@@andrejz8954 tate has completely lost his voice. tate also sounds strained when singing high. a man with a baritone/ low tenor voice cannot sing as high as tate, dickinson. kiske, etc etc without straining their voices. it's literally impossible. it's always physically demanding to sing in a high range for a long time.
The interpretation you called “false righteousness” is the correct one. The holy diver is a priest or religious leader. He’s “the star of the masquerade”-meaning the ritual that has lost the true spirit. He’s “got to get away” from the false dogma or be lost forever to the beast that is “coming after you.” “Between the velvet lies” of false religion there’s a truth that’s hard as steel. That’s why Dio said the cover is showing a priest drowning a monster-as you said at the end! Awesome! Took me about 35 years to see what he meant!
Omg finally... React a few songs from Dio please. Rainbow in the dark, Don't talk to strangers and Heaven and Hell. Theese are really greatest songs from him.
This is probably blasphemy to actually write out (lol), but I think I prefer the Yngwie cover of that song on the "Holy Dio" tribute album. It's such a damn powerful version.
Plenty of old albums had great, clear production. There aren't many modern albums that sound 1/10 as good as Steely Dan's albums, especially their late ones.
Also look at the logo upside down- it says devil. Immune teenage self that was really cool. A lot easier to do when you could just turn the album upside down
The I - bVI - bVII - I progression is very common in heavy metal and it gets me every time, I find it to be beautiful. I love Dio's music and voice, and another thing I love about him is how in his late years, when he lost a lot of his voice, he found a new beautiful way to write around and for his voice, like he does in Master of the Moon, The Dio Years, The Devil You Know and Electra. This was a great and very fun video, with lots of things I didn't know. Cheers!
Wow, you words from 12:20 and on are so great! Most of the people who loves metal knows how profound, philosophical, and meaningful a metal music can be. The majority of our society totally ignores it. I'm following you for quite a while, and hearing you saying that is meaningful not just because you influence people, but mainly because, as you said, it impacted you in a good way. Thank for your great work!
I used to play this one in a cover band years ago. I totally appreciate Dio's voice, but for some reason, I never got into Dio's Black Sabbath as much as with Ozzy. I read Tony Iommi's autobiography and Tony talked about how much better Dio was as a musician and a song writer than Ozzy. I completely agree with that, as a lot of Dio's melodies were much more complicated than Ozzy. RIP Dio.
It seems that Ozzy is a much bigger artist / singer in popularity than Ronnie. But it seems that even though he's gone the impact Dio made is huge too and he may actually still be getting some new fans from different generations because some parents let their kids hear the hard rock / metal that they enjoyed over the years. I take my daughter to some of the concerts when I can!! She's 24 now so no worries.
12:21 Beautiful concluding words! What amazes me every time is that "metal/rock" has got it all: You find "simple" songs in terms of musicality and lyrics as well as the most complex tunes, any topic you can imagine (from your "girls & party"-feelgood songs up to political, religious and deeply philosophical topics. And let's not forget the amazing rock/metal community.
It's so great to hear someone say what you said about metal. I've been in ministry for close to 25 years, the last 14 of that as a pastor. I was a metal fan as a teenager, playing in about 4 different bands until my mid-20s. I shied away from metal for many years after my conversion. Over the past few, I've begun listening to Iron Maiden, Dio, Sabbath, Judas Priest, and King's X again, and I'm finding just as I did as a teen that there is a lot of religious references and philosophy that I can relate to as a Christian. Of course, there is also just some great musical experiences and guitar solos. Haha! I've found this to be true though throughout rock 'n' roll in general ... the religious references and philosophy. Though I love many hymns and spirituals, there are some that I think lack in lyrical content, especially some of the more contemporary stuff. I get a blessing as well from certain songs by U2, Steve Winwood, Allman Brothers Band, Kansas, and a few others, as well as some metal.
What is amazing is that the guitarist Vivian Cambell was only about 20/21(?) And the maturity in his touch on the guitar is amazing at his young age,plus Ronnie was a Godsend to our world of Music as always!
I am glad we have a composer and a spiritual person like Doug reacting to our music. We put up with a lot a crap back then as teens listening to metal. From parents(not mine), media and religious institutions. We deciphered the song and came up with a explanation similar to yours. We came out ok!!! We didn’t kill and eat babies. Again thank you for the open mind!!! You are a true asset!!!!! 🤘🏼
@@fredyair1 I think Dio and Halford are objectively really good singers in metal. Their style and songs etc is subjective and may differ on taste, of course
Ronnie was an awesome singer I saw him live in the early 80,s and Queensryche were the support band two great vocalists in my opinion 😊his version of Aerosmith Dream On is outstanding 😊
Oh, this album!!! You should react to "Don´t talk to strangers"... The best song from an album that is indeed amazing! Throwback to my youth.. I really appreciate your reactions Doug, you know what your are talking about, you are nice and you can appreciate spirits!
So glad you covered this song. Dio is the grandfather of heavy metal! His music is the absolute dictionary definition of heavy metal music for me. Best gig I ever went to was Dio Killing the Dragon tour which was around 2002. Absolutely unforgetable expreience. They were phenomenal and the atmosphere was electric.
