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)

Who Are You
Black Sabbath Lyrics

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Yes I know the secret
That's within your mind
You think all the people
Who worship you are blind
You're just like big brother
Giving us your trust
And when you have played enough
You'll just cast our souls

Into the dust
Into the dust

You thought that it would be easy
From the very start
Now I've found you out
I don't think you're so smart
I only have one more question
Before my time is through
Please I beg you tell me
In the name of hell
Who are you?
Who are you?

You thought that it would be easy
From the very start
Now I've found you out
I don't think you're so smart
I only have one more question
Before my time is through
Please I beg you tell me
In the name of hell

Who are you?
Who are you?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Sabbath's "Who Are You?" are about someone who has discovered the hidden truth about their worshipper, and is now confronting them. The first couplet, "Yes I know the secret that's within your mind, you think all the people who worship you are blind," implies a level of arrogance and deceit on the part of the person being addressed. The second part of the lyrics makes reference to "big brother," a common allegory for oppressive authority, suggesting that the person being addressed is trying to control and manipulate their worshipper.

The song then takes a more accusatory tone, with the lyrics, "You thought that it would be easy from the very start, now I've found you out, I don't think you're so smart." This suggests that the person being addressed thought they could deceive their worshipper but has now been caught in the act. The song ends with a plea for the truth, "Please I beg you tell me in the name of hell, who are you?"

Overall, the song is a warning against blindly following those who seek power and control. It urges listeners to question authority and not be fooled by false idols.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes I know the secret
I understand what you're trying to hide from everyone else

That's within your mind
The thing you're hiding is a personal thought or feeling

You think all the people
You believe that those who admire you are foolish and clueless

Who worship you are blind
You think that people who look up to you are ignorant and unaware of your true self

You're just like big brother
You are controlling and manipulative, like an older sibling who seeks to dominate

Giving us your trust
You appear to be trustworthy and reliable

And when you have played enough
When you are done using people for your own gain

You'll just cast our souls
You will discard our very beings, leaving us with nothing

Into the dust
Reducing us to nothingness, dust and ash

You thought that it would be easy
You believed that you could easily deceive and control others

From the very start
Even before you began your manipulations

Now I've found you out
Someone has uncovered your secrets and exposed you

I don't think you're so smart
You are not as clever or intelligent as you thought

I only have one more question
I have one final inquiry for you

Before my time is through
I need to know the answer before it's too late

Please I beg you tell me
I implore you to answer me honestly

In the name of hell
As an expression of desperation or anger

Who are you?
What is your true identity and purpose?

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WARD, IOMMI, OSBORNE, BUTLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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