War Pigs

Hey there, Zoo Freaks, your hippie DJs at THE ZOO are cranking up "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath from their iconic Paranoid album, so let’s dive into some groovy trivia about this anti-war anthem. Originally titled "Walpurgis," a nod to a witches’ sabbath, the song was inspired by bassist Geezer Butler’s reading of Dennis Wheatley’s novel The Devil Rides Out. Butler explained, “Walpurgis is sort of like Christmas for Satanists. And to me, war was the big Satan,” drawing a parallel between war’s evil and occult imagery. The record company found "Walpurgis" too Satanic, so the band retooled it into "War Pigs" without changing the lyrics, which were already complete. This shift was partly due to fears of backlash from Vietnam War supporters, as the song’s fierce anti-war stance—penned during the height of the conflict—hit hard with lines like “Generals gathered in their masses / Just like witches at black masses.”

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Pigs)

Another cool tidbit: the song’s menacing air-raid siren and sped-up outro, known as "Luke’s Wall" on U.S. releases, were added by producer Rodger Bain and engineer Tom Allom without the band’s input, but Black Sabbath loved the final vibe. Guitarist Tony Iommi shared that "War Pigs" emerged from a jam session, with its iconic riff born during one of their lengthy live improvisations at places like The Beat Club in Switzerland in 1968. Drummer Bill Ward recalled stretching sets with jams because their early repertoire was thin, and this song’s raw energy came from those spontaneous moments. Fun fact: the song’s complex eight-minute structure, blending heavy riffs with funky grooves, influenced bands like Pink Floyd and Nine Inch Nails, who later used similar porcine imagery.

[](https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/war-pigs.html)

The song’s cultural impact is massive—it was published in the folk magazine Broadside, rare for a rock track, and has been covered by artists like Faith No More and even T-Pain, whose 2023 version earned a tweet from Ozzy Osbourne saying, “This is the best cover of ‘War Pigs’ ever.” Arctic Monkeys’ 2014 single “Arabella” borrows heavily from its riff, and they often tease "War Pigs" in live performances. An early version with different lyrics was recorded for BBC Radio 1 on April 26, 1970, and can be found on Ozzy’s The Ozzman Cometh compilation, showing how the band tweaked it live before its final form.

[](https://www.songfacts.com/facts/black-sabbath/war-pigs)

Now, let’s rewind to how Black Sabbath got rolling. Hailing from Birmingham, England, the band—Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), and Bill Ward (drums)—formed in 1968 as a heavy blues rock outfit called Earth. They were four working-class guys looking to escape factory life through music, influenced by British blues bands like Led Zeppelin and Cream. Iommi, inspired by gypsy-jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, brought a unique edge despite losing fingertip ends in an industrial accident, crafting his signature heavy riffs with homemade prosthetics. Butler, a fan of Frank Zappa, and Ward, who dug Count Basie, added a jazzy, swinging rhythm section, while Osbourne, a soul music lover, delivered melodic vocals far from typical metal screams.

[](https://www.blacksabbath.com/history.html)

Their shift to Black Sabbath came in 1969 after Butler, spooked by a ghostly figure and inspired by horror films and Wheatley’s novels, wrote the song “Black Sabbath.” This dark, riff-heavy sound, born from their debut album’s “devil’s tri-tone,” defined heavy metal. Renaming themselves after the Boris Karloff film, they leaned into occult and horror themes, though their lyrics also tackled social issues, corruption, and war, as seen in "War Pigs." Their first album, Black Sabbath (1970), charted well, and Paranoid, released just seven months later, hit number one in the UK, cementing their legacy. Despite being mislabeled as Satanic, they saw themselves as a “heavy underground” band, connecting with fans who felt the same disillusionment.

[](https://www.blacksabbath.com/history.html)

Stay connected with Black Sabbath on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Zoo Freaks, you can also join fan communities like the r/blacksabbath subreddit, with over 53,000 members sharing band news, song discussions, and memorabilia. There’s also the Black Sabbath Fans Facebook group, where devotees post about concerts, side projects, and historical anecdotes. Keep rocking, and let’s keep the anti-war spirit of "War Pigs" alive!

[](https://www.reddit.com/r/blacksabbath/comments/1cz207n/am_i_the_only_one_who_thought_the_paranoid_album/) ```