Children of the Grave
Encyclopedia
"Children of the Grave" is a song by 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.
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 game, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
as a playable song. It is also referenced in the online game League of Legends as the name of the ultimate attack of the character Mordekaiser. It also is the background music for the opening level of the video game Brütal Legend
.
It is worth noting that in this song Iommi's guitar rarely ventures above "middle" C sharp (or the equivalent of "middle" C sharp on a piano), and spends almost the entirety of the song below that note, with the exception of the solo.
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'.
covered the song on their 2008 album End of an Era. The song is the first ever cover recorded by the band and is presented on their third album, released summer 2008. "We had never really planned to include a cover on any of our albums but with 'Children of the Grave', something just clicked," said lead singer Trevor Tuminski. "Ozzy Osbourne really isn't credited for the brilliant lyricist he is. In our troubled times, the words to that song just seemed the perfect fit for the themes at work on the record, not to mention the doomsday feel of the music".
American band Racer X released a cover of the song that can be heard on the Japanese version of Technical Difficulties. The song has been covered by German power metal band Grave Digger
. Also, hardcore punk band The Fartz
covered it for their Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks album. It has also been covered by the Finnish
band Tarot
on To Live Forever
. The American straight edge hardcore band Earth Crisis
covered the song for their covers album "Last Of The Sane." The Swedish stoner metal band Hellfueled covered this song on their 2002 demo album "The Red One."
The band White Zombie covered "Children of the Grave" for the Black Sabbath tribute album Nativity in Black
. It was later released as a promo single in 1994. It is the first White Zombie release featuring Terry Date
who would later produce the band's bestselling album Astro-Creep: 2000
. It was also the last release to have Phil Buerstatte playing the drums as he would be kicked out of the band later that year. The song contains the following vocal sample: "In Los Angeles, 1969, they shot, stabbed, and bludgeoned nine people to death committing one of the most heinous crimes in history.", a reference to the Tate/LaBianca killings by Charles Manson
and the Family in 1969.
Swedish melodic death metal
band Amon Amarth
covered the song in 2010 for Metal Hammer's
Black Sabbath tribute CD.
Argentinean thrash metal
band Nepal
covered the song on their 1997 album Manifiesto
.
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
from their 1971 album Master of Reality
Master of Reality
Master of Reality is the third album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in July 1971. It is sometimes noted as the first stoner rock album...
. The song lyrically continues with the same anti-war themes brought on by "War Pigs
War Pigs
"War Pigs" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their 1970 album Paranoid. It is generally believed that the band wrote the song as a protest against the Vietnam War; however, when Sabbath played "War Pigs" in the mid-'70s, they projected scenes from World War II.As explained in...
" and "Electric Funeral
Electric Funeral
"Electric Funeral" is the fifth song from Black Sabbath's second album Paranoid, released in 1970. The song deals with nuclear war and its aftermath...
" from Paranoid
Paranoid (album)
Paranoid is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released in September 1970, the album was the only one by the band to top the UK Albums Chart, and as a result is commonly identified as the band's magnum opus...
, 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.
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
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
performed it in concert many times as a solo artist. It appears in the game, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
as a playable song. It is also referenced in the online game League of Legends as the name of the ultimate attack of the character Mordekaiser. It also is the background music for the opening level of the video game Brütal Legend
Brütal Legend
Brütal Legend is an action-adventure/real-time strategy game created by Double Fine Productions and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released during October 2009 in North America and Europe...
.
It is worth noting that in this song Iommi's guitar rarely ventures above "middle" C sharp (or the equivalent of "middle" C sharp on a piano), and spends almost the entirety of the song below that note, with the exception of the solo.
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'.
Cover versions
Canadian rockers Jet Set SatelliteJet Set Satellite
Jet Set Satellite is a rock band founded in 1998 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Trevor Tuminski and Dave Swiecicki. After a short audition process Mike Keller joined the band shortly before releasing their debut album "Blueprint" in 2000 on Nettwerk Records...
covered the song on their 2008 album End of an Era. The song is the first ever cover recorded by the band and is presented on their third album, released summer 2008. "We had never really planned to include a cover on any of our albums but with 'Children of the Grave', something just clicked," said lead singer Trevor Tuminski. "Ozzy Osbourne really isn't credited for the brilliant lyricist he is. In our troubled times, the words to that song just seemed the perfect fit for the themes at work on the record, not to mention the doomsday feel of the music".
American band Racer X released a cover of the song that can be heard on the Japanese version of Technical Difficulties. The song has been covered by German power metal band Grave Digger
Grave Digger (band)
Grave Digger are a German heavy metal/power metal band formed in 1980. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s.-Band history:...
. Also, hardcore punk band The Fartz
The Fartz
The Fartz were originally formed in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Record label...
covered it for their Because This Fuckin' World Still Stinks album. It has also been covered by the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
band Tarot
Tarot (band)
Tarot is a heavy metal band from Finland. They are most famous for the song “Wings of Darkness” from the 1986 album Spell of Iron. While having enjoyed a broad underground popularity in Finland, the band has never been very famous elsewhere until gaining new success in the recent years when their...
on To Live Forever
To Live Forever
To Live Forever is the third album by Finnish metal band Tarot, released in 1993 by Bluelight Records. It is also the first album to feature the band's new keyboardist, Janne Tolsa, who has replaced former guitarist Mako H...
. The American straight edge hardcore band Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis is an American metalcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Their most recent record, To the Death, was released in May 2009 through Century Media....
covered the song for their covers album "Last Of The Sane." The Swedish stoner metal band Hellfueled covered this song on their 2002 demo album "The Red One."
The band White Zombie covered "Children of the Grave" for the Black Sabbath tribute album Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
. It was later released as a promo single in 1994. It is the first White Zombie release featuring Terry Date
Terry Date
Terry Date is an American record producer and engineer, specializing in the rock and metal genres...
who would later produce the band's bestselling album Astro-Creep: 2000
Astro Creep: 2000 - Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head
-Band members:*John Tempesta – Drums*J. – Guitar*Sean Yseult – Bass, Art Direction*Rob Zombie – Vocals, Art Direction, Illustrations-Technical crew:*Charlie Clouser – Programming, Keyboards*Terry Date – Producer, Mixing...
. It was also the last release to have Phil Buerstatte playing the drums as he would be kicked out of the band later that year. The song contains the following vocal sample: "In Los Angeles, 1969, they shot, stabbed, and bludgeoned nine people to death committing one of the most heinous crimes in history.", a reference to the Tate/LaBianca killings by Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
and the Family in 1969.
Swedish melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
band Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth is a Swedish viking metal band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992, and takes its name from the Sindarin translation of Mount Doom, a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The band comprises vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström...
covered the song in 2010 for Metal Hammer's
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
Black Sabbath tribute CD.
Argentinean thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Nepal
Nepal (band)
Nepal was an Argentine thrash metal band from Buenos Aires, originally assembled in 1984.-Biography:Nepal was formed in 1985 by Beto Vázquez and Javier Bagala. Later on Claudio "Larry" Zavala joined...
covered the song on their 1997 album Manifiesto
Manifiesto
-Track listing:# "La Saga" - 01:45# "Perfil Siniestro" - 03:40# "Besando La Tierra" - 05:41# "Más Allá Del Asfalto" - 04:22# "Children of The Grave " - 05:16# "Lukumi" - 02:42# "Estadio Chico" - 04:12...
.