Solitude (Black Sabbath song)

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"Solitude"
Song by Black Sabbath
from the album Master of Reality
A-side "Children of the Grave"
ReleasedAugust 1971 (1971-08)
Recorded1971
Genre
Length
  • 5:02 (album version)
  • 3:45 (single version)
Label Vertigo
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Rodger Bain

"Solitude" is a song by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It was originally released as the seventh track off their 1971 album Master of Reality , and later as the B-side to the single, "Children of the Grave". [3]

Contents

Overview

This song is about being depressed after breaking up with somebody. A delay effect was added to Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals on this song to provide the effect of a second vocal track. This song features the multi-instrumentalist talents of Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (who also plays flute & piano on the recording). [4]

Legacy

Solitude's album of origin, Master of Reality, was ranked 234th on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time, where author Brett Schewitz wrote in regards to the song, "The song that surprised me most was ‘Solitude.’ Another quieter song, Ozzy’s voice is the most beautiful I’ve ever heard it. I actually had to check that it was, in fact, him singing. A quick Google tells me that I wasn’t the only one that thought this." [5]

Loudwire ranks Solitude in the top 30 (29th place) amongst all 79 songs made by Black Sabbath under singer Ozzy Osbourne. [6]

Versions

Solitude was covered by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver in 2007, and released on the group's third album Shadows of the Sun. [7] [8]

Another cover version would be released by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth on their eleventh album Pale Communion in 2014. [9] [10]

Personnel

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References

  1. ↑ "Marissa Nadler covered Black Sabbath's "Solitude" (listen)".
  2. ↑ "Marissa Nadler covered Black Sabbath's "Solitude" (listen)".
  3. ↑ "Children of the Grave single".
  4. ↑ "Black Sabbath - Solitude Lyrics".
  5. ↑ "#234 Black Sabbath, 'Master of Reality' (1971)".
  6. ↑ "Black Sabbath Songs Ranked (Ozzy Osbourne Era)". Loudwire . 17 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "Ulver - Solitude Lyrics".
  8. ↑ "Review: Ulver - Shadows of the Sun".
  9. ↑ "Opeth - Solitude Lyrics".
  10. ↑ "Opeth Cover Black Sabbath and Napalm Death During Performance in Germany". Loudwire . 30 November 2012.
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