View source for War Pigs

{{short description|1970 song by Black Sabbath}}
{{Other uses|War pigs (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name     = War Pigs
| cover    =
| alt      =
| type     =
| artist   = [[Black Sabbath]]
| album    = [[Paranoid (album)|Paranoid]]
| released = {{Start date|1970|9|18|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=War+Pigs&cat=s |title=Black Sabbath - War Pigs |publisher=australian-charts.com |date= |accessdate=2022-08-02}}</ref>
| format   =
| recorded = 1970
| studio   =
| venue    =
| genre    =
* [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]<ref>{{cite book|first=William|last=Irwin|title=Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Reality|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ek-yzX-jcU0C&pg=PT202|date=18 September 2012|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-39761-9|page=202}}</ref>
* [[stoner rock]]<ref name= "Stanley 2013">{{cite book|first=Bob |last=Stanley|title=Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop|chapter= Some Kind of Monster: Metal|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7|date=13 September 2013|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-28198-5|page=567}}</ref>
<!--Please source genres.-->
| length   = 7:57
| label    = [[Vertigo Records|Vertigo]]
| writer   = [[Tony Iommi]] · [[Ozzy Osbourne]] · [[Geezer Butler]] · [[Bill Ward (musician)|Bill Ward]]
| producer = [[Rodger Bain]]
| misc     = {{Audio sample
 | type        = song
 | file        = Black_Sabbath_-_War_Pigs.ogg
 | description = "War Pigs"
}}
}}

"'''War Pigs'''" is an anti-war [[protest song]] by English [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Black Sabbath]]. It is the opening track from the band's second studio album ''[[Paranoid (album)|Paranoid]]'' (released in 1970).

==Overview==
The original title of "War Pigs" was [[Walpurgis Night|"Walpurgis"]], dealing with the [[Witches' Sabbath]].<ref name="iommiautobiography">{{cite book |last=Iommi |first=Tony |title=Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath |url=https://archive.org/details/ironmanmyjourney00iomm_0 |url-access=registration |year=2011 |publisher=[[Da Capo Press]] |isbn=978-0-30681-9551}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Reunion|title-link=Reunion (Black Sabbath album)|others=[[Black Sabbath]]|year=1998|first=Phil|last=Alexander|publisher=[[Epic Records|Epic]]}}</ref> "Walpurgis is sort of like Christmas for Satanists. And to me, war was the big Satan", said bassist and lyricist [[Geezer Butler]]. "It wasn't about politics or government or anything. It was Evil itself. So I was saying 'generals gathered in the masses / just like witches at [[black mass|black masses']] to make an analogy. But when we brought it to the record company, they thought 'Walpurgis' sounded too Satanic. And that's when we turned it into 'War Pigs'. But we didn't change the lyrics, because they were already finished."<ref name="Geezer">{{cite web|url=http://www.noisecreep.com/2010/07/30/black-sabbath-bassist-geezer-butler-gets-paranoid/|title=Black Sabbath Bassist Geezer Butler Gets 'Paranoid' |last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=30 July 2010 |publisher=[[Noisecreep]]|access-date=16 August 2010}}</ref>

During this time period, [[national service]] had recently ended in the United Kingdom but with the Vietnam War still ongoing, many young men feared they would be conscripted to fight in it. "That's what started this whole rebellion thing about not going to war for anybody", said Butler. "I was dreading being called up", the lyricist recalled.<ref name="reesman">{{cite web |date=27 March 2014 |title=Geezer Butler Discusses Veganism, Religion, Politics, Surveillance, and Life Lessons |url=http://www.bryanreesman.com/2014/03/27/geezer-butler-discusses-veganism-religion-politics-surveillance-and-life-lessons/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190314044504/https://www.bryanreesman.com/2014/03/27/geezer-butler-discusses-veganism-religion-politics-surveillance-and-life-lessons/ |archive-date=14 March 2019 |access-date=1 September 2019 |publisher=bryanreesman.com}} </ref>

