Wicked World

Album: Black Sabbath (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • After Tony Iommi left his momentary gig with Jethro Tull, he brought the work ethic he'd seen in Tull back to the band that would become Black Sabbath. "Wicked World" was one of the first songs that the band wrote as a result of their renewed work ethic.

Comments: 4

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganIt's a good thing his pickup failed. There's NO WAY Tony could have recorded all of those heavy-ass riffs on a 'Strat (believe me, I've tried!)
  • Dan Gillespy from Courtenay BcOne of the best Black Sabbath songs ever recorded.
  • Fanny Santos from U.s.a.This song is one of the best I've ever heard. I love the fusion of Rock and Jazz in it. Long live Black Sabbath!
  • Ricky from Killie, United KingdomThis was the first song recorded by the band for their debut album and the only song where Tony Iommi used a Fender Stratocaster. The Strat was his main guitar but the pick up failed after the recording of this track. He used his back up guitar (a Gibson SG) for the rest of the album and never changed back afterwards.

    The track was included on the US version of the album but was originally only a b-side to Evil Woman in the UK and Europe till the 1996 remastered CD added it to the album proper.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.