“The world is full of Kings and QueensWho blind your eyes and steal your dreams”The song, written by Ronnie James Dio, deals with the ambiguity of life and how nothing is ever black and white. According to Dio, the song is targeted at people (often the very religious) who force others to think that certain things are good or evil, and that there is only one way to be morally right. The song deals with the duality of life and the human experience, saying that life can be for good or bad, how you live it is up to you. The song is about living your life by your own rules, and trusting your own judgement of good and evil. 
Black Sabbath is widely considered the first heavy metal band, revolutionizing music with a brand new sound that we still hear and marvel at today. One of their most famous songs, Heaven and Hell, was released in 1980 and is perhaps the most popular song they released while fronted by the incredibly talented Dio.
To me, this song has always been captivating, both lyrically and musically. The voice of Ronnie James Dio is perhaps one of the most iconic and expressive voices in music. The constant bouncy bassline in the background, a staple of Black Sabbath, adds a dancy groove while keeping the song very introspective and thought provoking. Lyrically, this song has always been one of my favourites. I like the way the song portrays life and acknowledges that the world we live in isn’t black and white. I also enjoy Dio’s way of writing lyrics. He always aims to be poetic, painting a picture with his words and always making the song dramatic and as epic as he possibly can. 
Whenever I hear this song, I am always challenged to consider the many sides of the human experience and the vast number of perspectives that exist. It reminds me that life doesn’t always make sense, and that we can’t always judge things in a dichotomous way. 
As Gandalf said: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”.

Listen to the track here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tO2OPZSqk8

Submitted by Prashant Srinivasan Sarkar

Heaven And Hell

Sing me a song, you’re a singer
Do me a wrong, you’re a bringer of evil
The Devil is never a maker
The less that you give, you’re a taker
So it’s on and on and on, it’s Heaven and Hell, oh well
The lover of life’s not a sinner
The ending is just a beginner
The closer you get to the meaning
the sooner you’ll know that you’re dreaming
So it’s on and on and on, oh it’s on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, Heaven and Hell
I can tell, fool, fool!
Well if it seems to be real, it’s illusion
For every moment of truth, there’s confusion in life
Love can be seen as the answer, but nobody bleeds for the dancer
And it’s on and on, on and on and on….
They say that life’s a carousel
Spinning fast, you’ve got to ride it well
The world is full of Kings and Queens
Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams
It’s Heaven and Hell, oh well
And they’ll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It’s Heaven and Hell, oh no!
Fool, fool!
You’ve got to bleed for the dancer!
Fool, fool!
Look for the answer!
Fool, fool, fool!