Prior to its official release, the band often altered the lyrics significantly when performing it live.<ref name="page32">{{cite book|title=Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose: An Illustrated History|author=Popoff, Martin|page=32|publisher=ECW press|year=2006|isbn=1-55022-731-9}}</ref> An example of this can be found on [[Ozzy Osbourne]]'s compilation ''[[The Ozzman Cometh]]'', which features an early version recorded by Black Sabbath for [[BBC Radio 1]] on 26 April 1970.<ref>''The Ozzman Cometh'' liner notes, [[Epic Records]], 11 November 1997.</ref> While Butler has said that "War Pigs" is "totally against the [[Vietnam War]], about how these rich politicians and rich people start all the wars for their benefit and get all the poor people to die for them",<ref name="page33"/> vocalist Osbourne has stated that the group "knew nothing about Vietnam. It's just an anti-war song."<ref name="Diary of a madman">{{cite book |last=Clerk |first=Carol |title=Diary of a Madman: Ozzy Osbourne: The Stories Behind the Songs |year=2002 |publisher=Thunder's Mouth Press |page=25 |isbn=978-1-56025-4720}}</ref> The song's [[instrumental]] [[Outro (music)|outro]] is entitled "'''Luke's Wall'''" on US releases of the album, formatted as "War Pigs/Luke's Wall".<ref>As noted on the labels of early North American [[Warner Bros. Records]] pressings of ''Paranoid'', (catalog no. WS 1887), released January 1971.</ref>

Drummer [[Bill Ward (musician)|Bill Ward]]'s first memory of performing the song was at the Beat-Club in the hotel Hirschen in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1969.<ref name="page33">{{cite book|title=Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose: An Illustrated History|author=Popoff, Martin|page=33|publisher=ECW press|year=2006|isbn=1-55022-731-9}}</ref><ref>Boris Schlatter: Ozzy Osbourne: In Zürich feilte Black Sabbath am Urknall des Hardrock [https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/kultur/ozzy-osbourne-im-hirschen-z%C3%BCrich-feilte-black-sabbath-am-urknall-des-hardrock/89727416] In: swissinfo.ch. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.</ref> The band was required to play multiple sets every night and had little material in their repertoire at that point, so they would perform lengthy [[jam session]]s to fill in the sets.<ref name="iommiautobiography" /> Co-writer and lead guitarist [[Tony Iommi]] has said that "War Pigs" originated from one of those jam sessions.<ref name="Iommi">{{cite news|title=Rhino Bows Sabbath Fete with Two-Disc Anthology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Black+Sabbath+War+Pigs+jam&pg=PA14|last=Orshoski|first=Wes|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=2 November 2002}}</ref>

The addition of the [[Civil defense siren|air-raid siren]] and the speeding up of the song's end were done by producer [[Rodger Bain]] and engineer [[Tom Allom]]. The band had no input in these decisions, though they were pleased with the results.<ref name="iommiautobiography" />

==Legacy==
{{main|List of cover versions of Black Sabbath songs}}

Music journalist [[Martin Popoff]] has called the song an "ugly, antiwar classic now considered one of Sabbath's top two or three most enduring compositions".<ref name="page32"/> ''[[Guitar World]]'' described the song as "the greatest [[Heavy metal music|HM]] song ever."<ref name="Diary of a madman"/> The magazine also included the song on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" and ranked it in 56th place.<ref name="GW">{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_51100?page=0%2C0|title=100 Greatest Guitar Solos: 51-100|work=[[Guitar World]]|access-date=16 August 2010}}</ref> Steve Huey of [[AllMusic]] called the song a "[[standard (music)|standard]]".<ref name="Allmusic review">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=paranoid-mw0000600570|pure_url=yes}}|title=Allmusic (((Paranoid > Overview)))|last=Huey|first=Steve|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=16 August 2010}}</ref>

[[Kelefa Sanneh]] wrote, "What is memorable is the way Osbourne evokes not merely war's cost but its seductive appeal. Part of what made Black Sabbath seem new was a disinclination to uplifting, or hopeful, or self-righteous."<ref>{{cite book |author=Kelefa Sanneh |title=[[Major Labels|Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres]] |publisher=Canongate |year=2021 |isbn=9781838855932 |page=13}}</ref>

