Holy Diver

This song is the title track to Dio's debut album in 1983. Ronnie James Dio was at the height of his popularity at the time since he had just finished his two album tenure as Black Sabbath's lead singer at the time of this album's release. This song remains the most recognizable and popular song by the band. In 1989, Japanese video game company Irem made a game based on this song, featuring a protagonist who resembles Ronnie James Dio. The game was never released outside of Japan. The song is prominently featured on the soundtrack to the radio station V-Rock in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and is also one of the tracks on the game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. It was also played in the South Park episode Hooked on Monkey Phonics, and Philadelphia Phillies slugger Pat Burrell used the song in 2005 and 2006 as his at-bat music. The song was also the lead off song in the Matchstick Films Ski Movie trilogy. The music video for Holy Diver, directed and edited by Arthur Ellis, features Dio as a barbarian adventuring through a desolate town. First he strikes two rascals with his sword, but instead of killing them he turns them into rats. He later visits a blacksmith who reforges his sword. Artists who have covered the song include: * Pat Boone, on his album In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, with Ronnie James Dio himself on backing vocals. * Metalcore band Killswitch Engage covers the song on a compilation album entitled High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock for Kerrang! magazine. They also perform this song in their live shows. The song is also in the re-release of the band's As Daylight Dies album. It is KSE's first top 20 single on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Charts and also includes a music video which is a slightly comical take on the original Dio version. * Folk metal band Otyg have also performed it live. * Eläkeläiset (Humppa band from Finland) reinterpret it in their song Humpparaakki on their album Humppa Til We Die. * Sum 41 played the song on acoustic guitar for the MTV Show Jammed. * Children of Bodom paid homage to this theme including its initial riff in the intro to their song "Downfall" in live shows; this can be heard and seen in the Chaos Ridden Years live album/dvd. * Sons of Butcher (band) have also performed it live. * Tenacious D has performed parts of the song live. * HolyHell has done a cover of the song at some live performances. * Fire In The Hole has done a cover of the song, blending elements from the original song and the popular cover by Killswitch Engage. One possible interpretation of the song, (per user busagane) follows: This song is about Satan, and his descent to Hell (his "dive"). The lyrics deal specifically with Revelations 12:9 where Satan was cast to the earth. The tiger is symbolic of the wild beast that comes out of the sea, as mentioned in Revelations 13:1. The album cover depicted Satan whipping a priest with a chain. The priest was shackled and drowning in a turbulent sea. This caused some controversy, although not as much as one might think. This was covered, ironically, by Gospel singer Pat Boone on his In a Metal Mood album. Acknowledging the subject matter, the song ends with Pat reciting Psalm 23:4. Dio sang backup vocals this - he thought it was hilarious.

[Instrumental Intro] [Intro] Mhhh-hm-hmm Yeah, yeah [Verse 1] Holy Diver You've been down too long in the midnight sea Oh, what's becoming of me? Ride the tiger You can see his stripes but you know he's clean Oh, don't you see what I mean? [Chorus] Gotta get away Holy Diver, yeah [Verse 2] Got shiny diamonds Like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue Something is coming for you, look out! Race for the morning You can hide in the sun 'till you see the light Oh, we will pray, it's all right [Chorus] Gotta get away, get away [Bridge] Between the velvet lies There's a truth that's hard as steel, yeah The vision never dies Life's a never-ending wheel, say [Verse 3] Holy Diver You're the star of the masquerade No need to look so afraid Jump, jump, jump on the tiger You can feel his heart but you know he's mean Some light can never be seen, yeah! [Guitar Solo] [Verse 1] Holy Diver You've been down too long in the midnight sea Oh, what's becoming of me? No! No! Ride the tiger You can see his stripes but you know he's clean Oh, don't you see what I mean? [Chorus] Gotta get away, get away Gotta get away, get away, yeah [Outro] Holy Diver, sole survivor You're the one who's clean Holy Diver, Holy Diver There's a cat in the blue coming after you, Holy Diver Oh, Holy Diver Yeah, alright Get away, get away, get away Holy Diver, Holy Diver Oh, Holy Diver Mhhh-hmmm-hmmm