“It was just written so well”: Ronnie James Dio’s favourite Black Sabbath song
It was only by chance that Ronnie James Dio ended up fronting Black Sabbath. He had bumped into Tommy Iommi by accident at the Rainbow on Sunset Strip in 1979. “It must have been fate because we connected so instantly,” Dio said, and as luck would have it, Iommi was looking for a new vocalist after Ozzy Osbourne had just been fired from the band.
Prior to becoming the frontman of the most legendary metal group in history, Dio already had around two decades of experience fronting bands, meaning that when he finally entered centre stage as part of the previously Osbourne-lead outfit, it was like he was always meant to be there. What’s more, his presence renewed the band’s passion for music and performing.
While there isn’t an exact science behind what makes a good frontman, the differences between Dio and Osbourne are hard to ignore. Of course, Osbourne had the charisma, the kind that was necessary to carry a metal band with a dream into the mainstream. His personality drew in fans from all over, and how he came across wasn’t just something to admire but something to be deeply entertained by.
That said, it’s widely recognised that Dio had greater vocal range, which enabled the band to build on the sound they had already worked so hard to establish. Although it didn’t seem as though Dio might be the exact perfect fit in the beginning, his returning work on Dehumanizer saw the band return to their roots and deliver a record that astounded even their most loyal early fans. “This is very much a classic Black Sabbath record,” said Iommi, “In fact, I didn’t expect it to come out quite this good.”
Although Dio was only with Sabbath for three albums, his contributions are considered by many to be some of the band’s best work. However, when discussing his favourite songs by the band, the track he chose wasn’t any of his, but one which included the original lineup and sat on the second album, 1970’s Paranoid: ‘War Pigs’.
Explaining the reason for choosing the piece from the Osbourne era, he said: “That was Geezer’s lyrics. They stand up because that was a protest about people who were creating war, and they’ve never heard that before.” Noting its abstract nature, he added: “That’s a strange title, isn’t it? You just put that together, and it’s so clever. Musically, it was just written so well.”
As one of the band’s most famous songs, it would be strange if Dio had ignored its excellence despite being composed by the band before he added his touch. Even still, it seems there would be no place for animosity even if Dio displayed more protectiveness over the band, considering the fact that both likely had deep-rooted respect for one another beyond the lighthearted quips they exchanged over the years.
