War Pigs
Updated: 12/11/2025, 2:07:11 PM Wikipedia source
"War Pigs" is an anti-war protest song by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It is the opening track from the band's second studio album, Paranoid (released in 1970).
Infobox
Released
18 September 1970 (1970-09-18)
Recorded
1970
Genre
Heavy metal stoner rock
Length
7:57
Label
Vertigo
Songwriter
Tony Iommi · Ozzy Osbourne · Geezer Butler · Bill Ward
Producer
Rodger Bain
Tables
2014–2025 weekly chart performance for "War Pigs" · Charts
Global 200 (Billboard)
Global 200 (Billboard)
Chart (2014–2025)
Global 200 (Billboard)
Peak position
190
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)
Chart (2014–2025)
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)
Peak position
16
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2014–2025)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peak position
47
UK Indie (OCC)
UK Indie (OCC)
Chart (2014–2025)
UK Indie (OCC)
Peak position
11
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)
Chart (2014–2025)
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)
Peak position
4
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)
Chart (2014–2025)
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)
Peak position
15
| Chart (2014–2025) | Peak position |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 190 |
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan) | 16 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 47 |
| UK Indie (OCC) | 11 |
| UK Rock & Metal (OCC) | 4 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) | 15 |
Certifications for "War Pigs" · Certifications
New Zealand (RMNZ)
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Region
New Zealand (RMNZ)
Certification
Platinum
Certified units/sales
30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
400,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- "Black Sabbath - War Pigs"https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=War+Pigs&cat=s
- Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering Realityhttps://books.google.com/books?id=Ek-yzX-jcU0C&pg=PT202
- Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pophttps://books.google.com/books?id=9emZAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7
- Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbathhttps://archive.org/details/ironmanmyjourney00iomm_0
- Reunion
- "Black Sabbath Bassist Geezer Butler Gets 'Paranoid'"http://www.noisecreep.com/2010/07/30/black-sabbath-bassist-geezer-butler-gets-paranoid/
- "Geezer Butler Discusses Veganism, Religion, Politics, Surveillance, and Life Lessons"https://web.archive.org/web/20190314044504/https://www.bryanreesman.com/2014/03/27/geezer-butler-discusses-veganism-religion-politics-surveillance-and-life-lessons/
- Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose: An Illustrated History
- The Ozzman Cometh liner notes, Epic Records, 11 November 1997.
- Black Sabbath: Doom Let Loose: An Illustrated History
- Diary of a Madman: Ozzy Osbourne: The Stories Behind the Songs
- As noted on the labels of early North American Warner Bros. Records pressings of Paranoid, (catalog no. WS 1887), releas
- Boris Schlatter: Ozzy Osbourne: In Zürich feilte Black Sabbath am Urknall des Hardrock [1] In: swissinfo.ch. 24 July 202https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/kultur/ozzy-osbourne-im-hirschen-z%C3%BCrich-feilte-black-sabbath-am-urknall-des-hardrock/89727416
- Billboardhttps://books.google.com/books?id=NQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Black+Sabbath+War+Pigs+jam&pg=PA14
- Guitar Worldhttp://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_51100?page=0%2C0
- "Allmusic (((Paranoid > Overview)))"https://www.allmusic.com/album/paranoid-mw0000600570
- Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres
- Kerranghttps://www.kerrang.com/the-20-greatest-black-sabbath-songs-ranked
- Louder Soundhttps://web.archive.org/web/20220328161454/https://www.loudersound.com/features/black-sabbath-40-greatest-songs/2
- Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch
- The Irish Timeshttp://www.irishtimes.com/news/delivering-a-radical-broadside-1.1115256
- "Arctic Monkeys – Arabella & War Pigs (Black Sabbath) @ Austin City Limits 2013"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4FysSXLSgQ&t=186
- "Vietnam Music Monday: "War Pigs""https://www.newseum.org/2015/11/30/vietnam-music-monday-war-pigs/
- "Reporting Vietnam@NewseumDC"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1rcuJswnpVVQpQFQVElmD5
- Rolling Stonehttps://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/
- "Judas Priest Concert Setlists & Tour Dates"https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/judas-priest-6bd6bafa.html
- Judas Priest - Black Sabbath 'War Pigs' homagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Ap8L6B_mA
- Judas Priest - War Pigshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB6jbWoGtlA
- YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhiByvCy7BE
- WhoSampledhttps://www.whosampled.com/Black-Sabbath/War-Pigs/covered/
- Metal Injectionhttps://metalinjection.net/news/ozzy-finally-heard-t-pains-war-pigs-cover-why-didnt-you-guys-call-me
- TMZhttps://www.tmz.com/2024/01/11/t-pain-ozzy-osbourne-war-pigs-cover-best/
- Revolverhttps://www.revolvermag.com/music/black-sabbaths-geezer-butler-approves-t-pains-war-pigs-cover
- Metal Injectionhttps://metalinjection.net/new-music/t-pain-covers-black-sabbath-geezer-butler-approves
- Laughing Squidhttps://laughingsquid.com/amharic-war-pigs-sax-guitar/
- "Black Sabbath Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Black-Sabbath/chart-history/GLO
- "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 31, 2025"https://sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215/?dspy=2025&dspp=31
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2025.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20250801/7501/
- "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2025.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-singles-chart/20250801/130/
- "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 July 2025.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-singles-chart/20140329/111/
- "Black Sabbath Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2025.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Black-Sabbath/chart-history/ARK
- "New Zealand single certifications – Black Sabbath – War Pigs"https://www.radioscope.co.nz/2024/00/00/single-cert-search/
- "British single certifications – Black Sabbath – War Pigs"https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/18045-1046-1