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' we went 'We're baaaack!'"
Song: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
Song: A National Acrobat
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
This song includes some great harmonized guitar. The little sections right after Ozzy's verse are what I am referring to.
2:22 - song takes a turn with a new riff and some cool echo effects on Ozzy
4:51 - this album is typically talked about as Sabbaths most 'progressive', meaning lots of changes and complexities and such. For this song I cannot argue. Here, it breaks into a totally different riff and feel, and then...
5:20 - just 30 seconds later it changes yet again into another new section to close things out. Some speedy riffage, baby!
Song: Sabra Cadabra
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
Song: Sabra Cadabra (cover)
Artist: Metallica
Album: Garage Inc
Release Year: 1988
Song: Killing Yourself To Live
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
This song may edge out Sabbath Bloody Sabbath as my favorite from the album. Part of it may be because I am not quite as familiar with one so it has the "new and shiny" advantage. 😊 At the 2:52 mark where it changes riffs and those harmonized guitars come in at 3:06... THE BEST! That part is actually taken from A National Acrobat from the same album. Metallica combined the two songs into one big pile of awesome. At the 2:44 mark the song totally shifts into a really cool bluesy thing. At 4:07 it switches up again to take us home.
Song: Who Are You?
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
This is an 'interesting' one. It is almost entirely synthesizer vs guitar. I like it, don't get me wrong, but I kept debating removing it from the list because... well... cause I have so damn many songs on here! lol. However, this morning on my way to work I was listening to it and when the instrumental section hit at 2:03 the decision was made. This has to be on the list!
Song: Looking For Today
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
Writing this big-ass article has made clear how much Sabbath material I still have to get to know. This song is a perfect example. I like this one the more I hear it (feels like I've said that before🤷♀️). It feels like a pretty straight forward rock song. Some highlights:
2:03 - Hey, look.... a new section of the song! Probably one of the "lightest" moments in Sabbath history. It kinda seems like it might be the chorus but....
2:36 - nope.... THERE's the chorus... I think. I mean, usually when you repeat the name of the song its the chorus. Super catchy!
Song: Spiral Architect
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Release Year: 1973
This song starts with another great instrumental intro. It adds flavor! A couple highlights:
:45 - transitions from the acoustic instrumental intro into a second instrumental intro
1:22 - things change up again as Ozzy starts singing the verses
1:50 - changes up again for the chorus (at least I think thats a chorus?). Some strings in there! ooooo, fancy!
3:18 - another instrumental section. This one very string-heavy.
Sabotage - July 1975
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In the Wiki article for the previous album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, it quotes Ozzy as saying "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was really the album after which I should have said goodbye because after that I really started unravelling. Then we ended up falling out of favour with each other."
Regarding their attitude prior to making Sabotage:
Iommi later reflected, "We could've continued and gone on and on, getting more technical, using orchestras and everything else, which we didn't particularly want to. We took a look at ourselves, and we wanted to do a rock album – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath wasn't a rock album, really."I watched a YouTube documentary on the making of Sabotage in which I learned much of the lyrical material was inspired by a battle with the band's record company (or former record company, at the time). It shed some new light on the songs I have listened to so many times. If you wanna spend 40ish minutes watching said video, just give it a littly clicky-poo 👇
Song: Hole In The Sky
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabotage
Release Year: 1975
I love the mental image the title Hole In The Sky generates. Trippy, dude... trippy. If I was given only one word to describe this one it would be... lumbering. It trudges along like a lumbering giant. It is one of the few songs in this entire list that doesn't seem to have a ton of change-ups. Like a couple others on this list, I first heard the song on one of the Sabbath 'tribute' albums. Behold, Machinehead's version of Hole In The Sky:
Song: Hole In The Sky (cover)
Artist: Machinehead
Album: Nativity In Black II - A Tribute To Black Sabbath
Release Year: 2000
Song: Symptom Of The Universe
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabotage
Release Year: 1975
Dude, what else sounded like this in 1975? The answer is 'nothing', if you couldn't tell by the context of this entire post. The main riff is pretty simple, but ground breaking in its brutality. Symptom Of The Universe is credited with being heavily influential in the creation of one of my most favorite flavors of metal music.... thrash. Some stuff from the internet:
"Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal" by Ian Christe (2003): Christe explicitly identifies "Symptom of the Universe" as the foundational blueprint for thrash metal. He argues that Tony Iommi’s percussive, chugging riff style on this track was the direct DNA for bands like Metallica and Slayer.I was just listening to this song today and, man, there is a lot here to digest even beyond the monster primary riffage.
