Classic album series: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath track-by-track
Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1970 debut album may have been recorded in one day using material mostly improvised during longer live sets where the band needed filler material, but it is now rightly considered one of rock’s most influential albums, not least because it is credited with the inception of heavy metal. Combining the talents of vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward, it is a quintessential Sabbath album that despite being far from lauded by the press of the time, is a monolithic masterpiece that should never be thought of as anything less than a game-changing classic.
Ahead of Sabbath’s final UK tour early next year, we take a track-by-track look at the Birmingham group’s now legendary debut.
Black Sabbath
The first of many career defining hits, the album’s self-titled opener is a horror-inspired epic born from a supernatural experience Butler had one night. Over 45 years on, it is still one of the most sinister and goose-bump-inducing tracks to ever be created. It introduced Iommi’s deafening riffs and saw Ozzy’s vocals at their most harrowing, as they hauntingly soar over the uniquely dark music and scare the shit out of anyone that picks the record up. Just as cinemagoers love to be scared by a well-executed horror flick, those that discover the delightfully freaky opener to the Brummie’s debut revel in its unsettling tones.
The Wizard
A Tolkien-inspired masterpiece, which features an immersive psychedelic atmosphere. Starting off with Ozzy’s enchanting harmonica-work, the track builds momentum through its intro before Ozzy abandons the harmonica to sing tales of Gandalf over Ward’s phenomenal drumming and Iommi’s ever-impressive guitar-work. On the outro, Ozzy returns to the harmonica to follow the guitar into a satisfyingly well-executed conclusion.
Behind The Wall Of Sleep
It’s ironic how at their least drug-obsessed, Sabbath were able to shine at their hallucinatory best. The murky guitar of 'Behind The Wall Of Sleep' delights in its own dazed effect, and accompanied with the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired lyrics, delivers a dreamlike three-and-a-half minutes of thunderous rock. It also concluded with Butler’s captivating bass solo (later renamed ‘Bassically’ on the US release) which transitioned flawlessly into ‘N.I.B.'
N.I.B.
Described by Butler as a “satanic love song”, ‘N.I.B.’ was Sabbath’s answer to over-the-top romance songs. The meaning of the track’s title was often debated at the time, but the word ‘nib’ simply came from Ward’s goatee, which the band thought resembled a pen nib, with the full-stops being added, as Butler says, “to make it more intriguing.” More importantly, however, the track features heavy rock riffage which would set the template for the 70s rock that would follow.
Evil Woman (Don’t Play Your Games With Me)
Originally a Crow track, Sabbath hated this rendition and recorded it only to please their manager, who had asked for something commercial from the group to release as a single. The single flopped, but nevertheless, Iommi’s hard-hitting riff replaces the original’s trumpets with surprising effectiveness, providing a much more abrasive take that still has that infectious and commercially accessible edge that then-manager Jim Simpson had requested.
Sleeping Village
Following an enticing intro, ‘Sleeping Village’ becomes one of the album’s most impressive tracks. The subtle intro is aided by Ozzy’s vulnerable vocals that tell of a sleeping village awaking beneath the rays of a toxic red sun, before the track ascends into Iommi-led passages of impressive musicianship, which eventually act as an intro for ‘The Warning’.
The Warning
If ‘Sleeping Village’ holds impressive musicianship, Sabbath’s The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation cover is nothing short of breathtaking. The track quickly becomes a showground for the various members of Sabbath to show off their musicianship as it spirals between numerous lengthy solos, each more impressive than the last. These are made even more impressive by the knowledge that they were seemingly all improvised by the band whilst covering the song live. By the end of the track, Sabbath’s technical mastery fully takes over, filling ten minutes to the original track’s four.
Wicked World
As the track that originally replaced ‘Evil Woman’ on the US release of the debut (to Sabbath’s delight), ‘Wicked World’ had been recorded with the rest of the album but left off the UK release. Featuring highly memorable riffs as well as a solo which sees untameable shredding, the track is yet another highpoint for Iommi, although the melodic bassline and as exquisitely-crafted-as-ever drum patterns are also commendable. Also important here, however, are the lyrics, which capture a vivid picture of the frustrations of working-class life in Birmingham at the time, as Ozzy sings lines about fatherless children, politicians sending people to war and diseases.
