The band is not to be confused with Zakk Wylde's solo project (sometimes known as Book of Shadows after its only album) or with Pride & Glory, Wylde's southern rock band.
History
In 1992, Ozzy retired after the No More Tears tour, which led Zakk to form his own solo band Pride & Glory, blending potent bluesy southern rock with heavy metal. In 1994 Ozzy decided to come out of retirement, and the numerous recording sessions for Ozzmosis took place. Around this time, Zakk was also offered the open guitar slot in Guns N' Roses and had a hard time deciding whether to tour with Ozzy or join Guns N' Roses. Neither project panned out. This gave Wylde the opportunity to record his own acoustic solo album, "Book of Shadows." After limited commercial success with Book Of Shadows, in 1998, Zakk and drummer Phil Ondich formed Black Label Society and recorded their debut album "Sonic Brew." Nick Catanese had been Zakk's touring rhythm guitarist since the Book Of Shadows tour (Zakk records all guitars on his albums). Craig Nunenmacher has been drumming for the band since 1919 Eternal (2001) following Phil's departure. Previous bass players include current Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo, former Megadeth 4-stringer James Lomenzo, and current Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez, who also played with Zakk on the No More Tears, Ozzy tour.
The band had their song "Fire It Up" featured as a bonus song in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero. Zakk Wylde has an avatar in the video game "Guitar Hero: World Tour", and the song "Stillborn" also appears.
Born to Lose
Black Label Society Lyrics
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a little hating come around noon
Ain't no remorse,
All that you think
Ain't no regret,
All that you do
Jesus,
Jesus,
Can you hear us screaming up above?
Lord?
I guess we were just born to lose
A little hating on my TV screen
A little hating in the news that I read
Lay to rest a soul so kind
Rewarding the wrong
Feeding The Twisted Mind
You Lookin' At Me
Forever hurt
Forever bleed
It ain't black
It ain't white
It ain't wrong
Lord knows it ain't right
Jesus,
Hell Yeah, What do we do?
Jesus,
Can you hear us screaming up above?
Lord?
I guess we were just...
The lyrics to Black Label Society’s song Born to Lose express a deep sense of frustration and anger at the world, particularly at the injustices and hatred that pervade it. The singer laments the prevalence of hate in everyday life, describing how it seems to infect every aspect of society, from morning until noon, from TV screens to the news that he reads. The lyrics express a sense of hopelessness and despair, as if the world is beyond redemption and nothing can be done to change it.
The chorus interrupts the nihilistic tone of the verses with a sudden invocation of Jesus, as if the singer is pleading for divine intervention. However, even this cry for help is tinged with bitterness and irony, as the following line is “Hell Yeah, What do we do?” This suggests that even the singer is aware how futile it is to hope for any kind of divine intervention in a world that seems so irredeemably corrupt. The final lines of the song “I guess we were just born to lose” emphasize this sense of hopelessness, suggesting that the singer feels trapped in a world that is fundamentally broken, with no hope of change or redemption.
Overall, the lyrics to Born to Lose seem to be a powerful expression of disillusionment and despair, articulating a sense of frustration and anger at the injustices of the world. The chorus of the song provides a momentary glimpse of hope, but this hope is quickly extinguished by the bitterly ironic line that follows, leaving the listener with a sense of futility and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
A little hating in the morning time
Starting the day with negativity and anger
a little hating come around noon
Continuing to feel negative emotions even in the middle of the day
Ain't no remorse,
Feeling no guilt or sorrow
All that you think
Negative thoughts are all-consuming
Ain't no regret,
Feeling no remorse for actions
All that you do
Negative actions continue without feeling remorseful
Jesus,
Exclamation of frustration or desperation
Hell Yeah, What do we do?
Questioning what to do about the difficult situation
Can you hear us screaming up above?
Asking for divine help or intervention
Lord?
Seeking guidance or answers from a higher power
I guess we were just born to lose
Feeling defeated or hopeless, as if destined to fail
A little hating on my TV screen
Being exposed to negativity and hate through media
A little hating in the news that I read
Negativity and hate is prevalent in current events
Lay to rest a soul so kind
Feeling sorrow or frustration over the loss of a kind person
Rewarding the wrong
Seeing unjust or immoral behavior being rewarded
Feeding The Twisted Mind
Contributing to the proliferation of negative and harmful ideologies
You Lookin' At Me
Feeling defensive or confrontational
Forever hurt
Perpetually experiencing emotional pain
Forever bleed
Continually suffering
It ain't black
Things are not as simple or straightforward as they seem
It ain't white
Things are not purely good or moral
It ain't wrong
What may seem immoral or wrong has become normalized
Lord knows it ain't right
Acknowledging the lack of justice or morality in the situation
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ZAKK WYLDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind