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"Iron Man" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their second studio album Paranoid released in 1970. It was later included on their initial greatest hits compilation We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll (1976), as well as all subsequent greatest hits compilations. Many musical acts have recorded cover versions of the song, and the song is frequently used and referenced during sporting events and in television shows and films. A live performance of this song was made for the program Beat-Club.
[edit] Writing and recording
The title of the song was conceived by Ozzy Osbourne.[1] Geezer Butler took to writing the lyrics around the title. To avoid copyright infringement involving the superhero of the same name,[citation needed] he made it the story of a vengeful villain instead of a hero. Nonetheless, instrumental sections of the song would be used decades later in the 2008 feature film Iron Man at the beginning of the credits, and in the television commercials.
The lyrics tell the story of a man who time travels into the future of the world, and sees the apocalypse. In the process of returning to the present, he is turned into steel by a magnetic field. He is rendered mute, unable verbally to warn people of his time of the impending destruction. His attempts to communicate are ignored and mocked. This causes Iron Man to become angry, and have his revenge on mankind, causing the destruction seen in his vision.[2]
[edit] Appearances and covers
- There have been many re-releases of "Iron Man". It was also a B-side for the 1981 picture disc single "Paranoid".
- Sir Mix-a-Lot sampled "Iron Man" as a rap song in the late '80s on his album Swass.
- Busta Rhymes used elements of the song in the track "This Means War!!" (featuring Ozzy Osbourne as guest vocalist) on his E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front album.
- Swedish band The Cardigans covered the song on their album First Band on the Moon.
- Marilyn Manson used the main riff much higher for their song "Sam Son of Man".
- A cover version of "Iron Man" appears as a playable track in the game Guitar Hero. It is based on the shortened version from Greatest Hits 1970-1978.
- Though the song is not related to the comic book character, it was used (without the lyrics, only the playback) in the closing credits of the 2008 Marvel Studios movie Iron Man. The novelization makes direct citations to Black Sabbath, such as when Tony Stark discovers how his alter-ego was baptized by the media, he imitates the "I am Iron Man" that opens the song.[3] The song, with lyrics available, is the background music for the first level of the Iron Man game.
- In the Futurama episode 'Anthology of Interest I' the distinctive riff from Iron Man is quickly heard when Giant Bender flies to Earth.
- "Iron Man" shows up in the end of a George Lopez episode when George requests a mariachi band to play it.
- Bob Rivers wrote the parody "I Am Santa Claus".[4]
- A remix of the song was used for the soundtrack of Forza Motorsport.
- In 1983, a new tag team in Georgia Championship Wrestling, the Road Warriors, used this song as their entrance music and used a similar song in World Championship Wrestling .
- The beginning of the song was featured in commercials for the Nissan Titan in 2007.
- In an episode of The Simpsons, Nelson Muntz adlibs the riff as a campaign song for school president. His version goes "I am Iron Man, nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, vote for me!"
- In the Gilmore Girls episode "The Deer Hunters", Drella starts playing "Iron Man" on her harp during a function at the Independence Inn; Lorelai catches her out, telling her "No Black Sabbath, no Steely Dan, no Boston, and no Queen."
- In the King of the Hill episode "Bills Are Made to Be Broken", the song's beginning is played during a flashback of Bill at a big football game.
- The Bad Plus covered the song on their [2004] album "Give".
- Professional wrestler Rob Conway uses this song as his entrance theme in Ohio Valley Wrestling.
- In the movie Lords of Dogtown, we can hear "Iron Man" in the first competition of the Z-Boys.
- In the 2008 Brazilian five chapter TV series Capitu, a piano version of the song is used in the third chapter.
- Alice in Chains made a 43 second spoof song called Iron Gland on their album Dirt as a nod to Black Sabbath, as one of their main influences.
- Irish rock band Therapy? covered the song on the Black Sabbath tribute album Nativity in Black with Ozzy Osbourne providing the vocals.
- British Grindcore band Sore Throat made a parody/cover of this song called "Iron Lung" from their LP Unhindered by Talent.
- The song is adapted in the arcade version of Ninja Gaiden/Shadow Warriors as theme music for the giant pro wrestler bosses of stages 2 and 5.
- The University of Michigan Marching Band plays the Iron Man riff when Michigan's football team sacks the opposing team's quarterback.
- On the pilot episode for Beavis and Butthead, Frog Baseball, Beavis and Butthead sing the main riff to Iron Man.
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