7 Times A Song’s Album Version Wasn’t The Best One

7. Black Sabbath- War Pigs

Superior Version: 1970 Basement Tape.

Starting off Black Sabbath’s sophomore release, Paranoid, War Pigs is an anti-war song inspired by the ubiquity of the Vietnam War. On the album version, all-too-common sentiments are expressed, demonizing generals and painting politicians as warmongering cowards.

However, the version of War Pigs found on the The Ozzman Cometh compilation is more in line with the original intentions of the song.

Originally titled Walpurgis, the lyrics find loose association with that of the annual witches' congregation and are far cries from the rally shouts that replaced them. Furthermore, the contrast in Ozzy Osbourne’s singing style is stark.

In the transition from the eponymous debut to Paranoid, Ozzy’s style shifted from being a lower register, less nasal and more withdrawn to what we know him for today, which admittedly worked well for what they accomplished from Paranoid to Sabotage.

The icing on the cake is the production value, as a more raw production value often gives a song greater weight and charm. Being a track subtitled “1970 Basement Tape,” this version of War Pigs is exactly what it needs to be: crisp enough to allow each member their rightful place in the mix and yet, muddy enough to harness their signature sound.