Black Diamond (Kiss song)

"Black Diamond" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss, written by rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley. "'Black Diamond' was written almost exactly as it is," he said, "except that the riff wasn't there; Gene [Simmons] brought that part in … It's all about arrangement and embellishment. That's what you're supposed to do in a band: come in and add something. But that doesn't mean you wrote the song."^[1] The lyrics focus on street prostitution.^[2]

The song is the closing track on the band's eponymous first album, Kiss, released in 1974. It begins with an acoustic opening sung by Stanley before a furious riff enters, accompanied by Peter Criss on lead vocals. It ends with Ace Frehley's solo, then one chord repeated during a gradual slowing of the tape. The live version is usually sped up in tempo, combined with stage pyrotechnics and a rising drum platform.