Bill Wards drumming on this is so fantastic. Some of the greatest metal drumming ever. As for beutiful heavy metal, there is some. But its also a lot of finding beauty in the ugly. Some Doom metal bands like Pallbearer would probably be considered beautiful. The whole genre of "doomgaze" is built around the juxtaposition of ugly and beauty. Thick layers of fuzzy dirty guitars overlayed with clean etherical melodies. A lot of post-black metal bands like Alcest or Agaloch also plays with this kind of contrast.
Brilliant! I loved it! This was one of my most anticipated songs for you to do, I have been making the case for it since the beginning of your journey. There are so many brilliant gems in how you tied the musical components to the song's theme. Loved your description of the guitar solo and tone. One of the key reasons I always thought you would find more to appreciate in their music, compared to a lot of the darker metal that was influenced by Black Sabbath, is their superior musical composition skills. Such as with their varied dynamics and tempo, rather than just being a wall of sound that continues with the same intensity and tempo throughout the song. They also have a lot more musicality with great thematic, melodic and harmonic variations (often represented in Tony Iommi's guitar and/or Geezer Butler's bass), with many of their songs doing complete change-ups from one section to the next. I also think they have some of the best lyrics of any heavy metal band, with this song being a prime example. Excellent reaction! One of my favorite reactions so far!
Hey Lee, how are you doing? I just knew you would not be able to not comment on Amy's reaction to "War Pigs". Have you noticed how, now that she has gained so much more experience in the rock genre, her understanding and appreciation of the music has blossomed? It's fun to watch.
@@terrykennedy-lares8840 Hey Terry! Yes I have noticed, and I am glad you brought that up since I almost added, "but I'm glad you have waited until now to do this, rather than doing it when I first requested it at the beginning, since you now have so much more experience with rock music to better appreciate it."
I think you're stretching it, in fact their lyrics are often hilarious. I would draw attention to such examples such as "tinkling bell". In a Uk radio poll this particular song "War Pigs" was voted one of the 10 worst lyrics ever . Personally , as for a lot of people, this track always sends shivers down the spine, cannot explain why really, maybe it's the "lizard brain".
I loved your analysis. By golly, you gave it a pass! It is common for some people to dismiss this song, this band, this genre. This song is so well constructed, so powerful, and so well executed. It is a masterpiece. When this was released, it was unlike anything before it. Personally, I have a hard time grouping Black Sabbath into the Metal genre. It's so much more than metal. It's Black Sabbath. It is its own thing. It's the darker side of Rock & Roll! Thank God for Black Sabbath! They changed the world. Thank you for your video. You do a great job, and I really enjoy watching your video's. Please don't take offense, but I really admire your open-mindedness. That such a nice, sweet gal as you would even consider giving heavy music like this a listen is beyond cool. I have watched many of your videos and it's high time I subscribe. I'm a fan. Thankyou!
The sentiments expressed in this song are as true today as they have been throughout human history, and probably will hold true as long as humanity, or some few survivors, are still breathing. Sad. Or am I too cynical?
Great review as usual. This song got criticized back in the day, cited as being evil for it's refences to witches and Satan. The truth is: The people that song was directed at knew exactly what he was saying and they didn't like it one bit.
I went to a GWAR show last week and in typical fashioned War Pigs was played before they took the stage. It's such a great feeling being in a full crowd and everyone singing along at the top of their lungs this classic rock song that helped start it all. Really gets things pumped before a great show
Oh wow, didn't knew GWAR are still around. Saw them a few times back in the 90s. Only time everyone wore white t-shirts to a rock-show :D And still treasure those fake-blood-splattered - and ofc unwashed and never worn again - shirts. The will stay with me the rest of my life as a reminder of the great times we had at those shows.
I play this song with my band all the time, and the drummer always rushes the intro, so I say to him, slower man! Imagine an army of hippopotamus marching to war! Funny you had the same image. Best wishes from Rio ❤
A very thoughtful and informative reaction! Music writer, Tony iommi (eye-OWE-me), who was originally a great jazz guitarist, and who is generally (correctly) considered to have invented metal and several subgenres, wrote in his autobiography and/or mentioned in an interview (per my memory) that when writing Black Sabbath's music, his inspiration and approach was to try to recreate the emotional frission created in the more dramatic pieces of classical music. The lyrics were by the great bass player, Geezer (Terry) Butler. Between the two of them, I think they are one of the greatest songwriting teams ever.
