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Check out some of our other episodes on SABBATH
One could easily argue that SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH, the fifth studio release from Birmingham’s own BLACK SABBATH, is their “Black Album” moment, in that there are a multitude of different dimensions present on this album that were not as evident or pronounced as on the first four albums, including the addition of synthesizers, orchestras, and atmosphere.
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Released
November 1973
Recorded
September 1973
Label
Vertigo
Producer
Black Sabbath
Track listing
Side A
1 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2 A National Acrobat
3 Fluff
4 Sabbra Cadabra
Side B
5 Killing Yourself to Live
6 Who Are You?
7 Looking for Today
8 Spiral Architect
Get ready to appreciate the value of “projection as a coping mechanism” and embrace your “late blooming misogyny” as you find out what it means to truly be “an organ donor” when you JOIN US as we dive into Vol. 5 of “The First Six”: SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH by the incomparable BLACK SABBATH.
SABBATH, BLOODY SABBATH:
I’m sure in late 1973 the Sabbath faithful couldn’t wait to get their paws on this record. The constant bass drumbeat makes the main riff ultra-heavy, like some early version of double bass drumming. The drums (and bongos) have an almost tribal feel, like some Native American shamanistic ceremony. It lets up for a very brief period before going straight into ridiculous heaviness, with Ozzy’s high pitched lyrical wail making the heaviness of the music even heavier and darker by comparison.
“Dreams turn to nightmares, Heaven turns to hell…”
A NATIONAL ACROBAT:
This is one of those songs that seems to reveal something new with each and every single listen. Read those lyrics: “I want you to listen! I’m trying to get through…”. Ozzy was spitting some serious truth: Live your best life now. And whenever the next one arrives, do the exact same thing with that one as well.
The up-tempo jam is practically a completely different song. I wonder if that “instrumental section” has some fancy title (think “Luke’s Wall” or “The Straightener”), or if they ever thought about giving that section a name? It just seems like it needs a cool, zippy name like the others…maybe “Trapeze Accident Prevention” (T.A.P.)? Just a thought…
“Looking back, I’ve lived and learned, but now I’m wondering, Here I wait and only guess, what this next life will bring, ha-ha!”
FLUFF:
A tender lullaby of an instrumental showcasing Tony Iommi’s acoustic guitar skills which are equally as powerful and yet completely the opposite of the crushingly heavy riffage he’s best known for creating.
It’s an unusual song because when you listen to it, it seems like it goes on for a long time, but then right around the time you think it should be wrapping up and coming to an end, suddenly it does.
People were doing a LOT of relaxers in the 70’s, so this was probably a nice track to mellow out to if you were too “relaxed” (assuming that’s even possible).
SABBRA CADABRA:
Anyone who has Metallica’s Garage Inc is likely already familiar with this song (as well as A National Acrobat). You can hear the Sabotage style slowly make its way into their sound at this point.
Wait…there are SYNTHESIZERS!? Okay, keyboards/pianos are not new in the realm of Black Sabbath as of this point in their career, but SYNTHESIZERS are something altogether different. Then again, this was during the dawn of new musical technology in the 1970’s and many artists wanted to (ahem) put it in anywhere they thought it might fit.
The 2nd half of this song sounds like it could easily fit on Sabotage. I’m guessing we’re hearing Ozzy laughing over and over…or just talking and saying random nonsense during the session while everyone else is playing.
Somehow, the ending seems very 1973…
“Someone to live for, love me ‘til the end of time…”
KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE:
Definitely one of the heavier tunes on the album (and the killer opener on Side 2 if you’re following along on vinyl or cassette). That weird tremolo effect on the guitar and the progressive chord progression gives it a creepy vibe, but then that CHORUS…that’s nothing but balls!!! This whole track would have easily fit in on Vol. 4. Those lyrics though: “Little Boy Blue is a big girl now”. LOL!
You can really sense multiple layers in the music of this album relative to the earlier, doomier portion of their catalog up to this point (especially with that bong hit/pick scratch part during the jam section).
“Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery. It’s not the way the world was planned, it’s a pity you don’t understand…”
WHO ARE YOU?
Somehow it seems wrong…and yet, somehow the use of synthesizers just works. To be fair, whenever keyboards and/or synthesizers were used on a Sabbath album, they were always used very sparingly and quite tastefully.
