The MJ Show #110 (Ronnie James Dio)

Ronnie James Dio died of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010. But before he passed away he was a part of some of the most legendary metal bands and was without a doubt one of the most influential figures in rock n roll history.
What I have for you tonight is a look at some of the Dio's best songs :)
I'm restricting myself to his work post Rainbow. He was a part of many bands before that as well...but I won't go into that today.
This in itself is a LOT of material. You'll see what I mean.
\m/ Here we go!

The Rainbow Years (1975–1979)
In 1974. while Ritchie Blackmore was touring with Deep Purple in the US their support band had been Elf, and Ritchie had been impressed by their singer, Ronnie James Dio. Blackmore and Dio found they had such a creative rapport that a full album's worth of music was soon composed, and they recorded it with Elf as a session band. Emboldened by the experience, Blackmore decided to leave Deep Purple and form his own band around Elf, effectively taking it over minus their guitarist and renaming it Rainbow. The name of the band was inspired by the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood that catered to rock stars, groupies and rock enthusiasts.
Dio was with Rainbow from 1975-1978 but when Blackmore decided to change the theme of the music of the band from what it was in their first 3 albums to a more commercial style, Dio did not like it very much and he left Rainbow. He would go on to replace Ozzy Osbourne as the lead singer in Black Sabbath.
He made 3 studio albums with Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Rising and Long Live Rock 'n' Roll.

1975 - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was Rainbow's first album and it was released in July 1975.
1st Song - Rainbow - Man On The Silver Mountain

And here's the studio version of the same song. I had to give you this one :)


2nd Song - Rainbow - Black Sheep Of The Family


3rd Song - Rainbow - The Temple of the King


4th Song - Rainbow - If You Don't Like Rock 'N' Roll


1976 - Rising
The album was released in 1976 and only Dio and Blackmore who played on the first album were still a part of the band. Blackmore recruited keyboard player Tony Carey, bassist Jimmy Bain and drummer Cozy Powell to complete the new line-up.
The album marks Dio's first work with bassist Jimmy Bain: Bain would later play bass in Dio's solo band.

5th Song - Starstruck


6th Song - Do You Close Your Eyes

And the studio version:


7th Song - Stargazer

And the studio version:


1978 - Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll is the third studio album released by Rainbow, released in 1978.
8th Song - Rainbow - Kill The King

And the studio version:


9th Song - Rainbow - Long Live Rock And Roll

And the studio version:

10th Song - Rainbow - Gates Of Babylon


The Black Sabbath Years (1979–1982) (1991–1992) (2006)
Dio left Rainbow and joined Black Sabbath replacing Ozzy Osbourne.
He made 3 studio albums in his tenure there - Heaven and Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981) and Dehumanizer (1992).

1980 - Heaven And Hell
Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1980.

1st Song - Black Sabbath - Neon Knights


2nd Song - Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell


3rd Song - Black Sabbath - Lady Evil


4th Song - Black Sabbath - Die Young


5th Song - Black Sabbath - Children Of The Sea


1981 - Mob Rules
Mob Rules is Black Sabbath's tenth studio album, released in 1981 following the success of Heaven and Hell. It peaked at number 29 on the U.S. charts.

6th Song - Black Sabbath - The Mob Rules


7th Song - Black Sabbath - Turn Up the Night


8th Song - Black Sabbath - Voodoo


9th Song - Black Sabbath - Falling Off The Edge Of The World


1992 - Dehumanizer
Dehumanizer is the sixteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1992.
The album's line-up of Dio, Appice, Butler, and guitarist Tony Iommi later reunited in 2006 under the moniker Heaven & Hell.

10th Song - Black Sabbath - After All (The Dead)


11th Song - Black Sabbath - TV Crimes


12th Song - Black Sabbath - I


Dio got back with Black Sabbath to record three new songs for a compilation album called - Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
13th Song - Black Sabbath - The Devil Cried


14th Song - Black Sabbath - Shadow Of The Wind


15th Song - Black Sabbath - Ear In The Wall


The Dio Years (1982–1991) (1993–2010)
Dio was formed in 1982 after Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice left Black Sabbath.