:01 - While many Sabbath songs start with an instrumental intro that differs from the main riff, Symptom Of The Universe jumps right into it.
:43 - Ozzy comes in. I can't think of another song with Sabbath or even in his decades-long solo career where his vocal was this intense and harsh. He had such a gift for knowing what was needed to fit the song.
1:57 - The first major riff change. A neat little descending riff to punctuate the end of each verse.
3:34 - Another major shift. It's so awesome how many times Iommi completely changes the underlying riff when it's time for his solo.
4:11 - ooo, what is happening here. Sounds like a spaceship taking off. And then.... holy McShitballs, it's an entirely new song within the song! I love this part so much. It's not just instrumental either, Ozzy adds vocals as well.
5:14 - Ozzy's vocal ends and we get over a full minute of Iommi soloing on an acoustic guitar. 😎💥❤️
Song: Megalomania
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabotage
Release Year: 1975
I love the dynamics of Megalomania. It starts quietly, but doesn't stay that way.
1:43 - obsessed obsessed obsessed obsessed... One of the hooks for me on this song is the echoing Ozzy that leads into each verse.
3:06 - the song morphs into a very brief instrumental break (with a drizzle of piano, even!) before the second main section/riff at...
3:19 - Hear that cowbell? I do. It signals the coming of the best part of the song, my friends. LISTEN UP! Ozzy ramps up the intensity along with the rest of the band members.
4:16 - go, Ozzy go! I love this part.
Song: The Thrill Of It All
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabotage
Release Year: 1975
I really like... well... pretty much everything about this song. It all starts with the great intro.
1:02 - After the two-part instrumental intro, everything drops out but the guitar. Another one-of-a-kind riff from the master. Then right before the first verse someone says what we are all thinking.. "yeah". The first verse has some very unique verbage/wording that is so cool. Nowhere else have I ever heard the term 'liquefying cry'.
Inclination of direction, walk the turned and twisted riftWith the children of creation futuristic dreams we sift
Clutching violently we whisper with a liquefying cry
Any deadly final answers that are surely doomed to die
1:19 - HAND CLAPS!
2:01 - "Won't you help me Mr. Jesus." Not sure why but I have always loved that he says "Mr. Jesus" here. Its just kinda silly and I relate to silly. 😍
2:39 - Change up into a short instrumental bridge and then another change into the 5th section of this song with new riffage and new vocal melody from Ozzy. Take us home, boys!
Song: The Writ
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Sabotage
Release Year: 1975
I had only heard The Writ a handful of times before doing this post. At over 8 minutes long, it just seemed like too much maybe? Writing this, I have listened to it several more times and I think it has surpassed Hole In The Sky as my 3rd favorite song from Sabotage. It starts with this unhinged laughing followed by an echo-y bassline from Geezer. Creepy!
:41 - The song explodes into the first verse! Bam!
2:00 - Back to the 'underwater' bass tone from Geezer and then back into the next verse.
3:39 - When a lot of songs would be ending, this one is just starting the middle section. I really like this part! rats..... rats
4:32 - A brand new riff as a little buffer and preparation for a section I feel is unique in the entire Sabbath catalog.
5:07 - The song shifts into what I can only describe as a heartfelt, somewhat pleading vocal from Ozzy over some sort of medieval sounding instrumentation. I usually stopped listening to the song before now so when I finally listened long enough for this part to hit, I was kinda blown away. Just call me Napoleon Blown-a-part!
7:27 - You didn't think they would end on the sappy part did ya? They take us to the station back on the rock and roll train. EPIC SONG, DUDES!
Technical Ecstasy - October 1976
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The artwork for Technical Ecstasy is supposed to be robots making love.... but the online consensus is that it looks more like robots peeing on each other LOL. I have to agree! I still like it, tho. All of Sabbath's artwork had been dark and evil-looking up until this one. Pretty big left turn! Ozzy was in and out of the band for these last two albums and the band was in turmoil the entire time. They still managed to put out some great material. These two albums (Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die) typically get ignored as not 'up to par'. I didn't know they existed for many years. I like them more the longer I am exposed to them.