What I love about Ronnie is that he was a rocker 'til the very end. He was on old man practically dying of stomach cancer and yet he was still on stage doing shows
It is hard to choose,what is best if ya think vokal stretches or high notes low notes / well got my point😎/ I love his voice his lyrics his mantality / That is enough/🥇🏅🥇🏅 I don't care if anyone screams higher😅😅😅😅/ Dio was class,act/ He was a humble person to but that has nothing to do with having a good voice/ Or has it???? If I am thinking of that bitter old woman lipsynching inthe brand Kith nowadays / It might have something to say/😅😅😅😅😅😅
Novommennocry/ Hehe just my humble opinion😁/ Love Ronnie James Dio♥️ Hate Stan Paunley//Paulina that hysterical lipsynching fraud from the brand Kith😅😅😅 And it is ok for,me if ya love her/
great reaction and analysis Doug! It is great to see people outside of the metal world, finally understand what it is really about! and see beyond their prejudices. Welcome to the misunderstood world of metal and thank you for your support. Greetings from a 49 year metal head from La Paz, Bolivia, keep up the good work!
Thanks Doug ! At Around 12.22, you've just made one of the best praises there might be about HM. That's my neighbourhood (since 1974, when we still called it hard and heavy).
Had the pleasure, and the honor, of seeing, make that experiencing, Dio Live in Concert, Tel Aviv 2005. That was a really special occasion, one that was somehow not properly PR'd. As such, this was a close and personal encounter, right of the edge of the stage.
Doug, thank you for being open-minded and going into some of the best music ever created by the heavy metal musicians (artists). And what you said near the end of the video means a lot to many of us!! Keep breaking down the classics and I know you're a rocker too!!
Your horns are beginning to sprout! I'm glad that you realize simple is sometimes best, when it comes to delivering the message, and keeping the song digestible for normal folks! Thanks for the content!
Dio is one of the few metal singers you never have to look up the lyrics wondering what he said. I don't care how fast or "out there" a song goes in the vocal area you can understand what he's saying. His diction while singing is as good as a English teachers examples of proper enunciation in the classroom. He's my favorite metal singer closely followed by Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, and Eric Adams.
You have to give it to the drummer. Every drummer ive ever known has a bizarre look on their face the whole time they're playing. This guy is spectacular. He is the song. Love it
Ronnie started his career in 1957 with The Vegas kings, handling vocals,bass and trumpet. then followed Ronnie and the rumblers, Ronnie and the red caps , Ronnie Dio and the prophets, Electric elves , Elves , Elf, Rainbow , Black sabbath , Dio , Heaven and Hell . such a great man so humble and so powerful. the best singer i've seen live. and i have seen a lot of great ones like Bruce dickinsson , Rob halford, Biff buford .😊👍👍
Thanks for doing this, especially not being the kind of music you are used to, so I appreciate it. I love RJD. I've always felt and still feel he speaks for me because I often lack words to say.
Thank you for the Metal Mondays ! Interesting stuff once again, glad you dig deep into the lyrics, that final statement at the end was very interesting. I´ve listened this song countless of times in nearly 40 years and as many of Dio´s songs, it has stood the test of time. That haunting beginning and instruments crushing in is spot on and you never get tired of the adrenaline rush you get from it. If you do cover version of the song or want to listen a good one, do Killswitch Engage, it is very good !!!
The whole album is superb. I have long been a fan of Vivian Campbell, having first seen him play in a school assembly (Our school allowed the Sixth Form to take over the assembly at the start of the day for one week each year), and knew we were seeing someone special. He then went on to Sweet Savage, before his career took off and took him to the heights.
Viv's guitar work on the first 2 albums is outstanding. He was my first guitar 'hero' after the 'Old classic guys" Blackmore/Page etc and then Yngwie/Dimeola... I definitely went through a Viv emulation stage after watching Dio- at the Spectrum until the tape died.
You have been covering some great stuff. Another favorite from my younger days. RJD, Rob Halford, Jeff Scott Soto, Bruce Dickenson... all vocal masters...
I know everyone recommends And Plague Flowers The Kaleidoscope for Ne Obliviscaris but I would really recommend Painters Of The Tempest, it has 3 movements like a classical piece and I think it would be even more interesting from a compositional standpoint than the first song. Regardless of whether you do that one, keep up the good work Doug, looking forward to Innuendo tomorrow!
@@juyifan7933 its decently good quality but nowhere near the studio making it hard to appreciate all the little details. I agree that it's their most famous work but I think Doug would enjoy Painters Of The Tempest more as an introduction.
Drummer is Vinny Appice (pronounced "Appy- cee") ... (the late) Jimmy Bain on bass; he had worked w/ Dio in Rainbow and was a strong composer... and guitarist Vivian Campbell, who did the 1st 3 Dio albums, then would join Def Leppard in 1992. Campbell also recorded projects like Riverdogs... Last in Line (which he formed w/ Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain) ... He was Whitesnake's touring guitarist in 1987/ '88.
I'm really enjoying your voyage of discovery every Monday Doug. You're coming to realise what I/we have always known about metal music, lyrics and musicians: they're human beings, being human. Great, ain't it?!
Oh boy does this song bring memories of the 80's my teen years, I used to play this song with my band on Drums. Loved it such power in the music and his vocals were amazing. Never could match them.... Great Reaction as always. Love the way you break down the keys they play the song in.
What a band! - I saw them in the early 80s, probably the first UK tour. I always thought of Dio's lyrics in a similar vein to Jon Anderson's in Yes, little phrases which paint images for you to interpret as you like. This and the follow-up The Last In Line are two great albums with absolutely spot-on musicianship (Vivian Campbell's virtuoso guitar work, Jimmy Bain's bass playing a revelation after being told what to do in Rainbow, Vinny Appice's drumming is just a masterclass, and Dio himself) coupled with fantastic engineering & production are quite something to listen to on a good hi-fi system.
I love Metal Mondays y'all! I used to listen to Dio (and lots of other metal/rock back in the 1980's) and introduced Holy Diver to my son and now he loves metal too! And you are right when you said it has the 'Iron Maiden' type gallop, that's probably why I like it so much being an Irons superfan myself!
