# Deep Tracks - Black Sabbath - "Paranoid" - Choose your favourites...



## Guest (Jul 11, 2018)

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This is one of a series of polls in which you will be asked nothing more than to choose your favourite tunes from the album in question.

The number of selections that you will be allowed to choose will vary from album to album but a higher number than that found in usual polls of this nature will be allowed so that album tracks (which form the foundation of "classic albums") will not be overshadowed by hit singles.

Please choose up to four selections for this particular poll.

The tunes themselves (when available) will be found below the poll itself as links rather than as embedded videos due to bandwidth issues for those who wish to reacquaint themselves with a tune that may have receded a bit too far into the past to be remembered with the clarity that came when they were first released...

Next up is Black Sabbath - "_Paranoid_" -

""_Paranoid_" is the second studio album by the English rock band Black Sabbath. Released in September 1970, it was the band's only LP to top the UK Albums Chart until the release of 13 in 2013. "Paranoid" contains several of the band's signature songs, including "_Iron Man_", "_War Pigs_" and the title track, which was the band's only Top 20 hit, reaching number 4 in the UK charts. It is often cited as an influential album in the development of heavy metal music."

"The album is currently ranked at No. 131 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. "Paranoid"'s chart success allowed the band to tour the US for the first time in October 1970, which spawned the release of the album's second single "Iron Man". Although it failed to reach the top 40, "_Iron Man_" remains one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs, as well as the band's highest charting US single."

"In 1989, Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 39 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".

In 1994, "_Paranoid_" was ranked number three in Colin Larkin's Top 50 Heavy Metal Albums. According to Larkin, "Pretenders have often grasped at their crown, but Paranoid shows that Black Sabbath remain the quintessential metal band."

In 1999, Q magazine 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 included it on their list of 100 Essential Albums of the 20th Century.

In 2006, the album was ranked number 6 on Guitar World magazine's list of The Greatest 100 Guitar Albums of All Time.

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".

In 2017, Rolling Stone considered it the greatest metal album ever."

Your commentary on any and every aspect of the album and especially any memories reawakened as a result of the poll is welcomed.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2018)

"War Pigs" -






"Paranoid" -






"Planet Caravan" -






"Iron Man"






"Electric Funeral" -






"Hand of Doom" -






"Rat Salad" -






"Fairies Wear Boots" -


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2018)

Only four? Bummer.

Knocked me out when it was released. Haven't listened to it since yesterday. The album shed more of the bluesy elements found on their debut as they honed the new genre of rock that they created (in the main by Iommi).


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Great album - _Rat Salad_ is the only track I find skippable.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2018)

We all know where we were that time we first heard Planet Caravan. :lol:


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

dogen said:


> We all know where we were that time we first heard Planet Caravan. :lol:


It shocked me a bit. _Paranoid_ was only the second Sabbath album I heard, the first being _Sabbath Bloody Sabbath_ where I assumed the acoustic instrumental _Fluff_ would be a one-off change of pace. Despite the groovy title I thought _Planet Caravan_ would be a sledgehammer job like the two tracks on side one before it. Great song for potheads (allegedly).


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2018)

dogen said:


> We all know where we were that time we first heard Planet Caravan. :lol:





elgars ghost said:


> It shocked me a bit. _Paranoid_ was only the second Sabbath album I heard, the first being _Sabbath Bloody Sabbath_ where I assumed the acoustic instrumental _Fluff_ would be a one-off change of pace. Despite the groovy title I thought _Planet Caravan_ would be a sledgehammer job like the two tracks on side one before it. Great song for potheads (allegedly).


Just adding this additional note from the Wikipedia article about the album itself -

"Planet Caravan" was an unusually quiet song which showcased that the band was capable of more than bone crushing guitar riffs. Iommi admitted that the band had doubts about the mellow number, telling Classic Albums, "It was almost one of those 'Should we do this?'" with Butler adding, "We just came up with that in the studio and it was really laid back so and we didn't want to come out with the usual love crap. So it was about floating through the universe with your loved one, instead of 'Let's go down to the pub and have some chips', or whatever ... Just taking a spaceship out into the stars and having the ultimate romantic weekend."

I didn't vote for "Planet Caravan" as I'm more of the "Let's go down to the pub and have some chips" type when it comes to heavy metal... I even prefer "or whatever" to "taking a spaceship out into the stars and having the ultimate romantic weekend" because I found Bowie's "Space Oddity" to be one of the most strangely unsettling tunes that I've ever heard in my life -


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2018)

dogen said:


> Only four? Bummer.
> 
> Knocked me out when it was released. Haven't listened to it since yesterday. The album shed more of the bluesy elements found on their debut as they honed the new genre of rock that they created (in the main by Iommi).


I think that you're right - I really should have made the option to be "up to five choices" - I realized my mistake when I found that I didn't have a vote left for "Electric Funeral".

It's been years since I listened to this album and I must say that I have had to revise my estimation of Tony Iommi substantially upwards not only as a "guitarist" but as a "musician" also - even at his most intense you can still hear a distinctly melodic lyricism within his playing. I would have originally placed him within the upper end of the second tier but would now amend that to first-tier status.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Can't believe I missed this thread. Of the first 6 Sabbath albums, Paranoid is my least favourite (even though its still a great album). Fairies and War Pigs are my personal faves off here. And yes I skip Rat Salad too.


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