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)

Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots
Black Sabbath Lyrics

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Goin' home late last night,
Suddenly I got a fright
Yeah, I looked through a window and surprise what I saw
Fairy boots are dancin' with a dwarf
All right now

Yeah fairies wear boots, and you gotta believe me
Yeah, I saw it, I saw it I tell you no lies

Yeah Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it I saw it with my own two eyes
Woah right now

Yeah fairies wear boots, and you gotta believe me
Yeah, I saw it, I saw it I tell you no lies
Yeah fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it I saw it with my own two eyes
Woah right now

So I went to the doctor, see what he could give me

He said, son, son you've gone too far,
'Cause smokin' an trippin' is all that you do, yeah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Sabbath's "Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots" tell a story of a man who witnesses something strange and unbelievable. The song starts with him going home late at night and then noticing something shocking through a window. He sees fairies wearing boots, dancing with a dwarf. The chorus announces that fairies wear boots, and he saw it with his own two eyes.

The second verse shows the man's attempts to make sense of what he's seen. He goes to see a doctor, hoping for some explanation or cure for his perception. The doctor tells him that he's gone too far, and the life he's been living is the cause of his hallucinations. The song ends with the chorus repeating.

The meaning behind the lyrics is somewhat obscured, but it is generally believed that the song is a reference to a drug-induced hallucinogenic experience. It is known that Black Sabbath had a history of drug use, and the lyrics seem to reflect a trippy, surreal state of mind. There is also speculation that the song is a nod to the hippie movement, which was characterized by an interest in fairy mythology and fantastical imagery.

Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear BootsBlack Sabbath Lyrics

Ferenc Zakharides

on Sweet Leaf

Jack the Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots
Black Sabbath Lyrics