Deep Purple - When a Blind Man Cries (Ian Gillan)

When a Blind Man Cries Lyric

If you're leaving close the door.
I'm not expecting people anymore.
Hear me grieving, I'm lying on the floor.
Whether I'm drunk or dead I really ain't too sure.
I'm a blind man, I'm a blind man and my world is pale.
When a blind man cries, Lord, you know there ain't no sadder tale.

Had a friend once in a room,
had a good time but it ended much too soon.
In a cold month in that room
we found a reason for the things we had to do.

I'm a blind man, I'm a blind man, now my room is cold.
When a blind man cries, Lord, you know he feels it from his soul

Song Notes : "This ballad was recorded in December 1971, during the Machine Head sessions. Since it was not in the taste of Richie Blackmore, it only ended up as a B-side, on the single "Never Before," released on March 18, 1972. Moreover, the song was never performed live in his presence, but only when others were replacing him:- On April 6, 1972 in Quebec with Randy California (Blackmore was sick).- In November 1993 with Joe Satriani (this was during The Battle Rages On tour).- On many occasions since the '90s: Osaka and Yokohama Japan (1993), Sunrise, Florida (1995), Paris, France (1996, at the Olympia), Rotterdam, The Netherlands (2000, at the Ahoy)."

"This song could be put in parallel with "Smoke On The Water", which is about the fire in the Casino at Montreux and more generally about the mission the band was on: record an album during a short break from touring. Here, the second verse evokes the place where the members set up after they were forced to relocate: "Had a friend once in a room - Had a good time but it ended much too soon - In a cold month in that room - We found a reason for the things we had to do." This room was actually a corridor in Montreux's Grand Hotel and had the shape of a T. Instruments were set up to occupy all the corners. To create a more comfortable atmosphere, they replaced light bulbs with red ones"

Deep Purple - Soldier of Fortune

Soldier of Fortune Lyric

I have often told you stories
About the way
I lived the life of a drifter
Waiting for the day
When I'd take your hand
And sing you songs
Then maybe you would say
Come lay with me love me
And I would surely stay

But I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be...
A soldier of fortune

Many times I've been a traveller
I looked for something new
In days of old
When nights were cold
I wandered without you
But those days I thougt my eyes
Had seen you standing near
Though blindness is confusing
It shows that you're not here

Now I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be...
A soldier of fortune
Yes, I can hear the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be
A soldier of fortune

Deep Purple - Speed King

Speed King Lyric

Good golly, said little miss molly
When she was rockin in the house of blue light
Tutti frutti was oh so rooty
When she was rockin to the east and west
Lucille was oh so real
When she didn't do her daddy's will
Come on baby, drive me crazy--do it, do it

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly

Saturday night and I just got paid
Gonna fool about ain't gonna save
Some people gonna rock some people gonna roll
Gonna have a party to save my soul
Hard headed woman and a soft hearted man
They been causing trouble since it all began
Take a little rice take a little beans
Gonna rock and roll down to new orleans

Song Notes : "According to Gillan's autobiography, this song was called "Kneel and Pray" for some time"

Deep Purple - Child In Time (1970)

Child In Time Lyric

Sweet child in time you'll see the line
The line that's drawn between the good and the bad
See the blind man shooting at the world
Bullets flying taking toll
If you've been bad, Lord I bet you have
And you've not been hit by flying lead
You'd better close your eyes and bow your head
And wait for the ricochet

Song Notes : "Running 10 minutes and 15 seconds, this is a protest song to the United States' war in Vietnam"

"This features a keyboard/guitar solo by Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore respectively"

This album was released by the Mark II version of the group which is Ian Gillan (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Roger Glover (Bass), Jon Lord (keyboard), and Ian Paice(drums). This song was played during the Deep Purple Mark II reunion tour "Come Hell or Highwater" in 1993. Ritchie Blackmore quit the tour after the European portion - he also ended the original Mark II by quitting because of Ian Gillan's "lack of work ethic."