Great stuff as always! Four high caliber musicians. I like the silly sped-up ending! The critic/writer who stated "ugly" -this is his favorite band, haha.
The sound of the beginning always reminded me of the mechanized war machine plodding incessantly into mutual destruction. Bill Ward's rapid fire drumming is like machine gun fire.
The slow and swung rhythm in the intro has always brought to my mind troops advancing through the Vietnamese rice fields - slowly, with caution, and a bit unsteadily as each team member looks for hidden dangers! When the intro ends and we switch to the faster rhythm, the vocals switch the scene to the "Generals gathered in their masses", who (seemingly casually) give the orders that sent so many of those troops to their deaths, sacrificing them for some supposedly "higher purpose" like the "witches at Black Masses". As the music changes once again, that "higher purpose" is revealed to be ... the politicians who hide themselves away, taking little or no responsibility for the death and destruction they initiated! When the finger has been pointed (you nailed that one!), we switch back with the guitar solo depicting the troops once again living and dying amidst the chaos of battle (note the battle between the bass line and the guitar) - paying the price for the politicians' and general's desires! ... But, the War Pigs ultimately cannot escape responsibility ... Regarding the song's remaining in the lower registers (particularly through the solo), it may have been (and probably was) unintentional, but the Vietnam War, unlike the 2nd World War, was heavily ground-based - even the aviation aspects had a distinct tendency to low-altitude strafing, bombing, and other ground support roles: gone were the large fleets of bombers flying at high altitudes taking out factories and railroads - and eventually cities. The soaring rockets and missiles that come to mind with the soaring high-register guitar solos (listen to Jimi Hendrix' version of "The Star-Spangled Banner") are absent, replaced by napalm and airborne cannon fire and helicopters pulling out the wounded or shooting into the jungles. Yes, there were higher altitude battles, but largely unseen - and between fighter aircraft from each side struggling for control of the airspace, not direct participation in the primary struggle. The arpeggio for the verses is actually major in the first ascending phrase (2 measures), but minor as it descends in the second (measures 3 & 4)! The Instruments are playing root + 5th, so the major/minor is indistinct, but listen closely to Ozzy's vocal and you can hear that the ascending 3rd is major! "Beautiful"? Absolutely! It powerfully expresses the thoughts, feelings, and judgments of the subject - the *subject* is ugly, the *song* is beautiful! This song - which is probably their 2nd most recognizable hit - was first released on Black Sabbath's 2nd album, "Paranoid". The first is also from this album - "Iron Man" (no relation to the Marvel Comics character), which is almost a sci-fi mini-opera, but compressed so much lyrically that many miss the tremendous story!
@ Benny Goodman I totally hear that. Ward probably studied Krupa or other jazz drummers, you can really hear that. I think swing is what made rock and roll fun.
@ all those guys that came out of the sixties studied jazz drumming. Rock drumming was a new thing and lacked the vocabulary and available teachers that jazz had Even in England.
This was so much fun for me to watch Amy's reaction and dissection of the birth of Heavy Metal. What is really interesting is that now Amy has a better understanding of rock and it's versatility as a whole and it is coming out in her true appreciation of the art form. BTW, I am in awe of how good Amy's ear is at picking things out on her harp. Watching a true master at their instrument is so rewarding. I know it is probably too much to ask, but If Amy, you were to start learning to play that guitar hanging on the wall behind you it would give you a better understanding of the genre and the players considering that the guitar is the primary instrument at the heart of most of rock and roll. As a side note as you are listening to Black Sabbath its good to know that Tony Iommi is missing a finger on his fingering hand which gives his guitar playing a certain flavor and style to it, that many more able players don't have. Please, give some thought to picking up that guitar and start fooling around with it in your "spare time". ( I know, with little Liesel there probably isn't too much of that) LOL
Tony chopped off the ends of the middle two fingers of his fretting hand on his last day of work before touring. He has used various prosthetics to protect the tips. Mainly, it caused him to drop-tune his guitars to make the strings more slack and easier to bend, which also helped develop his heavy sound.
