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)
Iron Man
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care?
He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he traveled time
For the future of mankind
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl
Now the time is here
For iron man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved
Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron man lives again
The lyrics to Black Sabbath's song "Iron Man" tell the story of a character who has been transformed into a steel creature with superhuman abilities in a great magnetic field. The song opens by questioning the singer's sanity, asking if he can see or if he is blind, if he is able to walk or if he will fall. The chorus repeats the refrain, "I am Iron Man," emphasizing the character's transformation and new identity.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the character is an outcast - "nobody wants him" and he "just stares at the world." He has planned his vengeance, and now the time has come for him to "spread fear" and enact his revenge on the people who once rejected him. The final verse describes the terror that he causes his victims, who run from him as he lives again.
Overall, "Iron Man" is a cautionary tale about what can happen when society excludes and ostracizes people. The character's transformation into a steel creature represents a literalization of the psychological barriers that can be put up to keep people out. The song's message is that people must be seen, heard, and valued, or else they may become something dangerous and deadly.
Line by Line Meaning
I am iron man
The singer possesses superhuman abilities
Has he lost his mind?
His actions seem unnerving to others
Can he see or is he blind?
There is confusion and speculation around his powers and perception
Can he walk at all
It is uncertain if he is physically capable of movement
Or if he moves will he fall?
If he is able to move, it's unclear if he will be successful or fail
Is he alive or dead?
There's ambiguity regarding his life status
Has he thoughts within his head?
It's not certain if he retains human thought processes
We'll just pass him there
Others choose to ignore him or not address his presence
Why should we even care?
Those around him do not see him as worthy of concern
He was turned to steel
He acquired his iron-like exterior through an intense magnetic experience
In the great magnetic field
A complicated mechanism transformed his body
When he traveled time
His transformation occurred during a trip to the future
For the future of mankind
His transformation was intended to benefit humanity
Nobody wants him
Society thinks the singer is more of a threat than a savior
He just stares at the world
He passively observes the actions of others
Planning his vengeance
The artist is plotting his revenge against those who abandoned him
That he will soon unfurl
He plans to execute his revenge imminently
Now the time is here
The time has arrived for the singer to carry out his vengeance
For iron man to spread fear
The singer intends to create widespread fear through his actions
Vengeance from the grave
His actions will have a deadly impact on those responsible for his abandonment
Kills the people he once saved
The artist plans to murder individuals he previously helped
They just turn their heads
People choose to ignore his past help or present plight
Nobody helps him
Others are unwilling or unable to assist him now
Now he has his revenge
The artist has successfully gained his revenge on those responsible
Heavy boots of lead
The singer is clad in armor that enables movement but is also intimidating
Fills his victims full of dread
The singer's actions are terrifying for those who witness them
Running as fast as they can
People try to escape the singer's wrath by fleeing as quickly as possible
Iron man lives again
The artist continues to exist and act with his newfound abilities
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Terence Michael Butler, Anthony Frank Iommi, John Michael Osbourne, William Ward
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Muhammad Ghazali
Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves, will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care?
He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he traveled time
For the future of mankind
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl
Now the time is here
For Iron Man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved
Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron Man lives again
MUCHA PIEZA MI PUEBLO DE MEXICO
Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves, will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care?
He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he travelled time
For the future of mankind
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl
Now the time is here
For iron man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved
Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron man lives again!
Gabriel Cutrim
Black Sabbath - Iron Man
Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?
Can he walk at all
Or if he moves, will he fall?
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head?
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care?
He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he travelled time
For the future of mankind
Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl
Now the time is here
For iron man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved
Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron man lives again!
miep
It makes so sad that I never had the honor to see them live.
White Sabbath
Me too. Good thing Cameras, video and youtube was invented since these vids are the closest thing to it we'll ever get.
Jessica Duarte
I feel it :(
TouchiestMetal
I mean after the life ozzy has had he deserves a retirement
Eddie Vedder
I'm seeing Ozzy next yr
Luis Ulloa
me too
Music_Man
bro, when Tony was soloing in the end and everyone was smiling, everyone looked so happy and like they were having a great time and i swear that put one of the biggest smiles on my face i’ve ever had
BigBoiSean
bro I said the same thing they looked like it was the best time of their life
The Riff Tones
The best of times...
aodhain white
That’s legends for you dude.