Deep Purple - Smoke on The Water (Live 1973)

Smoke on The Water Lyric

We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

We ended up at the Grand Hotel
It was empty cold and bare
But with the Rolling truck Stones thing just outside
Making our music there
With a few red lights and a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

Song Notes : "This is about a fire in the Casino at Montreux, Switzerland. The band was going to record Machine Head there right after a Frank Zappa concert, but someone fired a flare gun at the ceiling which set the place on fire. The band was relocated to another hotel and recorded the album in the Rolling Stones mobile studio"

"Frank Zappa, who is mentioned in the lyrics, lost all his equipment in the fire. He then broke his leg a few days later when a fan pulled him into the crowd at a show in England. This prompted Ian Gillan to say "Break a leg, Frank," into the microphone after recording this for a BBC special in 1972"

"Frank Zappa, who is mentioned in the lyrics, lost all his equipment in the fire. He then broke his leg a few days later when a fan pulled him into the crowd at a show in England. This prompted Ian Gillan to say "Break a leg, Frank," into the microphone after recording this for a BBC special in 1972"

"The water is Lake Geneva, which the casino overlooked"

"The band did not think this would be a hit and rarely played it live. It took off when they released it as a US single over a year after the album came out"

"In 1989, Former members Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan released a new version of this with Robert Plant, Brian May, and Bruce Dickinson. They called the project "Rock Aid Armenia," with proceeds going to victims of the Armenian earthquake"

"According to an interview with Ian Gillian on VH1's Classic Albums: Machine Head, Gillian said that the band did not have much money when recording this album and were renting a recording studio. They stayed past when they were supposed to get out. As they were recording this song, the police were knocking on the door of the studio to kick them out"

Deep Purple - Highway Star (1972)

Highway Star Lyric

Nobody gonna take my car
I'm gonna race it to the ground
Nobody gonna beat my car
It's gonna break the speed of sound
Oooh it's a killing machine
It's got everything
Like a driving power big fat tyres
And everything

I love it and I need it
I bleed it yeah it's a wild hurricane
Alright hold tight
I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my girl
I'm gonna keep her to the end
Nobody gonna have my girl
She stays close on every bend
Oooh she's a killing machine
She's got everything
Like a moving mouth body control
And everything

I love her I need her
I seed her
Yeah she turns me on
Alright hold on tight
I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my head
I got speed inside my brain
Nobody gonna steal my head
Now that I'm on the road again
Oooh I'm in heaven again I've got everything
Like a moving ground an open road
And everything

I love it and I need it
I seed it
Eight cylinders all mine
Alright hold on tight
I'm a highway star

Nobody gonna take my car
I'm gonna race it to the ground
Nobody gonna beat my car
It's gonna break the speed of sound
Oooh it's a killing machine
It's got everything
Like a driving power big
Fat tyres and everything

I love it and I need it
I bleed it
Yeah it's a wild hurricane
Alright hold on tight
I'm a highway star
I'm a highway star
I'm a highway star

Song Notes : "This was written by Richie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Jon Lord, and Roger Glover. It may have been inspired by Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild," and along with "Radar Love" is one of the most famous driving songs in Rock"

"Many people consider this the first "Speed Metal" song, a division of Heavy Metal and a genre later popularized by bands such as Motorhead and Metallica"

"The guitar solo in this song was ranked #19 in the List of 100 Greatest Guitar Solos by Guitar World magazine"

Deep Purple - Burn

Deep Purple Lyric

The sky is red, I don't understand,
past midnight I still see the land.
People are sayin' the woman is damned,
she makes you burn with a wave of her hand.
The city's a blaze, the town's on fire.
The woman's flames are reaching higher.
We were fools, we called her liar.
All I hear is "Burn!"

I didn't believe she was devil's sperm.
She said, "Curse you all, you'll never learn!
When I leave there's no return."
The people laughed till she said, "Burn!"
Warning came, no one cared.
Earth was shakin', we stood and stared.
When it came no one was spared.
Still I hear "Burn!"

You know we had no time,
we could not even try.
You know we had no time.


The sky is red, I don't understand,
past midnight I still see the land.
People are sayin' the woman is damned,
she makes you burn with a wave of her hand.
Warning came, no one cared.
Earth was shakin, we stood and stared.
When it came no one was spared.
Still I hear "Burn!"

Black Sabbath - Children o The Grave

Children of The Grave Lyric

Revolution in their minds - the children start to march
Against the world in which they have to live
and all the hate that's in their hearts
They're tired of being pushed around
and told just what to do
They'll fight the world until they've won
and love comes flowing through

Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today
Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way?
Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear?
Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear?

So you children of the world,
listen to what I say
If you want a better place to live in
spread the words today
Show the world that love is still alive
you must be brave
Or you children of today are
Children of the Grave, Yeah!

Black Sabbath - Snow Blind

Snow Blind Lyric

What you get and what you see
Things that don't come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles within my brain
(cocaine)

Something blowing in my head
Winter's ice, it soon will spread
Death would freeze my very soul
Makes me happy, makes me cold

My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the tree
The sun no longer sets me free
I feel there's no place freezing me

Let the winter sun shine on
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
Soon I'll feel the chilling glow

Don't you think I know what I'm doing
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
You're the one who's really a loser
This is where I feel I belong

Crystal world with winter flowers
Turns my day to frozen hours
Lying snowblind in the sun
Will my ice age ever come?

