Home · Songs · Black Sabbath · Paranoid
Chords in progress
We have not analyzed this song audio yet. Once it is ready, you will see the chord player synced with the video.
From album
Paranoid
Black Sabbath · 1970 · Track 2
Details
Duración2:48
ÁlbumParanoid
Año1970
ISRCUSWB11304628
If you like this, try
The story behind
When we think of Paranoid, it's easy to imagine it as a central theme, a pillar of Black Sabbath's sound. However, its origin was quite different. It emerged as a last-minute idea, almost a filler to complete the album of the same name. The band needed a piece of about three minutes, and it was Tony Iommi who contributed the riff we all know. Geezer Butler, for his part, wrote the lyrics quickly, and Ozzy Osbourne read them while singing. The recording of the entire album, including this track, was done in just two or three days, playing live in the studio. Musically, the song is based on the E minor pentatonic scale and uses power chords, with a guitar solo that experiments with a ring modulator effect. Interestingly, the original title of the song, according to some preserved lyric sheets, was The Paranoid.
The story behind the album's name is also peculiar. Originally, the band wanted to title it War Pigs, in reference to another song on the record. However, the record company convinced them to use Paranoid, considering it less controversial. This track, released as the album's first single in August 1970, reached number 4 on the UK charts and 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time Black Sabbath appeared on both charts. The song has been subject to misinterpretations; the phrase "I tell you to enjoy life" was sometimes misunderstood as "I tell you to end your life," which generated some controversy. Over the years, Paranoid has been recognized on various lists of the best heavy metal and rock songs, and has been covered by artists such as The Dickies and Megadeth, whose version received a Grammy nomination in 1995.