Ronnie James Rio was one of the most underrated vocalists in rock, IMHO. He never got the recognition he deserved until after his death. I put him up there with Freddie Murcury, Elvis, and Geddy Lee as one of the best male singers of all time. If you haven't seen it already, you should check out Heaven and Hell, from his Black Sabbath days.
I respectfully disagree. The vast majority of his recognition didn't happen until much later in his life. His first big break was with Rainbow in the 70's. They had a bunch of regional hits, but never got the recognition they should have, despite Ritchie Blackmore on guitar. From what I've read, a lot had to do with radio politics at the time. Remember, this was a period in musical history when Rock was considered Satanic. Nonsense, but never underestimate the power of corporate media. I forget when he hooked up with Black Sabbath, but that was a sound so big, it couldn't be marginalized. Especially after they were featured in a mainstream film, Heavy Metal. The Mob Rules. That was in 1982 or 1984, if I remember right. Still crickets from music critics.
@@davidhines4880 - F the critics! Since when do they matter? Rainbow may not have gotten a ton of radio play, but they had a large following of rockers who didn’t give a shit about hit singles. Their sophomore release, Rising, is widely considered as the record that spawned the genre of power metal. My friends and I knew who Ronnie James Dio was shortly after the release of Rainbow’s debut album in 1975. Ronnie joined Sabbath in ‘79 and they released their first album with him, Heaven and Hell, in 1980. Within a year of its release, it outsold all previous Black Sabbath albums. While Sabbath fans were disappointed at first that Ozzy was gone, Dio easily won over the crowds by the end of each show with his incredible voice and proved that Sabbath had new life and there was an energy in the music that was fresh and exciting. Dio soon made his reputation as the greatest metal singer of all time, a title he cemented with his eponymous band and a couple more stints with the Sabbath guys over the years. I’m not sure what you’re actually disagreeing with, since 1980 was over four - count ‘em: FOUR - decades ago. Over those decades, Dio was an instrumental figure in no less than three - and arguably six or seven - classic albums with three different bands: Rainbow - Rising, Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell and Dio - Holy Diver. Name another singer, or any musician, who appeared on three classic hard rock or metal albums with three different bands. Of course, Ronnie’s death from cancer in 2010 received a lot of press, but that’s because Dio had already made his name and reputation some thirty years prior and the quality of his music and vocal abilities remained intact until his death. I hadn’t seen such an outpouring of grief and regret over the death of a musician since John Lennon was murdered in 1980. Ronnie James Dio’s death did not make him great - he was always great. His passing shone a light on just how beloved he was by rock and metal fans the world over and his loss is still palpable and deeply felt more than twelve years later by millions of fans. The man is simply irreplaceable.
@@davidhines4880 - Btw, the movie Heavy Metal was released in 1981. Sabbath already had a platinum album in Heaven and Hell by the time the movie was released with the original version of what would become, essentially, the title track of their second album with Dio, Mob Rules, hit the shelves. (Essentially, meaning the song is actually called The Mob Rules, while the album title omits the word “The”.)
Hi Doug! Always a pleasure to meet you :-) Holy Diver is a straight and simple banger, not a show-off song of the abilities of these musicians. Easy to play, easy to sing along. If you want to hear RJD in his best, try "Sign of the southern cross" by Black Sabbath. Greetings from Finland :-)
I love the perfect pitch to listen to you name the chords as you listen and you are always spot on,I have great relative pitch,it blows me away to hear you name the key the chords I finally had to subscribe great reaction
That's the magic of Dio songs - they are indeed pretty simple structured (any guitarist can play the rhythms after one to two years of lessons) but how they make them rock...
Dio's imagery was always the best thing about his songs. He was quite aware of how he wrote and he loved it. I remember, back in the 80s, he was constantly on tour. I probably saw him in concert more than anybody else. There was a tour and it was publicized as "Ronnie James Dio and the Million Dollar Stage Show" . His concerts matched his lyrics
Hi Doug,, I just played Mother by PInk Floyd on my livestream and thought this could be an interesting video for you. Many are familiar with it, but I believe most people won't have realised just quite how interesting the rhythmic structure is, even though the chord progressions are quite elementary. An excuse to talk about "compound duple meter" and a subdominant rit. 😅Love the channel. ❤❤
Bravo Doug! Im enjoying your channel more an more as weeks go by, you are The real deal in germs of musical knowledge and a cool dude enjoying and getting used to many of the bands I love. It's a pleasure to listen to them together and listen to what you have to say about them.
Ronnie explained what this song is about. Its about a spiritual being that dives from universe to universe and when he leaves the people of that universe get upset at him. They don't want to share him.
the song that got me hooked 35 years ago. i made a copy of this cover, as an oil painting witch hangs in my garage to this day. mid 90s to early 2000, i was a little "disloyal" as grunge or new metal was around. Only to come back and thanks to the internet explore the whole dio universe. rainbow, elf. sabbath etc.etc. even more a fan as in my teenage years
I am surprised that you did not comment on Ronnie's vocal harmonies, especially during the verses...great stuff from a one-of a-kind artist...we miss you !! R.I.P.
Astonishing tune. Top notch. Everything DIO created is top-notch, whether it's in Rainbow, Sabbath or solo career. The best hard and heavy rock singer of all time. Other songs to recommend of this album: # Don´t talk to strangers # Straight Through the Heart # Rainbow in the Dark # Invisible
Ronnie was a one off, I met him numerous times and he was always a gentleman. I still think this album was his finest hour with all but a couple of tracks being absolute killers. His voice was on top form for the album, I think this song means so many things to different people, you hear what you want and paint pictures in your mind to suit the songs, the music is just driving all the time. I have the album artwork as my top strip on my browser
Love this video. Love this song but I cannot know how u have heard of Ronnie James Dio and never heard Holy Diver this is iconic Dio Ps. Love youre differential analysis of the meanings as well.
