Paranoid (album)

Paranoid
Studio album by Black Sabbath
Released	18 September 1970 (U.K.) 07 January 1971 (U.S.)
Recorded	16–21 June 1970 at Regent Sound Studios and Island Studios, London
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	42:07
Label	Vertigo
Producer	Rodger Bain
Black Sabbath chronology
Black Sabbath (1970) Paranoid (1970) Master of Reality (1971)

Paranoid is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released in September 1970, the album was the only one by the band to top the UK Albums Chart, and as a result is commonly identified as the band's magnum opus. Paranoid has been certified four times platinum by the RIAA and contains some of the band's best-known signature songs, including the title track, "Iron Man" and "War Pigs".

Contents 1 Background and recording 2 Album title and artwork 3 Release, reception and legacy 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 Charts 7 Release history 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links

Background and recording

After the release of their debut album in February 1970, Black Sabbath returned to the studio in June that year, again with producer Rodger Bain, to record their second album. The album was recorded at Regent Sound Studios and Island Studios in London, England. The album's eponymous single "Paranoid" was written in the studio at the last minute to fulfill the record label's request for a single.

As drummer Bill Ward explains: "We didn't have enough songs for the album, and Tony just played the "Paranoid" guitar lick and that was it. It took twenty, twenty-five minutes from top to bottom."^[1]

The song "Iron Man" was originally entitled "Iron Bloke". Upon hearing the main guitar riff for the first time, Ozzy Osbourne remarked that it sounded "like a big iron bloke walking around". The title was later changed to "Iron Man".^[2]

Album title and artwork

The album was originally titled War Pigs, but allegedly the record company changed it to Paranoid, fearing backlash from supporters of the ongoing Vietnam War.^[3] At the time, the band felt that the song was lighter, with the potential to become a single.^[4] Additionally the band's label felt the title track was more marketable as a single.

The original UK vinyl release was in a gatefold sleeve. The inner of the gatefold had a black-and-white photo of the band, posed outdoors on a grassy hill, and was their first appearance on album artwork. To spread the original picture over the gatefold, Ozzy Osbourne was separated from the other members of the band and a section of the grass was copied and dropped into the gap.

Release, reception and legacy

In the decades succeeding its initial distribution, Paranoid has been regarded by many as Black Sabbath's best album, and by some the best heavy metal album of all time.^[5] The "Paranoid" single, released before the album, reached number four in the UK. Pushed by its success, the album hit number one in the UK, and is the only Black Sabbath album to have done so. The US release was held until January 1971, as the Black Sabbath album was still on the charts at the time of Paranoid's UK release. The album broke into the top twenty in the US in March 1971, and would go on to sell four million copies in the US alone. Paranoid's chart success in the US allowed the band to tour there for the first time in October 1970. This spawned the release of the album's second single "Iron Man", and although it failed to reach the top 40, "Iron Man" remains one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs. In addition, it is considered to be Vertigo's breakthrough release.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Blender	[7]
Robert Christgau	(C-)[8]
Metal Storm	[9]
Rolling Stone	[10]
Sputnikmusic	[11]

Like its predecessor the album was panned by music critics of the era, with Robert Christgau grading it a C-, though admitting that the band took "heavy to undreamt-of extremes."^[8] However, modern-day music critics are much more favourable towards the album than those of the time. Allmusic's Steve Huey cites Paranoid as "one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time", which "defined the sound and style of metal, more than any other record in history"^[6] and Ben Mitchell of Blender calling it "the greatest metal album of all time".^[7]

• In 1989, Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 39 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".^[12]
• In 1999, Q magazine (12/99, p. 170) included it in their list of The Best Gothic Albums Of All Time, writing that, "[Black Sabbath] stamped their bombastic and doom-laden imprint on British rock forever."
• In 1999, Vibe (12/99, p. 162) included it on their list of 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.
• In 2003, the album was ranked number 130 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[13]
• In 2006, the album was ranked number 6 on Guitar World magazine's list of The Greatest 100 Guitar Albums of All Time.^[14]
• In 2010, Paranoid was covered as part of the Classic Albums documentary series, which examines albums "considered the best or most distinctive of a well known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music".

Track listing

All lyrics written by Geezer Butler, except "Fairies Wear Boots" by Ozzy Osbourne, all music composed by Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward.

• Disc two features the 1974 quadraphonic mix on DVD.

