Paranoid (album)
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| Paranoid | |||||
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| Studio album by Black Sabbath | |||||
| Released | September 18, 1970  January 7, 1971  |
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| Recorded | Regent Sound Studios and Island Studios in London, England[1] | ||||
| Genre | Heavy metal | ||||
| Length | 42:06 | ||||
| Label | Vertigo Warner Bros. (US/Canada) |
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| Producer | Rodger Bain | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Black Sabbath chronology | |||||
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Paranoid is the second album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It was released in the United Kingdom during September 1970, and contains some of their most famous work, including the songs "Iron Man", "War Pigs" and the title track.
The album is regarded as a classic of the heavy metal genre and one of the most influental heavy metal albums. It has been certified 4x Platinum, having sold over four million copies in the US alone, making it Black Sabbath's best-selling album.
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[edit] Recording
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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. 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."[2]
[edit] Music and lyrics
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
In comparison with their previous album, the songs on Paranoid were given more focus and direction, with less improvisation. However the lyrical content is equally as dark, exploring themes such as war, mental illness, drug abuse and sci-fi horror. Much of the album could be viewed as a kind of social commentary. Spin magazine wrote that the band "saw heavy rock as a way to emulate the horrors of a fallen world."
The lyrics of the opening song, "War Pigs", discuss war and the absurdities of those who make war without regard for those forced to fight it. It is often viewed as a protest song. Similarly, the lyrics of "Electric Funeral" discuss the bleak aftermath of nuclear warfare. These songs were written in the midst of the Vietnam War and the Cold War, and could be seen as quite representative of the political situation at the time.
The song "Paranoid" is uncharacteristically fast and simplistic for Black Sabbath in their early days. Supposedly the band members intended it only as an interlude or as "filler". Its lyrics concern the stigma of mental illness. In a related way, "Iron Man" is about a time traveller from the future who has been turned to steel. He is outcast by society but eventually takes his revenge on humanity.
The song "Iron Man" is featured in the popular videogame Guitar Hero on the Playstation 2 and is also played during the credits and trailers for the movie Iron Man.
Three songs on the album appear to concern dreams, hallucinations and drug use. "Planet Caravan" and "Fairies Wear Boots" are quite psychedelic in style and their lyrics are quite abstract. "Hand of Doom" was written as a message against heroin use. The song transitions between slow, soft passages and fast, loud passages as a representation of the drug being injected.
[edit] 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] However, the band's visual interpretation of a "war pig" was still featured on the cover; a distorted, eerie photograph of a man with sword and shield jumping out from behind a tree.
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. This is only readily apparent if one compares it with the original photograph.
[edit] Release and reception
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 ten in the US in March 1971, and would go on to sell four million copies in the US alone, with virtually no radio airplay.[5] Paranoid's chart success in the US allowed the band to tour there for the first time in December 1970. This spawned the release of the album's second single "Iron Man", and although failed to reach the top 100, "Iron Man" remains one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs.
The album was again panned by music critics of the era. However, modern-day music critics are much more favourable towards the album than those of the time. An example is Allmusic's Steve Huey, who cites Paranoid as "one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time", which "defined the sound and style of heavy metal more than any other record in rock history".[6]
- 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.
- In 2006, the album was ranked number 6 on Guitar World magazine's list of The Greatest 100 Guitar Albums of All Time.[7]
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler. It should be noted that the additional titles "Luke's Wall" and "Jack the Stripper" are unique to the North American editions. They are not extra songs but rather a title for some part of the song.
[edit] Side One
- "War Pigs/Luke's Wall" – 7:57
- "Paranoid" – 2:52
- "Planet Caravan" – 4:32
- "Iron Man" – 5:58
[edit] Side Two
- "Electric Funeral" – 4:52
- "Hand of Doom" – 7:07
- "Rat Salad" – 2:31 (Instrumental)
- "Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots" – 6:15
[edit] Personnel
- Ozzy Osbourne – vocals
- Tony Iommi – guitar
- Geezer Butler – bass guitar
- Bill Ward – drums
- Keef – design, photography, cover design
- Tom (Colonel) Allom – engineer
- Tony Allom – engineer
- Brian Humphries – engineer
[edit] Release history
Paranoid has been released by a variety of labels, both officially and as bootlegs.
The list below shows the most commonly known versions of the album that are available.
| Region | Date | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 18 September 1970 | Vertigo Records | |
| United States | 7 January 1971 | Warner Bros. Records | |
| Canada | 7 January 1971 | Warner Bros. Records | |
| United States | 1974 | Warner Bros. Records | Quadraphonic version |
| United Kingdom | 1986 | Castle Communications | technically this is a compilation album as the final track is a live version of "Wicked World" taken from the Live at Last album. |
| United Kingdom | 2004 | Sanctuary Records |
[edit] References
- ^ Tice, Russell H.. CLASSIC TRACKS: BLACK SABBATH'S "PARANOID". Penton Media. Retrieved on 2007-05-13.
- ^ Rosen 1996, p. 57
- ^ Channel4 - 100 Greatest Albums
- ^ Classic Tracks: Black Sabbath'S ''Paranoid''
- ^ Black Sabbath Biography at Rolling Stone
- ^ Paranoid Review at AMG
- ^ Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time at Rate Your Music
