[ Album lyrics | Tour dates ]

[ View my 20th anniversary look back at the Eternal Idol album ]

• Music/Lyrics by Tony Iommi

Other Credits

• Tony Iommi - Lead Guitar
• Tony Martin - Vocals
• Dave Spitz & Bob Daisley - Bass (Both are credited, but only Daisley is on the album)
• Eric Singer - Drums (Eric plays all the drums)
• Bev Bevan - Percussion (It's unknown what Bev actually did)
• Geoff Nicholls - Keyboards
• Produced by Jeff Glixman, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, & Chris Tsangerides
• Recorded at Air Studios, Montserrat & Battery Studios, London
• Mixed by Chris Tsangerides  

Catalogue Numbers

• LP Warner Bros 25548-1 (USA 1987)
• MC Vertigo 832 708-4 (1987)
• CD Warner Bros 25548-2 (USA 1987)
• CD Essential/Castle ESMCD336 (UK - Apr 1996) - Remastered
• CD Sanctuary SMRCD077 (UK 2004)

• The cover art for the album is based off of a statue created by sculptor Auguste Rodin in 1889.  Here's a few links with pictures and info about it: Rodin 1, Rodin 2, Rodin 3,
• There is a music video for The Shining. The video for has Terry Chimes on drums, but there is a total unknown playing bass. This person on bass in the video is not on any album or tour, he was just there for filming that day only; having literally been plucked off the street for the shoot.
• Black Moon was later re-recorded for the Headless Cross album.
• Ray Gillen (vocals) recorded this album and left the band before release - Tony Martin came in and re-recorded all the vocals. There are a couple of versions with Ray Gillen floating around the collector's circles.
• According to Tony Martin, one piece of Ray Gillen's version of this album made it to the finished product. That being some laughter on the track "Nightmare". Listen closely to that track, it's Ray laughing.
• For the Eternal Idol Tour, neither Eric Singer nor Bev Bevan played live. For this tour, Terry Chimes played drums.
• For the Eternal Idol Tour, neither Bob Daisley nor Dave Spitz played live. For this tour, Jo Burt played bass.
• The liner notes that accompany this album are missing the lyrics to the first two verses of The Shining. Even on the remaster.
• This part of the band's history is extremely confusing.  Go check out this page for further details.

There's no end - there's no beginning
To the old man's story
Does he still remember me 
From lives gone by
Oh I see his spirit rising
Upon the back of time
I've got nowhere to hide
Will he keep a place for me

He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light
He holds eternity's wings

In his eyes an ocean's burning
Swollen seas of tears
Troubled mind the beating
War drums in his ears
No one ever hears his warning
Am I the one he calls
When they tell me they're afraid
Some say I'll be put away

He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light
He holds eternity's wings
My blood will spill my blood

My blood will spill my blood

In the wisdom of the prophet's
Never ending tale
Open up the eyes
Within your mind, he says
Crowned in his ancient glory
There's a king within us all
Some will say it's all in vain
That he doesn't have a name

He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light 
He holds eternity's wings

Livin' in the fast lane is easy
Till you run out of road
Friends will turn to strangers
When you're out of control
A slip of the tongue when
It's done, is often hard to
See it thru
So never let your words be lies
Or they'll come looking for you

It's a hard life to love

For the price of glory you left
And threw your fortunes away
Never really cared too much for
The job or the pay

You're standing in the rain with
No cover but you never complain
You're an angry young man face to
Face but your mirrors insane
It's a hard life to love

I'm simply refusing a part in your world
And I see how it burns
See how it burns
And you're simply denying the fact
That you're blind and I see no more
I see red - I only see red

Think of all the times I was
Hurting but you felt no pain
Think of all the lies you told me
Again and again
And still you see the truth
From those who continue to lie
And now you're seeking life
From those who are living to die
It's a hard life to love

I'm simply refusing a part in your world
And I see how it burns
See how it burns
And you're simply denying the fact
That you're blind and I see no more
I see red - I only see red

Livin' in the fast lane ain't easy
When you run out of road
Friends will turn to strangers
When you've nowhere to go
Don't give a damn when you're lost
Cause you'll die from it all
Laws were made to be broken
And you do it for the thrill of it all
It's a hard life to love
It's a hard life to love

Winged with steel they fill the air
The soldiers of fortune will ride
In the sights of the enemy's gun
Those who have taken their oaths tonight
Are well prepared they know they'll
Do or die even if it's suicide

Let's take a chance
As the skies will Burn tonite
Wasted lives and spirits run free
On the wings of no return

Dressed to kill where eagles dare 
The fate of a nation's at hand
Is this the answer to the prayers
Come the dawn, thru the blood
Red skies return with tears
In their eyes, and they
Recall thou shalt not kill

And in the morning
They'll take a hero's bow
And make the ever lasting flight

Hear them calling up above all
Across the skies
Hear them calling up above from
The other side

Here them call!