Dio out-Rainbowed Blackmore with this. A song worthy of Rainbow Rising while Rainbow themselves were getting over I Surrender and All Night Long. I miss Dio more than any other rock musician from that era.
Ozzy is still The Prince Of Darkness in metal, but I think he showed his soft side too much with the TV crap and all that. But now I guess it doesn't matter that much he really has retired from touring. Ozzy has had a great run, but he took some risks and the injuries caught up to him now. He's legendary in heavy Metal and that will never change.
I love drumming of Vinnie Appice here, so good! I was lucky to see Dio alive couple of years before his passing and he was still stong as ever. Cheers!
Just got back from a rehearsal where we played this one, Die Young (Dio/Sabbath), and Heaven and Hell. I play the bass in that band, and even though the bass lines are based in simple theory (minor keys and/or blues/pentatonics), I get the biggest kick out of playing them and hearing our singer belt out the kick-ass (and often prophetic) lyrics of Dio. Although sometimes I have to correct his pronunciation, hehehe....(he is Italian).
Ronnie was and will always be in his own level...and he sure knew it. Phrasing and charisma with unique skill of singing.
Yes: a 'Caruso' for the metal age.
Dio, Dickinson, Halford - the holy metal trinity.
@@malawigw I'd replace Dickinson with Tate. Dickinson sounds strained to me on high notes, something Tate and Dio evade.
@@andrejz8954 tate has completely lost his voice. tate also sounds strained when singing high. a man with a baritone/ low tenor voice cannot sing as high as tate, dickinson. kiske, etc etc without straining their voices. it's literally impossible. it's always physically demanding to sing in a high range for a long time.
brought his own mic to gigs because other ones couldnt handle his voice :D
The interpretation you called “false righteousness” is the correct one. The holy diver is a priest or religious leader. He’s “the star of the masquerade”-meaning the ritual that has lost the true spirit. He’s “got to get away” from the false dogma or be lost forever to the beast that is “coming after you.” “Between the velvet lies” of false religion there’s a truth that’s hard as steel. That’s why Dio said the cover is showing a priest drowning a monster-as you said at the end! Awesome! Took me about 35 years to see what he meant!
Omg finally... React a few songs from Dio please. Rainbow in the dark, Don't talk to strangers and Heaven and Hell. Theese are really greatest songs from him.
Doug convinced Dio and I that owing the mob a crapload of money makes them rule
Give me Children of the Sea or Sign of the Southern Cross over Heaven and Hell, but otherwise yeah.
Mystery/The Last In Line 🤘🏻
Stargazer live
The Mob Rules!
DIO was only 5′ 4″ but his amazing voice and charisma makes him 10 feet tall. Incredible singer. One of a kind. He was a deep thinker.
Dio, Klaus from the Scorpions. Huge pipes in small packages.
Also Rik Emmett from Triumph, incredible pipes and he’s about 5’8”
Udo.
Miss Dio so much massive voice in rock seen Dio in Glasgow on the holy diver tour 1983 😀
He was a wonderful kind man! I was lucky enough to meet him in 2 occasions. He was so great!
If wanna listen to something really amazing, listen to "Gates of Babylon" from Rainbow. That is an astonishingly good song!
This is probably blasphemy to actually write out (lol), but I think I prefer the Yngwie cover of that song on the "Holy Dio" tribute album. It's such a damn powerful version.
@@canman87 you're right, blasphemy.
Agreed! Close to the best ever.
Yeah, Gates of babylon would be great!
Kill the King too!
you've got to appreciate the album's crystal clear production for a 1983 album
Plenty of old albums had great, clear production. There aren't many modern albums that sound 1/10 as good as Steely Dan's albums, especially their late ones.
Also look at the logo upside down- it says devil. Immune teenage self that was really cool. A lot easier to do when you could just turn the album upside down
@@cameronfowler7361 wow you're right.
@@cameronfowler7361 it does? I don't think I see it
I think it sounds amazing with headphones and dolby digital
Also with max settings and the late night eq setting 😆
more Dio please. with Sabbath with rainbow. solo
all awesome
Elf ! 😉
Don't forget Vivian Campbell's amazing guitar solos. Most underrated guitar player out there. 🎸
Still a teenager when he joined Dio!!!!
The I - bVI - bVII - I progression is very common in heavy metal and it gets me every time, I find it to be beautiful. I love Dio's music and voice, and another thing I love about him is how in his late years, when he lost a lot of his voice, he found a new beautiful way to write around and for his voice, like he does in Master of the Moon, The Dio Years, The Devil You Know and Electra.
This was a great and very fun video, with lots of things I didn't know. Cheers!
Wow, you words from 12:20 and on are so great! Most of the people who loves metal knows how profound, philosophical, and meaningful a metal music can be. The majority of our society totally ignores it.
I'm following you for quite a while, and hearing you saying that is meaningful not just because you influence people, but mainly because, as you said, it impacted you in a good way.
Thank for your great work!
they are not like Iron Maiden though. Maiden are more melodic, in my opinion
beat me to it 👍
Right, this is a kind of vindication for those of us that have been life long meatheads.
I used to play this one in a cover band years ago. I totally appreciate Dio's voice, but for some reason, I never got into Dio's Black Sabbath as much as with Ozzy. I read Tony Iommi's autobiography and Tony talked about how much better Dio was as a musician and a song writer than Ozzy. I completely agree with that, as a lot of Dio's melodies were much more complicated than Ozzy. RIP Dio.