Ozzy's take on big topics like this are not the most sophisticated (there's more to the decision to to go war than evil and destruction, after all), but it's hard to deny his moral clarity. I don't know that much about his personal life, but I have seen him in a lot of pics and videos wearing a cross. I don't know if he's a Christian, but I wouldn't be surprised. People often say that metal guys are satanic, but more often than not, they're WARNING about evil, rather than promoting it. I've always loved the swing in the intro. When it snaps into straight time it's like waking up, though a bit of swing remains in the drums, if you listen for it. This song is not the first time that the #9 (which you interpreted as "You!") has been used to suggest a gunshot. Black Sabbath have an interesting cultural significance. When they started to get popular around 1970, the zeitgeist was starting to shift from the hippy-dippy peace and love stuff of the 60s, to the societal decay of the early 70s. There's a lot of cultural stuff around that time that that shift can be felt in. In movies: Easy Rider. In literature: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (especially the "high water mark" passage). In other music Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps.
Another song about the Vietnam war. The first time I heard this song was in a small bar in Da Nang. We were with the guys downing a few beers… Great review again! Best
There can be no denying the impact this album made on the rock music scene just incredible... they had that unique sound all their own a sound many had never heard before... it wasn't for everyone that's for sure but those fans that did like it were blown away by them & never forgot just how great 👍 an album this is & what a legendary band Sabbath became... generations of fans still listening to this album & for many more years to come....
If you watch the live version , the bass player fingers are like butterflies..the drummer amazing.. and so relevant now in our world..music is prophesy if done through the spirit of Gods light..
Funny thing about Black Sabbath... Despite their "Satanic" image...their songs always seemed to convey a message straight out of a fire and brimstone preacher or biblical prophet. Awesome stuff. Hope you explore a little of their Dio phase. "Mob Rules" sounds like the anthem of 2020, lol. "Sign of the Southern Cross" is another prophetic, very well crafted piece too.
It's a bit overplayed. But on the other hand if I come across it switching radio stations, I won't turn it off. Sounds as good as it did the day it was released. And it applies to today's current 1 second to midnight scenario. Black Sabbath are the Kings of Metal. You can always trust the first 6 Black Sabbath albums.
War Pigs, or should I say Walpurgis, originated from some of the band's many jam sessions in 1968. The lyrics also changed over time and many live versions from around then were different, even after the album was released. For example in Paris, December 1970 - a concert that was recorded on video and available here on youtube. It is incredible.
I hear at the ending, victory, happy, dancing in the streets. The good news being expressed should be an integral part of the conversation as to give hope. The very last part though seems to show that questioning in the end as people are fickle.
Was that a bit of low profile headbanging? 😅 Oh, you got it spot on with your analysis, so glad you found it beautiful ❤️ and for the record, most metal, or at least the ones that count are on this vain, beautifully denouncing society's dark and evil side, cheers and thanks for a great video!
Great review. A little less "this sounds the way war feels" than I would have expected, but good. "Three-Five-Zero-Zero" and "The Flesh Failures" from _Hair_ are also worth a listen if you like dissonant war protest songs. They've been on my mind a lot lately because obvious reasons.
I think the term 'brutalist' is a better term than 'ugly' for the music. Like it's use in architecture, it has all the softness and cushioning stripped away. Perhaps something from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath for your next dip into Sabbath?
My favourite band. The 1st 6 Albums are some of the best music ever made. Seems to be a magical formula...heavily jazz influenced drummer with rock band. Bill ward, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell etc.
Great review as always.. One of the things I think you are hearing here and a fair amount of heavy metal bands do this is down tuning. So rather than the usual E standard they tune down to D or even C sometimes. This in itself gives that sort of music a much darker sound than you usually find in most standard tuned rock songs. Most people will say that Black Sabbath are the godfathers of modern day heavy metal.
As you are starting to realise, Black Sabbath are superb musicians and with Geezer Butlers lyrics, they are still best of the best. You have many more gems to discover. The heaviest jazz band ever!
