We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll

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We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
Compilation album by
Black Sabbath
ReleasedJanuary 1976
Recorded1969–1975
GenreHeavy metal
Length73:52
LabelNEMS
Warner Bros. (US/Canada)
Vertigo (Europe)
ProducerRodger Bain, Mike Butcher, Patrick Meehan, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath compilations chronology
We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
(1976) 		The Collection
(1992)

We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll is a compilation album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, originally released in January 1976 in the UK[1] and 3 February 1976 in the US.

Album information[edit]

When Black Sabbath signed with NEMS, the label which would release their 1975 album Sabotage in the UK, NEMS acquired the band's back catalogue and wasted little time compiling this release. Authorized without the band's awareness by their previous manager, Patrick Meehan, the band would make no money whatsoever from the release.[citation needed] Although the band had six studio albums to its name at this point, this compilation drew heavily on the first four albums: this would also be a feature of most of the Osbourne-era compilations later released.

The original UK gatefold album, with a matte finish, featured a woman in a coffin holding what looks like a tin foil cross. Additionally, the original record retained Geezer Butler's bass solo before "N.I.B.", but this would be edited from later issues. Some US copies of the LP do not actually include "Wicked World" on the label or on the record itself, though it does appear on the cover. In the UK, "Wicked World" had been only a B-side and was relatively obscure.

Despite the album being an official release, Iommi has been quoted as saying that the first time the band knew of it was when asked to autograph copies which fans presented after concerts.[citation needed]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert Christgau(C)[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

It was certified Silver in the UK by the BPI on 1 October 1976.[5] In the US the RIAA certified the album as Gold on 7 February 1980, Platinum on 13 May 1986 and 2x Multi-Platinum (generally known as 'Double Platinum' outside the offices of the RIAA) on 16 March 2000.[6]

Track listing[edit]

[7][8]

All tracks are written by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, except where noted

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."Black Sabbath" 1970 ~ Black Sabbath6:20
2."The Wizard" 1970 ~ Black Sabbath4:22
3."Warning"
1970 ~ Black Sabbath10:30
Side B
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
4."Paranoid"1970 ~ Paranoid2:45
5."War Pigs"1970 ~ Paranoid7:55
6."Iron Man"1970 ~ Paranoid5:47
7."Wicked World"1970 ~ [Non album B Side single]4:35
Side C
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
8."Tomorrow's Dream"1972 ~ Vol. 43:06
9."Fairies Wear Boots"1970 ~ Paranoid6:07
10."Changes"1972 ~ Vol. 44:41
11."Sweet Leaf"1971 ~ Master of Reality5:02
12."Children of the Grave"1971 ~ Master of Reality5:15
Side D
No.TitleOriginal releaseLength
13."Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"1973 ~ Sabbath Bloody Sabbath5:43
14."Am I Going Insane (Radio)"1975 ~ Sabotage4:20
15."Laguna Sunrise"1972 ~ Vol. 42:49
16."Snowblind"1972 ~ Vol. 45:25
17."N.I.B."1970 ~ Black Sabbath5:51

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] 40
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[10] 21
UK Albums (OCC)[11] 35
US Billboard 200[12] 48
Chart (1998-1999) Peak
position
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[13] 33
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[14] 15

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Gold 100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[16] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Label
United Kingdom January 1976 NEMS
United States 3 February 1976 Warner Bros. Records
Canada 1976 Warner Bros. Records
United Kingdom 1996 Castle Communications
United Kingdom 2004 Sanctuary Records

References[edit]

  1. ^ "January LP Guide" (PDF). Music Week. 10 January 1976. p. 20. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  2. ^ AllMusic Review
  3. ^ Robert Christgau Review
  4. ^ "Rolling Stone Album Guide". Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  5. ^ "BPI certified awards". Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  6. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum Database". Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  7. ^ "Black Sabbath Official Discography". blacksabbath.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  8. ^ "We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'n' Roll Review - Allmusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4121a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  11. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  12. ^ "Black Sabbath Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  13. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "British album certifications – Black Sabbath – We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  16. ^ "American album certifications – Black Sabbath – We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links[edit]

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