Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields, the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh, Lord, yeah

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that all to the poor
Yeah

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'til their judgment day comes
Yeah

Now in darkness, world stops turning
Ashes where their bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgment, God is calling
On their knees, the war pig's crawling
Begging mercies for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
Oh, Lord, yeah

Overall Meaning

The opening verses of Black Sabbath's song "War Pigs" present a powerful imagery of destruction and death, describing the generals gathering like witches at black masses, plotting for destruction and constructing the sorcerer of death. The fields are filled with burning bodies as the death machine keeps turning, poisoning the minds of mankind with death and hatred. The repetition of "Oh, Lord, yeah" throughout the song is an expression of desperation and the sense of pleading with a higher power for mercy and salvation from the horror of war.

In the following verses, Black Sabbath points the finger at politicians who hide away and start the war, leaving the poor to fight and suffer the consequences. The band criticizes the powerful minds who make war just for fun and treat people like pawns in a chess game. The song implies that eventually, these people will be judged for their actions, and they'll have to face their day of reckoning.

The final verses paint a picture of a world plunged into darkness, where the war pigs have lost their power, and the hand of God has struck the hour. The day of judgment has come, and the war pigs are on their knees, begging for mercies for their sins. Meanwhile, Satan, laughing, spreads his wings, suggesting that the cycle of war and destruction may never end and that, in some sense, it's a product of human nature.

Line by Line Meaning

Generals gathered in their masses
A large group of military leaders with evil intentions formed an alliance

Just like witches at black masses
These leaders meet in secret, like practitioners of dark magic

Evil minds that plot destruction
These leaders are filled with malicious thoughts and aim to cause chaos and devastation

Sorcerer of death's construction
They are like sinister wizards, concocting schemes to summon death and destruction

In the fields, the bodies burning
The result of their actions is a gruesome scene of burning corpses in the battlefield

As the war machine keeps turning
Despite the horror of the situation, war continues unabated

Death and hatred to mankind
These leaders are responsible for inflicting death and fostering hate towards humanity

Poisoning their brainwashed minds
They manipulate and poison the minds of their followers with false rhetoric

Oh, Lord, yeah
A plea to a higher power for salvation

Politicians hide themselves away
Elected officials responsible for the war are shielded from combat and danger

They only started the war
The politicians initiated the conflict without regarding the cost it incurs

Why should they go out to fight?
Why would they risk their own lives when others are fighting for their decisions?

They leave that all to the poor
They delegate the dangerous work to the less privileged members of society

Time will tell on their power minds
Their actions will inevitably catch up to them

Making war just for fun
The war is a game for them to play, devoid of any sense or purpose

Treating people just like pawns in chess
People's lives are seen as disposable, like game pieces moved around for fun

Wait 'til their judgment day comes
They will face consequences for their irresponsible and cruel decisions

Now in darkness, world stops turning
The war has brought a chaotic end to the regular flow of life

Ashes where their bodies burning
The once blooming fields are now reduced to ash and dead bodies

No more war pigs have the power
The leaders who have caused war and poverty no longer hold their positions of power

Hand of God has struck the hour
Divine intervention has brought the wrongdoers to justice

Day of judgment, God is calling
The long-anticipated day of judgment has finally arrived

On their knees, the war pig's crawling
The former leaders are now humbled, pleading for mercy and forgiveness

Begging mercies for their sins
They're asking for forgiveness for the terrible things they have done

Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
While they avoid punishment for their role in the war, the embodiment of evil, Satan, takes pleasure in their punishment

Oh, Lord, yeah
An appeal to a higher power for justice and fairness

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Butler, William Ward, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind