The Wizard (4:21)
647,184 plays (173,360 listeners)
“The Wizard” is the second track of Black Sabbath’s 1970 debut album Black Sabbath.
Sources claim it is about the band’s drug dealer at the time (and may be partly true), but bassist Geezer Butler claims the character Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings as his inspiration.
“The Wizard” was a favorite of the band, and was later included on compilation albums We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll and Symptom of the Universe. Zakk Wylde, the guitarist for Ozzy’s solo band made a cover of it on the Japanese import and reissue prints of his Pride & Glory album, and Cypress Hill sampled some harmonica notes in “We Ain’t Going Out Like That”. Enigma sampled the harmonica notes on track 4, “I Love You … I’ll Kill You” on the album The Cross of Changes. In 1994 it also formed part of the popular album, Nativity in Black, which was a tribute to Black Sabbath. This slightly altered version was performed by the Bullring Brummies, which was made up of Geezer Butler & Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Brian Tilse of Fight and Scott Weinrich of The Obsessed.
This song was covered by New Zealand band Shihad on their Devolve EP.
It also served as the inspiration for the song “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll”, by Blue Öyster Cult.
Despite its apparent popularity, the song was never played live until the tour of 1994, supporting the album Cross Purposes, with the harmonica part played by vocalist Tony Martin. It had been played subsequently during several shows after the reunion of the original lineup. The song is also notable for displaying Ozzy’s harmonica skills.
Sources claim it is about the band’s drug dealer at the time (and may be partly true), but bassist Geezer Butler claims the character Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings as his inspiration.
“The Wizard” was a favorite of the band, and was later included on compilation albums We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll and Symptom of the Universe. Zakk Wylde, the guitarist for Ozzy’s solo band made a cover of it on the Japanese import and reissue prints of his Pride & Glory album, and Cypress Hill sampled some harmonica notes in “We Ain’t Going Out Like That”. Enigma sampled the harmonica notes on track 4, “I Love You … I’ll Kill You” on the album The Cross of Changes. In 1994 it also formed part of the popular album, Nativity in Black, which was a tribute to Black Sabbath. This slightly altered version was performed by the Bullring Brummies, which was made up of Geezer Butler & Bill Ward of Black Sabbath, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Brian Tilse of Fight and Scott Weinrich of The Obsessed.
This song was covered by New Zealand band Shihad on their Devolve EP.
It also served as the inspiration for the song “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll”, by Blue Öyster Cult.
Despite its apparent popularity, the song was never played live until the tour of 1994, supporting the album Cross Purposes, with the harmonica part played by vocalist Tony Martin. It had been played subsequently during several shows after the reunion of the original lineup. The song is also notable for displaying Ozzy’s harmonica skills.
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Albums featuring this track
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The Best of Black Sabbath (disc 1)
Black Sabbath Buy- Download Album
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Black Sabbath
Black SabbathBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon $99.99
- eBay Search
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We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll
Black SabbathBuy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $64.98
- eBay Search
Shouts
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purple-dirk wrote:
heavy Sabbath ... with harmonica ... yeah
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billbrick wrote:
yhe wizard ya baby
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rainborntofall wrote:
love and respect sabbath the fore fathers of dark metal i must of went through 10 blacksabbath/blacksabbath casssettes i listened to it so much thank god bands like electric wizard carried on their sound.
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MadRangerMan wrote:
Behold The Wizard! Never talking, just keeps walking!!
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Methardblues wrote:
la bateria y la armonica me recuerda a zeppelin pero sin quitarle originalidad que conste un temazo.
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NOHIDDENPATH wrote:
brilliant!
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weemies wrote:
Amazing! I love it
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OneMagus wrote:
Yep, 16 with this knowledge & music. Left hand path I would had gone.
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phenomenigma wrote:
just realized the beginning of this song was sampled on an the album "the cross of changes"
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musicgodlything wrote:
Ah, to be 16 again.... nah. It does take me back though.
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wedonttanwerust wrote:
THE BEST rhythm section in ALL of rock music....but Rush is a close second.
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gus_skywalker wrote:
it's nice
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impronen wrote:
Grooooooove!
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Wesbecher wrote:
the harmonica in this is SIIIICK!
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squiggins wrote:
Man, this tune's got a groove
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davidbowiegirl wrote:
Great song
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beattrapkit wrote:
my favorite sabbath track
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ninism wrote:
This song I can so air guitar.
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veyita_88 wrote:
Maybe the first Folk Metal song?
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skully21392 wrote:
needs more cowbell
Black Sabbath
The Wizard
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roman-janetzki added The Wizard to the playlist Hardrock. yesterday evening
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