Prior to the formation of Black Sabbath, Bill Ward and guitarist Tony Iommi played in a band called "Mythology", and joined vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler, who had played in a band together called "Rare Breed". Between 1970 and 1980, Ward played drums on every Sabbath album. He left the band for personal reasons in August 1980 during a tour for the album Heaven and Hell. He sat out one album (1981's Mob Rules) before returning for 1983's Born Again. He once again left the band following the recording of that album, due to ill-health. He was officially back in the band again in the summer of 1984, but the band did not record or tour then. Before the full-blown reunion, Bill Ward and the original Sabbath had re-united twice for short sets, firstly for Live Aid in 1985 and then at a Costa Mesa, CA Ozzy Osbourne show on November 15th, 1992. Sabbath, with ex-Judas Priest singer Rob Halford replacing the recently-departed Ronnie James Dio, opened the show for Ozzy in honor of it being his last show ever. Then the Ozzy Osbourne band (Ozzy, Zakk Wylde, Mike Inez, Randy Castillo and John Sinclair) did a full set before Ozzy was reunited with Tony, Geezer and Bill for four numbers. Ward made a brief return to the band for a South American tour in 1994, before finally rejoining the band for the two shows at the Birmingham NEC, England on December 4th and 5th 1997, which made up the 'Reunion' album. (When what was billed as the original line-up reunited for the Ozzfest tour in 1997 Mike Bordin played drums.) Ward then had to skip all but the last two band appearances in 1998 whilst he recovered from a heart-attack suffered during the tour rehearsals that May. As was the case in 1980, he was again replaced at short-notice by Vinny Appice, although this time it was always intended to be a temporary absence for Ward, health allowing. Thankfully he was well enough to return for good in 1999 and has remained with Sabbath ever since.
Ward has dealt with alcoholism and drug abuse during his career, as well as severe depression. After leaving the band, Ward made three suicide attempts.
In addition to playing drums, Ward sang lead vocals for two Black Sabbath songs; "It's Alright" (from Technical Ecstasy), and "Swinging The Chain" (from Never Say Die!).
Ward's drumming style is pretty unique in the fact that he often plays the same thing the bass or guitar is playing, while also keeping a rhythm. This technique helped emphasize the notes played by the guitar and bass and as a result, produced a more powerful sound overall. An example of his style can be heard easily in the song "Iron Man" off the Paranoid album. He is also characterized by playing quick drum rolls in between riffs and his powerful rhythm. ("Symptom of the Universe" is a good example of his unique style.)
Animals
Bill Ward Lyrics
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A noble is born to fall in flight
While the slaughter to feed just grows and grows
Where's the pity for those who serve our souls
Animal animal run away
Animal animal don't delay
Savour the blood and guts of it all
Ball and chain
Over and over again
With the wind at your back on rainy nights
Do you ever give thanks and say alright
For the leather that's warmed the self esteem
While the humble and dumb provide the screams
Animal animal run away
Animal animal don't delay
Oh what a shame
Wearing the cuts and the bruise of it all
Ball and chain
Over and over again
The lyrics of Bill Ward's song "Animals" speak about the cruelty and mistreatment of animals for the sake of human consumption. The first verse sets the scene in a meadow, with a noble animal being born only to meet a brutal end to feed humans. The lyrics question the lack of compassion towards the animals that serve us, highlighting the growing demand for animal slaughter to feed the population.
The chorus, with its repetitive rhythm and urgent tone, encourages the animals to run away and escape their cruel fate. The second verse paints a picture of a rainy night where the wind is at the animal's back, perhaps hinting at the natural freedom and beauty of animals that is being destroyed by human greed. The lyrics reflect on how humans use animal skin for their own fashion and comfort, while the animals suffer in pain and terror. The final lines reinforce the idea of animals being trapped in a never-ending cycle of abuse and torture, with no end in sight.
Overall, Bill Ward's "Animals" uses vivid imagery and powerful word choices to highlight the cruelty of the animal industry. The song encourages listeners to think about their own role in the mistreatment of animals and asks for more compassion and empathy towards all living beings.
Line by Line Meaning
In a meadow of grass and golden light
The song begins with describing a beautiful setting with golden light in a meadow of grass.
A noble is born to fall in flight
Some animals are bred only to be killed for food, and it is a tragedy that they are born only to be slaughtered.
While the slaughter to feed just grows and grows
There is an ever increasing demand for meat, which means more and more animals are being killed to feed people.
Where's the pity for those who serve our souls
The animals that are killed to become food are the ones that serve us, yet there is little pity shown towards them.
Animal animal run away
This line is a call to all animals to run away and not be caught to be killed for food.
Animal animal don't delay
This line also encourages animals to not delay in running away from being captured for food.
Oh what a shame
This line expresses sorrow and disgust at the thought of animals being killed for food.
Savour the blood and guts of it all
The song sarcastically suggests that people enjoy the violence and horror of killing animals for food.
Ball and chain
This metaphor refers to the recurring cycle of animal slaughter for food that shows no sign of stopping.
Over and over again
This phrase emphasizes the idea of the never-ending cycle of animal slaughter for food.
With the wind at your back on rainy nights
This line describes a peaceful moment of being thankful for the warmth of leather clothing on cold nights.
Do you ever give thanks and say alright
The line suggests that people should be appreciative of the animals that are killed for their warmth and protection.
For the leather that's warmed the self esteem
Leather clothing provides warmth and also is seen as a status symbol, which boosts self-esteem.
While the humble and dumb provide the screams
The song suggests that the animals that are killed for leather are usually unimportant and voiceless, thus they suffer in silence.
Contributed by Parker S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.