Song Notes : "This song is about addiction to cocaine. The "Snowflakes" are baked goods, "Snowblind" is the addiction, and when "My eyes are blind but I can see" it can either mean the trip, going cold turkey, or an overdose"

"The band did a lot of drugs, including a lot of cocaine while they were making this album. Ozzy was in and out of rehab clinics, including Betty Ford, for a long time before going sober in 1991"

"This was going to be used as the title to the album. The record company would not let them because of the drug reference"

"In the liner notes of the album, the band thanks "The COKE-cola Company," a reference to the drug"

Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom

Had of Doom Lyric

What you gonna do? Time's caught up with you
Now you wait your turn, you know there's no return
Take your written rules, you join the other fools
Turn to something new, now it's killing you

First it was the bomb, Vietnam napalm
Disillusioning, you push the needle in
From life you escape, reality's that way
Colours in your mind satisfy your time

Oh you, you know you must be blind
To do something like this
To take the sleep that you don't know
You're giving Death a kiss,
Oh, little fool now

Your mind is full of pleasure
Your body's looking ill
To you it's shallow leisure
So drop the acid pill, don't stop to think now

You're having a good time baby
But that won't last
Your mind's all full of things
You're living too fast
Go out enjoy yourself
Don't bottle it in
You need someone to help you
To stick the needle in, yeah

Now you know the scene, your skin starts turning green
Your eyes no longer seeing life's reality
Push the needle in, face death's sickly grin
Holes are in your skin, caused by deadly pin

Head starts spinning 'round, you fall down to the ground
Feel your body heave, Death's hand starts to weave
It's too late to turn, you don't want to learn
Price of life you cry, now you're gonna die

Song Notes : "Sabbath bass player Geezer Butler wrote this song about heroin addiction. It was inspired by seeing all the syringes left on the ground by audience members at their shows"

Black Sabbath - N.I.B. (1970)

N.I.B. Lyric

Some people say my love cannot be true
please believe me, my love, and I'll show you
I will give you those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal

Oh yeah!

Follow me now and you will not regret
leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
forever with me 'till the end of time

Your love for me has just got to be real
before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel

Oh yeah!

Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
my name is Lucifer, please take my hand

Oh yeah!

Follow me now and you will not regret
leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
forever with me 'till the end of time

Your love for me has just got to be real
before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel

Oh yeah!

Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
my name is Lucifer, please take my hand

Song Notes : "In this song, Satan falls in love with a human woman and tries to seduce her. He turns out to be very charming and the early lyrics are quite poetic"

"The title refers to drummer Bill Ward's beard. The band called him "Nibby" because they thought it looked like the nib on the end of a pen (Ozzy came up with the nickname when he was stoned). Says Geezer Butler: Originally it was Nib, which was Bill's beard. When I wrote N.I.B., I couldn't think of a title for the song, so I just called it Nib, after Bill's beard. To make it more intriguing I put punctuation marks in there to make it N.I.B. By the time it got to America, they translated it to Nativity In Black"

Many fans thought the title stood for "Nativity In Black" or "Name In Blood."

""Nativity In Black" is the name of 2 Black Sabbath tribute albums released in 1994 and 2000. Groups contributing to the albums include Megadeth, Godsmack, Biohazzard, and Faith No More"

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

Live In Paris 1970

Black Sabbath Lyric

What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn around quick, and start to run
Find out I'm the chosen one
Oh nooo!

Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan's sitting there, he's smiling
Watches those flames get higher and higher
Oh no, no, please God help me!

Is it the end, my friend?
Satan's coming 'round the bend
people running 'cause they're scared
The people better go and beware!
No, no, please, no!

Song Notes :

"This is the song that became the name of the band. They were using the name "Earth" when they realized another band had the same name. They liked the name of this song so they used it for their band"

"From Black Sabbath: The Ozzy Osbourne Years: "While rehearsing new material, the band formerly known as Earth experienced a supernatural experience. Geezer and Tony were playing new riffs for Ozzy and Bill when, much to everyone's surprise, they both strummed the same notes at the same tempo – although neither had ever before heard the other one play the piece! Convinced that this was an omen, Geezer christened the song and the group Black Sabbath "

"The title came from a 1964 Borris Karloff movie"

"This was the first song on the first Black Sabbath album. The album cost $1200 to make and took about 8 hours to record"

"As a result of the title, many fans associated the band with Satanism, an image they played up throughout their career. The song is actually about anti-satanism, or at least expresses a healthy fear of the devil"

During a July, 2001 interview with Geezer Butler, Guitar World magazine explained that "having borrowed a 16th century tome of black magic from Osbourne one afternoon, Butler awoke that night to find a black shape staring balefully at him from the foot of his bed. After a few frightening moments, the figure slowly vanished into thin air." Geezer continued to describe how he "told Ozzy about it. It stuck in his mind, and when we started playing 'Black Sabbath', he just came out with those lyrics. . . It had to come out, and it eventually did in that song – and then there was only one possible name for the band, really!"

