The Very First Metal Song

[Stevens Lindros]

Originally Posted by srehm1

Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath (lyrics in description) 1970 - YouTube

Seconded.

[Broons66]

Most of all the examples above predate even the name "heavy metal". I believe it was Lester Bangs,a rock writer in the 70's,who first used the term "heavy metal" to describe music by Black Sabbath,Led Zeppelin,Deep Purple,etc. in like '71. Ive always considered Sabbath to be the grand daddys of metal.

[flyersvikes]

Originally Posted by Broons66

Most of all the examples above predate even the name "heavy metal". I believe it was Lester Bangs,a rock writer in the 70's,who first used the term "heavy metal" to describe music by Black Sabbath,Led Zeppelin,Deep Purple,etc. in like '71. Ive always considered Sabbath to be the grand daddys of metal.

He wasn't the first to use the term, from wikipedia for what it's worth.

The first documented use of the phrase to describe a type of rock music identified to date appears in a review by Barry Gifford. In the May 11, 1968, issue of Rolling Stone, he wrote about the album A Long Time Comin' by U.S. band Electric Flag: "Nobody who's been listening to Mike Bloomfield—either talking or playing—in the last few years could have expected this. This is the new soul music, the synthesis of white blues and heavy metal rock."[57] In January 1970 Lucian K. Truscott IV reviewing Led Zeppelin II for the Village Voice described the sound as "heavy" and made comparisons with Blue Cheer and Vanilla Fudge.[58] Other early documented uses of the phrase are from reviews by critic Mike Saunders. In the November 12, 1970, issue of Rolling Stone, he commented on an album put out the previous year by the British band Humble Pie: "Safe as Yesterday Is, their first American release, proved that Humble Pie could be boring in lots of different ways. Here they were a noisy, unmelodic, heavy metal-leaden ****-rock band with the loud and noisy parts beyond doubt. There were a couple of nice songs...and one monumental pile of refuse." He described the band's latest, self-titled release as "more of the same 27th-rate heavy metal crap.

[KiddYidd]

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/90810

Thought their were some interesting answers in this thread, agreeing with some of the answers in here but also going into deeper detail.

[BobNystromOwnsU]

The first "heavy metal riffing" was in that song by Dick Dale i posted. It may not have been metal, but it's the first time you hear what would be come metal riffs.

[flyersvikes]

Originally Posted by KiddYidd

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/90810

Thought their were some interesting answers in this thread, agreeing with some of the answers in here but also going into deeper detail.

Good stuff although Born to be Wild "heavy metal thunder" I believe was about motorcycles, and Blue Cheers cover of Summertime Blues was of Eddie Cochran's song, not the Who.

[smashem]

Originally Posted by flyersvikes

I was just out back listening to some Outlaws doing Green Grass at High Tides, I try and stay away from labels although they do help when discussing music. I even saw Black Oak back in 74', they were fun, they had a red headed chick that was built.

Saw the Outlaws a couple times good stuff, I used to go to the old Cape Cod Colisuem in Yarmouth,Ma. They used to let everyone in with beers, of course they would pat you down and say go ahead. Better place to see a concert then the old garden, great party's in the parking lot also. Vince Mcmahon owned it, then closed it to make warehouses out of it. Miss that place.

[ewen21]

I'd say maybe the MC5 of Blue Cheer can claim it but really the grandfather of REAL metal is Tony Iommi and his riffs.

Some gems like this aren't metal but you can see that the sonic nature of this song has all the traits of metal or punk.

MC5 - I Can Only Give You Everything -...