Music of the Day, 9 April 2025

we all are

I went to bed last night fully expecting to reprise the theme for last year’s MotD on this date—I even had a song selected to mark my favorite mathematician–musician’s¹ 97th birthday.

This morning, the radio station in my mind had other ideas. Some idle thoughts too early in the morning put what might be a legendary metal band’s most atypical song in my mind, and it has rebuffed all efforts to dislodge it.

“Changes” is from Black Sabbath’s fourth studio album, Vol. 4.² Guitarist Tony Iommi composed the piano melody, and bassist Geezer Butler wrote the lyrics, which were inspired by drummer Bill Ward’s breakup with his first wife. They and singer Ozzy Osbourne perform on the song: Iommi played the piano and Mellotron;³ and Butler played bass and Mellotron.

I don’t remember the first time I heard Vol. 4 and discovered this track; it’s quite likely that it was just a couple of decades ago, likely courtesy of one of my stepkids who’s also a big prog- and metal-head. I’m sure it caught my attention for several reasons, because I don’t remember a thing about any other piece on the album.

It feels like the entire modern world is going through loads of changes. That and my own personal issues led to the chorus echoing in my head this morning. I’d forgotten how churchy the music is; for me it’s the right touch of melancholy to back the lyrics beautifully. A most unusual Black Sabbath track, but one of my favorites.

1. I know: I wrote it the other way around last year… I think he’d prefer them in this order though

2. This isn’t the place to get in to the making of the album, but for those who don’t know, the amount of drugs that fueled it is terrifying

3. no strings on this piece; that’s all Mellotron