The Wizard (Black Sabbath song)

Song by Black Sabbath

"The Wizard"

Cover artwork for the Paranoid single, as used in the Netherlands

Single by Black Sabbath
from the album  Black Sabbath
Released| 24 March 1970 (France)[1]
Genre| Heavy metal[2][3]
Length| 4:24
Label| Vertigo
Songwriter(s)|

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

Producer(s)| Rodger Bain
Black Sabbath singles chronology
| "Evil Woman"
(1970)  | "The Wizard"
(1970)  | "Paranoid"
(1970)

|
|

Audio sample

* file
* help

"The Wizard" is a song by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their 1970 album Black Sabbath. "The Wizard" was selected as their debut single in France, backed by "Evil Woman" which was released as A-side in many other countries. It was also the B-side to the 1970 single "Paranoid", which reached number 4 on the UK singles chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4]

## Information

[edit]

"The Wizard" is about a wizard who uses his magic to encourage people he encounters. In a 2005 interview with Metal Sludge, Black Sabbath bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler said the song's lyrics were influenced by the wizard Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.[5]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Ozzy Osbourne - vocals, harmonica
* Tony Iommi - guitars, slide guitar[6]
* Geezer Butler - bass
* Bill Ward - drums

## Covers and influence

[edit]

The song was covered by Bullring Brummies, a short-lived project featuring Black Sabbath founding members Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, for the 1994 tribute album Nativity in Black.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Black Sabbath - The Wizard". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
2. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Black Sabbath | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 November 2019. "Flush with eventual [heavy metal] genre classics like 'The Wizard,' 'N.I.B.,' and the aforementioned title cut, Black Sabbath was initially dismissed by critics"
3. ^ Wilson, Scott A. (2015). Music at the Extremes: Essays on Sounds Outside the Mainstream. McFarland. p. 131\. ISBN 978-1-47662-006-0.
4. ^ Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 65. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
5. ^ "Black Sabbath (album) review". Metal Sludge.
6. ^ "Black Sabbath (album) review". Rolling Stone. 31 May 2009.
7. ^ Parisien, Roch, Nativity in BlackReview, Allmusic, retrieved 15 July 2011

* v
* t
* e

Black Sabbath

* Geezer Butler
* Tony Iommi
* 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

Managers|

* Don Arden
* Patrick Meehan
* Wilf Pine

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

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template