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)

A National Acrobat
Black Sabbath Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am the world that hides the universal secret of all time
Destruction of the empty spaces is my one and only crime

I've lived a thousand times
I found out what it means to be believed
The thoughts and images
The unborn child who never was conceived

When little worlds collide
I'm trapped inside my embryonic cell
And flashing memories
Are cast into the never ending well

The name that scorns the face
The child that never sees the cause of man
The deathly darkness that
Belies the face of those who never ran
You got believe it, I'm talking to you
Well, I know it's hard for you to know the reason why
And I know you'll understand when it's time to die
Don't believe the life you have will be the only one
You have to let your body sleep to let your soul live on

I want you to listen, I'm trying to get through
Love has given life to you and now it's your concern
Unseen eye of inner life will make your soul return
Still, I look but not to touch
The seeds of life are sown
Curtain of the future falls
The secret stays unknown

Just remember love is life
And hate is living death
Treat your life for what its worth
And live for every breath
Looking back I've lived and learned
But now I'm wondering
Here, I wait and only guess
What this next life will bring

Ha ha

Overall Meaning

In the song A National Acrobat, Black Sabbath explores the idea of life and death, the everlasting cycle of birth and rebirth. The song opens with the lyrics, "I am the world that hides the universal secret of all time, destruction of the empty spaces is my one and only crime". The singer describes themselves as a force that holds the secrets of the universe- the cycle of life and death. The usage of the phrase "destruction of empty spaces" could imply the ending of one's life as a freeing experience, while "one and only crime" is a play on the fact that death is the only constant in life.

As the song progresses, the singer reminisces about their past lives, the experiences they have had and the knowledge they have gained. They highlight the importance of belief and memory, as they have shaped who they are. The lines "I found out what it means to be believed, the thoughts and images, the unborn child who never was conceived" suggest that the singer has come to understand the power of faith, perception, and imagination.

The song ends with a powerful message- the idea that love gives life to those who embrace it fully. The singer emphasizes that after death, the soul returns and that we should not limit ourselves to one's current life. The line "Just remember love is life, and hate is living death, treat your life for what its worth, and live for every breath" is a reminder to be grateful for the present moment and to live life to the fullest.

Overall, A National Acrobat is a philosophical exploration of life and death, the cycle of birth and rebirth. The lyrics highlight the importance of belief, memory, and love and encourage listeners to make the most of the time they have.

Line by Line Meaning

I am the world that hides the universal secret of all time
The singer represents the universe and knows its secrets.

Destruction of the empty spaces is my one and only crime
The singer feels guilty for destroying emptiness and creating life.

I've lived a thousand times
The singer has had many experiences and lives.

I found out what it means to be believed
The artist has learned the importance of being trusted and believed in.

The thoughts and images
The artist reflects on their thoughts and memories.

The unborn child who never was conceived
The singer mourns the life that never came into existence.

When little worlds collide
The singer feels trapped when different worlds or perspectives clash.

I'm trapped inside my embryonic cell
The artist feels trapped in their current state and unable to grow or change.

And flashing memories
The artist remembers moments from their past.

Are cast into the never ending well
These memories seem to go on forever and never fade.

The name that scorns the face
Someone has been given a negative reputation or label that they don't deserve.

The child that never sees the cause of man
Innocent children are affected by the negative actions of others, without understanding why.

The deathly darkness that
The singer is referring to a deep, intense darkness or negativity.

Belies the face of those who never ran
This darkness haunts people who have stayed put and never tried to escape their current problems.

You got belive it, I'm talking to you
The singer implores the listener to believe what they're saying.

Well I know its hard for you to know the reason why
The artist understands that the listener may have trouble comprehending their message.

And I know you'll understand when it's time to die
The artist believes that the listener will eventually come to the same realization, even if it won't be until they die.

Don't believe the life you have will be the only one
The singer encourages the listener to believe in life after death.

You have to let your body sleep to let your soul live on
The singer suggests that in order to reach the next life, you must first die and let your soul live on.

I want you to listen, I'm trying to get throught
The artist wants the listener to pay attention to their message.

Love has given life to you and now its your concern
The artist believes that love is responsible for human life and wants the listener to take care of their own existence.

Unseen eye of inner life will make your soul return
The artist believes that a hidden force or power will bring the listener's soul back after death.

Still I look but not to touch
The singer observes life but doesn't interfere with it.

The seeds of life are sown
Life is created and planted like seeds.

Curtain of the future falls
The future is uncertain and unpredictable.

The secret stays unknown
Nobody knows what the future holds.

Just remember love is life
Love is at the core of human existence.

And hate is living death
Hate and negativity lead to a joyless existence.

Treat your life for what its worth
The artist encourages the listener to value and cherish their life.

And live for every breath
The listener should make the most of every moment of their existence.

Looking back I've lived and learned
The singer has gained wisdom from their experiences.

But now I'm wondering
The artist is uncertain about the future.

Here I wait and only guess
The artist is waiting for something to happen but isn't sure what it will be.