Black Sabbath's bassist Geezer Butler recently reflected on the misconceptions surrounding the band's classic works and the deeper meanings behind their lyrics.
Often regarded as the pioneers of heavy metal, Black Sabbath borrowed their name from the English title of the Italian horror film I tre volti della paura. Their fascination with horror themes and macabre aesthetics led to frequent associations with Satanism. However, as Butler clarified in a recent interview with Lifeminute, much of this perception stemmed from marketing rather than intent.
During the conversation, Butler discussed how certain Black Sabbath songs have aged for him, even describing some as "cringy." When prompted to name a specific track, he admitted (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar): "One called — that I wrote — called 'Gypsy.'" Expanding on why it stands out, Butler added: "Maybe because I wrote it, and I hate listening to stuff that I've written. Just the whole thing about it is just, I don't know… It's weird."
As the primary lyricist during Black Sabbath's formative years, Butler's process evolved over time. Reflecting on the creative flow of earlier years versus the struggles during their final studio album, 13, he shared: "When we did the last album, 13, it was like pulling my hair out trying to think of some. Because when you're successful, and you got a house with the swimming pool out the back and everything, it's hard to get inspired by things."
Butler also addressed how the band's image led to misinterpretations of their music. While their name and imagery sparked accusations of Satanism, Butler highlighted the irony of such claims. As one of rock's most vocal Christians, he explained how songs like 'After Forever' carried profoundly spiritual themes: "A lot of the stuff was misinterpreted, I think, just because of the name of the band, Black Sabbath. The song 'After Forever' was purely… It's like the most Christian thing you could ever listen to."
Explaining further, Butler noted: "It's about losing your faith. People think that they've lost the faith, and then on the deathbed, what are they going to do on the deathbed? Are they going to get the faith and suddenly believe in the whole thing again or not?"
Even the iconic track "Black Sabbath" — a favorite among occult enthusiasts — was written with an entirely different intent. Butler revealed: "And the song 'Black Sabbath' was against… Because there was a big black magic thing going on in England at the end of the '60s — everybody was getting into black magic and Satanism and all that kind of stuff. So the song 'Black Sabbath' was actually warning people about getting into black magic and Satanism."
The misunderstanding was particularly stark in the U.S., where the band encountered a cultural climate steeped in Christianity. Butler described his shock upon witnessing how their music was interpreted across the Atlantic: "And nobody really cared about it in Europe and England. So when I got to America, I couldn't believe how big Christianity still was. And all these people that were trying to turn pro-Christianity lyrics. They were trying to make it against us, and they completely misinterpreted us."
