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.
You Must Be Blind
Black Label Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inside my realm of mass insanity
I feed off fear inside a world that's wrong
Take my hand now
Won't you come along
Pure psychosis in this madhouse
Which I call my home
You're not alone
You must be blind
Another trip inside the acid bath
No salvation and the grave is coming fast
Synthetic dreams and my drug of choice
Embrace confusion all is gone and lost
The lyrics to Black Label Society's "You Must Be Blind" explore the concept of living inside a world of madness and chaos. The singer suggests that those who are not accustomed to this world are blind to its truth and reality. The line "I feed off fear inside a world that's wrong" speaks to the idea that some individuals thrive off the chaos and negative energy around them.
The phrase "pure psychosis in this madhouse which I call my home" further emphasizes the madness and insanity that the singer is comfortable with. The use of the word "degradation" also suggests a certain level of self-awareness from the singer that acknowledges the negativity and destruction that exists within their home.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has found their drug of choice in the form of confusion and chaos. The line "synthetic dreams and my drug of choice" speaks to the idea that some individuals use their own madness and delusions as a form of escapism.
Overall, the lyrics to "You Must Be Blind" suggest that the singer finds comfort in the chaos and confusion of their world, while acknowledging the degradation and negative effects that come with this lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look for you'll never see
I invite you to try to understand my inner world, but you won't ever fully comprehend it.
Inside my realm of mass insanity
I live in a place of mental disorder, where chaos and illogic reign.
I feed off fear inside a world that's wrong
My fear feeds my madness, in a world that I perceive as fundamentally flawed.
Take my hand now
Join me in my madness, let me show you what I see.
Won't you come along
I want to share this experience with you, to create a sense of community in my insanity.
Pure psychosis in this madhouse
What I experience is not just a form of craziness, but a pure form of psychosis.
Which I call my home
This is where I belong, where I feel most comfortable, even if it seems strange to others.
Degradation in its purest form
I see the world as a place of moral decline, where depravity and corruption are at their purest form.
You're not alone
Others can also feel lost and confused in this world, I am not the only one.
You must be blind
If you can't see what I see, it must be because your vision is impaired or limited.
Another trip inside the acid bath
My experience is like diving into a pool of acid, something that can be both dangerous and exhilarating.
No salvation and the grave is coming fast
I see no way out of this mental state, and believe that death is approaching quickly.
Synthetic dreams and my drug of choice
I use drugs to escape from this reality, to create synthetic dreams that help me cope.
Embrace confusion all is gone and lost
I don't fight against my confusion, but embrace it as a way to let go of all that is gone and lost.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ZAKK WYLDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind