Black Sabbath – ‘Iron Man’

Iron Man Lives Again!

Metal just wouldn’t be metal without Black Sabbath’s iconic ‘Iron Man’. Widely considered the predecessor of modern metal, this classic metal staple has English roots and was written for Black Sabbath’s 1972 album Paranoid and features a heavy, muddy sound that the band would come to be well known for.

It debuted in the US at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and developed a massive cult following, despite Black Sabbath not wanting to be a “singles” kind of band.

‘Iron Man’ 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 and he takes his rage out on the human race, thus bringing about the end of the world that he foresaw.

There’s a reason why people consider Black Sabbath the Godfathers of heavy metal, and ‘Iron Man’ is it!

The song slowly and steadily builds until around the 4:30 mark when drummer Bill Ward begins his drum solo before being joined by guitarist Tony Iommi for a minute long guitar solo that’s equal parts elegance and brute force.

+ Iron Man lyrics +

I am iron man

Has he lost his mind
Can he see or is he blind or
Can he walk at all or if he moves will he fall

Is he alive or dead has he thoughts with in his head
Well just pass him there why should we even care

He was turned to steel in the great magnetic field
When he traveled time for the future of mankind

Nobody wants him he just stares at the world

Planning his vengeance that he will soon unfold

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 there 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!