There are a number of songs that can lay claim to be precursors of 'heavy metal', but this is when the genre really begins IMO and deserves that name. I agree that it's all the more powerful because it doesn't just 'run around all over the place screaming and shouting'. It stays very focused and concentrated in its targeted anger, and very musical in its heaviness.
Thank you for doing this. Bill Ward was influenced by jazz drummers, so there is a swing feel to this. If you have, my apologies, but are we any closer to reacting to solo Ozzy Osborne / Randy Rhodes era?
I'm so glad you can appreciate this song, I find it beautiful in its dark gothic way. For me it evokes Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain." Another fantastic protest song from a different genre that I feel you need to listen to is Crosby Stills Nash & Young's "Ohio" arguably one of the greatest, most impactful, protest songs ever written.
Unlike most metal bands Black Sabbath only had one guitar player so Tony Iommi's playing really stands out in the mix. He doesn't try to saturate the sound with distortion like many single guitar bands do, he's not afraid to leave spaces, very much like his friend Brian May.
The shrill of the air raid sirens sets the tone at the beginning. Chilling.
Bill Ward beat those drums like they owed him money.
He owned em. Powerful.
Top 10 best drummers.
he probably owed them money
18:30 an arpeggio which keeps repeating itself. Just like history.
It was completely new musical territory at that time. Incredibly effective at what it tried to convey.
I played the drums to this song in a bar on open mic for the first time and messed up the high hat part twice - oops.
The power of this track best emerges in live settings.
It never ceases to amaze me to watch you translate things over to the harp, with such speed and precision.
you are awesome! I love your open mind and willingness to try all different genres!
All these years later, this song still makes my hair stand on end.
This review isn't what I expected actually it is much better great work Amy❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Bill Wards drumming on this is so fantastic. Some of the greatest metal drumming ever.
As for beutiful heavy metal, there is some. But its also a lot of finding beauty in the ugly.
Some Doom metal bands like Pallbearer would probably be considered beautiful.
The whole genre of "doomgaze" is built around the juxtaposition of ugly and beauty. Thick layers of fuzzy dirty guitars overlayed with clean etherical melodies.
A lot of post-black metal bands like Alcest or Agaloch also plays with this kind of contrast.
Definitely agree regarding the drumming, it's always been my favourite part of the track.
Black Sabbath was THE original heavy metal band. They laid the groundwork for all the bands that followed them.
The "Unholy Trio" Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin and Deep Purple.
Correct.
Nobody ever gives Steppenwolf any love...
Black Sabbath was designed to be played back at full blast through the biggest speakers you can find.
Brilliant! I loved it! This was one of my most anticipated songs for you to do, I have been making the case for it since the beginning of your journey. There are so many brilliant gems in how you tied the musical components to the song's theme. Loved your description of the guitar solo and tone. One of the key reasons I always thought you would find more to appreciate in their music, compared to a lot of the darker metal that was influenced by Black Sabbath, is their superior musical composition skills. Such as with their varied dynamics and tempo, rather than just being a wall of sound that continues with the same intensity and tempo throughout the song. They also have a lot more musicality with great thematic, melodic and harmonic variations (often represented in Tony Iommi's guitar and/or Geezer Butler's bass), with many of their songs doing complete change-ups from one section to the next. I also think they have some of the best lyrics of any heavy metal band, with this song being a prime example. Excellent reaction! One of my favorite reactions so far!
Hey Lee, how are you doing? I just knew you would not be able to not comment on Amy's reaction to "War Pigs". Have you noticed how, now that she has gained so much more experience in the rock genre, her understanding and appreciation of the music has blossomed? It's fun to watch.
@@terrykennedy-lares8840 Hey Terry! Yes I have noticed, and I am glad you brought that up since I almost added, "but I'm glad you have waited until now to do this, rather than doing it when I first requested it at the beginning, since you now have so much more experience with rock music to better appreciate it."
I think you're stretching it, in fact their lyrics are often hilarious. I would draw attention to such examples such as "tinkling bell". In a Uk radio poll this particular song "War Pigs" was voted one of the 10 worst lyrics ever . Personally , as for a lot of people, this track always sends shivers down the spine, cannot explain why really, maybe it's the "lizard brain".
