Behind the music Ronnie James Dio explained "Holy Diver" is about a Christ-like figure sacrificing himself on another planet and preparing to repeat the act on a different world. The "tiger" symbolizes strength, its stripes impurity, urging listeners to use their strength and not judge others based on perceived imperfections. The album cover art, depicting a demon drowning a priest, sparked controversy. Dio intended it to question assumptions, asking, "How do you know it's not a priest drowning