After Forever (song)
| "After Forever" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Black Sabbath | ||||
| from the album Master of Reality | ||||
| B-side | "Fairies Wear Boots" | |||
| Released | 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1 January 1971 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 5:27 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Writer(s) | Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler | |||
| Producer(s) | Rodger Bain and Black Sabbath | |||
| Black Sabbath singles chronology | ||||
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"After Forever" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. The song was released on their third studio album Master of Reality in 1971, and later the same year it had been released as the first single from the album, but failed to chart anywhere.[1] The lyrics were written by Geezer Butler while the music was written by Tony Iommi.
History
The lyrics of the song "After Forever", written by Geezer Butler,[2] a proclaimed Catholic, focus entirely on Christian themes. Although the album jacket credits Iommi alone as the composer of this song (including lyrics), the Black Sabbath Black Box Set refutes the album jacket credit and gives credit to this song (along with "Orchid" and "Embryo") to all four band members in keeping with their wishes to remain a democratic band. At the time, some viewed Black Sabbath as Satanists (which the band had consistently denied) due to their dark sound, image and lyrics. "After Forever" was released as a single along with "Fairies Wear Boots" in 1971.[3][4] Rolling Stone reviewer Lester Bangs criticized the Christian theme of "After Forever" as too obvious, but welcomed the arrangement, while Wilson & Alroy's called the guitar sound "crude but effective".[5]
Covers
- "After Forever" has been covered by Biohazard for Nativity in Black, a Black Sabbath tribute album.[6]
- Aurora Borealis for Hell Rules: Tribute to Black Sabbath, Vol. 2.
- Deliverance on their 1992 album What a Joke.
- Shelter on their 1992 album Quest for Certainty.
- Frost Like Ashes on their debut EP Pure As the Blood Covered Snow.
- Troglodyte Dawn with rewritten lyrics and titled "Forever After" on their 2003 debut album Troglodyte Dawn.
- Stryper have recorded the song for their 2015 album Fallen.[7] It was mistakenly released early as a free download for people pre-ordering the album.
Personnel
- Ozzy Osbourne – lead vocals
- Tony Iommi – guitar, synthesizer
- Geezer Butler – bass guitar
- Bill Ward – drums
References
- ↑ "After Forever - Black Sabbath | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970–1978) (Media notes). Black Sabbath. Rhino Records. 2004.
- ↑ "BLACK SABBATH DISCOGRAPHY v.5.0". Retrieved 14 March 2009.
- ↑ ""After Forever" single cover". Retrieved 14 March 2009.
- ↑ "Master of Reality". Warr.org. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ↑ Siegler, Joe (12 February 2009). "'After Forever' Cover by Bio Hazard". Black-Sabbath.com. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
- ↑ "STRYPER's Cover Version of BLACK SABBATH's 'After Forever' Available For Streaming". www.blabbermouth.com. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
External links
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