Holy Diver (song)

"Holy Diver" is a song by American heavy metal band Dio. It was released in August 1983 as the lead single from the band's debut album of the same name. Although it only reached number 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart at that time, it is one of Dio's most popular songs today.

"Holy Diver"
Single by Dio
from the album Holy Diver
B-side
  • "Evil Eyes"
  • "Don't Talk to Strangers"
ReleasedAugust 1983 (1983-08)
Recorded1983
StudioSound City (Los Angeles)
GenreHeavy metal[1][2]
Length5:51
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Ronnie James Dio
Producer(s)Ronnie James Dio
Dio singles chronology
"Holy Diver"
(1983)		 "Rainbow in the Dark"
(1983)
Music video
"Holy Diver" on YouTube

Reception

Following the September 11 attacks, the song was placed on the list of post-9/11 inappropriate titles distributed by Clear Channel.

In March 2023, Rolling Stone ranked "Holy Diver" as the 9th greatest metal song of all time.[2]

Content

Dio said the lyrics are about a Christ figure on another planet who sacrifices himself to redeem his people. When the people learn that he intends to leave them to save people on other planets, they selfishly ask him to stay.[3]

"What does Ronnie mean when he writes stuff like 'Holy Diver'?" exclaimed Kiss bassist Gene Simmons. "What is it, a rabbi diving off a cliff? A rabbi with swimming trunks?!"[4]

Music video

The music video for "Holy Diver", directed and edited by Arthur Ellis, features Dio as a hairy barbarian adventuring through a desolate church (the then recently burnt-out St Mark's Church, Silvertown in east London, which is now a music venue). First he strikes a shrouded figure and his hobgoblin friend with his sword, but instead of killing them he turns them into rats. He later visits a blacksmith who is forging a sword. He throws his old sword away and deftly catches the newly forged one. Walking through a corridor, he encounters three seated hooded figures. As the camera pans across them, the third slowly raises its head to reveal eyes resembling those of a cat. The final shots show Dio exiting the church.

Chart positions
Chart (1983) Peak
position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] 60
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 72
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[7] 40

Killswitch Engage version
"Holy Diver"
Single by Killswitch Engage
from the album As Daylight Dies (Special Edition)
Released17 August 2007 (2007-08-17)
Recorded2006
GenreMetalcore
Length4:10
LabelRoadrunner
Songwriter(s)Ronnie James Dio
Producer(s)Adam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel
Killswitch Engage singles chronology
"The Arms of Sorrow"
(2007)		 "Holy Diver"
(2007)		 "This Is Absolution"
(2008)
Music video
"Holy Diver" on YouTube

Killswitch Engage covered the song for the compilation High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock for Kerrang! magazine. The song was later re-released for the special edition of As Daylight Dies. A live version of the song is also featured on the Special Edition of their 2009 album Killswitch Engage, then in 2014, the song was re-released on the compilation album entitled Ronnie James Dio This Is Your Life. This version of the song as well as the original composed by Dio are DLC for the guitar video game Rocksmith 2014.

Music video

The band released a music video for their version. Directed by Brian Thompson,[8] the video features a comical take on Dio's original music video.

Chart positions
Chart (2007) Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[9] 12

Personnel

Killswitch Engage

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Runnells, Charles (June 1, 2019). "Review and setlist: Dio hologram tour opens with fire, dragons and rainbows". The News-Press. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  2. "The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. March 13, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  3. "RONNIE JAMES DIO interview on religion and the Devil 2004 | Raw & Uncut". BangerTV. YouTube. December 15, 2015. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  4. Gitter, Mike (March 6, 1993). "Talkin' 'bout revolutions". Kerrang!. No. 433. p. 39.
  5. "Dio – Holy Diver". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  7. "Dio Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  8. "Holy Diver | Killswitch Engage | Music Video". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. August 6, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  9. "Killswitch Engage Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  10. "American single certifications – Killswitch Engage – Holy Diver". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
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