"Disturbing the Priest" is the third song of the album Born Again, by the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. The song was one of the last songs that was recorded for the album, and it is, in fact, a homage to a priest that lived near the studio where Born Again was recorded. The priest went in the studio to ask them to play it low.
Gillan also explained the genesis of "Disturbing the Priest":
We were in loud playback mode, with the door open...When the track ended I was surprised to see a nervous vicar standing in the doorway. He explained how wonderful he thought the music was, but they were having choir practise in the adjacent village church and so would we mind closing the door…? I apologised immediately, we got hold of his schedule and never worked again during those times. The following evening I had a few beers with the vicar and signed some autographs for the choir. It was Geezer who came up with the title as we were laughing about the story some days later.
The song has been covered live by Swedish group Opeth.
Progressive metal band Psychotic Waltz has covered it as well. Their cover is available as a bonustrack on reissues of their 1992 album Into the Everflow.
Like a majority of songs on the album, it was only performed live during Ian Gillan's time with the band.
Famous quotes containing the words disturbing and/or priest:
“In youth the human body drew me and was the object of my secret and natural dreams. But body after body has taken away from me that sensual phosphorescence which my youth delighted in. Within me is no disturbing interplay now, but only the steady currents of adaptation and of sympathy.”
—Haniel Long (1888–1956)
“In my dreams is a country where the State is the Church and the Church the people: three in one and one in three. It is a commonwealth in which work is play and play is life: three in one and one in three. It is a temple in which the priest is the worshiper and the worshiper the worshipped: three in one and one in three. It is a godhead in which all life is human and all humanity divine: three in one and one in three.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)