It seems that Ozzy is a much bigger artist / singer in popularity than Ronnie.
But it seems that even though he's gone the impact Dio made is huge too and he
may actually still be getting some new fans from different generations because
some parents let their kids hear the hard rock / metal that they enjoyed over the years.
I take my daughter to some of the concerts when I can!! She's 24 now so no worries.
I'm so privileged to have seen Dio live in concert. The Metal world truly lost a talent when Ronnie passed. 🤘🏻
12:21 Beautiful concluding words!
What amazes me every time is that "metal/rock" has got it all: You find "simple" songs in terms of musicality and lyrics as well as the most complex tunes, any topic you can imagine (from your "girls & party"-feelgood songs up to political, religious and deeply philosophical topics. And let's not forget the amazing rock/metal community.
Straight through the heart and don’t talk to strangers are a couple of rockers from this album 🤟🏻🤟🏻
Also "Invisible". Hell, most any random track on that album rocks.
The whole “Holy Diver” snd “Last in Line” albums are great
caught in the middle \m/ this album is a journey from beginning to end
Totally Agree!
5:30 when you say it reminds you maiden … absolutely that’s what I thought the first few times I heard this song!
It's so great to hear someone say what you said about metal. I've been in ministry for close to 25 years, the last 14 of that as a pastor. I was a metal fan as a teenager, playing in about 4 different bands until my mid-20s. I shied away from metal for many years after my conversion. Over the past few, I've begun listening to Iron Maiden, Dio, Sabbath, Judas Priest, and King's X again, and I'm finding just as I did as a teen that there is a lot of religious references and philosophy that I can relate to as a Christian. Of course, there is also just some great musical experiences and guitar solos. Haha! I've found this to be true though throughout rock 'n' roll in general ... the religious references and philosophy. Though I love many hymns and spirituals, there are some that I think lack in lyrical content, especially some of the more contemporary stuff. I get a blessing as well from certain songs by U2, Steve Winwood, Allman Brothers Band, Kansas, and a few others, as well as some metal.
Pastor - keep rockin.' 🤘🤘🤘🤘🙏🙏💪
What is amazing is that the guitarist Vivian Cambell was only about 20/21(?) And the maturity in his touch on the guitar is amazing at his young age,plus Ronnie was a Godsend to our world of Music as always!
I am glad we have a composer and a spiritual person like Doug reacting to our music. We put up with a lot a crap back then as teens listening to metal. From parents(not mine), media and religious institutions. We deciphered the song and came up with a explanation similar to yours. We came out ok!!! We didn’t kill and eat babies.
Again thank you for the open mind!!! You are a true asset!!!!!
🤘🏼
💯
Fuck yeah dude. # of the Beast and Powerslave got me through Baptist School !
What an amazing voice, Dio was the best metal/hard rock singer of all times.
What about Rob Halford?
Can we agree there are many best ones? 😅
@@AlfW Sure, in the end it's all about personal taste, right?
@@fredyair1 I think Dio and Halford are objectively really good singers in metal. Their style and songs etc is subjective and may differ on taste, of course
My top three are Ronnie, Bruce and Rob. Of these, Dio is and will always be my favorite.
Was waiting for it, and you didn’t disappoint. Spoke right over that epic descending vocal run at 8:10. 😂😂
Ronnie was an awesome singer I saw him live in the early 80,s and Queensryche were the support band two great vocalists in my opinion 😊his version of Aerosmith Dream On is outstanding 😊
Oh, this album!!! You should react to "Don´t talk to strangers"... The best song from an album that is indeed amazing! Throwback to my youth..
I really appreciate your reactions Doug, you know what your are talking about, you are nice and you can appreciate spirits!
So glad you covered this song. Dio is the grandfather of heavy metal! His music is the absolute dictionary definition of heavy metal music for me. Best gig I ever went to was Dio Killing the Dragon tour which was around 2002. Absolutely unforgetable expreience. They were phenomenal and the atmosphere was electric.
What I love about Ronnie is that he was a rocker 'til the very end. He was on old man practically dying of stomach cancer and yet he was still on stage doing shows
Like Jon Anderson, I think Ronnie just wrote what sounded cool. He certainly had his fall backs, such as talking about opposites, Rainbows of course.
Dio actually wrote some great lyrics. Rainbow In the Dark is a very good example of this
Anderson was the expert at that. His voice was an instrument. The lyrics came second.
Lyrics are cool as fuck /
Suits the man behind it😎
And rhyming "higher" with "fire".
@Billy White Jr. Barely 😁
Agree Doug, Ronnie James Dio was one of the best, if not the best, vocalist in metal/rock music. Also, great lyrical breakdown Doug.
It is hard to choose,what is best if ya think vokal stretches or high notes low notes /
well got my point😎/
I love his voice his lyrics his mantality /
That is enough/🥇🏅🥇🏅
I don't care if anyone screams higher😅😅😅😅/
Dio was class,act/
He was a humble person to but that has nothing to do with having a good voice/
Or has it????
If I am thinking of that bitter old woman lipsynching inthe brand Kith nowadays /
It might have something to say/😅😅😅😅😅😅
I agee, he's at the top
@@terjeweum3677 wtf are u saying
Novommennocry/
Hehe just my humble opinion😁/
Love Ronnie James Dio♥️
Hate Stan Paunley//Paulina that hysterical lipsynching fraud from the brand Kith😅😅😅
And it is ok for,me if ya love her/
@@terjeweum3677 no i just couldn't understand what u said. U are using so much emoji.
Dio's way of writing lyrics was just genius
great reaction and analysis Doug! It is great to see people outside of the metal world, finally understand what it is really about! and see beyond their prejudices. Welcome to the misunderstood world of metal and thank you for your support. Greetings from a 49 year metal head from La Paz, Bolivia, keep up the good work!
