Neon Knights

"Neon Knights"
Single by Black Sabbath
from the album Heaven and Hell
B-side	Children of the Sea (live)
Released	July, 1980
Format	7"
Recorded	Studio Ferber, Paris, France
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	3:49
Label	Vertigo/Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward
Producer	Martin Birch
Black Sabbath singles chronology
"A Hard Road" (1978) "Neon Knights" (1980) "Die Young" (1980)
Heaven and Hell track listing "Neon Knights" (1) "Children of the Sea"" (2) Audio sample file info · help

"Neon Knights" is a song by heavy metal band Black Sabbath from their 1980 album, Heaven and Hell. It is the opening track on Heaven and Hell, Black Sabbath's first album with American vocalist Ronnie James Dio.

The lyrics were written by Dio. The song was the last on the album to be written, and is the only song on the album to definitely feature input from bassist Geezer Butler, (the band's main lyricist during the Ozzy Osbourne era), who was absent for most of the songwriting process on the album due to his own uncertainty as to whether he wanted to remain in the band.

The song was a constant live during the Dio-years, (opening after E5I50) and was performed often by many of the band's following vocalists. Heaven & Hell used the song as an encore.

Track listing

7" single (Vertigo #6837 640)

1. "Neon Knights" - 3:49
2. "Walk Away" - 4:21

7" single (Vertigo #SAB 3)

1. "Neon Knights" - 3:49
2. "Children of the Sea" (live) - 6:30

Personnel

• Ronnie James Dio - vocals
• Tony Iommi - guitar
• Geezer Butler - bass
• Bill Ward - drums
• Geoff Nicholls - keyboards

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1980	UK Singles Chart	22[1]

Covers

• Iron Savior covered the song on their 1999 album Unification.
• Steel Prophet covered the song on their 2000 album Genesis.
• Turbo covered the song on their 2001 album Awatar.
• Westworld covered the song on their 2002 album Cyberdreams.
• Queensrÿche covered the song on their 2007 album Take Cover.
• Sapattivuosi covered the song on their 2009 album Ihmisen merkki.
• Warrior covered the song in 2010 for the tribute album "Neon Knights - A Tribute to Black Sabbath.^[2]
• Dio occasionally performed the song during their live shows.
• RMISERY frequently covered the song live.

References

1. ^ "Hits of the World: Britain". Billboard 92 (32): 64. 9 August 1980. ISSN 0006-2510. http://books.google.com/books?id=eyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA16&dq=%22neon+knights%22&lr=&as_brr=3&cd=24#v=onepage&q=%22neon%20knights%22&f=false. Retrieved 18 February 2010. 
2. ^ "Warrior's Cover Of Black Sabbath Classic Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 17 February 2010. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=135273. Retrieved 18 February 2010.