Black Sabbath was an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, Warwick… Read Full Bio ↴Black Sabbath was an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with releases such as Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971). The band had multiple line-up changes following Osbourne's departure in 1979 and Iommi is the only constant member throughout their history.

After previous iterations of the group – the Polka Tulk Blues Band and Earth – the band settled on the name Black Sabbath in 1969. They distinguished themselves through occult themes with horror-inspired lyrics and down-tuned guitars. Signing to Philips Records in November 1969, they released their first single, "Evil Woman", in January 1970, and their debut album, Black Sabbath, was released the following month. Though it received a negative critical response, the album was a commercial success, leading to a follow-up record, Paranoid, later that year. The band's popularity grew, and by 1973's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, critics were starting to respond favourably.

Osbourne's excessive substance abuse led to his firing in 1979. He was replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Following two albums with Dio, Black Sabbath endured many personnel changes in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin, as well as several drummers and bassists. Martin, who replaced Gillan in 1987, was the second-longest serving vocalist and recorded three albums with Black Sabbath before his dismissal in 1991. That same year, Iommi and Butler were rejoined by Dio and drummer Vinny Appice to record Dehumanizer (1992). After two more studio albums with Martin, who replaced Dio in 1993, the band's original line-up reunited in 1997 and released a live album, Reunion, the following year; they continued to tour occasionally until 2005. Other than various back catalogue reissues and compilation albums, as well as the Mob Rules-era line-up reunited as Heaven & Hell, there was no further activity under the Black Sabbath until 2011 with the release of their final studio album and 19th overall, 13, in 2013, which features all of the original members except Ward. During their farewell tour, the band played their final concert in their home city of Birmingham on 4 February 2017. Occasional partial reunions have happened since, most recently when Osbourne and Iommi performed together at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Black Sabbath have sold over 70 million records worldwide as of 2013, making them one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands. Black Sabbath, together with Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were ranked by MTV as the "Greatest Metal Band of All Time" and placed second on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number 85 on their "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. They have also won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance, and in 2019 the band were presented a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath

Studio albums
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1970)
Master of Reality (1971)
Vol. 4 (1972)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Sabotage (1975)
Technical Ecstasy (1976)
Never Say Die! (1978)
Heaven and Hell (1980)
Mob Rules (1981)
Born Again (1983)
Seventh Star (1986)
The Eternal Idol (1987)
Headless Cross (1989)
Tyr (1990)
Dehumanizer (1992)
Cross Purposes (1994)
Forbidden (1995)
13 (2013)

Warning
Black Sabbath Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I. A Bit of Finger

(Instrumental)

II. Sleeping Village

Red sun rising in the sky
Sleeping village, cockerels cry

Soft breeze blowing in the trees
Peace of mind, feel at ease

III. Warning

Now the first day that I met ya
I was looking in the sky
When the sun turned all a blur
And the thunderclouds rolled by
The sea began to shiver
And the wind began to moan
It must've been a sign for me
To leave you well alone
I was born without you, baby
But my feelings were a little bit too strong
You never said you love me
And I don't believe you can
'Cause I saw you in a dream
And you were with another man
You looked so cool and casual
And I tried to look the same
But now I've got to know ya
Tell me who am I to blame?
I was born without you, baby
But my feelings were a little bit too strong
Now the whole wide world is movin'
'Cause there's iron in my heart
I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause you say we've got to part
Sorrow grips my voice as I stand here all alone
And watch you slowly take away
A love I've never known
I was born without you, baby

But my feelings were a little bit too strong
Just a little bit too strong

Overall Meaning

"A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning" by Black Sabbath is a three-part song that includes some psychedelic and mysterious elements accompanied by Ozzy Osbourne’s incredible vocals. The first part, "A Bit of Finger," is an instrumental with a slow buildup to a heavy and dark sound with plenty of distorted guitar riffs and a slow drum beat. The second part, "Sleeping Village," signifies waking up in a peaceful and happy place, as the red sun rises in the sky and the sounds of nature bring comfort and tranquility. The third part, "Warning," tells the story of a man who met a woman and fell in love, but he realized she didn't feel the same way about him. He experienced a premonition and saw her with another man, and he knew he had to leave her alone.

The lyrics of "Warning" are incredibly poetic and enigmatic. The singer feels the need to leave the woman alone, and he explains that his feelings are too strong for her. The use of meteorological symbols and natural phenomena enhance the metaphor: the sun, the thunderclouds, and the sea serve to evoke a sense of heaviness and uncertainty. Likewise, the use of the guitar only reinforces the mystery and impending danger of the situation. Overall, the song depicts the duality between the calmness of nature and the internal chaos of the mind.

A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / WarningBlack Sabbath Lyrics

Ferenc Zakharides

on Sweet Leaf

A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning
Black Sabbath Lyrics