Children of the Grave

"Children of the Grave" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, from their 1971 album Master of Reality. The song lyrically continues with the same anti-war themes brought on by "War Pigs" and "Electric Funeral" from Paranoid, adding in Geezer Butler's pacifist ideals of non-violent civil disobedience. Two previously unreleased versions of this song are released on the deluxe edition of Master of Reality. The first is a version with alternate lyrics, the second an instrumental version.[1]

"Children of the Grave"
Single by Black Sabbath
from the album Master of Reality
B-side"Solitude"
Released21 July 1971 (1971-07-21)
RecordedIsland Studios, London, England
GenreHeavy metal
Length5:17
LabelVertigo (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (US)
Songwriter(s)Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward
Producer(s)Rodger Bain
Black Sabbath singles chronology
"After Forever"
(1971)		 "Children of the Grave"
(1971)		 "Iron Man"
(1971)

The song has been featured on several greatest hits and live albums. As well as being performed by Black Sabbath in concert in its various incarnations, Ozzy Osbourne performed it in concert many times as a solo artist. It appears in the video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock as a playable song. It was also referenced in the online game League of Legends as the name of the ultimate attack of the metal-themed character Mordekaiser before his rework, and is the background music for the opening level of the video game Brütal Legend.

One feature lost on CD is that on vinyl the track was the last on the side, and continually looped a whispered "Children of the Grave". This looped part has an individual, yet rarely used name of 'The Haunting'.

The guitar and bass, as is common with Black Sabbath, are tuned down a minor 3rd. (Guitar C# F# B E G# C#.)

"Children of the Grave" was ranked the third best Black Sabbath song by Christoph Rehe in his book Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check.[2]

Track listing
  1. "Children of the Grave" – 5:49
  2. "Children of the Grave" (Edit) – 3:50

Cover versions

White Zombie
"Children of the Grave"
Single by White Zombie
from the album Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
Released1994
FormatCD single
Recorded1994
GenreHeavy metal, Thrash metal
Length5:50
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Geezer Butler
Tony Iommi
Ozzy Osbourne
Bill Ward
Producer(s)Bryan Carlstrom
White Zombie
White Zombie singles chronology
"I Am Hell"
(1993)		 "Children of the Grave"
(1994)		 "Feed the Gods"
(1994)

The band White Zombie covered "Children of the Grave" (with slightly altered lyrics) for the Black Sabbath tribute album Nativity in Black. It was later released as a promo single in 1994. In 2014, Mac Sabbath, a fast food-themed Black Sabbath tribute band, recorded a parody version entitled "Chicken for the Slaves".

Nepal

The Argentine thrash metal band Nepal recorded a cover version of the song for their third studio album, Manifiesto (1997).[3]

Havok

American thrash metal band Havok included a cover of the song on their third studio album, Unnatural Selection (2013).

Master

American death metal band Master covered the song for their 1990 debut album Master. Whilst keeping the clean finger picking intro of Embryo and the opening build up, the rest of the cover is more similar to the style of Venom.

References
  1. "Amazon.com: Master of Reality deluxe edition". Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  2. Rehe, Christoph (2013). Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch (in German). Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH. ISBN 3868526463.
  3. "hmNepal.8m.com". Biography. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017.
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