Black Sabbath - War Pigs

War Pigs Lyric

Generals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In 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 their 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 'till their judgement day comes, yeah

Now in darkness world stops turning,
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more War Pigs have the power,
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!

Song Notes : "This is about man's desire to kill and destroy. Sabbath got the idea from war stories they heard when they did a show at an American Air Force base"

"The original name for the song was "Walpurgis," which is a festival with origins in Paganism and Witchcraft. Ozzy released the original version on his 1997 album The Ozzman Cometh"

"The band wanted to use this as the title of the album, but the record company thought it was too controversial and made them use "Paranoid," another song on the album, instead"

"This is one of many Black Sabbath songs that is often misinterpreted as evil. The song speaks out against the horrors of war"

"On the US albums, this is listed as "War Pigs/Luke's Wall." "Luke's Wall" is another name for the end of the song"

"Ozzy's former guitarist Zakk Wylde did a cover of this after he went solo. Other artists who did covers: Slaves on Dope, Pig, Ether, Faith No More, Weezer, Boss Tweed, Red House Painters, Members Only, Badlands, Soulfly, Vital Remains, Ween, Sheavy, Gov't Mule, Phish, Sacred Reich, Alice Donut, Flores Secas, Banda Arie, and Flores Secas"

Black Sabbath - Iron Man

Live In Paris 1970

Iron Man Lyric

Has he lost his mind
Can he see or is he blind
Can he walk at all,
Or if he moves will he fall
Is he alive or dead?
Has he thoughts within his head
We'll just pass him there
Why should we even care

He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he travelled time
For the future of mankind

Nobody wants him
He just stares at the world
Planning his vengeance
That he will soon unfurl

Now the time is here
For Iron Man to spread fear
Vengeance from the grave
Kills the people he once saved

Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge

Heavy boots of lead
Fills his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron Man lives again

Song Notes : "This is about a man who travels through time and sees the end of the world. On his way back to Earth to warn the human race, he goes through a magnetic storm and is turned to iron. Nobody believes him about the end of the world and he gets mad, taking his rage out on the human race, thus bringing about the end of the world that he saw"

"This was the second Black Sabbath single in the US, but it was not released as a single in England. When their first single, "Paranoid," was released a year earlier, a lot of kids would show up at Sabbath shows just to hear the one song. The band did not want to become a "Singles Band" and alienate their core fans"

"A new version was included on the 2000 Black Sabbath Reunion album. It won the Grammy that year for Best Metal Performance"

"This was the biggest US hit for Black Sabbath. It got very little radio play, but developed a cult following, which led to enough sales to give it a chart position"

"The distorted vocals at the beginning that say "I am Iron Man" were made with a talkbox, which is an electronic device hooked up to a guitar amp. The guitarist then forms sounds into a tube that run through the box and create the effect"

Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

Paranoid Lyric

Finished with my woman 'cause she couldn't help me with my mind
people think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify

Can you help me occupy my brain?
Oh yeah

I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true happiness, I must be blind

Make a joke and I will sigh and you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel and love to me is so unreal

And so as you hear these words telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life I wish I could but it's too late

Song Notes : "This was the first Black Sabbath single. It came out 6 months after their first album"

Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler (from Guitar World magazine, March 2004): "A lot of the Paranoid album was written around the time of our first album, Black Sabbath. We recorded the whole thing in about 2 or 3 days, live in the studio. The Song 'Paranoid' was written as an afterthought. We basically needed a 3 minute filler for the album, and Tony came up with the riff. I quickly did the lyrics, and Ozzy was reading them as he was singing."

"This was used as the title to the second Sabbath album. The band wanted to call it "War Pigs," after another song on the album, but the record company made them use this instead because it was less offensive. The album cover was a literal interpretation of a "War Pig" - it showed a pig with a sword and shield"

"Black Sabbath waited 2 years before releasing another single, "Iron Man." They did not want to become a "Singles Band," with kids coming to their shows just to hear their hits. This also ensured that fans would buy the albums"