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)
The Sign of the Southern Cross
Black Sabbath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then how can I know what you might believe?
A story told that can't be real
Somehow must reflect the truth we feel, yeah
Fade away, fade away
Vanish into smoke
Fade away, fade away
It's the sign
Feels like the time!
On a small world, west of wonder
Somewhere, nowhere, oh
There's a rainbow that will shimmer
When the summer falls
If an echo doesn't answer
When it hears a certain sound
Then the beast is free to wander
But never is seen around
And it's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
All right
Sail away
To the sign
Oh
From the book, the word is spoken
Whispers from forgotten psalms
Gather all around the young ones
They will make us strong
Reach above your dreams of pleasure
Giving life to those who died
Look beyond your own horizons
Sail the ship of signs
And it's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
Fade away, fade away
Break the crystal ball
Fade away, fade away
I can't accept it anymore
Oh!
On a real world, west of wonder
Somewhere, nowhere oh
There's a rainbow, see it shimmer
When the summer falls
From the book, the word is spoken
Whispers from forgotten psalms
Gather all around the young ones
They will make us strong!
It's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
Don't live for pleasure
Make life your treasure
Fade away!
Eight miles high, about to fall
And no one there to catch you
Look for the sign, the time
The sign of the southern cross, yeah
The song "The Sign of the Southern Cross" by Black Sabbath is an introspective one, with lyrics that seem to explore the idea of life's meaning and the search for truth. The first verse, for instance, poses the philosophical question of how one can know what others believe if there's no light to guide them. The answer seems to lie in the idea that even if certain stories can't be real, they can still reflect something truthful about the human experience.
The song then shifts to a more mystical tone, with lyrics that describe a sign, the southern cross, which feels like the time to sail away to a better place. There's talk of a forgotten book full of wisdom, and the gathering of the young ones to make us all strong. The final lines of the song seem to encourage people to make life their treasure and to search for the signs that will lead them to a better understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
If there isn't light when no one sees
If there's no light to see, then how can I connect with your beliefs?
Then how can I know what you might believe?
Without any light or perception, how would I come to know your beliefs?
A story told that can't be real
Although the story narrated can't be real, it still holds an element of truth to our emotions.
Somehow must reflect the truth we feel, yeah
It must contain a reflection of the reality we feel deep inside.
Fade away, fade away
Disappear slowly into nothingness.
Vanish into smoke
Disintegrate into an ephemeral state.
Break the crystal ball, oh!
Shatter the clairvoyant crystal ball so that nothing remains hidden or obscured.
It's the sign
The symbol, indication, and emblem.
Feels like the time!
It seems as if the time has arrived for the fulfillment of the sign.
On a small world, west of wonder
On a planet that's insignificant and magical, far from the known realms of our world.
Somewhere, nowhere, oh
An elusive and undefined location beyond our imagination.
There's a rainbow that will shimmer
A colorful arch that will shine brightly.
When the summer falls
During a season's end, after much exposition and adventure.
If an echo doesn't answer
If an echo does not reverberate back.
When it hears a certain sound
When it hears a specific tune or noise.
Then the beast is free to wander
Then the animal is exempt to roam.
But never is seen around
But is never witnessed in the locale.
And it's the sign of the southern cross
It is the emblem of the southern constellation.
All right
Yes or okay.
Sail away
Go on a voyage or adventure.
To the sign
Toward the symbol or emblem.
From the book, the word is spoken
The scripture is articulated from a book.
Whispers from forgotten psalms
Murmurs from forsaken psalms.
Gather all around the young ones
Assemble around the youth.
They will make us strong
They will strengthen us.
Reach above your dreams of pleasure
Strive beyond your expectations and fantasy.
Giving life to those who died
Reviving the dead ones back to life.
Look beyond your own horizons
Peek past your own limits and explore new opportunities.
Sail the ship of signs
Travel on the vessel of symbols.
Oh!
Expressing a sudden realization or awareness.
Don't live for pleasure
Don't live for the pursuit of enjoyment.
Make life your treasure
Treasure and value your life.
I can't accept it anymore
I will not tolerate it any longer.
Eight miles high, about to fall
Up high, eight miles high, ready to collapse.
And no one there to catch you
Without anyone to save or rescue you.
