Hand of Doom

Black Sabbath

About Hand of Doom

"Hand of Doom" is a song by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, originally appearing on their second album Paranoid, released in 1970.


Year:
1970
7:09
702 

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Whatcha 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
Colors 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 hands 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

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Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English rock band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969, by Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass guitar), and Bill Ward (drums). The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. Originally formed in 1968 as a heavy blues rock band named Earth and renamed Black Sabbath in 1969, the band began incorporating occult and horror-inspired lyrics with tuned-down guitars and achieving multiple platinum records in the 1970s. Despite an association with occult and horror themes, Black Sabbath also composed songs dealing with social instability, political corruption, the dangers of drug abuse and apocalyptic prophesies of the horrors of w… more »

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Written by: MICHAEL BUTLER, OZZY OSBOURNE, TONY IOMMI, WILLIAM WARD

Lyrics © T.R.O. INC.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Musical Composition
"Hand of Doom" is a song that creatively combines two vastly different speeds. It begins with a slow, palm-muted guitar riff that transforms into a faster, heavier section in the latter half.
Album Appearance
The song is from Black Sabbath's second studio album, "Paranoid", which was released in 1970.
Song Duration
"Hand of Doom" is the second-longest song on the "Paranoid" album, running for roughly seven minutes and eight seconds.
Lyrics Theme
The song's lyrics are associated with the dangers of drug use - namely heroine. This was seen as a reflection of the growing drug epidemic among soldiers during the Vietnam War era.
Musical Lineup
The song features vocals by Ozzy Osbourne, guitar by Tony Iommi, bass guitar by Geezer Butler, and drums by Bill Ward.
Unconventional Song Structure
Unlike many popular songs, "Hand of Doom" does not stick to a traditional verse-chorus structure. Instead, it features long, improvised sections.
Inspiration
The song was inspired by the band's encounter with American soldiers who were heavily into drugs, particularly heroin, during their first tour of the United States.
Noteworthy Performance
One of the most memorable performances of "Hand of Doom" was at Montreux Casino in Switzerland in 1970, where Deep Purple’s Roger Glover and Ritchie Blackmore were reportedly in the audience.
Live Recordings
The song was sometimes extended when played live, with Bill Ward's drum solo and Tony Iommi's guitar solo added in.
Instrumental Addition
The song features a rare instance of Geezer Butler playing a melody on a bass guitar, something quite unique for heavy metal music of that time.
Critical Recognition
In 2020, "Hand of Doom" was ranked no. 17 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Metal Songs of All Time."
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by several artists, including Slayers in 2000 for the "Nativity in Black II: A Tribute to Black Sabbath" album.

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