 Genius Meanings
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Dio – We Rock
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This song is, obviously, about rock ‘n’ roll. Dio sings about the fans coming out to his shows and having a great time. It was the album’s second single out of three.
In the liner
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Dio – The Last in Line
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This song is about good and evil and the search for the truth. The only way we’ll really know if we’re evil or divine is when we die and see who stands before us, either God or
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Dio – Holy Diver
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Dio sums up the narrative of the song in an interview with Sam Dunn in the 2005 film Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey:
The song ‘Holy Diver’ is really about a Christ-figure, who on
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Jorn – Song for Ronnie James
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There is a voice in the world for the lonely / There is a fire in the heart of the king / And the broken ones will know they are not the only / When he starts to sing / I turn to
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Dio – Rock & Roll
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If they take away your song / You can finally hear the voices / Of the ones that don't belong / In the face of the rising wind / We all sing Gloria / Is there flame without fire
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Hear 'N Aid (Ft. Dio, Dokken, Eric Bloom, Giuffria, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe, Night Ranger, Queensrÿche, Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt, Spinal Tap, Ted Nugent, Tommy Aldridge, Twisted Sister, Vanilla Fudge, W.A.S.P., Y&T & Yngwie Malmsteen) – Stars
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A single released in 1986 by Hear ‘N Aid, a massive collaborative effort that sought to raise money for famine relief in Africa at the time. Conceived as heavy metal’s answer to
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Dio – Egypt (The Chains Are On)
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In the liner notes to the 2003 compilation Stand Up And And Shout: The Anthology, Ronnie James Dio had this to say:
“It was the people, the people in chains taken from their home
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Rainbow – Catch the Rainbow
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Yet another highlight from Rainbow’s debut album, the song is about a small, but weird, love story.
As explained by Ronnie James Dio in a 1975 radio special:
Catch the rainbow is
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Dio – Sacred Heart
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Hey / The old ones speak of winter / The young ones praise the sun / And time just slips away / Oh / Running into nowhere / Turning like a wheel / And a year becomes a day
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Skelator – Stand Up for Rock and Roll
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(Dedicated to Ronnie James Dio, R.I.P.) / [Instrumental Intro] / [Verse 1] / We're rocking, we're rolling / We're burning up the stage / We're fighting with lightning / An electric
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Das Racist – Rainbow in the Dark
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Critically acclaimed followup to “Combination Pizza Hut & Taco Bell”
The title is a reference to the classic hard rock song, “Rainbow in the Dark” by Dio.
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Black Sabbath – Children of the Sea
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This is the first song that the new vocalist Ronnie James Dio and guitarist Tony Iommi finished together on their first jamming session.
Dio would go on to write most lyrics on
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Rainbow – Stargazer
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The start of Rainbow’s epic, a tale of a wizard who believed he could fly. People believe in the wizard and are enslaved in order to build a tower in harsh conditions in the desert
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Dio – Mystery
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Can you hear me? / Can you see there's a storm / On the edge of the sky? / Does it matter? / Well, it does to me / And I can tell you why / You know when there's thunder / There
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Dio – King of Rock and Roll
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*live audience cheering* / He's the king of rock and roll! / Alright! / Alright! / Right, hot night, summer in the city / Just about to smoke and burn / Look out, he's evil, but he
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Tenacious D – Dio
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“Dio” is an homage to Ronnie James Dio.
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Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell
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This is the song that Ronnie James Dio was most proud of to have ever written. It was definitely the most famous Dio-era song from Black Sabbath, being played at virtually every
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Elf (band) – I’m Coming Back for You
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I'm standing in the shadows now / You think I'm dead and gone somehow / When the morning comes you'll see around / Baby you know / I'm coming back for you / Well, I'm coming back
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Rainbow – Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
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The eighth track on Rainbow’s debut album Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. Like the title suggests, the song has medieval influences.
As comedically explained by Ronnie James Dio in a
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Dio – Don't Talk to Strangers
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This song is about trying to stay away from the illusions in life that fool you into destructive behaviors. There are many things that bring instant temporary joy, but only leave
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Dio – Rainbow in the Dark
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This song is Dio’s second most famous song, after the album’s title track and was fittingly the album’s second single.
The lyrics are about feeling isolated and trapped, unable to
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Dio – Invisible
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This song was written about three different people who had been traumatised psychologically. The first verse concerns an abused girl, the second verse concerns a young gay man, and
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