Black Sabbath Had It Right

Love him or hate him for his goofy reality TV show, Ozzy Osbourne hit the nail on the head back in the day (circa 1970). The first song on the Paranoid LP, War Pigs rings true today, 36 years later.

I was jamming to the tune on my Ipod today and it shocked me how it captures the current mess our country (the US) is in.

Check out the lyrics:

Generals gathered in their masses,
just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
sorcerers 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.

(This is where the drummer, Bill Ward,
plays some of the most powerful drum riffs
I've ever heard.)

Politicians hide themselves away.
They only started the war.
Why should they go out and 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 till their judgement day comes, yeah.

(mean drum work with guitar riffs that
inspire some serious air-guitar moves...)

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 mercies for their sins,
Satan laughing, spreads his wings.
Oh lord, yeah!

Impressive. Captures the insanity of war. Cuts through all the crap and spells it out. The guys orchestrating the actions in the Middle East are gonna be sitting at the right hand of Satan when all is said and done.

Whenever I listen to this album, I can't help but think back to my days in Junior High. As many of you know, I attended a rather frightening "Christian" school. One vivid memory I have of those days is the periodic record burning assemblies the school would put on in the name of "God". They would bring in some charismatic guy to scare us about the evils of rock n roll. I distinctly remember one guy going bonkers over the very song/album that I am talking about here.

He was convinced that Black Sabbath was the incarnation of Satan. He, shouting at this point, pointed out the glorification of Satan in the song War Pigs. This, I think, may have been my first exposure to spinning the truth to make your case...

Now that I am older, and I hope a little wiser, I can see through the bullsh*t they were trying to make us believe. It's happening today, with the situation in Iraq. The brainwashing is continuing as we speak.

Support for the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., is NOT a Christian value! The powers that be would like you to believe that what they are doing is righteous and perhaps biblical. It's biblical if you subscribe to the Old Testament way of living...and if you do, than I expect you to head straight out and stone to death all those folks who work on Sundays. When you're done with that adventure, start burning at the stake all those crazy people who insist on wearing garments made from two different threads...

Jesus, as I interpret the writings was a rather peaceful man.

Whacko Christian leaders and lawmakers in the US legislating their version of morality has done little more than bred hatred and intolerance.

I can't help but think that there is a link between the money-making efforts during war time and the religious zealots.

It's no wonder Buddhism is looking more and more like a refreshing way of life.