The Spell
Iommi ; Hughes Lyrics


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It's taken your will and deep is the knife
The blood it will spill, the rest of your life
It's more than a glance, it's cold down below
You've taken the chance, where you shouldn't go

The wheel of life is turnin'
You never should have crossed the track
Your karma is burnin'
You know you never can go back

Why did you forsake, you had to take
And now you're living in your hell
The vow you break, you try to shake
But it's so hard to break the spell

It's so hard to break the spell

Now say what you must, and kill your design
To ashes and dust, it chills to the spine
I don't understand, thought I knew you well
It's so outta hand, you can't break the spell

The wheel of life is turnin'
You never should have crossed the track
Your karma is burnin'
You know you never can go back

Why did you forsake, you had to take
And now you're living in your hell
The vow you break, you try to shake
But it's so hard to break the spell

Why did you forsake, you had to take
And now you're living in your hell
The vow you break, you try to shake
But it's so hard to break the spell

And now you're all alone
You've taken my advice
And you have never known
I should have told you twice

And you will hear the call
And now you start to fall
I see you lose your grip
And now you start to fall

The wheel of life is turnin'
You never should have crossed the track
Your karma is burnin'
You know you never can go back

Why did you forsake, you had to take
And now you're living in your hell
The vow you break, you try to shake
But it's so hard to break the spell





It's so hard to break the spell

Overall Meaning

The song "The Spell" by Iommi featuring Glenn Hughes is a powerful anthem about the grip of addiction and its devastating effects. The lyrics speak to a person who has been caught up in a destructive pattern of behavior and is struggling to break free from its grasp. The first verse speaks of a deep betrayal that has left the person feeling wounded and vulnerable. The imagery of a knife and spilled blood add a sense of danger and urgency to the lyrics, while the reference to taking an ill-advised chance suggests that the person knew on some level that they were tempting fate.


The chorus, with its mention of karma and the wheel of life turning, implies that the person is reaping what they have sown and that their current situation is a result of their own actions. This is further reinforced by the line "you had to take," which suggests that the person was unable to resist their impulses and gave in to their addiction. The reference to a vow being broken adds a layer of complexity to the lyrics, making it unclear exactly what the person has done to cause their downfall.


The second verse speaks of a sense of confusion and betrayal, with the singer expressing disbelief that they thought they knew the person well. The line "it's so outta hand" suggests that the situation has escalated beyond what anyone could have imagined, while the repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that the person is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction that they cannot escape. The final verse is a warning to others who may be tempted to follow a similar path, with the singer lamenting that they should have spoken up sooner. The line "now you start to fall" suggests that the person's downward spiral is intensifying, while the final repetition of the chorus drives home the sense of hopelessness and despair.


Line by Line Meaning

It's taken your will and deep is the knife
You have lost control of your life and the damage is severe


The blood it will spill, the rest of your life
You will continue to bear the consequences of your actions for the rest of your life


It's more than a glance, it's cold down below
The situation is worse than it appears and uncomfortable


You've taken the chance, where you shouldn't go
You have made a mistake by venturing outside your comfort zone


The wheel of life is turnin'
The cycle of life is constantly in motion


You never should have crossed the track
You made a wrong decision by taking that path


Your karma is burnin'
You are reaping the consequences of your actions


You know you never can go back
You cannot undo your actions and go back to the way things were


Why did you forsake, you had to take
Why did you betray or abandon your principles, when you did not have to


And now you're living in your hell
Your current situation is a result of your poor choices


The vow you break, you try to shake
You regret breaking a promise, and try to forget it


But it's so hard to break the spell
It is difficult to escape the consequences of your actions


Now say what you must, and kill your design
You must speak the truth and give up your plans which are causing harm


To ashes and dust, it chills to the spine
The consequences of your actions are devastating and frightening


I don't understand, thought I knew you well
Your actions have surprised and disappointed me


It's so outta hand, you can't break the spell
Things have gone beyond your control and it is difficult to escape the consequences of your actions


And now you're all alone
Your actions have isolated you


You've taken my advice
You have been guided before


And you have never known
You have ignored or forgotten previous guidance


I should have told you twice
I regret not reminding you again


And you will hear the call
You will soon face the consequences of your actions


And now you start to fall
You are starting to experience the negative effects of your actions


I see you lose your grip
You are losing control of your situation


It's so hard to break the spell
It is difficult to escape the consequences of your actions




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN HUGHES, ANTHONY IOMMI, BOB MARLETTE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@nimrodjoeTV

The BEST IOMMI and HUGHES tune EVER!!!!!! including 7th star

@KAOTSOUKI

Best of the album
Exceptional drumming.

@akaboo69

awesome i like how everything Iommi does sounds like sabbath

@dnch

tommi is sabbath

@cristian-tl6df

@f*ck google "tony" y not "tommy".

@jonashermes

@Eduardo Hidalgo Tony + Iommi = Tommi

@TommyDeNitro

Definitely the greatest album which Iommi and Hughes have ever made !

@radicalthoughts

I think Hughes sounds great on these tracks.

@jayfalco8635

He Always Sounds Great.. Glenn Rules!! ❤

@greggharpel2516

It's the same riff that was at the end of the studio version of Heaven and Hell stretched way out. Genius!

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