Look for the sign, the time
Search for the symbol or emblem, and the time spoken of.
The sign of the southern cross, yeah
The emblem of the southern constellation, yes.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL BUTLER, RONNIE DIO, TONY IOMMI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sound of silence
If there isn't light when no one sees
Then how can I know what you might believe?
A story told that can't be real
Somehow must reflect the truth we feel, yeah
Fade away, fade away
Vanish into smoke
Fade away, fade away
Break the crystal ball, oh!
It's the sign
Feels like the time!
On a small world, west of wonder
Somewhere, nowhere, oh
There's a rainbow that will shimmer
When the summer falls
If an echo doesn't answer
When it hears a certain sound
Then the beast is free to wander
But never is seen around
And it's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
All right
Sail away
To the sign
Oh
From the book, the word is spoken
Whispers from forgotten psalms
Gather all around the young ones
They will make us strong
Reach above your dreams of pleasure
Giving life to those who died
Look beyond your own horizons
Sail the ship of signs
And it's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
Fade away, fade away
Break the crystal ball
Fade away, fade away
I can't accept it anymore
Oh!
On a real world, west of wonder
Somewhere, nowhere oh
There's a rainbow, see it shimmer
When the summer falls
From the book, the word is spoken
Whispers from forgotten psalms
Gather all around the young ones
They will make us strong!
It's the sign of the southern cross
It's the sign of the southern cross
Don't live for pleasure
Make life your treasure
Fade away!
Eight miles high, about to fall
And no one there to catch you
Look for the sign, the time
The sign of the southern cross, yeah
Jonathan Barnes
@E M --- I hear what your saying however much of personal interpretation is in the ears of the hearer.
Furthermore the quote right miles high about to fall always reminded me of Goliath once defying the children of promise.
Soon after his defiance his took a stone to the skull .
Dead he feel on that killing field from the hand holding the sling by David son of Jesse's own had.
The to explain futher Ronnie James Dio says " Dont love for pleasure, make life your treasure ".
Jesus said if your eye is bad you will see every thing wrong.
And if your ears are bad everything you hear is wrong.
This is not correction just that through lifes phases experience gives insight.
Insight applied becomes knowledge or knowing.
Knowing given context and the fear of God becomes Wisdom.
Heed wisdom and live.
E M
I call this the cursed album...
There is something very otherworldly about this song in particular along with Falling Off The Edge Of The World. Over and Over is another. ...
I have purchased this album several times throughout my life.....
Each time misery and misfortune has followed. ...
I'm not one to be superstitious or religious. But these songs terrify young children and dogs. I used to think it was funny to scare my nieces and nephews and the fact dogs got as far from the stereo as possible when it was being played was just coincidental or a consequence of Geezers booming bass cords. ....
Not so much anymore......Now I'm convinced that something is in the mix from somewhere else.
I still remained perplexed about why this album was not received as wel as Heaven and Hell...
Perhaps it is just too dark...Or perhaps it was written in starlight and the words did come out real....
"8 miles high about to fall...and no one there to catch you. look for the sign!"
Antonio
Some people like Ozzy, some like DIo. Everyone loves Iommi's riffs.
DejavuDmitry🇺🇦
@J Banks hold my beer... Done.
Britt-Janne Olsen
Å YES THE BEST MAN EVER Iommi Master 🖤🤘🤘🤘
mouZzz
I like Ozzy and love Dio 🤠
Laszlo Kania
@Lady Morwen Daebrethil - Feanissil when did they record songs together? Ozzy was fired for being a drug junkie, a Dio saved Sabbath
Laszlo Kania
@Victor Koehne Ramalho Dio is Dio ,Rainbow and Black Sabbath were the best wirh Dio
Tone Deaf Singer
This is a song where Dio showed the whole world what one great singer can do. A masterpiece showing an absolutely perfect falsetto - and then promptly changing to a full chiaroscuro voice with a wonderful and totally technical metal covering. If you want to learn sing, then just learn this piece and you have arrived.
Tone Deaf Singer
youcandoit Yes, this is the point. Whatever is your genre, you will be challenged. I am basically a very well trained classical singer but I am well enough educated to understand that things are not so blk&wht.
M3B Muad'Dib
I think he has showed that many years before this song
Dmore Russell
Amen to that!!!