Lonely Is The Word Black Sabbath

Lonely Is The Word Album: Heaven and Hell (1980)
by Black SabbathShow more

Nicholls was originally brought in as a second guitarist when Black Sabbath doubted whether they would even continue under that name. Nicholls then switched to bass when Geezer Butler left briefly, and then became the band's keyboardist upon Butler's return and the decision to keep the Sabbath name. Nicholls' first appearance on a Black Sabbath album was on Heaven and Hell (1980), and he was credited as keyboardist on every Sabbath release from that time until 13 (2013), although he was not an official member until 1986. He remained an official member until 1991, then regained member status from 1993 to 1996. He was an unofficial member once again since the reunion with Ozzy Osbourne in 1997. Although his main role with Sabbath was on the keyboard, Nicholls also played some rhythm guitar on the reunion tours, e.g., during Iommi's solo in "Snowblind" and a few tracks during the Headless Cross (1989) and Forbidden (1995) tours.

Nicholls' touring involvement with the band ended when Adam Wakeman (a member of Ozzy Osbourne's solo band) was chosen to play keyboards during Sabbath's 2004 and 2005 tours as part of Ozzfest, and Scott Warren (Dio) handled keyboard duties on the 2007 Heaven & Hell tour.

Until his death, Nicholls played keyboards with former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin, in his band Tony Martin's Headless Cross. Nicholls has performed on Martin's first two solo albums Back Where I Belong and Scream, and their support tours.

Geoff Nicholls died from lung cancer on 28 January 2017, aged 72, surrounded by his family. "Geoff was a real true friend and supported me all the way for nearly forty years," said Tony Iommi. "I will miss him dearly and he will live in my heart until we meet again."

This heavy blues-metal song has a lyric from Ronnie James Dio, who joined Black Sabbath in 1979, replacing Ozzy Osbourne. It's a very sad and lonely song, with Dio hinting at death with lines like:

I'm leaving very soon
On the way we pass so close
To the back side of the moon

It ends on a despondent note:

Maybe life's a losing game

These kind of morose lyrics aren't common in heavy metal but are often heard in blues and country.
Many Sabbath fans cite Tony Iommi's guitar solo on this track as one of his best, and Iommi agrees. He said in a Songfacts interview: "I enjoyed that guitar solo because it was a different mood and was more bluesy, which is my background, really."

When composing the song, Iommi hit on the riff and Dio came up with the vocal melody. Dio played an instrument (bass) and was more musical than Ozzy, which allowed him to be a bigger part of the songwriting process with Sabbath.

It's a long way to nowhere
And I'm leaving very soon
On the way we pass so close
To the back side of the moon
Hey join the traveler if you got nowhere to go
Hang your head and take my hand
It's the only road I know
Oh, lonely is the word, yeah yeah yeah

I've been higher than stardust
I've been seen upon the sun
I used to count in millions then
But now I only count in one
Come on, join the traveler
If you got nowhere to go
Hang your head and take my hand
It's the only road I know
Yeah, lonely is the word
Got to be the saddest song I ever heard

Yeah, lonely is the name
Maybe life's a losing game