Black Sabbath (album)
Black Sabbath is the self-titled debut album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It was released in the United Kingdom on Friday the 13th of February, 1970.
The album is often regarded as one of the first heavy metal albums.
Recording
In August 1969 the band, who were then known as Earth, decided to change their name to Black Sabbath. Around the same time they recorded and distributed a demo version of their eponymous song. In December 1969 they recorded and released their debut single, "Evil Woman". In January 1970, the band recorded and mixed the remaining seven songs that would appear on their debut album. The songs were recorded "live" and the entire process took just three days. Guitarist Tony Iommi recalls recording live: "We thought 'We have two days to do it and one of the days is mixing.' So we played live. Ozzy was singing at the same time, we just put him in a separate booth and off we went. We never had a second run of most of the stuff."
Music and lyrics
Musically and lyrically the album was considered quite "dark" for the time. The first song on the album, the eponymous "Black Sabbath", is based almost entirely on a tritone interval played at slow tempo on the electric guitar (due to the "oppressive" or "scary" sound it produces, the tritone had in the Middle Ages come to be associated with "evil" in Western music). The song's lyrics concern a "figure in black" which is identified as Satan. Similarly, the lyrics of the song "N.I.B." are written from the point of view of Lucifer. Contrary to popular belief, the name of that song is not an acronym for "Nativity In Black". Tony Iommi said in several interviews that it is merely a reference to drummer Bill Ward's pointed goatee at the time, which was shaped as a pen-nib.
Lyrics of two other songs on the album were written about supernatural-themed stories. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" is a reference to the H. P. Lovecraft short story Beyond the Wall of Sleep, while "The Wizard" was inspired by the character of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.
Both the songs "Warning" and "Evil Woman" are covers of blues songs, with lyrics regarding relationships. The first was written and performed by Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation, and the second was written and performed by the band Crow. Black Sabbath's take on the originals is "heavier" and more jam-oriented.
Artwork
The album cover features a depiction of Mapledurham Watermill, situated on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. Standing in front of the watermill is a figure dressed in black robes. This is perhaps an allusion to the lyrics of their eponymous song: "A figure in black, which points at me". On the original release, the inner gatefold sleeve featured an inverted cross with a poem written inside of it. Vertigo, the band's record label, was allegedly responsible for adding the cross. The band was upset when they discovered this, as it fuelled allegations that they were Satanists or Occultists.
Release and reception
The album reached number 8 in the UK, and following its US release in May 1970 by Warner Bros. Records, the album reached number 23 on the Billboard 200, where it remained for over a year, selling a million copies.
Q magazine (8/00, p.126) later included it as one of the Best Metal Albums of All Time, claiming that " was to prove so influential it remains a template for metal bands three decades on. The band's signature song remains the scariest of all heavy metal songs."
Track listing
All songs written by Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, except where noted.
 The titles "Wasp", "Bassically" and "A Bit Of Finger" are unique to the North American editions. They are not extra songs but rather a name for some part of a song, for example "Bassically" is simply the bass introduction of "N.I.B". "Wasp" is the title of the first 'suite' (Behind The Wall Of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.), and "A Bit Of Finger" is the name of the second 'suite' (Sleeping Village / Warning). All editions of the album, except the original UK edition and 2004 remaster, feature separate songs bridged together with these titles added.
The original North American releases of the album had "Wicked World" in place of "Evil Woman" due to conflicts over publishing rights. Beginning with the first CD remaster in 1996, "Wicked World" has been added as an extra song outside of North America.
Side one
"Black Sabbath" – 6:16
"The Wizard" – 4:24
"Behind the Wall of Sleep" – 3:38
"N.I.B." – 6:06
Side two
"Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games With Me" (Dave Wagner, Dick Wiegand, Larry Wiegand – Crow) – 3:25
"Sleeping Village" – 3:46
"Warning" (Aynsley Dunbar, John Moorshead, Alex Dmochowski, Victor Hickling) – 10:32
Side one
"Black Sabbath" – 6:20
"The Wizard" – 4:22
"Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B." – 9:44
Side two
"Wicked World" – 4:30
"A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning" – 14:32
Warner Bros. CD release
"Black Sabbath" – 6:16
"The Wizard" – 4:18
"Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B." – 10:40
"Wicked World" – 4:42
"A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning" ("Warning" written by Aynsley Dunbar et al.) – 14:20
2004 Sanctuary release (remastered)
"Black Sabbath" – 6:21
"The Wizard" – 4:24
"Behind the Wall of Sleep" – 3:37
"N.I.B." – 6:07
"Evil Woman" (Crow) – 3:25
"Sleeping Village" – 3:46
"Warning" (Aynsley Dunbar et al.) – 10:32
"Wicked World" – 4:43
2004 release on "Black Box" (remastered)
"Black Sabbath" – 6:19
"The Wizard" – 4:23
"Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B." – 9:44
"Wicked World" – 4:47
"A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning" ("Warning" written by Aynsley Dunbar et al.) – 14:16
"Evil Woman" (Crow) – 3:23
Personnel
Ozzy Osbourne* – Vocals, harmonica on "The Wizard"
Tony Iommi – guitar
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Bill Ward – drums
Tom Allom – engineer
Barry Sheffield – engineer
Rodger Bain – producer
References
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