Legendary Rock Songs: HOLY DIVER: DIO.
Theme:HOLY DIVER.
Disc:Holy Diver.
Year:1983.
After playing with Rainbow and Black Sabbath, the little vocalist Ronnie James Dio decided to prove that he had enough talent to not have to be a sideman or second fiddle to any renowned guitarist and that he could lead his own band more than enough.
“Holy Diver”, the debut album of the band baptized with his surname, was good proof of this, his prodigious voice was again at the service of classic heavy metal and the result was spectacular. A very young Vivian Campbell stood out as a magnificent discovery on guitar, not to mention the rhythmic base, composed of two great names, Jimmy Bain (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums).
Dio had always liked to resort to fantastic and mythological themes in his lyrics, but for his new stage he decided to ally himself with “the evil one”. The controversial cover of the album showed the Devil himself, whip-wielding a chain at the end of which he was imprisoned in a priest who, in his attempt to save himself from his enemy, was drowning in turbulent waters while looking terrified at the shining black eyes of the capturing beast and the diabolical gesture of the horns (so characteristic of the heavy audience) that he was putting with his left hand.
It was the perfect illustration for the title of the album (something like “the holy diver”) and the theme of the same name, which talked about Satan's descent to hell. After opening fire with the explosive “Stand Up And Shout” (is there a better way to start an album?), “Holy Diver” put the mystic and epic point after a mysterious intro with an outrageously effective and rhythmic riff and a Dio in a state of grace.
There is a curious version of the song by the crooner Pat Boone, a guy who in the 50's was in charge of recording “light” versions of rock hits trying to placate his perverse influence on the youth, and who in 1997 was unveiled with a great album of metal versions called “In A Metal Mood. No More Mister Nice Guy”.
“Holy Diver” was one of the songs that came out best in Boone's interpretation, which is paradoxical, a singer who for years was a model example of morality and good manners singing to the Devil! To make up for it, at the end of the song he recited a biblical psalm... Dio himself did not hesitate to participate in his own version, because the idea of Boone recording it and being able to sing with him seemed delirious to him. It was not for less.
My people I hope you like this report and thank you very much for reading me, in this editorial I could not put the photo of the page of the magazine because it is very damaged, as these reports are very classic, and are not available anywhere, but I leave you the edition with several images of the artist. I hope you enjoy this song that is one of the most legendary of rock and especially of this gentleman, which was the one who created that sign or symbol that everyone knows with making the horns with his hands, symbol of rock. A thousand blessings to all.
