Tony Martin Tops

What songs from this era would make it into your top 50 Sabbath list?

Top of the bill for me, big time!   

None. Sorry.

And I like Tony Martin.

I am huge fan of Black Sabbath, I love all eras, but as much as I like Tony Martin I am not sure if I could shoehorn a song of his on a Top 30 list of Black Sabbath tunes.

I'm not sure that Ian Gillan would have a song in my top 30 so I'm pretty sure that Tony Martin won't.

Oh, I'm sure Ian wouldn't, and that's not to say I consider Tony a better singer, just that better songs were written w/him...

"When Death Calls" pretty obviously

Of course that one song I picked was not written w/him, but still...

I could pick more than a few from "Headless Cross", they may not all make my top 30, but they'd be up there...

Well, let us see your top 30.

Eh, that would take some time, and always be subject to change!

"Devil and Daughter"

Ok, I revised it, 30 might be pushing it for TM, although I still think at least the one I posted would crack it, but surely there must be a few for you that would crack the top 50...

Ancient Warrior
When Death Calls
Black Moon
Devil & Daughter
Nightwing
The Gates of Hell/Headless Cross
Hard Life To Love
The Eternal Idol

Nothing from the others would make it for me, some good jams on them, but I consider the first two by far the best...

Honorable mention;

The Shinning
Nightmare
Kill in the Spirit World
Call of the Wild
Anno Mundi
Jerusalem
Sabbath Stones
Heaven in Black
I Witness
Crown of Thorns
Virtual Death
Dying For Love
Cardinal Sin
Get a Grip
Rusty Angels
Sick and Tired
I Won't Cry For You
Loser Get's It All

There are definitely some good songs from the Tony Martin era but I wouldn't put them anywhere near the top of my favorite Black Sabbath.  In fact, I don't consider any of those albums to really be Black Sabbath.  I view them as Tony Iommi solo albums.

Yea, but the first two are "True Sabbath" for me, especially "Headless Cross!"

Out of all the ballads Sabbath ever did, this is easily my favorite!

Eye Witness
Nightwing
Devil & Daughter
The Shining
Headless Cross
Virtual Death
Valhalla

Interesting note about the 'Cross Purposes' album:

"Evil Eye" written by Butler, Iommi, Martin, and Eddie Van Halen (who was not credited, due to restrictions from his record label, Warner Bros. Records).

I did not like "Valhalla" at all, after the cool intro, I was expecting something more epic, like "Sign of the Southern Cross", something like that...

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Interesting note about the 'Cross Purposes' album:

"Evil Eye" written by Butler, Iommi, Martin, and Eddie Van Halen (who was not credited, due to restrictions from his record label, Warner Bros. Records).

Eddie originally planned to make a guest solo appearance on that song but the schedules didn't work out.

If you read NSD, it may very well be Eddie, Geoff Nicholls left that as a mystery...

My favorite Tony Martin era tracks:

Hard Life To Love
Born To Lose
Lost Forever
The Eternal Idol
Devil & Daughter
The Headless Cross
Nightwing
Anno Mundi
The Battle of Tyr/Odin's Court/Valhalla
Psychophobia
The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Can't Get Close Enough To You
Kiss Of Death
Loser Gets It All

Ha, pretty cool!

I saw this tour here, unfortunately is was not at the Blossom Music Center as the schedule indicated, but at a much smaller venue; the Cleveland Agora. Must've been moved due to lack of interest, as this tour was cut short in America, only lasted two weeks. Damn shame, lot of folks missed out on a great show and album!

I saw the Forbidden tour in Seattle with Motorhead opening.