Let's take a chance
As the skies will burn tonite
Wasted lives and spirits run free
On the wings of no return

Let's take a chance
As the skies will burn tonite
Wasted lives and spirits run free
On the wings of no return

I'll play your game
But if you lose you're gonna have to pay the price
Broken chains, like a prisoner free at last
The fear inside just up and died
Time will tell if i am wrong

It won't be too long
You think I'm chasing shadows In the dark
Well I'm not born to lose
I'm not born to lose

You curse my name, as you turn and walk away, from view
It won't be too long
You don't scare me cos you're
Hard to see and it's time
That you were gone
It won't be too long

You think I'm chasing shadows In the dark 
Well I'm not born to lose

You think I'm chasing shadows In the dark
What you gonna do about it now
What you gonna do about it now

It won't be too long
It won't be too long
It won't be too long

You think I'm chasing shadows In the dark
What you gonna do about it now
What you gonna do about it now

Ain't nothing I can do about it now

Close my eyes starting dreaming
See a vision filled with wings
Head my way
Feel the presence of unknown power
Telling me to come
This is the only way

It's dream within dream
Lost and lonely
Don't get pulled by the devil's hand

Silent screamer filled with fear
As the night time shapes a face
Then disappears
Scared forever into believing
That your mind has met the
Prince of whom you see

It's dream within dream
Lost and lonely
Don't get fooled by the
Devil's hand

It's dream within dream
Fool forever, don't get fooled
Forever
Don't get fooled, be the devil 

In your eyes
The evil spirit rises
Blinded by the dark
You fall into shame
As the reaper takes you
Down the spiral stairway
You share the evil pit
With satan's name

Nightmare it's got me runnin'
Nightmare it's calling you
Nightmare it's got me runnin'
Nightmare it's calling you

It's dream within a dream
Lost and lonely
Don't get fooled, be the devil

It's dream within a dream
Lost forever
Don't get fooled

It's got me running
It's just a nightmare
It's got me running
It's got me running

Instrumental

Lost Forever

All your life you've been slipping and sliding
Trying to find a way
Sun won't shine but now it's your time to pay
There's no turning back as you look
The hangman in the eye

Now hell's just your death away

It's too late to say you care
When there's evil in your stare
You say you're not to blame
In your head voices mocking every prayer

Remember the face you saw
That once was you 
Spirit high there's no way that
You could lose
Give him rope they said
As you look the hangman in the eye
Now around your neck you feel
The noose

In your head voices mocking every prayer
Now you're lost forever

I'm burning with fire it's time to
Leave or get out
I'm burning in fire I can't take
No more so get out
I'm burning with fire the wheels of
Steel will grind you
Burning in fire this time
You're lost forever
Lost forever!

There's an evil in your stare
Lost forever!
And hell's just a breath away
You're lost forever
And there's no way out you burn
With fire it's time to get out
Get out, get out
And there's no way out
Lost forever

No one said it had to be this way
Why are we the victims of their final word

Dying world is killing us so slowly
I believe no god may save us now

Can't you see what I see
Sinners say your prayers tonite
Your judgement day is here

Child tomorrow will die, not even
Born jesus our questions
He never seems to hear
Dying for the answers may be
The price we pay, to find the
Key to our lives
Is there a heaven is there a hell
Who's this god, tell me there's
No god above, why
We chose what lord, deep
Within our souls
He's not one thing
We are his spirit
We could save this world
From destruction day
Can't you see what I see

You and I victims of their word
As the masters of power
Try to poison our world

Greed money taken over
Their souls, you're
Just mechanical brains
Politicians don't know
Just don't know
We can change this world we
Live in, don't let it die

She's young, but lord what a woman she's quick as a brawl at five
She's class, one hell of a woman, she really confused my mind
She's bad, power of the pleasure is far enough ta chase
She's fast, power of the pedal is keeping up the pace

Wise up, she's some kind of woman
Wise up, you can't get away
Wise up, ooh just when you think that its safe

I'm gone, I can't justify when I ain't got some control
So long, I ain't gonna stop 'till I step right off this world
She's gone, I guess I'm the winner of an innocent little time
Don't look, a tap on the shoulder sends a shiver down my spine

Wise up, she's some kind of woman
Wise up, can't get away
Wise up, oh just when you think that its safe (safe) ...
She's back

Cryin', to give all the lovin' but I never was enough
I cried, I prayed up to Heaven but the Lord said, "Boy that's tough."
This smile, only served me to ruin me when I thought I had direction
That walk, how the hell did she do it every move was perfection

Wise up, she's some kind of woman
Wise up, you can't get away
Wise up, ooh just when you think that its safe
Ooh she's back
Ah she's back
Ahh my motors runnin'
It's buzzin'
Ooh she's back
Ah
Ooh she's back
Ooh