I am iron man

Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves will he fall?

Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care?

He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he traveled time
For the future of mankind

Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl

Now the time is here
For iron man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved

Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge

Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron man lives again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Sabbath's song "Iron Man" tell the story of a character who has been transformed into a steel creature with superhuman abilities in a great magnetic field. The song opens by questioning the singer's sanity, asking if he can see or if he is blind, if he is able to walk or if he will fall. The chorus repeats the refrain, "I am Iron Man," emphasizing the character's transformation and new identity.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the character is an outcast - "nobody wants him" and he "just stares at the world." He has planned his vengeance, and now the time has come for him to "spread fear" and enact his revenge on the people who once rejected him. The final verse describes the terror that he causes his victims, who run from him as he lives again.

Overall, "Iron Man" is a cautionary tale about what can happen when society excludes and ostracizes people. The character's transformation into a steel creature represents a literalization of the psychological barriers that can be put up to keep people out. The song's message is that people must be seen, heard, and valued, or else they may become something dangerous and deadly.

Line by Line Meaning

I am iron man
The singer possesses superhuman abilities

Has he lost his mind?
His actions seem unnerving to others

Can he see or is he blind?
There is confusion and speculation around his powers and perception

Can he walk at all
It is uncertain if he is physically capable of movement

Or if he moves will he fall?
If he is able to move, it's unclear if he will be successful or fail

Is he alive or dead?
There's ambiguity regarding his life status

Has he thoughts within his head?
It's not certain if he retains human thought processes

We'll just pass him there
Others choose to ignore him or not address his presence

Why should we even care?
Those around him do not see him as worthy of concern

He was turned to steel
He acquired his iron-like exterior through an intense magnetic experience

In the great magnetic field
A complicated mechanism transformed his body

When he traveled time
His transformation occurred during a trip to the future

For the future of mankind
His transformation was intended to benefit humanity

Nobody wants him
Society thinks the singer is more of a threat than a savior

He just stares at the world
He passively observes the actions of others

Planning his vengeance
The artist is plotting his revenge against those who abandoned him

That he will soon unfurl
He plans to execute his revenge imminently

Now the time is here
The time has arrived for the singer to carry out his vengeance

For iron man to spread fear
The singer intends to create widespread fear through his actions

Vengeance from the grave
His actions will have a deadly impact on those responsible for his abandonment

Kills the people he once saved
The artist plans to murder individuals he previously helped

They just turn their heads
People choose to ignore his past help or present plight

Nobody helps him
Others are unwilling or unable to assist him now

Now he has his revenge
The artist has successfully gained his revenge on those responsible

Heavy boots of lead
The singer is clad in armor that enables movement but is also intimidating

Fills his victims full of dread
The singer's actions are terrifying for those who witness them

Running as fast as they can
People try to escape the singer's wrath by fleeing as quickly as possible

Iron man lives again
The artist continues to exist and act with his newfound abilities

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Terence Michael Butler, Anthony Frank Iommi, John Michael Osbourne, William Ward

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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