The solo section with the guitar and keyboard adds a different dimension to the Sabbath sound. Kind of surprised this wasn’t a big Black Sabbath single back in the day. If you read the lyrics, it’s probably pretty clear as to why it wasn’t.
“Please I beg you tell me, In the name of hell, who are you?”
LOOKING FOR TODAY:
The beginning riff almost has that Vol. 4 vibe again…and then…FLUTE!? It’s like the mellow, “groovy laid-back grooves” vibe again…right in the middle…definitely an atmospheric kind of thing. There are even some hand claps in the rhythm section.
“You can’t believe in anything you knew, when was the last time that you cried?”
SPIRAL ARCHITECT:
One of the most haunting acoustic guitar melodies to ever grace a Black Sabbath album. The lyrics to this song seem to be as sophisticated as the accompanying music and instrumental arrangements (courtesy of a mini orchestra).
The first time ever hearing the intro to this song was as a child. It was on a commercial for an organization called C.A.R.E. Not sure what they’re called today or if they’re even still around, but I remember being blown away actually hearing the acoustic intro to this song after having heard it years before as the soundtrack to a television commercial (and definitely years before ever being aware of Black Sabbath).
It's funny, but at the tail end of this where they add back the out-take footage, it sounds like a huge arena hall applauding. Almost makes you wonder if that was some cheeky inside joke reference the band was acknowledging.
Again, a very 1973 ending.
“Of all the things I value most in life, I see my memories and feel their warmth and know that they are good.”
Show Notes:
(00:01): “Has anybody checked on #CharlieSheen?” / #tigerblood and #cocaine and #chemtrailmix #cokelines #TrumpTrails (“Let’s call ‘em that…”) / We call that a #hyrbrid / The first 20K years of #Eternity / “I think you may have a problem…” / #projection as a coping mechanism / ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** #TheUncorking #nomoreitchyeyeballsASMR #tallboyredbull #shotglassASMR #thisepisodesclinkyoftheepisode #SinEater #CinnamonFlavoredWhiskey #CheersFellas ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised*** Now it’s official…” / “After the shot…” / “I got all the things and everything..” / #kramerupdate #RussellsReflections / “Use your mind, man…” / “We said it at the same time…” / “It’s water drops on top…” / #monkeypoxASMR “A pearl, white, metallic…” / “Here’s the question…” #guitarpickups / “What the fuck is that noise!?” / #boatsandhoes #motorcyclepornASMR #onmicburpASMR #CGCustoms / “I’m #phonetical man…” / #RussellsReflectionsReprise #GawdDangIt (***Have YOU ever assembled and built your own guitar with the materials? *** / #guitarreincarnation “Drop that #duncan in there man…” #SeymourDuncan and a shoutout to #PaulReedSmith #Archon25Combo and a recent jam review / #Delta8ediblesASMR and #jamming / “25 watts…is loud as shit!” / “If you can add some #fuzz to it…” #addfuzz / #alwaysaddfuzz / #ampmodeling and modern-day gig #settings / You have to be entirely too smart to operate modern day #guitaramplificationsystems / “Bro…” / #gatorcase (Trusted and used by #professionals) / “He pulls it out and it all fits in…” / ***Can we ALL agree that #guitarampmodeling is at a #legendarylevel? *** / Modeling amps vs sampling amps (e.g., Kemper) #gearnerdsyeah
(14:46): #picturetime / “…and now…” / #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #StillFireBrewery #SuwanneeGA #CubanCoffeeStout #sevenpointninepercentABV #coolalbumcover #HailToStillFire (“She definitely used teeth…”) / #nohead #verycoffeeish #stimulated #morecaffeinated (We should definitely go have a drink at their expense and our inebriation…) / #NYE2023Plans / “It’s Thursday night…” #ladiesnight #rockfortots #MudDonkey / “If you like #Journey….” / #OMG #seriously #romantical #seriously / “He’s like you but fuckin’ ripped!” / #hesnotlikeyou #hesgothair (***Local #guitarlegends***) #RussellsReflectionsAllNightLong / “the attic and the basement are exactly alike… (in length)” / “Everybody knows the song, you get up and play the song…” / “It’s #fourstrings…” / “Wait a minute…” / #iknewit #givemeapieceoftherock and a #shoutout to #MothersFinest and also #Hail #Atlanta #oldschool / “Don’t make it complicated…” / “very #KingsX #ish (or #KingsXish if you’re maximizing #hashtags for #hashbags or #tags) / “What did you carry?” / #itsnotmetal (…but it certainly could be.) / #MosesMo / #RussellsReflectionsInfinityEdition #TheImpregnators (“That name though…”)
