We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll explained

We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll
Type:compilation
Artist:Black Sabbath
Cover:Black Sabbath We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll.jpg
Released:January 1976
Recorded:1969–1975
Genre:Heavy metal
Length:73:52
Label:Warner Bros. (US/Canada)
Vertigo/Nems (Europe)
Producer:Rodger Bain, Mike Butcher, Patrick Meehan, Black Sabbath
Chronology:Black Sabbath compilations
Next Title:The Collection
Next Year: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

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. 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.

Reception

It was certified Silver in the UK by the BPI on 1 October 1976.[2] 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.[3]

Track listing

[4] [5]

Personnel

Release history

RegionDateLabel
United KingdomJanuary 1976NEMS
United States3 February 1976Warner Bros. Records
Canada1976Warner Bros. Records
United Kingdom1996Castle Communications
United Kingdom2004Sanctuary Records

External links

Notes and References

  1. 10 January 1976. January LP Guide. Music Week. 20. 25 October 2022.
  2. Web site: BPI certified awards. https://web.archive.org/web/20090328230616/http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=21460. dead. 28 March 2009. 8 February 2009.
  3. Web site: RIAA Gold & Platinum Database. 8 February 2009.
  4. Web site: Black Sabbath Official Discography . blacksabbath.com . 18 August 2020.
  5. Web site: We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'n' Roll Review - Allmusic . AllMusic . 18 August 2020.