The Wizard (Black Sabbath song)

"The Wizard" is a song by the British rock band Black Sabbath, taken from their 1970 album Black Sabbath. "The Wizard" was the B-side to the 1970 single "Paranoid", which reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3]

"The Wizard"
Cover artwork for the single, as used in the Netherlands
Single by Black Sabbath
from the album Black Sabbath
A-side"Paranoid"
Released13 February 1970 (1970-02-13)
GenreHeavy metal[1][2]
Length4:24
LabelVertigo
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rodger Bain
Black Sabbath singles chronology
"Evil Woman"
(1970)		 "The Wizard"
(1970)		 "Paranoid"
(1970)
Audio sample
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Information

"The Wizard" is about a wizard who uses his magic to encourage people he encounters. In a 2005 interview with Metal Sludge, Black Sabbath bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler said the song's lyrics were influenced by the wizard Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.[4]

Personnel

Covers

The song was covered by Bullring Brummies, a short-lived project featuring Black Sabbath founding members Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, for the 1994 tribute album Nativity in Black.[6]

The song was covered by Pride & Glory, featuring guitarist Zakk Wylde, on the second disc of the 1999 reissue of the band's 1994 self-titled debut album.

The song was sampled by Fatboy Slim in the song "The Weekend Starts Here" from their 1996 album Better Living Through Chemistry.

References
  1. Monger, James Christopher. "Black Sabbath | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 November 2019. Flush with eventual [heavy metal] genre classics like 'The Wizard,' 'N.I.B.,' and the aforementioned title cut, Black Sabbath was initially dismissed by critics
  2. Wilson, Scott A. (2015). Music at the Extremes: Essays on Sounds Outside the Mainstream. McFarland. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-47662-006-0.
  3. Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 65. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  4. "Black Sabbath (album) review". Metal Sludge.
  5. "Black Sabbath (album) review". Rolling Stone.
  6. Parisien, Roch, Nativity in BlackReview, Allmusic, retrieved 15 July 2011
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