War Pigs
Black Sabbath Lyrics
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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
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
The song War Pigs by Black Sabbath is a critique of the military-industrial complex and the politicians who profit from war. The opening lyrics describe the scene of generals gathering in their masses, likening them to witches at black masses. These leaders are portrayed as having "evil minds" that plot destruction, and they are referred to as "sorcerers of death's construction". The lyrics then transition to a description of the horrors of war, with bodies burning in the fields as the war machine continues to spin. The song suggests that the soldiers who fight these wars are brainwashed pawns who are used by those in power for their own gain. The song then takes a turn towards the end, with a message of hope that one day these power-hungry leaders will be brought to justice. The war pigs, or those who profit from war, will no longer hold power, and they will be forced to beg for mercy for their sins.
One interesting fact about the song War Pigs is that it was originally titled "Walpurgis", after the pagan festival of the same name. The song was written in response to the Vietnam War and was intended to criticize the political leaders who were responsible for starting that conflict. Another interesting fact is that the song was initially rejected by the band's record label for being too controversial. The band had to convince the label to include it on their album. The song has been covered by many other artists throughout the years, including Faith No More and Cake. War Pigs has been used in many movies and TV shows, such as The Sopranos, Almost Famous, and The Simpsons. The song has become one of Black Sabbath's most popular tracks and is often included in their live performances.
Chords (In Standard tuning): Intro: Em (2 bars) and then Bb5 (4 bars), Verse: Em (4 bars) and then Bb5 (4 bars), Chorus: C5 (1 bar) and then Bb5 (1 bar) and then A#5 (1 bar) and then G5 (1 bar) and then F5 (2 bars) and then G5 (2 bars), Bridge: Em (1 bar) and then D5 (1 bar) and then A5 (7 bars) and F5 (1 bar), and Outro: Em (2 bars) and then Bb5 (2 bars) and then C5 (2 bars) and then D5 (2 bars).
Line by Line Meaning
Generals gathered in their masses
High-ranking officials are assembling in large groups
Just like witches at black masses
The generals are congregating in a manner reminiscent of occult rituals
Evil minds that plot destruction
These individuals intend to cause harm and misery
Sorcerers of death's construction
They possess an otherworldly ability to harm and end lives
In the fields the bodies burning
The site of battle is littered with corpses
As the war machine keeps turning
The cycle of war and violence is never-ending
Death and hatred to mankind
Humanity suffers from the consequences of war
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Propaganda has infiltrated the population's thinking, leading them to support the war despite its horrors
Oh lord yeah!
Expressing a sense of despair or frustration at the situation
Politicians hide themselves away
Elected officials are avoiding the dangers and consequences of the conflict
They only started the war
The blame for the war lies with those in positions of power
Why should they go out to fight?
Those who started the war do not believe they should have to personally fight in it
They leave that role to the poor
The burden of military service falls disproportionately on the working class and disadvantaged
Time will tell on their power minds
The true effects of their decisions will become evident over time
Making war just for fun
Those waging war are doing so without true justification, for their own amusement or gain
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Individual lives and human suffering are given little consideration in the pursuit of political and military objectives
Wait 'til their judgment day comes
These individuals will ultimately face consequences for their actions
Yeah!
An expression of acknowledgement or agreement
Now in darkness world stops turning
The catastrophic effects of the war are becoming more and more severe
Ashes where the bodies burning
The final results of the war are carnage and destruction
No more war pigs have the power
Those who initiated or perpetuated the conflict are no longer in control
Hand of God has struck the hour
Divine intervention has put an end to the violence
Day of judgment, God is calling
The time has come for those responsible to face the consequences for their actions
On their knees the war pig's crawling
Those who initiated or perpetuated the conflict are now desperate and subservient
Begging mercy for their sins
Those who started or perpetuated the conflict are now pleading for forgiveness or compassion
Satan laughing spreads his wings
The consequences of the conflict have empowered evil or malevolent forces
Oh lord yeah!
Expressing a sense of despair or frustration at the situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Michael Butler, William Ward, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind