The second of three listed albums from heavy rockers Black Sabbath is the band’s self-titled debut album. The 1970 release performed well reaching #8 on the UK and #23 on the US Billboard charts. The album was not well received critically, but has since gained acclaim. Incredibly the album was recorded in a single day with almost no overdubbing!
Sara
I expected to like this but I didn’t—I LOVED IT. This was my first time listening to Black Sabbath’s debut album and certainly won’t be the last. What blew my mind most (besides Ozzie’s vocals of course), was Tony Iommi’s guitar. It is just out-of-control good to the point that I can’t stop thinking about it now and I don’t even know anything about the guitar.
“Ozzie needs a gig—has own PA.” is what the flyer that Iommi and drummer Bill Ward responded to said. That local music shop advertisement started it all, and Ozzie recruited his former bandmate Geezer Butler on the bass. What not everyone may know about Black Sabbath is that there was always tension between Iommi and Ozzie, even long before the band was formed. The two knew one another since they were kids. When responding to the fateful flyer, Iommi initially walked out of the room when he realized that the Ozzie from the ad was the same ‘pest’ he had known and disliked growing up.
Iommi tolerated the pest until 1979, when he insisted that the band fire Osbourne for substance abuse and alcoholism (comparatively bad, though the entire band was using drugs and boozing constantly). Iommi had been known to punch Ozzie out many times over the years, including knocking him unconscious because of his drunken behavior, but eventually they parted ways.
Besides that randomness, there’s another story that almost prevented Black Sabbath from existing—Toni Iommi lost the tips of the middle and ring finger of his right hand in a factory accident as a teenager. Had it been worse, who knows.
The first song we ever heard from Black Sabbath is called ‘Black Sabbath,’ off the album ‘Black Sabbath.’ So not only is it easy to remember, but it’s sort of about Satan! Now that I’m looking at the words it’s downright terrifying, but who wouldn’t expect that out of Ozzie? This song is so good that even Ice-T has sampled it twice.
What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn around quick, and start to run
Find out I’m the chosen one
Oh no
Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan’s sitting there, he’s smiling
Watches those flames get higher and higher
Oh no, no, please god help me!
Is it the end, my friend?
Satan’s coming ’round the bend
People running ’cause they’re scared
The people better go and beware
No, no, please, no
The rest of the album I was on autopilot just listening and taking in one breathtaking guitar solo after another coupled with Ozzie’s unique and powerful voice.
I don’t really have much to say except that this got me thinking about the reality show The Osbournes and wondering what ever happened to Aimee, the Osbourne kid who didn’t want to be on the show. She’s a musician! Synth pop, to be exact, and here’s her most popular release, ‘Raining Gold,’ It’s quite good, but her expression through most of it freaks me out. She’s making the face I make when there’s hardly any toilet paper on the roll and I’m trying to calculate how much I can take without leaving blatantly too little for the next person to use, not so much that I have to (gasp) change the roll, but also enough to take care of my biz.
Sorry for the digression—not in a writing mood tonight but I loved this one. Well-deserving of this place on the list.
Steve
This was one hell of a debut album. I think that a lot of the reason it is so effective, is that the band played it “live” in the recording studio. I think that in many cases a lot of modern music is perfected too much in the studio. Black Sabbath was worried about spending extra money on recording studio time, and the result is this classic album.
My favorite track on this album is “Evil Woman.” This is actually the only single released from the album, and it still receives occasional radio play today. It is not as technical musically as many of the tracks on this album, but I see why it was the single. It has a bit more broad stream appeal.
I’ve seen a look of evil in your eyes
You’ve been filling me all full of lies
Sorrow will not change your shameful deeds
Do well best, someone else has better seen
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Now I know just what you’re looking for
You want me to claim that child you bore
Well you know that it must he not be
And you know the way it got to be
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Wickedness lies in your moisten lips
Your body moves just like the crack of a whip
Blackness sleeps on top of your stray bed
Do you whish that you could see me dead
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
Evil woman, don’t you play your games with me
The only other song on this album that I remember previously hearing was “Warning.” I think it is a little stronger lyrically than most of this album. It is a surprisingly poetic song about someone ignoring the world’s warnings and falling for the wrong person.
Now the first day that I met ya
I was looking in the sky
When the sun turned all a blur
and the thunderclouds rolled by
The sea began to shiver
and the wind began to moan
It must’ve been a sign for me
to leave you well alone
I was born without you, baby
but my feelings were a little bit too strong
you never said you love me
and I don’t believe you can
’cause I saw you in a dream
and you were with another man
You looked so cool and casual
and I tried to look the same
But now I’ve got to know ya
tell me who am I to blame?
I was born without you, baby
but my feelings were a little bit too strong
Now the whole wide world is movin’
’cause there’s iron in my heart
I just can’t keep from cryin’
’cause you say we’ve got to part
Sorrow grips my voice as I stand here all alone
And watch you slowly take away
a love I’ve never known
I was born without you, baby
but my feelings were a little bit too strong
This album was pure fun from start to finish. The combination of Ozzie’s voice and Tony Iommi’s guitar solos is incredible. This is the kind of album that I could just throw on repeat and rock out to.
I Would Rock 500 Albums 