Sunday 3 March 2013

Children of the Grave

You often hear rock stars of the 60's, 70's and 80's being asked which of their songs means the most to them and why, or do they have a particular favourite out of their entire catalogue.  Interviewers and reviewers don't seem to be particularly interested in that aspect of a group or an era's catalogue from the listeners' perspective, but, you know, it was US that bought those albums and songs all those years ago, and us that interpreted those songs into the meaningful (or lack thereof) messages that were supposedly hidden deep within the - often rambling and discontiguous - lyrics and sounds the artists had recorded.
 
So, taking the liberty to answer that particular question for myself, here is my little ramble on the catalogue of Black Sabbath, from the eponymous first album, to Volume 4!
 
Question: Which song of the 60's and 70's do you feel had the greatest meaning for your generation - that expressed most clearly why your generation acted the way they did?
 
Answer: For me, the song that most closely expressed how we felt at that time, and which most accurately portrayed our perception of the reality that faced us growing up in the environment we had to deal with, was Children of the Grave by Black Sabbath.
 
Sure - I know a lot of people will pick out something they find more meaning in, from a plethora of groups like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, The Doors, and on and on, and, for themselves, they have every right to their favourites and their choices.  For me, the most apt selection is Children of the Grave.
 
Growing up at that time, we were at the height of the Cold War, and the paranoia of western governments against the great Red Threat was ubiquitous.  Television and cinema were constantly filled with images of the war against communism, whether it was newsreels from Vietnam, James Bond smashing Smersh, or The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'s continuous struggle against THRUSH (no - not the disease), as well as continuous governmental rhetoric surrounding the tenuous relationships between the powers on both sides of the Iron Curtain.  We were brought up - and taught - to expect the worst possible outcome to any of the many diplomatic incidents that seemed to occur at regular intervals, and always with the constant expectation of Nuclear Annihilation!
 
The small efforts of the hippies and other discontent youth movements were the only counteraction we had to those over-arching effects.  Being taught at an early age to "duck-and-cover" in the event of a nuclear attack - what a useless activity - as well as the continuous conditioning schools meted out through studies of works like 1984, Animal Farm and Brave New World, is it any wonder we sought refuge in the escapist works of writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, or the music of the age?
 
Children of the Grave captures all of these experiences within it's doleful yet exciting exposition of our situation at that time.  Sure, Black Sabbath were known for their dark world view, but Children expresses what we actually felt at that time. It explained our belief that, unless we could find the way to make the World and its super powers understand the direction they were taking could lead to only one result, we were doomed, and expresses why we were so fond of the potential for a Revolution of Peace (yes - we were Children of the Revolution, too!) The failure to achieve those significant objectives could have only one outcome.
 
 
Revolution in their minds - the children start to march
Against the world in which they have to live
and all the hate that's in their hearts
They're tired of being pushed around
and told just what to do
They'll fight the world until they've won
and love comes flowing through

Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today
Will the sun rise up tomorrow bring in peace in any way?
Must the world live in the shadow of atomic fear?
Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear?

So you children of the world,
listen to what I say
If you want a better place to live in
spread the words today
Show the world that love is still alive
you must be brave
Or you children of today are
Children of the Grave, Yeah!
 
Phenomenal stuff!  Enjoy!

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