Song: Back Street Kids
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Technical Ecstasy
Release Year: 1976
The lead song on the album. Has a great hooky riff and vocal on the "noooo...body I know... will ever take.... my rock and roll a...way...from me"
@1:45 -Synth! In true Sabbath form, the song takes a turn and becomes a totally different song within the same song. I like 'saw' synth muy mucho.
Song: You Won't Change Me
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Technical Ecstasy
Release Year: 1976
This one starts out with a very typical Sabbath-sounding riff, but then.... in comes the synth and some great melodic vocal lines from Mr. Osborne. He had such a gift for melody. I am still getting to know this album so this is the first time I have paid any attention to the lyrics. The stand out line for me is:
Still I wonder what it's like to be lovedInstead of hiding in myself
3:06 - Ozzy goes from the catchy chorus to an even catchier chorus and a key change. NICE!
I like how it ends, with that same eerie synth line that started it off (well, after the intro).
Song: Gypsy
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Technical Ecstasy
Release Year: 1976
This was the first song I got to know off of this album. I like the production sound on both Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die. A much 'brighter' sound than the first six. It's good to have variety, right?!
It starts with some great tom drumming by Burt and Ozzy singing before getting into the main riff and groove.
Some highlights:
1:50 - the song morphs into a new song... so Sabbathy! I love this section and Ozzy's vocals in it.
2:50 - "she read my fortune and she read my mind... she didn't like my thoughts at aaaaaaaallllllll"
3:56 - during the chorus, Tony Iommi starts soloing and then continues soloing through the rest of the song 🤘
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Never Say Die was the album I was least familiar with prior to writing this article. Listening to the songs several times, I have to say that it is really growing on me. I think it has surpassed Technical Ecstasy and possibly even Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on my favorites list. Although, now that I think on it, the title track from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath alone has to keep it in front of Never Say Die... at least for now ;0)
Here is a snip from the Wiki article for Never Say Die that I found interesting:
At the time of recording Never Say Die!, Black Sabbath's members were struggling with heavy substance abuse. Before sessions began, vocalist Ozzy Osbourne temporarily left the band and was briefly replaced by Dave Walker, known for his work with Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac. According to guitarist Tony Iommi, although both parties likely wanted to reunite, no one communicated directly, leading to Walker's short-lived stint. The band even performed early material with him, including an early version of “Junior’s Eyes” on the BBC show Look Hear.Song: Johnny Blade
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Never Say Die
Release Year: 1978
When the Black Sabbath final concert happened last July, Metallica covered Johnny Blade. I had heard the song a time or two but never gave it much attention, but, after hearing Metallica cover it I went back and really gave it my attention. I am now in love with this song! The first three words in the song are "tortured and twisted". The song goes on to describe the world of an unsavory murderous character named Johnny Blade. Hope I never meet him!
A couple highlights:
2:34 - transitions to sludgy deliciousness
3:26 - instrumental - soloing doubletracked leads, so good!
Song: Junior's Eyes
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Never Say Die
Release Year: 1978
This song has a unique sound among this first decade of album songs. I love that it's foundation is Geezer's bass riff. Stop me if you've heard this yes, my fondness for this song grows with each listen. ;0)
Song: Shock Wave
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Never Say Die
Release Year: 1978
As I said before, I like the songs on Never Say Die more and more the more I get to know them. This song does NOT follow any standard structure that I can tell. "ooo there's the chorus... no wait THEREs the chorus... wait, a 3rd chorus?!" A couple of highlights:
2:41 - tempo change into a solo and instrumental section
4:15 - another change with different riff to take us to the end
Song: Air Dance
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Never Say Die
Release Year: 1978
I added, then removed, then added this song to this post, lol. It is just such an odd song! Parts of it seem purposely slightly off key? But, the more I hear it the more I really like it. I decided it needed to be on here even if only for the incredible jazzy breakdown at 3:54.
Song: Swinging The Chain
Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: Never Say Die
Release Year: 1978
The final song on this list, and the final song on the incredible run of albums that make up their first decade is..... sung by the drummer! What?! Yes, Burt Ward sings this one. I like it! He has some unique phrasing and a lot of variety in how he delivers things. I wouldn't have expected that! DRUMMERS RULE! hhahaha
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