My Sunday Song – “Black Diamond” by Kiss

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic

For My Sunday Song #131 and for the next 10 songs, we are celebrating the songs of Kiss!!  Now that Kiss has started their Farewell Tour, I thought I would honor some of my favorite Kiss songs.  There will be No “Beth”, No “Detroit Rock City” & NO “ROCK & ROLL ALL NITE”!!!  Sorry, not my favorites..,well Detroit is one but too obvious a choice.  We will start it off with “Black Diamond” from the debut album ‘Kiss’.

Black Diamond was written by Paul Stanley and it was about New York as were a lot of their songs. This one was on the seedy side of it at least.  It is about street hookers and the queen of them all, the Black Diamond.  Stanley has been quoted as saying this was partially inspired by the Rolling Stones classic “Brown Sugar”.

Lyrically there is not much there, but musically…Damn!!  What a way to close out your debut album.  The song kicks off with Paul Stanley on vocals for the first verse while playing an acoustic guitar.  He screams “HIT IT!!” and all hell breaks loose.  Peter Criss takes over vocals and the song kicks in to full gear with his pounding drums, Gene Simmons’ thumping bass and Ace Frehley’s frenzied guitar.

The guitar solo is top notch and I love how it ends with the heavy ass bass sound with the ominous sounding drums as it gets slower and slower and then fades out.  It is amazing how so few lyrics can turn into a song over 5 minutes long and when the play it live it is even longer…live is a whole other story.  Don’t get me started on how great this song is live.  They used to close their live shows with this one a lot.

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If you don’t know this song, it is one worth checking out even if you aren’t a fan of the band.  They weren’t always about rock & roll and partying, sometimes they can get serious and actually craft an amazing song.  Let me know what you think and have a Happy Sunday!!

“Black Diamond”

Out on the street for a living
Picture’s only begun
Got you under their thumb
Hit itOut on the streets for a living
Picture’s only begun
Your day is sorrow and madness
Got you under their thumb

Whoo, black diamond
Whoo, black diamond

Darkness will fall on the city
It seems to follow you too
And though you don’t ask for pity
There’s nothin’ that you can do, no, no

Whoo, black diamond
Whoo, black diamond

Out on the streets for a living
Picture’s only begun
Your day is sorrow and madness
Got you under their thumb

Whoo, black diamond, yeah
Whoo, black diamond

Written by Paul Stanley

12 thoughts on “My Sunday Song – “Black Diamond” by Kiss”

  2. Great idea for a series John!
    Like the fact that you are going outside the box in regards to the same ol same ol Kiss tracks..
    Black Diamond I’m guessing has been played at every KISS she since what 1973?
    Your right its a great track that really ramps up once Paul counts it in and Ace lays down a great solo while Gene is in the control room groping Ace’s Girlfriend hahaha..just joking.
    Great start….look forward to next 10 songs to see what ya got up your sleeve!

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    1. I am thinking of continuing this for awhile and switching up artists and doing 10 songs I like from each one. Either that or do Kiss until the Farewell Tour ends. There are enough songs to do 3 years worth of posts. Probably go with the first option, but the 2nd is still viable, but I have to make up my mind soon as I am almost finished writing up these 10 songs. Only 2 more to go…even though only 1 has posted.

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