Paranoid [Import, Original recording remastered]

Black Sabbath | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 16, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Castle Essential UK
• Copy Protected
• ASIN: B000005RFI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #236,481 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. War Pigs

2. Paranoid

3. Planet Caravan

4. Iron Man

5. Electric Funeral

6. Hand of Doom

7. Rat Salad

8. Fairies Wear Boots

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered 1996 reissue on Castle of the metalmonster's second album. Originally released in 1970, themulti-platinum reached #12 in the U.S., largely in part tothe hits 'War Pigs', 'Iron Man' and the title smash. Takenfrom the original master tapes, this edition also containsfaithfully restored artwork. Eight tracks total.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The true masterpiece of the 70's, June 13, 2003

By 

Sacco (here there and everywhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paranoid (Audio CD)

Black Sabbath are often dismissed as being unintelligent schlock music. Ignore anyone who tells you that. The simple truth is that if you only count their first 6 albums (post sabotage there are few redeeming moments) they were simply the finest band of their era. Kicking off with War Pigs, which surely must be counted as one of the top 5 opening tracks of all time, Paranoid is a tour deforce of brutal riffs, thundering drums, and dark but meaningful lyrics pefectly eschewed by Ozzy's ghostly wail. Paranoid the title track is perhaps the single most potent 2:40 ever recorded. People seem to forgett that these lads from Birmingham were from among the most poverty stricken backgrounds in England (Birmingham itself is perhaps the worst city in England, if you ever go there you'll understand where the imagery of desolation and oppression came from). These lads knew what it was like to be down, as opposed to say punks like the Clash (Strummer was the son of a British diplomat, Jones and Simonon both attended university, which no member of Sabbath could have ever hoped to do growing up). And as for claims of being overly proggish and bloat this album (and all of the first 6 clock in around the 40 minute mark) which is shorter the the supposedly revolutionary stripped down punk of the Sex Pistols. More over Sabbath demonstrated they were not simply a blues band with distorted lound guitars. Planet Caravel is one of the finest folk songs ever, ethereal, melancholy, and more over beautiful. Iron Man provides perhaps the most perfect riff of all time, while telling the thinly veiled story of Butlers experience of rejection from the establishment the created him. And just to prove their diversity Fairies Wear Boots is a dark humour song about the bands over indulgence in narcotics. Really what more could you ask for?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Hard Rock Classic, August 3, 2005

By 

Lonnie E. Holder "The Review's the Thing" (Columbus, Indiana, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Paranoid (Audio CD)

30+ years ago "Paranoid" was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, the second album for Black Sabbath after their debut album "Black Sabbath". The late 60s and early 70s were a great time for experimentation, and rock was heading all over the place as various groups pushed the limits of what rock could be and where it could lead.

Paranoid remains a good album after 30+ years, a remarkable feat. "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" are considered primers for metal music, which we called hard rock in those ancient days, with a very basic bass, lead guitar, and drums sound, and the gritty, earthy voice of the Oz-man.

Of course some parents and many religious leaders pounced on the group's name and some of their lyrics. On the other hand, the current-day version of these same people complain that Harry Potter promotes witchcraft.

The lyrics in this album are mild, almost mainstream by today's standards. Furthermore, the lyrics are not all that breakthrough or novel, but when the lyrics are coupled with the music and Ozzy's voice, you have what was in 1971 a breakthrough album that sold very well, in spite of nearly zero radio play (except on the infamous, but not really, underground FM stations).

What else is on this album? "Planet Caravan" is a spacey tune that is a psychedelic rock holdover from the late 60s. I enjoy this song with its synthesized voice and mellow mood. "Electric Funeral" is another hard rocker in the vein of "War Pigs" and "Iron Man." The transition in this song is solid hard rock, bridging a relatively slow beginning to a brief lead guitar solo that takes off into a screamer...and then back to the slow beat of the intro. Ozzy is nearly singing a dirge at the beginning and end of the song, but that's also the point of the song.

"Hand of Doom" starts with the bass, adding drums and then Ozzy's voice. After the intro the lead guitar thrusts into the song and Ozzy starts putting himself into the song. The song switches back and forth between the bass/drums/mellow Oz to heavy bass, lead guitar, drums and Ozzy's full voice. Then the song suddenly changes so that it's almost like a completely different song, another hard rocker that may be the most metal song on the CD. Then about two minutes from the end of the song the speed slows down in a reprise of the beginning. By the way, this song is about drugs; the images are not positive.

Next you've got "Rat Salad." This song is an instrumental, the excellent drum work (turn up the bass!) setting you up for the last song.

I love "Fairies Wear Boots." I realize the lyrics are borderline corny, but on the other hand here's Ozzy singing about somebody who's clearly having a trip (chemically induced). Fortunately for many of us, the song is all the trip we need and the chemistry set is not required. This song is fun and good and has excellent riffs and bass.

Music has changed a lot in 30 years. But some things remain the same. This album is one of them. I hope I enjoy it 30 years from now as much as I enjoy it today.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the Best Pressing of This Album to Date., June 18, 2011

By 

Death - See all my reviews

This review is from: PARANOID [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

This record comes inside a full color gatefold sleeve. I was not expecting this high of a quality. This is also a Warner Brothers remastered release, making sound quality all-around cleaner. I took the vinyl out for the first time and was shocked at how heavy it was. I was expecting a very cheap, thin, record. This made me feel glad I got this issue of one of my favorite albums of all-time.