Music videos:
- Trashed
- Zero the Hero
All tracks by Gillan, Iommi, Butler, Ward.
Bill Ward left after the recording of this album to be replaced by Electric Light Orchestra's Bev Bevan.
According to legend, the infamous cover art for this album was done by an artist who was working for both Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, and the story goes that he made an intentionally poor job of it in the hope that Sabbath would reject it so that he could sever ties with them. As it turned out, Tony Iommi loved it (although Ian Gillan thought it was appalling).
The cover is based on a photo from a magazine called Mind Alive from 1968. This same cover was used by Depeche Mode two years earlier (1981) for the single "New Life".
In addition to its cover, the production of the album is also a highly criticized aspect. The band members have stated that the album sounded very good in the studio, but for some unknown factor (some believe it was due to pressing) it ended up sounding very different when it was released, something that upset the band.
The album's UK release date was long believed to be August 7. However, it was actually released on September 12, as albums at that time were never released on a Friday. However, the US release date is still unknown.
It is a common misconception that the "Stonehenge" scene in This Is Spinal Tap was inspired by Black Sabbath's stage set for this album's tour. Black Sabbath used a huge Stonehenge set that often didn't fit the venues they played in, whereas Spinal Tap's Stonehenge prop was too small, and "in danger of being crushed by a dwarf." In actuality the concept for this scene was developed in 1982, well before the Sabbath tour in question.
"Trashed" is about a moment that Ian Gillan lived through. While drunk, he drove Bill Ward's car around a go-kart track in the mansion where they were recording "Born Again" (the manager at the time, Don Arden, had bought each car from the band members). And in one lap, the tire was punctured, and at the moment of turning and taking the curve, the car overturned.
This song was re-recorded by Ian Gillan solo on the album "Gillan's Inn" (2006).
"Disturbing the Priest" is about an anecdote lived by the band. The place where they recorded the album, there was a church nearby. The priest of said church went to knock on the door of the mansion where the band was recording and asked them not to play on Tuesdays and Thursdays, because the church choir was rehearsing on those days.
It is believed that "Digital Bitch" is dedicated to Sharon Osbourne, but this has not been confirmed by the band.
"Keep It Warm", according to Tony Iommi, musically is based on some riffs that were left over from the time of the album "Mob Rules" (1981). While, lyrically, Ian Gillan dedicated it to his girlfriend (and later his wife), Bron Gillan.
No CD version of this album was ever released in the United States (although some imports can be found in some stores in that country).
An unmixed bootleg called "The Manor Tapes - Born Again Unmixed Demos" was distributed by a Japanese company in 2004, including an unreleased song called "The Fallen" that Black Sabbath would later officially release on the 2011 deluxe edition. This version It was recorded on June 26, 1983.
Recorded at The Manor Studio, Shipton on Cherwell, Oxfordshire. England.
Mastered on Amper Tapes.
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