Text written by WikiBrother Gabriel Brandino , from @moshinhell
"Iron Man" is undoubtedly one of the greatest classics of Black Sabbath , and also of heavy metal history.
The song was written in the late 1960s, and although it has been strongly associated with the Marvel character of the same name, he has nothing to do with the song.
Geezer
Butler , the band's bassist and lyricist, has stated that he had never heard of the superhero Iron Man, who was created years earlier, in 1963.
The
initial idea arose when Ozzy Osbourne said it would be cool to have a song about an Iron Man or Iron Bloke.
Butler, who had always been fascinated by stories of fiction, horror, and mysticism, immediately thought of creating a science fiction story around that. Another factor that helped inspire him was mainly because he was fascinated by the era in which they lived, the "space race" era.
The song's story is about a man who travels to the future (though it's not explained how he does it), where he witnesses the apocalypse, causing the extermination of all humanity.
When he tries to return to the present, his body is transformed into iron, and he also loses the ability to communicate due to a magnetic field he comes into contact with.
"
Is he alive or dead? [...]
He was turned to steel
In the powerful magnetic field
When he traveled through time
To the future of humanity."
He
then tries to warn people about his vision of the future, but it's in vain, as he can't communicate with anyone and ends up being ridiculed for his appearance and for being "different."
Because
of this, he feels wronged and helpless; he wants to help people, but nobody takes him seriously.
"
Nobody wants him
He just faces the world
Planning his revenge
Which he will soon carry out."
Iron Man, in his quest for revenge, becomes completely blind due to his absurd power, and ends up destroying all life on Earth .
Therefore, he himself brings about the prophecy he saw when he traveled to the future, and ends up killing all the people he was trying to save.
“
Now is the time
For the Iron Man to spread fear
Vengeance that comes from the grave
Killing the people he once saved.”
READ ALSO: A poem that Iron Maiden turned into one of the band's best songs