"War Pigs" is widely considered one of Black Sabbath's greatest songs. In 2020, ''[[Kerrang!]]'' ranked the song number four on their list of the 20 greatest Black Sabbath songs,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-black-sabbath-songs-ranked|title=The 20 greatest Black Sabbath songs – ranked|first=Sam|last=Law|work=[[Kerrang!|Kerrang]]|date=7 September 2020|accessdate=28 March 2022}}</ref> and in 2021, ''[[Metal Hammer|Louder Sound]]'' ranked the song number one on their list of the 40 greatest Black Sabbath songs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/black-sabbath-40-greatest-songs/2|title=Black Sabbath's 40 greatest songs ever|first=Paul|last=Brannigan|work=[[Metal Hammer|Louder Sound]]|date=22 November 2021|accessdate=28 March 2022|archive-date=28 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328161454/https://www.loudersound.com/features/black-sabbath-40-greatest-songs/2|url-status=dead}}</ref>

"War Pigs" was ranked the best Black Sabbath song by {{lang|de|Rock - Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check}}.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rehe |first1=Christoph |title=Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch |date=2013 |publisher=Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH |isbn=978-3868526462 |language=de}}</ref>

The song is notable for its publication in the American folk music magazine ''[[Broadside (magazine)|Broadside]]'', which normally did not feature rock songs.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/delivering-a-radical-broadside-1.1115256 |title=Delivering a radical broadside |last1=Kelly |first1=John|date=11 November 2000 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=15 July 2015}}</ref>

The song's guitar riff largely inspired that of [[Arctic Monkeys]]' 2014 single [[Arabella (song)|"Arabella"]], to the extent that the band often perform an interlude of the song, to enable front man [[Alex Turner (musician)|Alex Turner]] to pick up his guitar in time for his solo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4FysSXLSgQ&t=186 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/H4FysSXLSgQ| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Arctic Monkeys – Arabella & War Pigs (Black Sabbath) @ Austin City Limits 2013|first=Aldo|last=Vásquez|date=30 May 2014|access-date=9 April 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In more recent times, when performing a live rendition of Arabella, the Arctic Monkeys often end the live performance of the song with a tease of the songs riff.

''War Pigs'' was featured in the credits of the 2014 film ''[[300: Rise of an Empire]]'', a sequel to the 2007 film ''[[300 (film)|300]]''.

''War Pigs'' was one of the 40 songs featured in the Music Monday series of the [[Newseum]], and thus part of the ''Reporting Vietnam'' exhibit as a major musical reflection of the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newseum.org/2015/11/30/vietnam-music-monday-war-pigs/|title=Vietnam Music Monday: "War Pigs"|date=30 November 2015|publisher=Newseum|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1rcuJswnpVVQpQFQVElmD5|title=Reporting Vietnam@NewseumDC|date=30 November 2015|publisher=[[Spotify]]|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref>

[[WWE]] has used the song for their [[NXT TakeOver: WarGames]] events, as well as their [[Survivor Series WarGames]] event since the 2022 edition.

Several of the [[University of Arkansas]]' sports teams, known as the [[Arkansas Razorbacks|Razorbacks]] (a term for [[feral pig]]s, which are known for their ferocity), use ''War Pigs'' as their run-out/tunnel walk music. The song is also part of the regular repertoire of the [[University of Arkansas Razorback Marching Band|Razorback Marching Band]].

In 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked the song number five on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2023-03-13 |title=The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Judas Priest]] has used ''War Pigs'' as their walk on music since late 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/judas-priest-6bd6bafa.html|title=Judas Priest Concert Setlists & Tour Dates|publisher=[[setlist.fm]]|access-date=10 October 2024}}</ref> On July 2nd, 2025, Judas Priest released a cover of ''War Pigs'' on their official YouTube channel.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Ap8L6B_mA |title=Judas Priest - Black Sabbath 'War Pigs' homage |date=2025-07-02 |last=Judas Priest |access-date=2025-07-02 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Black Sabbath also posted the video to their official YouTube channel.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB6jbWoGtlA |title=Judas Priest - War Pigs |date=2025-07-02 |last=Black Sabbath |access-date=2025-07-02 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Personnel==
[[File:Sabs.jpg|thumb|Black Sabbath in 1970. From left to right: Butler, Iommi, Ward, Osbourne.]]
* [[Ozzy Osbourne]] – vocals
* [[Tony Iommi]] – guitars
* [[Geezer Butler]] – bass
* [[Bill Ward (musician)|Bill Ward]] – drums