Thanks Doug ! At Around 12.22, you've just made one of the best praises there might be about HM. That's my neighbourhood (since 1974, when we still called it hard and heavy).
Had the pleasure, and the honor, of seeing, make that experiencing, Dio Live in Concert, Tel Aviv 2005. That was a really special occasion, one that was somehow not properly PR'd. As such, this was a close and personal encounter, right of the edge of the stage.
Thank you so much for picking this song and delivering very interesting thoughts about it! Waiting for more metal Mondays from you!
Never heard of Holy Diver?!?! That's wild Dougie
Doug, thank you for being open-minded and going into some of the best music ever created by the heavy metal musicians (artists). And what you said near the end of the video means a lot to many of us!! Keep breaking down the classics and I know you're a rocker too!!
Every song is amazing on this album, definitely in my top ten albums. Rest in Peace Ronnie 🙏
Rest well saint Dio , your music will live for eternity.
Before Rainbow, Ronnie was in a band called Elf. He played bass and sang with them. Very talented guy and a huge loss to the music industry. RIP RJD.
robert jowny dunior is dead?
I really like ELF's three albums :)
Your horns are beginning to sprout!
I'm glad that you realize simple is sometimes best, when it comes to delivering the message, and keeping the song digestible for normal folks!
Thanks for the content!
RIP RJD.............legend! Great reaction Doug, love the metal journey!
Dio is one of the few metal singers you never have to look up the lyrics wondering what he said. I don't care how fast or "out there" a song goes in the vocal area you can understand what he's saying. His diction while singing is as good as a English teachers examples of proper enunciation in the classroom. He's my favorite metal singer closely followed by Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, and Eric Adams.
First time to hear Ronnie James Dio! I really liked Holy Diver Doug. Going to check out some more songs. Thanks for this on Metal Monday ! ✌
You have to give it to the drummer. Every drummer ive ever known has a bizarre look on their face the whole time they're playing. This guy is spectacular. He is the song. Love it
I just like how Doug just nails the chord changes by ear. Inspired
Ronnie started his career in 1957 with The Vegas kings, handling vocals,bass and trumpet.
then followed Ronnie and the rumblers, Ronnie and the red caps , Ronnie Dio and the prophets, Electric elves , Elves , Elf, Rainbow , Black sabbath , Dio , Heaven and Hell .
such a great man so humble and so powerful.
the best singer i've seen live.
and i have seen a lot of great ones like Bruce dickinsson , Rob halford, Biff buford .😊👍👍
The town he was from in NY named a street after him, it's called Dio Way.
It's in Ronnie's wiki.
Thanks for doing this, especially not being the kind of music you are used to, so I appreciate it. I love RJD. I've always felt and still feel he speaks for me because I often lack words to say.
Hey Doug, saluti dall'Italia
Thank you for the Metal Mondays ! Interesting stuff once again, glad you dig deep into the lyrics, that final statement at the end was very interesting. I´ve listened this song countless of times in nearly 40 years and as many of Dio´s songs, it has stood the test of time. That haunting beginning and instruments crushing in is spot on and you never get tired of the adrenaline rush you get from it. If you do cover version of the song or want to listen a good one, do Killswitch Engage, it is very good !!!
Ronnie was not only a great singer he was a very intelligent man and we were very lucky to have him for as long as we did.
Absolutely 💯
The town he was from in NY named a street after him, it's called Dio Way.
It's in Ronnie's wiki.
The whole album is superb.
I have long been a fan of Vivian Campbell, having first seen him play in a school assembly (Our school allowed the Sixth Form to take over the assembly at the start of the day for one week each year), and knew we were seeing someone special. He then went on to Sweet Savage, before his career took off and took him to the heights.
Viv's guitar work on the first 2 albums is outstanding. He was my first guitar 'hero' after the 'Old classic guys" Blackmore/Page etc and then Yngwie/Dimeola... I definitely went through a Viv emulation stage after watching Dio- at the Spectrum until the tape died.
Rathmore?
@@markbro4427 Friends.
You have been covering some great stuff. Another favorite from my younger days. RJD, Rob Halford, Jeff Scott Soto, Bruce Dickenson... all vocal masters...
Well thanks for sticking up for us Doug, We appreciate it.
I know everyone recommends And Plague Flowers The Kaleidoscope for Ne Obliviscaris but I would really recommend Painters Of The Tempest, it has 3 movements like a classical piece and I think it would be even more interesting from a compositional standpoint than the first song.
Regardless of whether you do that one, keep up the good work Doug, looking forward to Innuendo tomorrow!
But Plague flowers has a high quality live performance recording and is their "calling card" piece, no other song makes more sense as an introduction.
@@juyifan7933 its decently good quality but nowhere near the studio making it hard to appreciate all the little details. I agree that it's their most famous work but I think Doug would enjoy Painters Of The Tempest more as an introduction.
Drummer is Vinny Appice (pronounced "Appy- cee") ... (the late) Jimmy Bain on bass; he had worked w/ Dio in Rainbow and was a strong composer... and guitarist Vivian Campbell, who did the 1st 3 Dio albums, then would join Def Leppard in 1992. Campbell also recorded projects like Riverdogs... Last in Line (which he formed w/ Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain) ... He was Whitesnake's touring guitarist in 1987/ '88.
Loved Vivian with Dio!
Appy-cee? Not quite. More like Appi-cee.
I'm really enjoying your voyage of discovery every Monday Doug. You're coming to realise what I/we have always known about metal music, lyrics and musicians: they're human beings, being human. Great, ain't it?!
