*The lyrics are in the first person from the point of view of Lucifer. Bassist Geezer Butler, who composed the song's lyrics, has said that "the song was about the devil falling in love and totally changing, becoming a good person." The NIB is a joke. It simply refers to Bill Ward's goatee in 1969; the band joked it was shaped like a pen nib.*

It's absolutely a love song. It's about the Devil himself falling in love and it changing him. How love can conquer the purest evil. It's actually a great love song!

Lol, I was just waiting for that line "my name is Lucifer", that ohhh reaction was class 🤣

The Black Sabbath rabbit hole is a must for anyone with a soul. You'll never hear music the same way afterwards. Like gymnastics for the ears. 🤘🏼

As a junior high kid in the 70’s I was already scared to death of Satan and all evil because of Black Sabbath. But this song scared the absolute H-LL out of me! To me it describes the slippery slope of slowly falling into the trap of satans lair. It sounds like a love song until it says “My name is Lucifer please take my hand” and “Now I have you under my power, our love grows stronger now with every hour.” I am in my 7th decade on this planet and it still the sheet out of me to this day! Black Sabbath planted the seeds that lead me and all my hard core, skate, surf, party friends of the 70’s to Christ!

Oh yeah! Always a fun song to see people's reaction at the Lucifer reveal 😂 "N.I.B." is actually not a real acronym, some people thought it meant "Nativity in Black" or "Name in Blood" but it's just kind of an inside joke because Geezer Butler couldn't think of a title for the song. As for Bill Ward, I do believe that he is underappreciated compared to John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) or Keith Moon (The Who). He has the power of a rock drummer and the feel of a jazz drummer. If you want to check Ozzy's replacement, Ronnie James Dio, I would suggest “Heaven and Hell”. It really shows how different singers they are, and how the band evolved to accommodate it while still keeping the same sound. If you want to go deeper into the original lineup, I know that fans of every band would say this, but Black Sabbath really has a lot of great songs, so to keep it decent I limited myself to the five I think are must listen: -”Iron Man” (probably their most famous after “Paranoid”) -”Hand of Doom” (pretty heavy subject matter, almost a mix of “War Pigs” and “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, “Fairies Wear Boots” is a good one if you prefer a more light hearted one) -”Children of the Grave” and “Into the Void” (both from “Master of Reality” they share similar subject matter and are definitely the standouts of the album) -”Changes” (very musically different from everything else, the lyrics are personal in this one) Sorry for the long comment. Cheers from France. Take care.

All they say about N.I.B. is at the time Bill had a beard that looked like a pin nib and they were calling him nib. They talked about hating gushy love song that were out at the time, so they thought what if lucifer fell in love. You'll notice he's only talking to one person who he calls "my love". Now remember these guys were in their early twenties and pushing boundaries.

Maybe it’s just me but after reading these comments, I think you all are taking this way too seriously… Black Sabbath were not satanists and although they were born Christian they were not Jesus freaks either… They simply wanted people to hear their music and buy their albums. And a big part of that was they knew shock value would sell. Mixing horror with messages about Satan was working for them. They started out as a blues rock band that didn’t get much attention changed their name and pushed the Satanic and cross thing to the limits and it worked! Of course their music got better and better too. But I don’t think there’s much more deeper meaning behind any of these lyrics.

First six albums are brilliant most people pick Paranoid as their favourite but my favourite album is Sabotage their sixth album.

Hi folks! "N.I.B." was actually called that as they referred to Bill Ward as "Nibbie" for a time. Something about his facial hair. (The 60s were weird.) Anyhoo, yeah, you'll want to spin "Fairies Wear Boots". It has something to do with young John Osborne coming home sodden late one night. Great track!

This song is about Satan falling in love. Definitely you should listen to Fairies Wear Boots. Ozzy and Geezer have said that they were walking home late one night and were harassed by a gang of skinhead toughs who wore combat boots. So they wrote this song about them as an insult, like they were fairies who tried to be tough by wearing boots. Love your channel guys!

That bass line is just so catchy! And yes, Bill Ward is a phenomenal drummer. "Fairies wear boots" is a great song and you should definitely do that one as well. Would also recommend "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and "Iron Man". Black Sabbath has a lot of iconic songs. Some other good artists: Steam Powered Giraffe Rage Against the Machine Sage Francis Btw, if we leave recommendations, do you prefer if it is just an artist (as I did now) or would you also like a recommendation for a specific song?

