OFF: Re: Heaven and Hell

[Carl Edlund Anderson]

On 17 Sep 2008, at 16:15 , Jonathan Jarrett wrote:
> The biggest problem with Dio I have is how corny his lyrics are.
> And, on _Rainbow Rising_ particularly, especially `Stargazer', how  
> many
> times he repeats them. The trouble is he doesn't seem to sound much  
> cop
> singing others' words, but his own are almost too much to take. It's a
> splendid album, but I do wish he'd just shut up and let the band play
> after a few times through the variations...



Dio does have the capacity to write some ferociously cheese-ball  
lyrics though, in fairness, we don't have to travel far in the World  
o' Metal to find serious competition for the fermented dairy products  
competition.  Heavy, the mighty early Sabbath itself is not exactly  
about to win any literary prizes for their lyrics. ;)  Not everyone  
has the strangeitude of Pearlman or the madness of Calvert on board.   
But though Dio's lyrics may well be more _pretentious_ (read "corny"  
if thy goblet of metal hath temporarily been set down ;)) than many,  
though I'm not sure they're significantly _worse_ (or less coherent)  
than many.  He does tend to wail on a bit when we might prefer an  
extended instrumental workout, but this is always a danger when  
there's a singer in the band with nothing else to do (cue Gillan's  
congas ;)) and of course especially when they have primma-dona-ish  
tendencies .... ;)

"Dio has rocked for a long, long time,
Now it's time for him to pass the torch.
He has songs of wilderbeasts and angels,
He has soared on the wings of a demon.

It's time to pass the torch,
You're too old to rock, no more rockin' for you.
We're takin' you to a home,
But we will sing a song about you."

Well ... actually I hope he still has at least the upcoming Heaven &  
Hell album in him! :)  It took a _long_ time for Dio to grow on me,  
but I've come to appreciate his contribution in the right setting --  
which seems to be in the company of a riff-monging genius like  
Blackmore or Iommi who can provide sufficient foundational musical  
glory to carry Dio's outrageous word-smithing.  Wilderbeasts and  
angels not withstanding ....

Cheers,
Carl

--
Carl Edlund Anderson
http://www.carlaz.com/