Caramba!-Wordography

50 Disturbing the Priest

(Butler, Gillan, Iommi, Ward)
From the Black Sabbath album Born Again

I remember getting a call from The Sabs' tour manager (long after I had left the band), as they were being run out of town (I won't name the town or the country, to save embarrassment all round) by a mob of Christians who cited the title of this song as clear evidence of the band's devilry. Ha, ha, ha; if only they knew…

The circumstances of recording the Born Again album are well documented in other places, so we'll go straight to the control room of the Manor Studio, late afternoon/early evening on a hot day in 1983. We were in loud playback mode, with the door open.

When the track ended I was surprised to see a nervous vicar standing in the doorway. He explained how wonderful he thought the music was, but they were having choir practise in the adjacent village church and so would we mind closing the door…?

I apologised immediately, we got hold of his schedule and never worked again during those times. The following evening I had a few beers with the vicar and signed some autographs for the choir. It was Geezer who came up with the title as we were laughing about the story some days later.

Disturbing the Priest

(Butler, Gillan, Iommi, Ward)

Let's try getting to the sky
Hang on or you're going to die
Sour life can turn sweet
It's laying at your feet
Sweet child with an innocent smile
Watches closely all the while
Don't be fooled when he cries
Keep looking at the eyes

Good life is a contradiction
Because of the crucifixion
If you're ready and have the need
I will take your soul and plant my seed

You just gotta listen to the night at the ending of the day
You just gotta listen to the night as safety slips away
Moving out of sight are the things you need to see to feel
And as they slip away becoming so unreal unreal
You just gotta listen to the night as your going up the stairs
You just gotta listen to the night and don't forget to say your prayers
And as you lose control to the eyes in dark disguise
And icy fingers fan electric lies

We're disturbing the priest
Won't you please come to our feast
Do we mind disturbing the priest
Not at all not at all not in the least

The force of the devil is the darkness the priest has to face
The force of the night will destroy him but not disgrace
To get into his mind and to his soul you gotta set alight
The flames of doubt so deep inside inside
The devil and the priest can't exist if one goes away
It's just like the battle of the sun and the moon
And night and day
The force of the devil that we're all told to fear
Watch out for religion when he gets too near, too near

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