Meaningful songs #24 - BLACK SABBATH

This  is the twenty-fourth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "War Pigs", released in 1970, is by a group called BLACK SABBATH.

Black Sabbath - Originators of a new genre of music

Hear the song here

Black Sabbath burst upon the music scene in the UK, fully formed and genre defining from their conception in 1970. The track "War Pigs" is from their second album (Paranoid) and is a tour de force, still relevant today, musically and lyrically, as when first released.

War Pigs eloquently conveys an anti-war sentiment and comments upon those who wage war. The lyrics are so scathing they "work" in all but the most miserable of cover versions.

The full story of War Pigs is told here and of it's album here.

WAR PIGS

    

Generals gathered in their masses

Just like witches at black masses

Evil minds that plot destruction

Sorcerers of death's construction

ln the fields, the bodies burning

As the war machine keeps turning

Death and hatred to mankind

Poisoning their brainwashed minds

Oh Lord, yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away

They only started the war!

Why should they go out to fight?

They leave that role to the poor, yeah

Time will tell on their power minds

Making war just for fun

Treating people just like pawns in chess

Wait 'til their judgement day comes, yeah!

Now in darkness, world stops turning

Ashes where their bodies burning

No more war pigs have the power

(The) hand of God has struck the hour

Day of judgement: God is calling

On their knees, the war pigs crawling

Begging mercy for their sins

Satan laughing, spreads his wings

Oh Lord, yeah!

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in this series or hear the next song in this series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here