This song by Black Sabbath is consistently ranked as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time. Maybe the biggest hit of Ozzy’s group, along with “Iron Man.”
The lyrics were written by and about bassist Geezer Butler, whom the band often called paranoid, even though he didn’t know what the...
[Intro]
[Verse 1]
Finished with my woman
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
People think I'm insane
Because I am frowning all the time
[Verse 2]
All day long I think of things
But nothing seems to satisfy
Think I'll lose my mind
If I don't find something to pacify
[Bridge]
Can you help me
Occupy my brain?
Oh yeah
[Verse 3]
I need someone to show me
The things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true happiness
I must be blind
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4]
Make a joke and I will sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel
And love to me is so unreal
[Verse 5]
And so, as you hear these words
Telling you now of my state
I tell you to enjoy life
I wish I could but it's too late
Paranoid was written by Tony Iommi & Geezer Butler & Bill Ward & Ozzy Osbourne.
Paranoid was produced by Rodger Bain.
Black Sabbath released Paranoid on Fri Sep 18 1970.
Tommy Iommi:
I started fiddling about on the guitar and came up with this riff. When the others came back [from lunch], we recorded it on the spot.
Geezer Butler:
Basically, it’s just about depression, because I didn’t really know the difference between depression and paranoia. It’s a drug thing;...