Black Blade by Blue Öyster Cult

Album: Cultösaurus Erectus (1980)

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This song details the misadventures of an unfortunate man who has been bound to a particularly evil blade. Its power and hold over him grows as he uses it to kill more and more people, and there is little or nothing he can do about it. >>>
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Ammon - Houston, TX
Blue Öyster Cult guitarist/keyboardist Eric Bloom sang lead on this track. He wrote the song with the science fiction author Michael Moorcock and songwriter John Trivers. The lyric is based on a character in Moorcock's books called Elric of Melniboné, who carries a sword called Stormbringer that feeds off the souls of its victims.

Moorcock, who wrote several lyrics for Hawkwind, also co-wrote the Blue Öyster Cult tracks "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" and "The Great Sun Jester."
In our interview with Eric Bloom, he said that he first contacted Michael Moorcock as a "fanboy," which was harder to do before the Internet. Their communication was mostly by mail, with Moorcock sending the lyrics that Bloom would then adapt into songs.

Comments: 3

Ogre from Wichita, Ks.The last line of the song is as it fades out and is harder to hear, but turn it up and you'll hear it clearly after the laughter as Stormbringer, The Black Blade, says "You poor f--king humans!" Seriously. Many have said that was just an addition by someone digitally later, but it IS ON the original album I bought WAY BACK when it first came out. It's ALWAYS been there, but most DJs cut it off before it gets that far. Listen closely and you will see.
ALSO... Lyric CORRECTION... The line is NOT "My cosmic sword goes on for eternity" If you LISTEN, it says "My Cosmic CYCLES ARE FOR Eternity!"
It is about the Cosmic Champions Moorcock writes about and the fact that it has been existing forever. Always being brought back in many forms. It has taken many forms. In this case a Sword that gives Elric his power and the strength he could never have as a sickly Albino that would not have lived without magic. Elric, the King of Melnibone, is powerful with the cursed intelligent, black sword, Stormbringer, that gives him great strength and magical power but takes the lives and souls of those he cares the most about, as well as his enemies! Souls that are sent to Hell to the Lord Of Chaos. Elric can no longer exist without Stormbringer and therefore is a slave to the evil of it, an agent of Chaos enslaved to it and forced to do the bidding of the sword and Arioch, Lord of Chaos as well.
Michael from Chicago, IlIf you like this song, check out the band HAWKWIND. Moorcock also performed and wrote songs with them; the theme behind this song is related to Moorcock's ELRIC of Melnibone sword and sorcery stories. Even Marvel Comics found a way to interweave this story series into their CONAN comics of the '70's, drawn by English artist Barry Windsor-Smith.
Paul from Rothesay, Nb, CanadaA true BOC classic! Michael Moorcock performed his own version of the song with a band called The Deep Fix. Don't believe it was ever recorded, but would be interesting to hear!

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