Outstanding.
The imagery of "Satan, laughing, spreads his wings" sends shivers down my spine.
Been watching your channel since the beginning. Love the appreciation you have developed for the art form, as well as a tasty guitar lick. 😎
I loved your analysis. By golly, you gave it a pass! It is common for some people to dismiss this song, this band, this genre. This song is so well constructed, so powerful, and so well executed. It is a masterpiece. When this was released, it was unlike anything before it. Personally, I have a hard time grouping Black Sabbath into the Metal genre. It's so much more than metal. It's Black Sabbath. It is its own thing. It's the darker side of Rock & Roll! Thank God for Black Sabbath! They changed the world. Thank you for your video. You do a great job, and I really enjoy watching your video's. Please don't take offense, but I really admire your open-mindedness. That such a nice, sweet gal as you would even consider giving heavy music like this a listen is beyond cool. I have watched many of your videos and it's high time I subscribe. I'm a fan. Thankyou!
Very well said!
The sentiments expressed in this song are as true today as they have been throughout human history, and probably will hold true as long as humanity, or some few survivors, are still breathing. Sad. Or am I too cynical?
You're not.
You’re on point. Narcissists run the world.
You’re not
Ask the Palestinians
No, about right. I still maintain that there is nobility in the struggle against those tendencies, and no honour whatever in participation in them.
Sabbath played on a harp. I can check that off my bucket list now.
This is a good song. Rhyming "masses" with "masses" was a bold move. 😄
Seems to have worked out Cotton.
Along with another great review, I came here to listen to "War Pigs" played on a Harp. I never thought of that when I first bought the album in 1970.
Cracking take on one of favourite tunes
Thank you for supporting my journey!
Great review as usual. This song got criticized back in the day, cited as being evil for it's refences to witches and Satan. The truth is: The people that song was directed at knew exactly what he was saying and they didn't like it one bit.
I fell for the limited and misdirected opinion.
I went to a GWAR show last week and in typical fashioned War Pigs was played before they took the stage. It's such a great feeling being in a full crowd and everyone singing along at the top of their lungs this classic rock song that helped start it all. Really gets things pumped before a great show
Oh wow, didn't knew GWAR are still around. Saw them a few times back in the 90s. Only time everyone wore white t-shirts to a rock-show :D And still treasure those fake-blood-splattered - and ofc unwashed and never worn again - shirts. The will stay with me the rest of my life as a reminder of the great times we had at those shows.
I just can't after they parted ways with Sleazy.
Thank you so much for your first breakdown of this classic! You brought up things I hadn't noticed before.
Turn it up !
The BEST Black Sabbath tune... #1 in my books.
Wheels of confusion - best.
These reactions are so genuine and so real. A bit like Bill Ward.
I play this song with my band all the time, and the drummer always rushes the intro, so I say to him, slower man! Imagine an army of hippopotamus marching to war! Funny you had the same image. Best wishes from Rio ❤
Hippos can run faster than any human. Truly furious and terrifying.
A very thoughtful and informative reaction! Music writer, Tony iommi (eye-OWE-me), who was originally a great jazz guitarist, and who is generally (correctly) considered to have invented metal and several subgenres, wrote in his autobiography and/or mentioned in an interview (per my memory) that when writing Black Sabbath's music, his inspiration and approach was to try to recreate the emotional frission created in the more dramatic pieces of classical music. The lyrics were by the great bass player, Geezer (Terry) Butler. Between the two of them, I think they are one of the greatest songwriting teams ever.
Most important band in rock history.Emotion passion meaning originality and most well structured songs musically and lyrically
One of your best analysis :)
Great stuff as always! Four high caliber musicians. I like the silly sped-up ending! The critic/writer who stated "ugly" -this is his favorite band, haha.
Very acute review
Masterpiece
One of my favorite songs of all time!
The space is what matters here. In between marvellous playing is a sense of breathing.
Fantastic then, and very much the same now.
I think I speak for all hippos when I say we are not fat nor clumsy.
They are juggernaut. People living by them are terrified of what they can do in the water and on land, including outrunning any human.
Much more Sabbath ! Please please please.
