Black Diamond
by Kiss

Album: Kiss (1974)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Kiss closed their eponymous first album with this track. The band would often play "Black Diamond" as the closing number of their early concerts.
  • Paul Stanley told Classic Rock magazine: "'Black Diamond' was a song that I wrote about New York. New York was very dear to us, and life there was all we could write about. Seeing hookers on the street, whether we lived it, we saw it and it kind of gave us something to fantasize about."

Comments: 4

  • Dan from UsaWrong--the release date for "KISS" was Feb 18, 1974. The release date for "Hotter Than Hell" was Oct 22, 1974. It was not at all uncommon in that era for bands to crank out product rapidly like that, in order to maintain a constant presence in the charts.
  • Ghostryder from KyThe first album was released on February 18, 1974.
  • Debby from UsaThe album was released in 1973, not 1974. 1974 saw the release of Hotter Than Hell.
    The Kiss self titled LP contains Black Diamond, Nothin' To Lose and Firehouse.
  • Debby from UsaBlack Diamond is about a black female prostitute.
    The song is sung by both Paul Stanley and Peter Criss together.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Melanie

MelanieSongwriter Interviews

The singer-songwriter Melanie talks about her spiritual awakening at Woodstock, "Brand New Key," and why songwriting is an art, not a craft.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.