Building off the stylistic changes introduced on Volume 4, new songs incorporated synthesizers, strings, keyboards and more complex arrangements. "Who Are You?" incorporates a Moog, a common instrument in progressive rock at the time. Lyrics of some songs on the album were written about problems within the band at the time.
"Killing Yourself to Live" was written by bassist Geezer Butler while in hospital for kidney problems caused by heavy drinking. Drummer Bill Ward was also suffering from binge drinking, and the song reflects the problems caused by their "extreme" lifestyles. An earlier incarnation of the song can be heard on the records Live at Last and Past Lives.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
You know you had to learn
The execution of your mind
You really had to turn
The race is run, the book is read
The end begins to show
The truth is out, the lies are old
But you don't want to know
Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies
The people who have crippled you
You want to see them burn
The gates of life have closed on you
And there's just no return
You're wishing that the hands of doom
Could take your mind away
And you don't care if you don't see again
The light of day
Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies
You bastards
Where can you run to?
What more can you do?
No more tomorrow
Life is killing you
Dreams turn to nightmares
Heaven turns to hell
Burned out confusion
Nothing more to tell, yeah
Everything around you
What's it coming to?
God knows as your dog nose
Bog blast all of you
Sabbath bloody Sabbath
Nothing more to do
Living just for dying
Dying just for you, yeah
The Black Sabbath's song "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" opens with the lines, "You've seen life through distorted eyes, You know you had to learn. The execution of your mind, You really had to turn." It is a reflection on how the world can be a distorted place, but it so happens that people live in this world and have to learn to navigate through it. The "execution of your mind" can be interpreted to mean that in order for you to survive in this world, you have to be mentally tough and be able to make difficult decisions. The next lines are "The race is run, the book is read. The end begins to show. The truth is out, the lies are old but you don't want to know." This part can be interpreted as the narrator being cynical about the world, and saying that the end is close and the truth has come out. But he adds that all people seem to do is turn a blind eye to the truth and pretend that everything is okay.
The song then talks about how nobody will ever let you know the truth in the chorus, and that the people in power will only fill your head with lies. They "cripple" you, and you end up wishing for death because life is too unbearable. The last verse talks about how everything is coming crashing down, and how it seems like there's nothing that can be done. In the end, there is only living for dying and dying for someone else. Overall, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" is a bleak and nihilistic look at the world, and how people deal with it.
Line by Line Meaning
You've seen life through distorted eyes
You have experienced life with a skewed perspective.
You know you had to learn
You understand that certain experiences were necessary for growth.
The execution of your mind
The act of overthinking or self-sabotage.
You really had to turn
You had to make a significant change in your life.
The race is run the book is read
The end of a journey or culmination of all efforts.
The end begins to show
Signs of closure are becoming evident.
The truth is out, the lies are old
The lies you believed for so long have finally been exposed.
But you don't want to know
You struggle with accepting the harsh reality.
Nobody will ever let you know
No one will provide an explanation for your pain.
When you ask the reasons why
When you question the motive behind your suffering.
They just tell you that you're on your own
Others refuse to provide assistance or explanation.
Fill your head all full of lies
Others perpetuate falsehoods that cause confusion and pain.
The people who have crippled you
Those who have caused your pain and hardship.
You want to see them burn
You desire revenge or justice against those who have wronged you.
The gates of life have closed on you
Opportunities or possibilities no longer exist for you.
And now there's just no return
It is too late to make things right or to fix the damage.
You're wishing that the hands of doom
You desire an escape from your current situation or pain.
Could take your mind away
You wish to forget or escape your thoughts and memories.
And you don't care if you don't see again
The thought of not being able to see does not frighten you.
The light of day
The light of day represents hope and a new beginning.
Where can you run to
There is no escaping your pain or situation.
What more can you do
You feel helpless and hopeless, with no solution in sight.
No more tomorrow
There are no more chances or possibilities for a better future.
Life is killing you
Your pain and suffering are severe enough to cause harm to your well-being.
Dreams turn to nightmares
Your aspirations and goals have turned into a source of fear and pain.
Heaven turns to hell
The good in your life has turned into something terrible.
Burned out confusion
You are mentally and emotionally exhausted and disoriented.
Nothing more to tell, yeah
There is nothing left to say or do to alleviate your suffering.
Everything around you
The situation or environment you are in.
What's it coming to
You do not have a clear idea of what the future holds.
God knows as your dog knows
There seems to be no explanation or reasoning for your suffering.
Bog blast all of you
An expression of anger or frustration towards the world.
Sabbath bloody Sabbath
A reference to the band name and album title.
Nothing more to do
There is nothing else that can be done to change the situation.
Living just for dying
Your motivation to live has deteriorated due to your hardship and pain.
Dying just for you, yeah
The cost of your suffering is affecting your life to a great degree.
Lyrics © Onward Music Limited
Written by: John Osbourne, Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, WT Ward
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Estrada C.
You've seen life through distorted eyes
You know you have to learn
The execution of your mind
You really had to turn
The race is run, the book is read
The end begins to show
The truth is out, the lies are old
But you don't want to know
[Chorus]
Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies
[Verse 2]
The people who have crippled you
You want to see them burn
The gates of life have closed on you
An' there's just no return
You’re wishing that the hands of doom
Could take your mind away
An' you don't care if you don’t see
Again the light of day
[Chorus]
Nobody will ever let you know
When you ask the reasons why
They just tell you that you're on your own
Fill your head all full of lies
You bastards!
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Outro]
Where can you run to
What more can you do
No more tomorrow
Life is killing you
Dreams turn to nightmares
Heaven turns to hell
Burned out confusion
Nothing more to tell, yeah
Everything around you
What's it coming to
God knows as your dog nose
Bog blast all of you
Sabbath, bloody sabbath
Nothing more to do
Living just for dying
Dying just for you, yeah
Eternal Death
It blows my mind that these dudes were dropping the heaviest metal in the early 70s
Valentin
Don't drop the metal too hard tho especially when its heavy! Tony lost his fingertips that way.
alex vecchi
It's so chill too watching them play. It seems just like knowledge of the instruments & effects
Steve Damien
@safe place in the dark Also never talk about the band Coven to the Black Sabbath guys,,,
You think Dio invented the horns sign?nah,
its crazy how much the internet brought skeletons and lies from the past.
Coven had Oz Osbourne,,,,Sabbath had Ozzy,,Osbourne,
They had a song Black Sabbath too and all before the band Black Sabbath was signed.
Its music for me so who cares but still they are all thieves.
Metallica the worst but Maiden harmonies are not from their ideas.
Steve Damien
@safe place in the dark Exactly,
I mean I worshiped Iommi all my life,play all ,,most their songs on guitar.
But hey one has to be deaf or too fanboi to not see the plagiarism here.
This is crazy.
safe place in the dark
Vanusa what to do
Gregg Losey
50 years later, it sounds as good today as when I first heard it at 16.
Erik Britz
I heard it at age 5 on my mothers tape deck, it was my uncles tape as he was 10+ years older then here when he gave it to her and ever since then i just loved metal also the breakdown here is why i love Slamming brutal death metals slams as it is very similar.
Kimble Carter
Always will. This music is timeless genius.
rtnulb
I was 15. Still get a thrill