Stargazer

The lyrics, taken literally, are about a wizard who enslaves countless numbers of people and makes them build a stone tower for him. The people hope for the day when their misery comes to an end, as they build the tower in harsh conditions ("In the heat and rain, with whips and chains") just so they can see him fly, which gives them hope. In the end, the wizard falls off the tower and dies ("no sound as he falls instead of rising. Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand." "Stargazer is written from the standpoint of a slave in Egyptian times," explained vocalist Ronnie James Dio to Classic Rock. "He is serving The Wizard, who observes the skies and stars and becomes obsessed with the idea of flying. The slaves are building a tower of stone so The Wizard can jump off the top and take to the air. "Finally, this Wizard, this Stargazer, attempts to fly and, of course, falls to his death. The slaves are released, and this is where the song Stargazer ends, and Light In The Black begins. The Wizard has died and the slaves are free, but all they've known all their lives is an allegiance to the Stargazer. They don't know where to turn or what to do until they see the light in the dark." The lyrics also have a covert meaning, which many people have interpreted as a warning not to believe in false idols or messiahs. It can also mean that one should not give up hope even in harsh circumstances.

This song is quite a production - it runs 8:26 and features the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The song also showcases Ronnie James Dio's soaring vocals and Ritchie Blackmore's guitar work.

According to the book Rainbow Rising by Roy Davies, Ritchie Blackmore wrote this song on a cello.