U guys should do snowblind by Black Sabbath. Trust me it's really groovy & it's one of their best songs. U should also do Heaven & Hell it's another great song with Ronnie James Dio as the singer.

Symptom Of The Universe is a bona fide banger.

When something starts, it is the original...and so with Osbourne.. there can never be another OZZIE or Iommi or any of them. They made their music to Shock and be frightening, and I think they succeeded- whilst bringing in music that was never heard before. It was a moment in musical history that changed everything. It was a good time, good days for most.

Always fun to watch reactions of folks going down the Black Sabbath rabbit hole. NIB doesn't really stand for anything, it was named after drummer Bill Ward's beard because it looked like a fountain pen nib. The song's lyrics were written by bass player Geezer Butler as a song about Lucifer falling in love with a woman an returning to being a good person. Very different type of song for sure.

Guitarist Tony Iommi, who wrote the music for nearly all of Sabbath’s songs, has said NIB was influenced by Cream’s Sunshine if Your Love ….as far as next song to listen to from Sabbath, it’s “ Changes” …

Though "Nativity in Black" is a disputed title, it was later used for a pair of Black Sabbath tribute albums released in 1994 and 2000 respectively. Wikipedia.

Lucifer is speaking here -bassist Geezer Butler wrote the lyrics ( as he did for most of Sabbath’s songs) and he has stated “ the song was about the devil falling in love and totally changing, becoming a good person “…

You need to react to symptom of the universe 😮😮

Great bass solo - we don't hear enough of those! But I absolutely love the guitar solos! The lyrics started off so well, leading me down the garden path.... and then they took an unexpected sharp left turn with the 'in my power' and reference to Lucifer! Not quite sure what to make of them... 🤔 Beginning to think that Coach might have a thing for drummers... 😉

Most of Black Sabbath songs are about : Love - Politics - Religion & Rock n Roll

This is from Vol 4, my very first album when I was in 6th grade.

About Fairies Wear Boots I HEAVILY recommend listening to, it's a funny and an amazing last song for an album, in this case their 2nd album " Paranoid " ( which the album itself is a huge experience )

Geezer Butler(Bassist/main lyricist) hooked up his bass to a guitar pedal overdrive & composed the riff,early in their inception he received an Occult Book published during the middle ages,put it in the cupboard(cabinet)slang cubbard went to sleep only to be awakened by a dark human entity at the foot of his bed,it disappears then he goes to throw the book away only to discover it also disappeared,creepy or what? Billy's nickname was nibbly because his beard resembled a pen nib hence the title NIB

you absolutely should have listened to the first part of this song

Some other great Black Sabbath songs to check out if you haven't already are "Hand of Doom'' ''Snow Blind'' ''A National Acrobat'' and ''Into the Void'' just to name a few.

N.I.B is simply a reference to drummer Bill Wards beard, which had a pointed "nib" look. But I'm sure people have had fun trying to come up with meanings for it over the years. Ozzy has been a bit of a clown for the past few decades so sometimes it's easy to overlook just how hard hitting the band were in the early days. Nothing was as raw and visceral as this album when it came out. Also this is an album where he sings in a lower register, later on he would adopt his more well known higher pitch. And yes, the chemistry between the four members is amazing, just a very rare meeting of unlikely people to create an enduring sound. I recently heard someone call them the dark Beatles, which I thought was very apt.

Great reaction guys, big fan. You are correct when you say that Bill Ward is one of the greatest drummers ever, not only were they all still young, but Bonzo (nickname for the drummer) laid down a whole new way of torturing those pig skins on a different level. If you haven't already discovered Led Zeppelin, I would recommend their first song off their first album, Good Times Bad Times, drummer John Bonham will rock your socks off. Thanks for keeping it real.

Great reaction, Coach & Mrs. Coach!

I believe this song is like a warning of being enticed by evil or the devil and to beware of this enticement!

If you want to hear Tony Iommi in his final concert...and his final guitar solo from 2017...view Dirty Women (Live - The End) from Birmingham. FYI - Tony is the G.O.A.T. heavy metal guitarist, and at age 70 here, he shows why.

I don't think it was unexpected but I've been listening to this band since 1970

Congratulations, you are the only reaction channel I have ever seen get this song right.