Incredible analysis
Ah , The Wonderland of my youth the 70s 80s , One of the best Concerts i ever saw , Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. A evening of Acid , Alcohol and Pot
WOW .just wow. Sabbath I grew up with .
perfect and beatiful analisis, greetings from spain
The sound of the beginning always reminded me of the mechanized war machine plodding incessantly into mutual destruction. Bill Ward's rapid fire drumming is like machine gun fire.
The slow and swung rhythm in the intro has always brought to my mind troops advancing through the Vietnamese rice fields - slowly, with caution, and a bit unsteadily as each team member looks for hidden dangers! When the intro ends and we switch to the faster rhythm, the vocals switch the scene to the "Generals gathered in their masses", who (seemingly casually) give the orders that sent so many of those troops to their deaths, sacrificing them for some supposedly "higher purpose" like the "witches at Black Masses". As the music changes once again, that "higher purpose" is revealed to be ... the politicians who hide themselves away, taking little or no responsibility for the death and destruction they initiated! When the finger has been pointed (you nailed that one!), we switch back with the guitar solo depicting the troops once again living and dying amidst the chaos of battle (note the battle between the bass line and the guitar) - paying the price for the politicians' and general's desires! ... But, the War Pigs ultimately cannot escape responsibility ...
Regarding the song's remaining in the lower registers (particularly through the solo), it may have been (and probably was) unintentional, but the Vietnam War, unlike the 2nd World War, was heavily ground-based - even the aviation aspects had a distinct tendency to low-altitude strafing, bombing, and other ground support roles: gone were the large fleets of bombers flying at high altitudes taking out factories and railroads - and eventually cities. The soaring rockets and missiles that come to mind with the soaring high-register guitar solos (listen to Jimi Hendrix' version of "The Star-Spangled Banner") are absent, replaced by napalm and airborne cannon fire and helicopters pulling out the wounded or shooting into the jungles. Yes, there were higher altitude battles, but largely unseen - and between fighter aircraft from each side struggling for control of the airspace, not direct participation in the primary struggle.
The arpeggio for the verses is actually major in the first ascending phrase (2 measures), but minor as it descends in the second (measures 3 & 4)! The Instruments are playing root + 5th, so the major/minor is indistinct, but listen closely to Ozzy's vocal and you can hear that the ascending 3rd is major!
"Beautiful"? Absolutely! It powerfully expresses the thoughts, feelings, and judgments of the subject - the *subject* is ugly, the *song* is beautiful!
This song - which is probably their 2nd most recognizable hit - was first released on Black Sabbath's 2nd album, "Paranoid". The first is also from this album - "Iron Man" (no relation to the Marvel Comics character), which is almost a sci-fi mini-opera, but compressed so much lyrically that many miss the tremendous story!
Very eloquently said!
Great analysis, love your vids!
I was just hoping the other day that you would do another Sabbath song. Wonderful timing.
You should take a look at the next incarnation of Black Sabbath with Dio as the vocalist, you'll love his voice
She'd love "Children of the Sea" for sure.
Awesome!!! It's a classic!!!
Sabbath used that swing feel in their songs, gave it a real rock and roll feel.
Great observation Hartlor, and the swing feel probably accounts for why I often get them confused with Benny Goodman. (just kidding😉)
@ Benny Goodman I totally hear that. Ward probably studied Krupa or other jazz drummers, you can really hear that. I think swing is what made rock and roll fun.
@@Hartlor_Tayley Yeah, I was thinking the same thing on the Ward/Krupa connection.
@ all those guys that came out of the sixties studied jazz drumming. Rock drumming was a new thing and lacked the vocabulary and available teachers that jazz had Even in England.
Smokin' Sweet Leaf watching this. Oh yea Baby, Love old Sabbath man.
One of the greatest intros of all time. The siren just kills me every time.
Great stuff, thanks!
And this was such an early entry within the heavy metal (and progressive) genres! 😃
Your analysis is spot on. All of the elements you described were purposeful to reinforce the lyrical content of the song.
"Hand of Doom" next?
"Fairies Wear Boots"...
Been waiting on this for a while!!
Glad you enjoyed it Amy
Such an interesting take.
