[Mag]

One of my best rock albums is 'Black Sabbath Greatest Hits '70 to '78'. But I don't suppose fans notice that the song 'War Pigs' studio version is different than when they play the song live. That is because the guitar in the studio version is layered or mixed (something like that) that they can't do Live. And I love the studio version and will usually skip over a live version.

 The earliest versions of the song that I've heard is Black Sabbath in Paris 1970. Ozzy either forgot the words or they hadn't completed the lyrics for the song when they played it. IMO the lyrics for the song had not been finalized at that time.

I know this song was popular back in the day as I recall a car load of men playing the song full blast as they drove by.

[JDoyle]

Just like in the court of the Crimson King (King Crimson) and the White Album (Beatles) + a few others... it was one of the definitive game changers IMHO. 

JD

[HAL]

The '70 Paris movie (actually a performance in Belgium) uses the Walpurgis lyrics for the song.  It was an early version of War Pigs lyrics.  Tony used his SG Special "Monkey" in the video.

The guitar that was originally used for the recording of War Pigs was probably Tony's white '61 style Les Paul Custom (the original SG Custom name) was modified by John Birch Guitars for Tony.  It had a John Birch style 6 pole single coil similar to a P90 in the bridge position with two Gibson humbuckers in the neck and middle positions.  It has a different tonality to Monkey.   Unfortunately the guitar was stolen after the recording during the tour and never recovered. 

Here is a video clip of Tony playing the white Les Paul Custom playing War Pigs live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xg2dy9UDn4