Neon Knights

Song by Black Sabbath

"Neon Knights"

Single by Black Sabbath
from the album  Heaven and Hell
B-side| "Children of the Sea (live)"
Released| June 1980[1]
Recorded| January 1980 at Studio Ferber (Paris, France)
Genre| Heavy metal
Length| 3:49
Label| Vertigo
Songwriter(s)| Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward
Producer(s)| Martin Birch
Black Sabbath singles chronology
| "Hard Road"
(1978)  | "Neon Knights"
(1980)  | "Die Young"
(1980)

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"Neon Knights" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath from 1980's Heaven and Hell, their first album with American vocalist Ronnie James Dio.

## Overview

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"Neon Knights" was the last song written by the band for the Heaven and Hell album.[2] It was quickly written and recorded at Studio Ferber in Paris during January 1980 simply to fill time on the album's first side.[2] The lyrics were written by Ronnie James Dio. It is the only song on Heaven and Hell to definitely feature songwriting input from bassist Geezer Butler, the band's main lyricist during the Ozzy Osbourne era. Butler was absent for most of the songwriting process due personal issues as well as his own uncertainty as to whether he wanted to remain in the band. Dio occasionally performed the song during their live shows in later years.

The B-side of the 1980 single release features a live version of "Children of the Sea" from an unspecified date. The song reached number 22 on the UK charts, but failed to chart anywhere else.

In the UK, the first 25,000 copies had a picture-bag.

## Track listing

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7" single

1. "Neon Knights" – 3:49
2. "Children of the Sea" (live) – 6:30

## Personnel

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* Tony Iommi – guitar
* Bill Ward – drums
* Geezer Butler – bass
* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Geoff Nicholls – keyboards

## Chart positions

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Chart (1980)  | Position

|

UK Singles Chart[3] | 22

## Covers

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"Neon Knights" (Steel Prophet cover)

Sample of "Neon Knights" as covered by Steel Prophet.

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* Iron Savior covered the song on their 1999 album Unification.
* Steel Prophet covered the song on their 2000 album Genesis.
* Turbo covered the song on their 2001 album Awatar.
* Westworld covered the song on their 2002 album Cyberdreams.
* Queensrÿche covered the song on their 2007 album Take Cover.
* Sapattivuosi covered the song on their 2009 album Ihmisen merkki.
* Warrior covered the song in 2010 for the tribute album Neon Knights – A Tribute to Black Sabbath.[4]
* Anthrax covered the song during live performances in tribute to Dio following his death in 2010. In 2014, the band recorded a studio version for the tribute album Ronnie James Dio – This Is Your Life.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Great Rock Discography". p. 68.
2. ^ a b Iommi, Tony (2011). Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306819551.
3. ^ "UK singles charts".
4. ^ "Warrior's Cover Of Black Sabbath Classic Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 17 February 2010. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.

* v
* t
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Black Sabbath

* Tony Iommi
* Geezer Butler
* Ozzy Osbourne
* Bill Ward

* Dave Walker
* Ronnie James Dio
* Geoff Nicholls
* Craig Gruber
* Vinny Appice
* Ian Gillan
* Bev Bevan
* Ron Keel
* David Donato
* Eric Singer
* Gordon Copley
* Jeff Fenholt
* Dave Spitz
* Glenn Hughes
* Ray Gillen
* Tony Martin
* Cozy Powell
* Neil Murray
* Bobby Rondinelli

Studio albums|

* Black Sabbath
* Paranoid
* Master of Reality
* Vol. 4
* Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
* Sabotage
* Technical Ecstasy
* Never Say Die!
* Heaven and Hell
* Mob Rules
* Born Again
* Seventh Star
* The Eternal Idol
* Headless Cross
* Tyr
* Dehumanizer
* Cross Purposes
* Forbidden
* 13

Extended plays|

* The End

Live albums|

* Live at Last
* Live Evil
* Cross Purposes Live
* Reunion
* Past Lives
* Live at Hammersmith Odeon
* Live... Gathered in Their Masses
* The End: Live in Birmingham

Compilations|

* We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
* The Collection
* The Sabbath Stones
* Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978
* Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978
* Greatest Hits 1970–1978
* The Dio Years
* The Rules of Hell
* Greatest Hits
* Iron Man: The Best of Black Sabbath
* The Ultimate Collection
* Anno Domini 1989–1995

Unofficial albums|

* The Sabbath Collection
* The Ozzy Osbourne Years
* Under Wheels of Confusion
* The Best of Black Sabbath
* Club Sonderauflage

Singles|

* "Evil Woman"
* "The Wizard"
* "Paranoid"
* "Iron Man"
* "Children of the Grave"
* "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
* "Am I Going Insane (Radio)"
* "Neon Knights"
* "Trashed"
* "Psycho Man"
* "God Is Dead?"
* "End of the Beginning"

Other songs|

* "Black Sabbath"
* "N.I.B."
* "War Pigs"
* "Planet Caravan"
* "Hand of Doom"
* "Fairies Wear Boots"
* "Sweet Leaf"
* "Into the Void"
* "Changes"
* "Supernaut"
* "Hole in the Sky"
* "Symptom of the Universe"
* "Children of the Sea"
* "Heaven and Hell"

Videos|

* Never Say Die
* Black and Blue
* The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 1
* The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 2
* Cross Purposes Live
* The Last Supper
* Inside Black Sabbath - 1970–1992
* Hangin' with Heaven and Hell
* Live... Gathered in Their Masses
* Black Sabbath: The End of the End

Tours|

* Technical Ecstasy Tour
* Never Say Die! Tour
* Heaven & Hell Tour
* Mob Rules Tour
* Born Again Tour
* Ozzfest
* lineups
* Black Sabbath Reunion Tour
* The End Tour
* Back to the Beginning

Related|

* Discography
* Members
* List of cover versions of Black Sabbath songs
* In These Black Days
* Nativity in Black
* Heaven & Hell
* tour
* The Devil You Know
* Bob Daisley
* Terry Chimes
* Jo Burt
* Laurence Cottle
* Rob Halford
* Mike Bordin
* Adam Wakeman
* Tommy Clufetos
* Brad Wilk
* Mythology
* Velvett Fogg
* GZR
* Rainbow
* Dio
* Deep Purple
* Electric Light Orchestra
* Kiss
* Badlands
* Whitesnake

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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