1983 Holy Diver
Released on May 25, 1983, this was Dio's debut album and is considered to be a heavy metal classic. The album was eventually certified Gold in the US on September 12, 1984 and Platinum on March 21, 1989.

1st Song - Dio - Holy Diver


2nd Song - Dio - Rainbow In the Dark


1984 The Last in Line
Their second album was released on July 13, 1984. It was the first Dio album to be certified Platinum, achieving the feat on February 3, 1987.

3rd Song - Dio - We Rock


4th Song - The Last In Line


1985 Sacred Heart
It was released in 1985 and was certified gold on October 1985. It was for a long time the last album to receive this certification, until The Very Beast of Dio was certified gold on November 3, 2009.

5th Song - Dio - Sacred Heart


6th Song - Dio - King Of Rock and Roll


7th Song - Dio - Rock 'N' Roll Children


8th Song - Hungry For Heaven


1987 Dream Evil
Dream Evil is Dio's fourth album, released on July 21, 1987.

9th Song - Dio - All The Fools Sailed Away


10th Song - Dio - I Could Have Been A Dreamer


1990 Lock Up The Wolves
Lock Up the Wolves was released May 15, 1990 and is Dio's fifth album.

11th Song - Dio - Lock up the Wolves


12th Song - Dio - Hey Angel


1994 Strange Highways
Strange Highways is the sixth studio album by Dio. It was also their first album since Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice's reunion tour with Black Sabbath.

13th Song - Dio - Strange Highways


14th Song - Dio - Give Her The Gun


1996 Angry Machines
Angry Machines is the seventh studio album from the heavy metal band Dio. It was released in 1996 and was the last studio album to feature original drummer Vinny Appice.

15th Song - Dio - Institutional Man


16th Song - Dio - Big Sister


17th Song - Dio - God hates Heavy Metal


2000 Magica
Magica is Dio's eighth studio album and it was released on March 21, 2000.

18th Song - Dio - Magica & Lord of the Last Day


19th Song - Dio - Losing My Insanity


20th Song - Dio - Magica (Reprise)/Lord Of The Last Day (Reprise)


2002 Killing The Dragon
Killing The Dragon is Dio's ninth studio album and it was released May 21, 2002.

21st Song - Dio - Killing The Dragon


22nd Song - Dio - Rock & Roll


23rd Song - Dio - Push


2004 Master Of The Moon
Master Of The Moon is Dio's tenth and final studio album. The album was released on September 7, 2004.
24th Song - Dio - Master Of The Moon


25th Song - Dio - I Am


26th Song - Dio - The Man Who Would Be King


27th Song - Dio - Metal Will Never Die


The Heaven And Hell Years (2006–2010)
The Devil You Know is the first and only studio album from the heavy metal band Heaven & Hell.
In 2006 the Ronnie James Dio-era Black Sabbath line-up recorded three new tracks, "The Devil Cried", "Shadow Of The Wind" and "Ear In The Wall", for an upcoming greatest hits package entitled Black Sabbath: The Dio Years. Guitarist Tony Iommi said that the tracks were created because he felt there was nothing worthwhile releasing in the vaults from the Dio-era studio recordings and so these new songs were written and recorded. Initially Dio commented that after the recording of those songs, he expected to leave the band and return to Dio and that another "Sabbath album" was "the last thing on my mind". Iommi commented that Heaven & Hell agreed on an album whilst the band was in Japan on their 2007 tour.

1st Song - Heaven And Hell - Bible Black


2nd Song - Heaven And Hell - Rock And Roll Angel


3rd Song - Heaven And Hell - Breaking Into Heaven


There you go! That was for all your Ronnie James Dio fans. Hope you liked it.
(Oh and if I've missed a song you love, do let me know that in the comments here.)

Right then...it is now time for me to say...take care...and Good Night! :)
This is your Musicman Mihir...signing off!