After previous iterations of the group â the Polka Tulk Blues Band and Earth â 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)
Snowblind
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things that don't come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles within my brain (cocaine)
Something blowing in my head
Winter's ice, it soon will spread
Death would freeze my very soul
My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the trees
The sun no longer sets me free
I feel there's no place freezing me
Let the winter sun shine on
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
Soon I'll feel the chilling glow
Right
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
You're the one who's really the loser
This is where I feel I belong
Crystal world with winter flowers
Turn my days to frozen hours
Lying snowblind in the sun
Will my ice age ever come?
The song Snowblind by Black Sabbath speaks about the narcotic addiction of the band's lead vocalist, Ozzy Osbourne. The lyrics are about how he is feeling the euphoric effects of the drug, cocaine, and how it has taken control over him. The first two lines speak about how the addiction has made him feel a sense of joy, but it has not come naturally to him. The line "Icicles within my brain" is a metaphor for the cold feeling within his mind, which is a symptom of cocaine abuse.
The lyrics go on to describe the snow-blinding effects of the drug that are taking over his mind. The line "Something blowing in my head, winter's ice, it soon will spread" refers to the numbing sensation he feels that is spreading throughout his body with the use of cocaine. The lines "My eyes are blind but I can see, The snowflakes glisten on the trees" convey the distorted perception one can experience when under the influence of cocaine. The lines "Let the winter sun shine on, Let me feel the frost of dawn" signify how Ozzy seeks the effects of the drug, even in adverse conditions like freezing temperatures.
The final verse speaks to Ozzy's defiance against societal norms regarding drug use, saying he belongs to the world of drugs, and no one can tell him that he is wrong. The lines "Crystal world with winter flowers, Turn my days to frozen hours, Lying snowblind in the sun, Will my ice age ever come?" convey the uncertainty about how long he can sustain this lifestyle and its possible effects in the long run.
Line by Line Meaning
What you get and what you see
The things that you receive or observe may not always come easily or truthfully.
Things that don't come easily
Sometimes, some things require more effort or struggle to obtain.
Feeling happy in my vein
Intense pleasure or joy is being experienced within the person's body.
Icicles within my brain (cocaine)
The person is under the influence of cocaine, and it's making them feel cool and crystal-like inside their mind.
Something blowing in my head
A sensation or thought is constantly occupying the person's mind.
Winter's ice, it soon will spread
The cold of the winter season will soon make its presence known everywhere.
Death would freeze my very soul
Death would leave the person feeling numb and lifeless inside.
Makes me happy, makes me cold
The icy and cold feeling caused by cocaine gives the person a sense of happiness and satisfaction.
My eyes are blind but I can see
Even though the person can't fully understand or see things objectively, they still have some clarity or perception.
The snowflakes glisten on the trees
The person is admiring the beauty of snowflakes reflecting the sunlight on the trees.
The sun no longer sets me free
The person no longer feels a sense of freedom that they once did from the sun's warmth and light.
I feel there's no place freezing me
The person isn't affected by the cold since they are under the influence of cocaine, and feel numb all over.
Let the winter sun shine on
The person wants to experience the winter sun's light and warmth on their skin.
Let me feel the frost of dawn
The person wants to feel the coldness of the early morning and experience the beauty of frost forming.
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
The person desires to dream of snowflakes falling all around them.
Soon I'll feel the chilling glow
The person is anticipating the feeling of being under the influence of cocaine again and feeling its icy and exhilarating effects.
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
The person is confident in their choices and actions even if they seem risky or unhealthy to others.
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
The person does not want to hear negative feedback about their lifestyle or drug use from others, because they feel it's their decision to make.
You're the one who's really the loser
The person believes that others who judge them without understanding or empathy are the ones who are truly missing out on something great and freeing.
This is where I feel I belong
The person believes that being under the influence of cocaine is where they feel the most comfortable and satisfied.
Crystal world with winter flowers
The person is creating a mental image of a dreamlike and crystal-clear world with ice flowers all around them.
Turn my days to frozen hours
The person feels like time is passing by slowly, almost frozen or paused.
Lying snowblind in the sun
The person is lying down, possibly intoxicated by cocaine, with the sun shining on them, making it hard to see clearly.
Will my ice age ever come?
The person wonders if they will ever feel truly satisfied or fulfilled without being under the influence of cocaine, or if they will remain in this frozen state forever.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, William Ward, John Michael Osbourne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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What you get and what you see
Things that don't come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles within my brain (cocaine)
Something blowing in my head
Winter's ice, it soon will spread
Death would freeze my very soul
Makes me happy, makes me cold
My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the trees
The sun no longer sets me free
I feel there's no place freezing me
Let the winter sun shine on
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
Soon I'll feel the chilling glow
Right
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
You're the one who's really the loser
This is where I feel I belong
Crystal world with winter flowers
Turn my days to frozen hours
Lying snowblind in the sun
Will my ice age ever come?
Mark Leaman
I was there, I lived it. I was 19 yrs old . I am now 64. Those were the best years of my life!
Loathing Wretch
The best years in music were from 1965-1975, I loved all the psychedelic rock, the flower power, hippie songs, the blues... But I was born too late...
Mark Leaman
@Loathing Wretch better late than never!
ridin 3rdcoast
ok boomer
Mark Leaman
@ridin 3rdcoast I made it, you may not with that attitude!
Ken Wolf
Me too
EMMETT SULLIVAN
I never thought I would see the day listening to Ozzy would be an escape from insanity!
Mini Doumbia
Yeah me too
NHJT
He helped to prepare us for it
Michael Rains
Indeed...this song is a warning on the issue of drugs. Compared to the crazy politics...Ozzy is almost normal. And that is sad.