• Disc three features original, alternate and demo takes from Regent Sound Studios.

Notes

• On the North American edition of the album, the songs "War Pigs" and "Fairies Wear Boots" were entitled "War Pigs/Luke's Wall" and "Jack The Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots", respectively.
• The Castle Communication edition (1986) featured a live version of "Wicked World". This later appeared on Past Lives

Personnel

Black Sabbath Ozzy Osbourne – vocals Tony Iommi – guitar, flute Geezer Butler – bass Bill Ward – drums

Additional personnel Rodger Bain – production Tom Allom – engineering, piano on Planet Caravan Brian Humphries – engineering Marcus Keef – graphic design, photography

Charts

Chart (1970) Peak position Norwegian Albums Chart[15] 5 UK Albums Chart[16] 1 Chart (1971) Peak position US Billboard 200[17] 12

Country Certification Canada (CRIA) Platinum[18] United States (RIAA) 4× Platinum[19]

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United Kingdom	18 September 1970	Vertigo Records	LP album	6360 011
Europe	September 1970	Vertigo Records	LP album	6360 011
United States	7 January 1971	Warner Bros. Records	LP album	WS 1887
United Kingdom (reissue)	December 1973	WWA	LP album	WWA 007
United States (reissue)	1975	Warner Bros. Records	LP album	WS4
United Kingdom (reissue)	January 1976	NEMS	LP album	NEL 6003
United Kingdom (reissue)	28 February 1996	Castle Communications	Compact Disc	ESMCD302
United Kingdom (reissue)	2004	Sanctuary Records	Compact Disc	SMRCD032
United Kingdom (deluxe)	30 March 2009	Sanctuary Records	Double CD+DVD	1782444
Japan	25 August 2010	Universal Music	SHM-SACD	UIGY-9034
Japan	24 November 2010	Universal Music	SHM-CD	UICY-20039

Notes

References

• Rosen, Steven (1996). The Story of Black Sabbath: Wheels of Confusion. Castle Communications. ISBN 1-86074-149-5 

External links

• Black Sabbath at Wikibooks

Preceded by Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel

UK Albums Chart number-one album 10–17 October 1970

Succeeded by Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel

Black Sabbath Tony Iommi Ozzy Osbourne Geezer Butler Bill Ward Ronnie James Dio Vinny Appice Geoff Nicholls Tony Martin Ian Gillan Glenn Hughes Ray Gillen Cozy Powell Neil Murray Bev Bevan Jo Burt Terry Chimes Bob Daisley Bobby Rondinelli Eric Singer Dave Spitz Dave Walker Studio albums Black Sabbath Paranoid Master of Reality Black Sabbath Vol. 4 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Sabotage Technical Ecstasy Never Say Die! Heaven and Hell Mob Rules Born Again Seventh Star The Eternal Idol Headless Cross TYR Dehumanizer Cross Purposes Forbidden TBA Live albums Live Evil Cross Purposes Live Reunion Past Lives Live at Hammersmith Odeon Compilations We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll The Collection The Sabbath Stones Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978 Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970–1978) Greatest Hits 1970–1978 The Dio Years The Rules of Hell Unofficial albums Live at Last The Sabbath Collection The Ozzy Osbourne Years Under Wheels of Confusion The Best of Black Sabbath Club Sonderauflage Singles and other songs "Evil Woman" "N.I.B." "The Wizard" "Paranoid" "Iron Man" "War Pigs" "Fairies Wear Boots" "Sweet Leaf" "Children of the Grave" "Into the Void " "Changes" "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" "Symptom of the Universe" "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" "Dirty Women" "Never Say Die!" "Neon Knights" "Heaven and Hell" "Die Young" "The Mob Rules" "Turn Up the Night" "Trashed" "Disturbing the Priest" "Zero the Hero" No Stranger to Love" "TV Crimes" "Psycho Man" "The Devil Cried" Videos Never Say Die Black and Blue The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 1 The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 2 The Last Supper Inside Black Sabbath - 1970–1992 Black Sabbath's Paranoid Rock Review In Their Own Words Hangin' with Heaven and Hell Related articles Discography Members Heaven & Hell (tour album) Mythology In These Black Days Nativity in Black Don Arden Martin Birch Jeff Fenholt Born Again Tour 1983 2012 Reunion Tour Book:Black Sabbath Category:Black Sabbath Portal:Heavy metal