"N.I.B." begins with a bass solo by Geezer Butler, titled "Bassically" on some US releases. It involves the use of wah-wah on his bass and was recorded in one take, as the amp's volume control is plainly turned up before the distorted bass intro of "N.I.B." begins.
Many bands have covered the song, including Cave In, Type O Negative, Radio Cult, Ugly Kid Joe, Acid Drinkers and Pitchshifter. Ozzy Osbourne and Primus recorded the song for Nativity in Black II. This version also appears in Osbourne's boxed set Prince of Darkness. The main riff is also played at the start of Strange Ways by Megadeth.
N.I.B.
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people say my love cannot be true
Please believe me my love, and I'll show you
I will give you those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
Oh yeah
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'til the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you'll see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
Oh yeah
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'til the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you'll see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
The lyrics to Black Sabbath's song N.I.B. tell the story of Lucifer (the devil) convincing someone to love him. The first verse starts with the love being questioned, but the devil in the second verse offers up everything the person could imagine, claiming that they bear his seal. The chorus then invites the listener to follow him and leave their past life behind. The next verse signals that the person agrees to this love and the devil revels in the power he now has over them with their love growing stronger by the hour. Finally, the song ends with the devil revealing his true identity and offering his hand to the listener, asking them to take it.
The song has often been interpreted as a satanic love story or a warning against the devil's seduction. The lyrics are dark and ominous with a sense of danger lurking in the background.
Interestingly, the song's title N.I.B. stands for "Nativity In Black" and was originally called "Nibby," which was a reference to drummer Bill Ward's beard. The song's signature riff was actually improvised by guitarist Tony Iommi during a soundcheck and was kept for the final recording. The song was released on Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album in 1970 and is considered one of their most iconic tracks.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm
Some people say my love cannot be true
There are people who doubt the sincerity of my love
Please believe me my love, and I'll show you
If you believe me, I will prove the authenticity of my love
I will give you those things you thought unreal
I will provide you with everything that you believed was unattainable
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
I have control and dominion over the celestial bodies
Follow me now and you will not regret
If you come with me, you will not be disappointed
Leaving the life you led before we met
You will have to abandon your old way of life to be with me
You are the first to have this love of mine
You are the first person to experience and receive my love
Forever with me 'til the end of time
You will be with me for eternity
Your love for me has just got to be real
Your love for me must be genuine
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
You cannot predict my emotions
I'm going to feel
I am going to feel emotions
Now I have you with me, under my power
Having you with me means that you are under my control
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Our love for each other increases over time
Look into my eyes, you'll see who I am
My true nature and identity can be discerned by looking into my eyes
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
My name is Lucifer and I am offering you my hand in partnership
Lyrics © T.R.O. INC.
Written by: John Osbourne, Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, W T Ward
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ferenc Zakharides
on Sweet Leaf
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