== Covers ==
[[Faith No More]] released a cover of the song on their 1989 album [[The Real Thing (Faith No More album)|''The Real Thing'']] (non-vinyl bonus number). On 9 November 1990, Ozzy Osbourne performed the song together with Faith No More and [[James Hetfield]] of [[Metallica]] on guitar at the [[Hollywood Palladium]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osbourne |first=Ozzy |date=1 February 2019 |title=OZZY OSBOURNE "War Pigs" with Faith No More (Live Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhiByvCy7BE |website=YouTube}}</ref> The song was also covered by different other artists.<ref name="WS">{{cite web|url= https://www.whosampled.com/Black-Sabbath/War-Pigs/covered/|title=Covers of War Pigs by Black Sabbath|work=[[WhoSampled]]|access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

[[T-Pain]] covered the song on his 2023 album ''[[On Top of the Covers]]''. [[Geezer Butler]] approved of the song and Ozzy Osbourne described it as "the best cover of 'War Pigs' ever".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kennelty |first=Greg |date=11 January 2024 |title=OZZY Finally Heard T-PAIN's "War Pigs" Cover: "Why Didn't You Guys Call Me?" |url=https://metalinjection.net/news/ozzy-finally-heard-t-pains-war-pigs-cover-why-didnt-you-guys-call-me |website=Metal Injection}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 January 2023 |title=OZZY OSBOURNE T-PAIN'S 'WAR PIGS' COVER IS BEST I EVER HEARD!!! |url=https://www.tmz.com/2024/01/11/t-pain-ozzy-osbourne-war-pigs-cover-best/ |website=TMZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Enis |first=Eli |date=20 March 2023 |title=BLACK SABBATH'S GEEZER BUTLER approves of T-PAIN's "War Pigs" cover |url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/black-sabbaths-geezer-butler-approves-t-pains-war-pigs-cover |website=Revolver}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kennelty |first=Greg |date=20 March 2023 |title=T-PAIN Covers BLACK SABBATH, GEEZER BUTLER Approves |url=https://metalinjection.net/new-music/t-pain-covers-black-sabbath-geezer-butler-approves |website=Metal Injection}}</ref>

Ethiopian band uKanDanZ released a cover of the song on their 2025 album ''Evil Plan'' with the lyrics sung in the [[Amharic]] language.<ref>{{Cite web | last=Dorn | first=Lori |date=25 April 2025 | title=A Brash Badass Cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ Sung in Amharic With the Sax Subbing for Guitar | url=https://laughingsquid.com/amharic-war-pigs-sax-guitar/ | website=Laughing Squid}}</ref>

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2014–2025 weekly chart performance for "War Pigs"
! scope="col"| Chart (2014–2025)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
|-
{{single chart|Billboardglobal200|190|artist=Black Sabbath|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2025}}
|-
! scope="row"| Sweden Heatseeker ([[Sverigetopplistan]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215/?dspy=2025&dspp=31|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 31, 2025|publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]]|access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>
| 16
|-
{{single chart|UK|47|date=20250801|rowheader=true|access-date=2 August 2025}}
|-
{{single chart|UKindie|11|date=20250801|rowheader=true|access-date=1 August 2025}}
|-
{{single chart|UKrock|4|date=20140329|rowheader=true|access-date=26 July 2025}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|15|artist=Black Sabbath|rowheader=true|access-date=5 August 2025}}
|}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "War Pigs"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Black Sabbath|title=War Pigs|award=Platinum|relyear=1970|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=10 January 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Black Sabbath|title=War Pigs|award=Gold|relyear=2005|certyear=2025|id=18045-1046-1|access-date=8 August 2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

==See also==
*[[List of anti-war songs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Black-Sabbath/War-Pigs Lyrics] on [[Musixmatch]]

{{Black Sabbath}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1970 songs]]
[[Category:Anti-Vietnam War songs]]
[[Category:Black Sabbath songs]]
[[Category:Faith No More songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Ozzy Osbourne]]
[[Category:Songs written by Tony Iommi]]
[[Category:Songs written by Geezer Butler]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bill Ward (musician)]]
[[Category:Vertigo Records singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Rodger Bain]]
[[Category:Anti-war songs]]
[[Category:Stoner rock songs]]
[[Category:British protest songs]]