You guys got too see Sabbath live in Paris 1970 concert movie here on KZfaq.. Bill Ward has that swing going on that other drummers that replaced him have none of..

At the time they were considered devil worshippers but the songs had meanings. The whole band just worked. The bass player wrote the lyrics n then Tony figured out riffs n yes bill ward doesn’t get the respect he deserves n ozzy is great. The first time I heard them I thought I don’t need to buy anything else . The beat ,the sound n the way they sounded together it just worked. Then the story of Tony losing two finger tips n making his own prosthetics n he had to loosen the strings n use lighter string they wouldn’t have the sound they do. Awesome

Best percussionist, Neal Peart. It is what it is.

When they were forming the band horror movies were the big thing and they decided they wanted to make scary music like said movies ,if that gives you perspective at a time in the beginning a lot of people thought they were devil worshipers but that's not the case , and you may have already did faires wear boots and it was talking about gangs back then cause they had a little run in with one once

I had this album when it came out

To all the folks in the comments saying it’s a love song from the first person perspective of Lucifer, all I have to say in response is “I bet he says that to all the girls”

Your so right about the songs being warnings Another reason why you should do the last song on the album, named "Warning "😂

N.I.B = "Nativity in Black"

It's just about the devil falling in love !

Changes by Sabbath is another kind of different from them. Mrs Coach should like it.

Right now you have only bounced around mostly in the first 3 albums. Finish then off before going further. Every song is a winner. Volume 4 takes a turn in the song writing. They quickly transition from ethereal subjects to personal conflict. They've made it, and now they're telling their story. Volume 4 is a turning point for the band.

This song contemplates what would it be like if the devil could fall in love?

You on point Bill Ward is great drummer and probably doesn't get enough credit for his talent . Also Toni has the 3 tips of his fingers on his fret hand missing

Yes, you nailed it indeed I see songs by Sabbath, Dio, Metallica, etc.. are not to promote evil, but as scary "Fair Warning" on your path to God (through JC)😇🎶❤🤙Praying for all Lost Souls 🙏 Rock on!

Fairies wear boots. you got to believe me..................................

I always got a Luke 4:1-13 vibe from this song. Satan tempting Christ, as he tempts us.

haven't seen anyone else say it yet (may have missed it in a comment) but the bass solo at the beginning is often credited on albums as "Bassically". You'll find this song listed a lot of times as "Wasp / Wall of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.", which is essentially 3 songs and 1 instrumental rolled into one. Make no mistake about it tho, N.I.B. is *thee* main event.

75th like👍

Symptom of the Universe from Sabotage

This is just Lucifer wanting to fall in love. It's a love song from his perspective. .

N.I.B. sounds like it might be evil if you take it the wrong way.. it is one of thier darker songs... On a later album Born Again they have a song called Disturbing the Priest that also sounds like it might be evil but its actually about them renting a castle to record in near a church and the Priest kept coming by to tell them to keep the noise down... So they wrote a really loud song just for him..

I think your approach to this is correct... Chew through the old Ozzy stuff first at least until you get to Sabotage and then check out Dio... Dio is truly awesome... Then go to the only album with Ian called Born Again... Ian was the lead singer for Deep Purple.. I think that was a good album too... After that its all good anyway you do it..

It’s about the devil telling someone what he has to offer if you come to him

Great band with Toni Iommi Badass Guitarist

I totally agree with Stephanieclark9849. I think it’s sung in the viewpoint of Lucifer singing about mankind

Check out After Forever. Great lyrics.

Black sabbath first name was earth until 1970 check that out you would say who are these guys

NIB stands for nativity in black

It's a "love bomb" song. "You won't regret, I'll give you everything" is classic future faking, "You're the first to have my love," that's love bombing. The lyrics definitely do warn the listener of the schemes of the Paranormal Psychopath.

Planet Caravan, Sabra Cadabra, Changes.

If you really like drummers two I would recommend are Danny Caray from Tool and Dave Lombardo from Slayer.

The band does warn about Satan and war, but they also use Satan as a inspiration and marketing tool. i always thought that the song was just Satan professing his love for humanity, by explaining the conditions by which he will reciprocate. He's basically saying, "You must really love me, to really know me. Give over and take my hand." Creepy and sweet. Trippy combination. When I was younger, a friend and I were talking about myths and legends. He brought up this song and said, "Maybe Satan really loves us. He took a big risk for our worship, was cast out for it and doomed to an abyss. Maybe, he thinks that this was God's inevitable will, and now, our love, fear, dreams, and tributes, are all he has to comfort him in the fall. We're all he's got." I never forgot those words, because I immediately wrote them down and eventually used them in a screenplay. Great song. Great reaction. I'm going to see what other types of music that you have reacted to, and if the list looks good, I'm subscribing. Peace.