This was so much fun for me to watch Amy's reaction and dissection of the birth of Heavy Metal. What is really interesting is that now Amy has a better understanding of rock and it's versatility as a whole and it is coming out in her true appreciation of the art form. BTW, I am in awe of how good Amy's ear is at picking things out on her harp. Watching a true master at their instrument is so rewarding. I know it is probably too much to ask, but If Amy, you were to start learning to play that guitar hanging on the wall behind you it would give you a better understanding of the genre and the players considering that the guitar is the primary instrument at the heart of most of rock and roll. As a side note as you are listening to Black Sabbath its good to know that Tony Iommi is missing a finger on his fingering hand which gives his guitar playing a certain flavor and style to it, that many more able players don't have. Please, give some thought to picking up that guitar and start fooling around with it in your "spare time". ( I know, with little Liesel there probably isn't too much of that) LOL
Totally agree Terry. Very well said.
She needs to plug that white LP into a dimed-out Marshall stack to get the real experience.
Tony chopped off the ends of the middle two fingers of his fretting hand on his last day of work before touring. He has used various prosthetics to protect the tips. Mainly, it caused him to drop-tune his guitars to make the strings more slack and easier to bend, which also helped develop his heavy sound.
Ozzy's take on big topics like this are not the most sophisticated (there's more to the decision to to go war than evil and destruction, after all), but it's hard to deny his moral clarity. I don't know that much about his personal life, but I have seen him in a lot of pics and videos wearing a cross. I don't know if he's a Christian, but I wouldn't be surprised. People often say that metal guys are satanic, but more often than not, they're WARNING about evil, rather than promoting it.
I've always loved the swing in the intro. When it snaps into straight time it's like waking up, though a bit of swing remains in the drums, if you listen for it.
This song is not the first time that the #9 (which you interpreted as "You!") has been used to suggest a gunshot.
Black Sabbath have an interesting cultural significance. When they started to get popular around 1970, the zeitgeist was starting to shift from the hippy-dippy peace and love stuff of the 60s, to the societal decay of the early 70s. There's a lot of cultural stuff around that time that that shift can be felt in. In movies: Easy Rider. In literature: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (especially the "high water mark" passage). In other music Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps.
Pretty sure Ozzy is a member of the English Church.
Led Zeppelin, Vietnam, Ohio State, the Altamont concert fiasco, etc. That was the time period
Great analysis!
Yeah, I can't see them calling the song War Hippopotami.
Wouldn't be quite the same, would it?
it's a tough rhyme, for sure.
War elephants? They were used in war like tanks.
War mongerers
The Sabs churning out tales of death and destruction: "It is basically an E minor arpeggio". Great stuff!
Absolutely amazing song, funny enough you can sing deck the halls to this music and vice versa
Generals gathered in their masses....falalalala, lalala la
@EuphoriaDeep just like witches at black masses Fa la la la la, la la la la
@@marcwright8395 😄
You know the hand sign metal fans make 🤘🤟 it mimics the fingers playing Em on the guitar.
Another song about the Vietnam war. The first time I heard this song was in a small bar in Da Nang. We were with the guys downing a few beers… Great review again! Best
There can be no denying the impact this album made on the rock music scene just incredible... they had that unique sound all their own a sound many had never heard before... it wasn't for everyone that's for sure but those fans that did like it were blown away by them & never forgot just how great 👍 an album this is & what a legendary band Sabbath became... generations of fans still listening to this album & for many more years to come....
21:35 No one is ever ready for this riff the first time. It's emotional impact is always massive.
I envisioned a couple waltzing during the slow intro.
If you watch the live version , the bass player fingers are like butterflies..the drummer amazing.. and so relevant now in our world..music is prophesy if done through the spirit of Gods light..
Loved this
Funny thing about Black Sabbath...
Despite their "Satanic" image...their songs always seemed to convey a message straight out of a fire and brimstone preacher or biblical prophet.
Awesome stuff. Hope you explore a little of their Dio phase. "Mob Rules" sounds like the anthem of 2020, lol. "Sign of the Southern Cross" is another prophetic, very well crafted piece too.
It's a bit overplayed. But on the other hand if I come across it switching radio stations, I won't turn it off.