Oh boy does this song bring memories of the 80's my teen years, I used to play this song with my band on Drums. Loved it such power in the music and his vocals were amazing. Never could match them.... Great Reaction as always. Love the way you break down the keys they play the song in.
The legendary Dio line-up. Dio,Appice,Campbell,Bain and Schnell. Absolutely killer! Cant praise this enough!
Claude Schnell didn't join until 1984 , The Last In Line album... Jimmy Bain did the keyboards.
@@markbro4427 Oh yeah..thats True!
Every song on this album is amazing! I wore this LP out as a teen.
No doubt...lol.
Man every time Ronnie comes in with that ad lib in the intro, those goosebumps just pop up. He was just a gift to metal music
Yeah you're right about Dio. Great singer, good writer too. His songs are always open to interpretation of the listener.
Great classic. And nice dissection from Dr Doug, of course 🤘
“Prodigal Son” by Iron Maiden. It’s time.
Or Strange World.
Exactly. Maiden isn't just about frenetic music. I would recommend Remember Tomorrow too.
Good call! I've always been intrigued by that tune, and that solo is one of my all time favs. Not sure why more people aren't talking about this one!
What a band! - I saw them in the early 80s, probably the first UK tour. I always thought of Dio's lyrics in a similar vein to Jon Anderson's in Yes, little phrases which paint images for you to interpret as you like. This and the follow-up The Last In Line are two great albums with absolutely spot-on musicianship (Vivian Campbell's virtuoso guitar work, Jimmy Bain's bass playing a revelation after being told what to do in Rainbow, Vinny Appice's drumming is just a masterclass, and Dio himself) coupled with fantastic engineering & production are quite something to listen to on a good hi-fi system.
I love Metal Mondays y'all! I used to listen to Dio (and lots of other metal/rock back in the 1980's) and introduced Holy Diver to my son and now he loves metal too! And you are right when you said it has the 'Iron Maiden' type gallop, that's probably why I like it so much being an Irons superfan myself!
Ronnie James Rio was one of the most underrated vocalists in rock, IMHO. He never got the recognition he deserved until after his death. I put him up there with Freddie Murcury, Elvis, and Geddy Lee as one of the best male singers of all time.
If you haven't seen it already, you should check out Heaven and Hell, from his Black Sabbath days.
Dio got plenty of recognition while he was alive. He’s been considered by many to be the greatest metal singer of all time for decades.
I respectfully disagree. The vast majority of his recognition didn't happen until much later in his life. His first big break was with Rainbow in the 70's. They had a bunch of regional hits, but never got the recognition they should have, despite Ritchie Blackmore on guitar. From what I've read, a lot had to do with radio politics at the time. Remember, this was a period in musical history when Rock was considered Satanic. Nonsense, but never underestimate the power of corporate media.
I forget when he hooked up with Black Sabbath, but that was a sound so big, it couldn't be marginalized. Especially after they were featured in a mainstream film, Heavy Metal. The Mob Rules. That was in 1982 or 1984, if I remember right. Still crickets from music critics.
@@davidhines4880 - F the critics! Since when do they matter? Rainbow may not have gotten a ton of radio play, but they had a large following of rockers who didn’t give a shit about hit singles. Their sophomore release, Rising, is widely considered as the record that spawned the genre of power metal. My friends and I knew who Ronnie James Dio was shortly after the release of Rainbow’s debut album in 1975. Ronnie joined Sabbath in ‘79 and they released their first album with him, Heaven and Hell, in 1980. Within a year of its release, it outsold all previous Black Sabbath albums. While Sabbath fans were disappointed at first that Ozzy was gone, Dio easily won over the crowds by the end of each show with his incredible voice and proved that Sabbath had new life and there was an energy in the music that was fresh and exciting. Dio soon made his reputation as the greatest metal singer of all time, a title he cemented with his eponymous band and a couple more stints with the Sabbath guys over the years. I’m not sure what you’re actually disagreeing with, since 1980 was over four - count ‘em: FOUR - decades ago. Over those decades, Dio was an instrumental figure in no less than three - and arguably six or seven - classic albums with three different bands: Rainbow - Rising, Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell and Dio - Holy Diver. Name another singer, or any musician, who appeared on three classic hard rock or metal albums with three different bands. Of course, Ronnie’s death from cancer in 2010 received a lot of press, but that’s because Dio had already made his name and reputation some thirty years prior and the quality of his music and vocal abilities remained intact until his death. I hadn’t seen such an outpouring of grief and regret over the death of a musician since John Lennon was murdered in 1980. Ronnie James Dio’s death did not make him great - he was always great. His passing shone a light on just how beloved he was by rock and metal fans the world over and his loss is still palpable and deeply felt more than twelve years later by millions of fans. The man is simply irreplaceable.
@@davidhines4880 - Btw, the movie Heavy Metal was released in 1981. Sabbath already had a platinum album in Heaven and Hell by the time the movie was released with the original version of what would become, essentially, the title track of their second album with Dio, Mob Rules, hit the shelves. (Essentially, meaning the song is actually called The Mob Rules, while the album title omits the word “The”.)
Hi Doug! Always a pleasure to meet you :-) Holy Diver is a straight and simple banger, not a show-off song of the abilities of these musicians. Easy to play, easy to sing along. If you want to hear RJD in his best, try "Sign of the southern cross" by Black Sabbath. Greetings from Finland :-)
Yeah, he can sing alright, lol. As a lover of many kinds of music, I do have several roots in old metal/classic rock. Keep bringing it Doug :)
I love the perfect pitch to listen to you name the chords as you listen and you are always spot on,I have great relative pitch,it blows me away to hear you name the key the chords I finally had to subscribe great reaction
Can't believe how mature Vivian Campbell's guitar playing is on this track when he was so young - incredible.
