[Review] Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Black Sabbath (2010)
Muzak for budding metalheads, or sweet dreams behind the wall of sleep.
Kronomyth Z.z: Parentanoid.
A bowdlerized Black Sabbath for babies is someone’s idea of a joke, I’m sure, but I wasn’t amused. If you’ve encountered any of the other Rockabye Baby releases, you’ll know what to expect: woodland noises, bells and vibraphones mushing once-mighty riffs into bland pulp. I’ve heard the U2 disc and it’s pretty unbearable. This Sabbath disc is slightly more bearable because some of the songs (“Iron Man,” “Changes,” “Sweet Leaf,” “Heaven and Hell”) translate better as light classical music. Of course, the absence of “Fluff” or “Orchid” is a missed opportunity, especially considering what did make the cut (“Wicked World,” “Children of the Grave”). But there’s something perverse about playing Black Sabbath music to your baby. Your children will grow up one day and discover music for themselves. If they should appreciate Black Sabbath at some later date, I can assure you it won’t be because you played a heavy metal muzak version of “Electric Funeral” for them a few times. I get that it’s supposed to be a gag gift for that cool couple who just had a baby, but you wouldn’t buy a child an Exorcist coloring book, would you? (Maybe you would, I don’t know.) Responsible parenting aside, this edition of the Rockabye Baby franchise is something of a yawn. It’s a cute idea for the first five minutes, but the cuteness wears off after a few songs and you’ll be left wondering if you shouldn’t just wait until they’re older and play them Paranoid instead.
The Songs
A1. Iron Man
A2. N.I.B.
A3. War Pigs
A4. Paranoid
A5. Sweet Leaf
A6. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
A7. Wicked World
A8. Fairies Wear Boots
A9. Children of the Grave
A10. Electric Funeral
A11. Heaven and Hell (Tony Iommi/Bill Ward/Geezer Butler/Ronnie James Dio)
A12. Planet Caravan
All songs written by Iommi/Ward/Butler/Osbourne unless noted.
The Players
Jeffrey Miner (performer). Produced by Jeffrey Miner; executive producer: Lisa Roth.
The Pictures
Art direction and design by Argee Geronca.
The Plastic
Released on compact disc on July 13, 2010 in the US (Rockabye Baby!, CD 9625).