(27:19): “Christmas is the last magical time in the life of a child.” / “that’s how he does it in one night…”/ ***The last episode of the year!!!*** #hardinthepaint (Quick learner…) #napoleonASMR ***You can email us your #shittah at metalnerdery@gmail.com or on the #socialmedia at #Instagram and #Facebook*** / #timetraveling #footballASMR #RussellsRegressions / “I didn’t say that…” / a weird (and likely highly unpopular) theory about #femaleswholovesports / “I’ve only recently developed my #misogyny” / #justalittle / #complicatedballs #thatsalotofballs #refatheringmyballs #secondpuberty #toomuchballtalk #itsajourney
(33:26): #BirminghamMetal (#notAlabama) / “It’s recognized as the #BlackSabbath #BlackAlbum i.e., #numberfiverelease #Vol5 / “One of the coolest album covers #evah!!!” / #TheDocket #BlackSabbath SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH (“So it’s their Load…”) / ***We’ve got #vinyl at the #bunkerpoon…*** / “Looks like #MarilynManson with a #shittyhaircut” / “He’s about to take a dong…” / #backtothefront / #1973 (close to ½ a century of #SabbathBloodySabbath) / “Did you cough it out of the hole?” / When did YOU first hear the #SabbathBloodySabbathAlbum? / “It was the #Anthrax ‘I’m the Man’ EP” / “There’s enough #creepiness” / “It’s their #BackInBlackAlbum” / #BlackSabbathPreBoneASMR / #smallhousetrailer / ***If you’ve seen the #DioDocumentary please let us know your thoughts! *** / “We’re gonna relax…”
(42:48): “Really? Is that possible?” / #boredtodeath / SABBATH, BLOODY SABBATH #killeropener / #mellowmetalASMR #youbastards / “Here it is…” #thatriff #alltheballs #HailToBlackSabbath / #pushpush / A NATIONAL ACROBAT (Imagine having this as your #walkonmusic?) / “The epitome of #stonermetal” / “It’s the #GarageLoads…” / “Well we’ve gotta hear the next part…” / “I’m talking to you!” / “It’s bone every time…”
(52:08): “Two words that should never go together…” / #ilovethehelmet but #ihatethemayo / “The FLUFF portion of the show…” / #heartfelt / “This was definitely a #skipper” / #TheArtOfSabbath SABBRA CADABRA #sabbracadabraASMR (Insert #creepykeyboardnoises here…)
(58:31): “How much…?” / “Women should call their #vaginas that…” / “Most women don’t laugh…” / KILLING YOURSELF TO LIVE #yallshouldstopdoingthat #ultraheavy / “That’s #tremolo…#creepytremolo” / #doubletrackedguitarsolo (“They all go together…”) / “Smoke it…get high!” / #myfavoritepartevah / That’s either a #pickscratch or a #bonghit or #bolth / “Now it all makes sense, yeah?” / #Era #MetalNerderyBarberShopTrio / #creepykeyboards / “They had some organ before…” #markthetime / WHO ARE YOU?
(1:08:18): “I had no idea…” / “That would be #Hell…” / As long as it sounds creepy… / #fuckforcharity #organdonor #punchline / LOOKING FOR TODAY #tambourine #industrialsabbath #flutesolo #masterflautist / “Does anyone remember the commercial for #CARE (C.A.R.E.) from the late 70’s, early mid 80’s?” / #thememusicASMR / “This was before computers…” / SPIRAL ARCHITECT #bestintroevah (“Oh #STFU!!!”) / ***Actually #Styx #GrandIllusion was released on the 7th day of July 1977*** / “This is a real dick thing to say…” / #yourenotwrong / Any tracking changes? / #markthetime #asapackage / “That was Vol. 4…” / ***HAPPY NEW YEARS AND HAPPY 2023 TO EVERYONE WHO LETS US INSIDE YOUR EARHOLES!!!*** / #anothergreatmetalnerderyyear / #productionnotesASMR / #thelastword #thelastburp ***COME CHECK OUT THE UNDERGROUND BUNKERPOON #GIFTSHOPPE AT metalnerdery.com/merch ***) / #outroreel #abouttotakeadong #Era #LettuceInsideYou
CBLE