How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

While earlier tracks by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Iron Butterfly still cause debates over whether they’re hard rock or heavy metal, Black Sabbath’s debut album and its title track are undeniably the evil, distorted, and aggressive development of hard rock, blues rock, and psychedelic rock which would later be dubbed heavy metal music. Its slow, heavy sound until the outro is a precursor to the heavy metal subgenre known as doom metal.

Rob Halford—vocalist of Judas Priest—described “Black Sabbath” as “the most evil track ever that’s been written,” a title now commonly repeated and reaffirmed by fans.

A demo version with an additional third verse was released in 1997.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Black Sabbath say about "Black Sabbath"?
Genius Answer

According to the band, the song was inspired by an experience that Geezer Butler had in the days of Earth. Butler, obsessed with the occult at the time, painted his apartment matte black, placed several inverted crucifixes, and put many pictures of Satan on the walls. Ozzy Osbourne handed Butler a black occult book, written in Latin and decorated with numerous pictures of Satan. Butler read the book and then placed it on a shelf beside his bed before going to sleep. When he woke up, he claims he saw a large black figure standing at the end of his bed, staring at him. The figure vanished and Butler ran to the shelf where he had placed the book earlier, but the book was gone. Butler related this story to Osbourne, who then wrote the lyrics to the song based on Butler’s experience. The song starts with the lyrics:

“What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me”

Credits
Produced By
Lead Vocals
Production
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Copyright©
Recorded At
Regent Sound Studios (London, England)
Release Date
February 13, 1970
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