Gotta do Heaven and Hell.

It is a love song you just haven't figured it out yet

Technically, it is a love song. The Devil falls in love with a human female.

Great reactionvideo... when i read the lyrics my eye gets drown to the repeating I'm going to feel part, wich makes me think about priests pretending to by holy and turning out to want to feel boys. And i am pretty sure that in 1970 this lyric writing would be the way to give support to people that ran into such thing and recognize it while the priest make it to see their enemies... I myself did not run into it if you want to ask, but if i am correct then it is brilliantly written when done on purpose... God inspired maybe even in place.. as i heard them say in interviews that the music just came to them by inspiration. And i know more musicians like that and know for sure that the inspiration is the direct communication of the ALLknowing.. Oh and i heard that 7 october 2023 is considered a black saturday.. in Israel it means a black sabbath... maybe something is going on in this world, driven by inspiration to make things clear..

Nativity In Black, or Nuns in Bondage were the rumors, back in the day. But neither are correct.😅

Nice Sabbath reaction the lyrics took on a different meaning once you know who there talking about , if you want to see a drummer beat the tar out of the drums , check out BAND-MAID there drummer Akane Hirose (aka ) Gorilla , do the song Freedom official live video , Jimmy Page thinks she a great drummer , I`m going to Sub before you do BAND-MAID cause I know you will like them .

It's about the devil becoming human and having feelings for a person

Remember he said the Stars the Sun the moon all bear my seal Lucifer is having a love affair with a human

In this song, Satan falls in love with a human woman and tries to seduce her. He turns out to be very charming and the early lyrics are quite poetic.

NIB was a nick name for the man who wrote the song, the bass player (he did most of BS lyrics) Catholic upbringing from Birmingham UK as was the band. Another song National Acrobat is about abortion. Like you say more like a warning than anything else. They went this scary vibe way as a band member noted people liked going to watch Horror films paying money to get scared for an hour or so in a cinema. So they thought well lets try that with our music as at the time they weren't really going anywhere fast. But no they weren't into Satanism are whatever, mind you Ozzy did kinda amp it up a bit. Its just a bit of theatre really to get bums on seats so to speak.

Ronnie james duo us the only other lead singer for black sabbath i reccomend, the band went through so many line up changes in the 80s and 90s at one point Tony iommi was the only original member in the band but i just feel without geezer and Bill the magic of black sabbath just isn't there anymore

N.I.B. nativity in black

Well actually afew of the band mates were dabbling in the occult

N.I.B native in black

Ozzy sounded perfect for Sabbath. ...BUT.. You must hear Ronnie James Dio sing for them.

If you want a Christian song i recommend Alice Cooper - Brutal Planet.

The song is about the devil, but in a nice twist, it's about Satan changing his ways and falling in love.

N I b stands for nativity in black

But it is a love song you just have to listen to the lyrics real good and then decipher it but it is about Satan becoming human and having feelings for a human

why cant Lucifer have love? Everyone wants love!

MORE JCOLE PLEASE you wont be dissapointed try the climb back , 1985 , No role modelz , January 28th , Wet dreamz

BS next singer was Ronnie James Dio, commonly held up as the greatest rock singer of all time, so don’t avoid him.

NIB = Nativity in Black Black Sabbath was a Christian band. This song is about Christ being temped by Satan in the desert. It is clearly based from the Bible. Satan is trying to get Christ to love him. It's in the lyrics! Geezer Butler wrote the lyrics.

Satan is good at pretending he loves you.

black sabbath songs is all about government, drugs, darkness and depression

I like all the singers that Black Sabbath is sad but Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin is a way better singer Freddie Mercury of Queen is a better singer David Byron of Uriah Heep is a better singer but that's the thing about the singers back then is they were all different and you can tell them apart

Nativity In Black

Nativity in black

John Bonham of Led Zeppelin is the greatest drummer billboard said he went to a drum class with John Bonham John Bonham gets three leg kicks in to Bills one

Hiii please react to BTS 💜 Black Swan