For future Dio reactions, might I suggest We Rock, The Last In Line, and All The Fools Sail Away.
That's the magic of Dio songs - they are indeed pretty simple structured (any guitarist can play the rhythms after one to two years of lessons) but how they make them rock...
Everything you've said deserves to be in a book!!
Such a beautiful song !!! Love it!!! Woooo Dio!!!!
Vinnie Appice drumming is superb too... Really enhances the song, very subtle and effective
Dio's imagery was always the best thing about his songs. He was quite aware of how he wrote and he loved it. I remember, back in the 80s, he was constantly on tour. I probably saw him in concert more than anybody else. There was a tour and it was publicized as "Ronnie James Dio and the Million Dollar Stage Show" . His concerts matched his lyrics
Can't wait to see this. I would love to see your daily Doug vocal harmony done in a minor key for Metal Mondays
Hi Doug,, I just played Mother by PInk Floyd on my livestream and thought this could be an interesting video for you. Many are familiar with it, but I believe most people won't have realised just quite how interesting the rhythmic structure is, even though the chord progressions are quite elementary. An excuse to talk about "compound duple meter" and a subdominant rit. 😅Love the channel. ❤❤
Dude, Dio is sooooo cool! Everything he ever did was fantastic, truly. Do check out as much of his songs as you possibly can \m/
Bravo Doug! Im enjoying your channel more an more as weeks go by, you are The real deal in germs of musical knowledge and a cool dude enjoying and getting used to many of the bands I love. It's a pleasure to listen to them together and listen to what you have to say about them.
Ronnie explained what this song is about. Its about a spiritual being that dives from universe to universe and when he leaves the people of that universe get upset at him. They don't want to share him.
Vivian Campbell was such an underrated guitarist IMO!! This sound still gives me the chills
Damn do I miss Dio.
RIP
Try the Riverdogs first album if you want more Vivian's great guitar playing. The song America is great on that album.
Didn't Vivian end up in Def Leppard?
Yes, he's in Def Leppard now but he still does the Riverdogs gigs on the side. The first Riverdogs cd came out in 1990.
Appice is pronounced a - pi - see. Love your podcast, Doug.
Meanwhile his brother pronounces it Ah-Peace.
@@hugolafhugolaf yes, for a time early on I thought they were just two musicians with coincidentally spelled last names. 🤓
@@alysynbourque3570 One is a great guy with a great groove, the other a pompous egotistical ass who thinks he showed everyone how to play.
the song that got me hooked 35 years ago. i made a copy of this cover, as an oil painting witch hangs in my garage to this day. mid 90s to early 2000, i was a little "disloyal" as grunge or new metal was around. Only to come back and thanks to the internet explore the whole dio universe. rainbow, elf. sabbath etc.etc. even more a fan as in my teenage years
I am surprised that you did not comment on Ronnie's vocal harmonies, especially during the verses...great stuff from a one-of a-kind artist...we miss you !! R.I.P.
Astonishing tune. Top notch. Everything DIO created is top-notch, whether it's in Rainbow, Sabbath or solo career. The best hard and heavy rock singer of all time. Other songs to recommend of this album:
# Don´t talk to strangers
# Straight Through the Heart
# Rainbow in the Dark
# Invisible
“The last in line” showcased a beautiful range in his voice.
Ronnie was a one off, I met him numerous times and he was always a gentleman. I still think this album was his finest hour with all but a couple of tracks being absolute killers. His voice was on top form for the album, I think this song means so many things to different people, you hear what you want and paint pictures in your mind to suit the songs, the music is just driving all the time. I have the album artwork as my top strip on my browser
Love this video. Love this song but I cannot know how u have heard of Ronnie James Dio and never heard Holy Diver this is iconic Dio
Ps. Love youre differential analysis of the meanings as well.
Love your RJD breakdowns...such a genius frontman!
Dio out-Rainbowed Blackmore with this. A song worthy of Rainbow Rising while Rainbow themselves were getting over I Surrender and All Night Long.
I miss Dio more than any other rock musician from that era.
This is a perfect example of Ronnie's skills. His texture and his vocal depth are amazing here. Very good choise.
An old favorite of mine. Have played it on my guitar hundreds of times (if not thousands). Excellent song, great album!
Oh, that creature is just Murray. He's just having a good time.
Doug, You are amazing! Thank you for being You!
Ronnie knew how good he was, and I like when people know how to wear that reputation well. He knew. Ozzy had much less confidence in himself.
Ozzy is still The Prince Of Darkness in metal, but I think he showed his soft side too much with the TV crap and all that. But now I guess it doesn't matter that much he really
has retired from touring. Ozzy has had a great run, but he took some risks and the injuries caught up to him now. He's legendary in heavy Metal and that will never change.
Great to hear this insight and explanation. Thank you.
Liked and subscribed (loooong time ago). Good job again, Sir Helvering :)
I love drumming of Vinnie Appice here, so good! I was lucky to see Dio alive couple of years before his passing and he was still stong as ever. Cheers!
Egypt (the chains are on) off the last in line is a great song
Ronnie James the best. Up in the sky he is now singing for the others. We miss you Ronnie
Just got back from a rehearsal where we played this one, Die Young (Dio/Sabbath), and Heaven and Hell. I play the bass in that band, and even though the bass lines are based in simple theory (minor keys and/or blues/pentatonics), I get the biggest kick out of playing them and hearing our singer belt out the kick-ass (and often prophetic) lyrics of Dio. Although sometimes I have to correct his pronunciation, hehehe....(he is Italian).
Great vid, Doug. I'd love to see Gates of Babylon, Kill The King, or Temple of the King as another Dio tune.