Sounds as good as it did the day it was released.
And it applies to today's current 1 second to midnight scenario.
Black Sabbath are the Kings of Metal.
You can always trust the first 6 Black Sabbath albums.
Buzz Aldrin's expression "magnificent desolation" suits the composition in some ways.
War Pigs, or should I say Walpurgis, originated from some of the band's many jam sessions in 1968. The lyrics also changed over time and many live versions from around then were different, even after the album was released. For example in Paris, December 1970 - a concert that was recorded on video and available here on youtube. It is incredible.
I hear at the ending, victory, happy, dancing in the streets. The good news being expressed should be an integral part of the conversation as to give hope. The very last part though seems to show that questioning in the end as people are fickle.
Likely up there with "most covered" 'Sabbath' songs, I reckon.
Was that a bit of low profile headbanging? 😅 Oh, you got it spot on with your analysis, so glad you found it beautiful ❤️ and for the record, most metal, or at least the ones that count are on this vain, beautifully denouncing society's dark and evil side, cheers and thanks for a great video!
Fantastic as usual, Amy. Vlad, show to Amy the cover by Skullflower from Metal Lord movie.
Great review. A little less "this sounds the way war feels" than I would have expected, but good.
"Three-Five-Zero-Zero" and "The Flesh Failures" from _Hair_ are also worth a listen if you like dissonant war protest songs. They've been on my mind a lot lately because obvious reasons.
Someday, a review of 2024 will have War Pigs as the title track of the documentary.
This one almost got you headbanging
Good choice on a Halloween day.
The wailing notes in the opening sound like sirens - im sure deliberatley.
I think the term 'brutalist' is a better term than 'ugly' for the music. Like it's use in architecture, it has all the softness and cushioning stripped away. Perhaps something from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath for your next dip into Sabbath?
My favourite band. The 1st 6 Albums are some of the best music ever made. Seems to be a magical formula...heavily jazz influenced drummer with rock band. Bill ward, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell etc.
Great review as always.. One of the things I think you are hearing here and a fair amount of heavy metal bands do this is down tuning. So rather than the usual E standard they tune down to D or even C sometimes. This in itself gives that sort of music a much darker sound than you usually find in most standard tuned rock songs. Most people will say that Black Sabbath are the godfathers of modern day heavy metal.
Hey Bobby...I've been here for a long time. Can't believe we share the same eclectic youtube tastes. haha.
As you are starting to realise, Black Sabbath are superb musicians and with Geezer Butlers lyrics, they are still best of the best. You have many more gems to discover. The heaviest jazz band ever!
would have loved you to do this and Masters of War (which was 7 years earlier and IMO was a strong influence on War Pigs) back to back
There are a number of songs that can lay claim to be precursors of 'heavy metal', but this is when the genre really begins IMO and deserves that name. I agree that it's all the more powerful because it doesn't just 'run around all over the place screaming and shouting'. It stays very focused and concentrated in its targeted anger, and very musical in its heaviness.
Martin Popoff says a lot of things (like that) that are head-scratchers.
21:48 The anthemic solo at the end was our call to arms, our marching music, a generational anthem.
Thank you for doing this. Bill Ward was influenced by jazz drummers, so there is a swing feel to this.
If you have, my apologies, but are we any closer to reacting to solo Ozzy Osborne / Randy Rhodes era?
Listen holy diver
Finally... greatest war protest song of all time
I'm so glad you can appreciate this song, I find it beautiful in its dark gothic way.
For me it evokes Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain."
Another fantastic protest song from a different genre that I feel you need to listen to is Crosby Stills Nash & Young's "Ohio" arguably one of the greatest, most impactful, protest songs ever written.
...and years later we have China White by Scorpions and Disposable Heroes by Metallica and Mandatory Suicide by Slayer...
Unlike most metal bands Black Sabbath only had one guitar player so Tony Iommi's playing really stands out in the mix. He doesn't try to saturate the sound with distortion like many single guitar bands do, he's not afraid to leave spaces, very much like his friend Brian May.
I like how Tony iommi uses the major 3rd note in many places, including the 1st solo. Very rare to hear that in a dark and heavy song.