Next Dio formed Ronnie Dio and The Prophets in the autumn of 1961, the band lasted until 1967. After this Dio formed The Electric Elves (1967-1969), The Elves (1969-1970), and finally the more well known Elf (1970-1975). From this Dio sang for Rainbow (1975-1978). After his work in Rainbow he went on to sing for Black Sabbath from (1979-1982), he later appeared in Black Sabbath again in late 1991-1992. After his split from Black Sabbath for the first time he went on to start his solo career known as Dio which started in 1983.
Ronnie James Dio is generally credited as the originator of the famous "mano cornuta" (or "devil horns") symbol in the metal world. According to him, his grandmother used to make the symbol as a sigil to ward off evil. Dio started using the gesture onstage in the early days of his career.
Roger Glover, the bass player of Deep Purple, had, as a solo artist, a world wide hit in 1974, "Love is All". It had, for those days, a very special videoclip, with a frog. It was Ronnie James Dio who did the vocals for that song.
In October 2006, it was confirmed that Dio would be joining Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and former Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice to tour under the moniker Heaven & Hell, the title of the first Dio era Black Sabbath album. They chose the name Heaven & Hell as Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler were still in Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne and felt it was best to use a different moniker for the Dio version of the band. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was to be involved in this project, but he later withdrew. In 2008 the band completed a 98-date world tour. The band released one album under the Heaven & Hell name, The Devil You Know, to critical and commercial acclaim. They also had planned to release a follow-up in 2010, but Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16 of that year.
Evil Eyes
Ronnie James Dio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn out the lights, you'll see them anyway
Sail into never
They'll follow wherever you can go
And take you to the places you don't know, no, no
It's the call of the city
The way that black's pretty to the purest heart
They promise you treasure if you fly
And then there goes the soul of you and I
Oh do you ever think about the way I caught the rainbow
I'll be there where fire makes you dance
I'm going to give you the look that opens up the skies
I've got evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes
Yes, evil eyes
Ooh those eyes
Hide in the night time
Turn out the lights, they'll see you anyway
Sail into never
They'll follow wherever you can go
Evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes
Evil eyes, evil eyes
Protect your lies, evil eyes
You're a thin disguise for what you are, evil eyes
Sail into never
They'll follow forever
'Cause they're evil eyes
Evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil eyes
The song "Evil Eyes" by Ronnie James Dio is a cautionary tale about the dangers of temptation and the lure of the unknown. The lyrics warn against the call of the city and the promises of pleasure and treasure that can lead one astray. The mention of hiding in the night time and turning out the lights suggests that there is danger lurking in the darkness that one cannot see, but that follows them wherever they go. The use of "evil eyes" as a repeated refrain reinforces this idea of a malevolent force at work, tempting and entrapping its victims into a life of corruption and deceit.
The verses of the song describe the places and promises that the evil eyes offer, promising pleasure and treasure to those who dare to follow. The singer acknowledges that he himself has been drawn in by these promises in the past, describing how he was caught by the rainbow and tempted to dance by the fire. The chorus serves as a warning to the listener, urging them to be aware of the evil eyes and protect their lies, so as not to fall victim to their lure.
Overall, the lyrics of the song suggest that the evil eyes are a symbol of the darker side of humanity, the part that is drawn to temptation and corruption. They represent the alluring but ultimately destructive forces in the world that must be resisted in order to live a life of integrity and truth.
Line by Line Meaning
Hide in the midnight
Conceal yourself in the darkness of night.
Turn out the lights, you'll see them anyway
Even if you turn off the lights, you can still sense their presence.
Sail into never
Embark on an unknown adventure.
They'll follow wherever you can go
These evil eyes will stalk and pursue you wherever you seek refuge.
And take you to the places you don't know, no, no
These eyes will guide you to the unknown and unheard of, and it's dangerously tempting.
It's the call of the city
The city beckons with its vices and temptations that are almost irresistible.
The way that black's pretty to the purest heart
Even the purest of hearts can be enticed by the seduction of the city's darkness and wickedness, its allure is powerful.
It's places of pleasure
The city offers pleasures that are both dangerous and exciting.
They promise you treasure if you fly
The city offers its hidden treasures but one has to risk everything and be carried away like a bird that flies into the darkness of night.
And then there goes the soul of you and I
One's soul risks being lost in the darkness of the city's temptations.
Oh do you ever think about the way I caught the rainbow
Do you think about how I once achieved something beautiful and rare?
I'll be there where fire makes you dance
I'll be there where the flames of passion ignite and you dance amidst them.
I'm going to give you the look that opens up the skies
I will give you a look so powerful that it feels like the skies have opened up and the heavens are watching.
I've got evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes, evil eyes
I possess the power of these evil eyes that lure and seduce.
Yes, evil eyes
Yes, I am the possessor of the evil eyes.
Ooh those eyes
These eyes are so seductive and beautiful that it's difficult to resist their power.
Protect your lies, evil eyes
Beware of these eyes that strive to protect their lies and deceit.
You're a thin disguise for what you are, evil eyes
The possessor of these eyes is hiding behind a weak facade of deceit and treachery.
Sail into never
Embark on an adventure into the unknown with these eyes as your guide.
They'll follow forever
These eyes will pursue you relentlessly and for eternity.
'Cause they're evil eyes
Because these eyes are agents of darkness and wickedness.
Evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil eyes
These eyes keep tempting and luring you towards their malice and darkness.
Contributed by Joshua J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.