This is a great example of ‘less is more’, it’s a very simple song, but it’s one of the most iconic songs not just in rock and metal, but even in mainstream media.

I bought this after hearing in the local record shop, played it until it was virtually transparent & drove my father to yell the classic "turn that racket down"

Planet Caravan from this same album is the Sabbs at their most languid.The sounds are haunting and vaguely ....lysergic.A masterpiece all told.

Doug: I suggest "Megalomania" from the Sabotage album. 9 impressive minutes. A massive banger. It’s an obvious epic that goes through several perfect sections. The tone of it leaves an impression of being lost in a dark room with zero direction thanks to the haunting bass trickles, menacing leads, and echo-like vocal approach. Black Sabbath hit peak spooky vibes here. It goes from slow, dark and melancholic to a fast and upbeat song. Iommi's riff is always brilliant, and Ozzy displays his vocal arsenal. Monumental.

The effect on the guitar solo is called a Ring Modulator: Ring Modulation pedals are stompbox units designed for guitar and/or bass. They modulate the amplitude of the input signal with a carrier signal (typically a sine or square wave) in order to produce/output new frequencies, which are the sum and difference (sidebands) of the input and carrier signals.

My first concert ever as a very young man was Black Sabbath in the early 70’s. They opened with Paranoid and it seriously kicked ass. Seeing Black Sabbath as it was originally great way to kickoff my history of going to rock concerts.

Doug, I love your analysis of all of this great music. Really love when you stop the track periodically to dive into each particular part. Please do more of that.

It’s a privilege listening to you talking about music. Thank you.

Your face on the front of this was similar to my first reaction in 1974

I like the background...from the plain wall to the LPs of the masterpieces in metal music. In the room of the classical musician.😊

Doug, “Evil Woman” was Black Sabbath’s first ever single, in the UK. The flipside was a song called “Wicked World”. The single was released on January 9, 1970. “Evil Woman” was chosen to be on the UK edition of the first album, while “Wicked World” replaced that song on the American edition of their debut album.

Depression is a deep, slippery pit. Digging yourself out feels impossible. The worst thing in the world you can do is to start to self-medicate. Sadly, most of us do. It doesn't help. Get help, people. Get help. Great vid, Doug. Black Sabbath is the shizzle! !m!

Love your insights Doug! 😊

My first concert was Black Sabbath at the Birmingham Town Hall in the early 70's. All I remember of that night is the energy and bass going straight through my body WOW.

It makes me happy that the captioning for this calls your channel The Daily Duck. Thanks for the video, Duck!

Simple power chords and riffs, but the killer drums bring it all together!

Very nice doug 👏👏👏👏 I actually didn't think this song had much to analyze but you still went deep and taught me new things about it 🙌🙌 I can't believe I never realized all these years that this song doesn't have a chorus 😂😂😂

Great vid. Been a Sabbath fan since the early 90's.

A pretty damn good song for being considered a filler song for the album.

I've listened to it since it was released, especially during dark depressions. Loved hearing your comments! Also good to hear how the Cannabis is helping your back pain! Pain killers don't touch mine.

For me the energy and urgency of the music fit well with the words; someone for whom life is running away from them and needs help, but already feels it is too late. Singles from Sabbath, Deep Purple and others certainly shook up the charts back in the day. Great times.

Hey Doug Such a wonderful work you've done so far, thank you !!! Is there a section dedicated to asking for a tune analysis?

I have that album at home! Just as few records you have on your background. Pink Floid, Iron Maiden... To be honest Im listening the music just as you do. All the best from to hot Zagreb, Croatia.

Dude this Band is just GOLD! My fave era is 80s and Van Halen my band, but Zep n Sabbath are just unreal. LEGENDS!

A song I know and love and can play on guitar. I'm 69 years old and have heard it a million times. I never thought that deep about the lyrics. You nailed it with the explanation of Geezer's statement. Thanks Y'all Doug.

Doug and I found the hills have eyes and poked them out 👀👁️👈

"Strophic", nice, add something new to my vocabulary. Really hadn't heard that word before. Thanks Doug, always want to "expand" my knowledge. BTW, Cannabis saves lives.

Virgin Steele - I Will Come For You - great epic track with high composition skills. Must to listen in future Mondays!

My favorite song from one of my favorite albums, the first I ever bought. Thank you! I always love your analysis! Two Sundays ago, I created a dnd session all inspired by this album. There were some ilarious moments, like a Hydra with rats heads obviously inspired by "Rat Salad"

Super interpretation of the lyrics, Doug! I have known many many people for whom cannabis was/is at worst harmless, and at best quite beneficial. Sadly, I have also known a (thankfully very) few who used it as a response to depression or other pre-existing mental issues. Especially when in their teens, and I suspect to excess. And the outcome too often was pretty well exactly as in Geezer's lyrics. One of my friends, his best mate tragically took his own life. My friend believed it was due to paranoia and despair seriously accentuated by ongoing use of cannabis as a refuge. Hence why over this 50+ years I have increasingly formed a similar view to that which Doug formed. Really appreciated hearing Doug's take on this!

great video as always

Thanks, I really enjoyed this! I'm glad you delved into the background of this song. I grew up in the '70s, and Black Sabbath was HUGE in my musical journey, but I never knew about the backstory of this title track until recent years (through KZfaq!). I just remember it was a pretty big song for a band like Black Sabbath, and was pretty common on jukeboxes back in the day (at least at places I frequented). I'm sure the short length had a lot to do with that, as well as the very catchy melody and riff. It's kind of ridiculous that "Black Sabbath" and "Paranoid" were released in the same year. Again, I grew up in that era and was already a Black Sabbath fan, but it still blows me away. Those are two of the greatest metal albums ever. And they were released by the same band IN THE SAME YEAR! To this day, I consider "Paranoid" one of the greatest albums ever, not just metal, but in general. But the debut album is not far behind...

I literally just searched up your video for this song and couldn't find it. Then holy shit here you come with the video.

That's a major reason why I'm watching reactions to songs that I've known for years: here, I learn so much more about them! About the history of how songs came to life. And also about the lyrics. Although my english is fairly good, still I'm native german. So: lyrics can be VERY tricky to grasp.

Found out in recent yearsthe lyric Ozzy is singing is " I tell you to ENJOY life" For years i thought he said" END your life" .

Great album & song. This was recently released by Rhino Records as a quadraphonic Blu-ray Audio. The best this has ever sounded and definitely worth a listen if you have a surround/quad capable setup.

Simply perfect.

Always love Sabbath Metal Monday!

Good stuff Doug.

Pretty well written during a tea (or j) break. Sometimes the best songs appear when their time is right!

Sounds like some type of octafuzz pedal creating the dual guitar tone on the solo. Great work again. Thank you 👍

I have watched your videos for a long time, what i love is you achive 2 things, you are open to analyse and react to songs outside the classical realm, which in turn takes away the pre conceived ideas of classical music as only being for a certain type of people, you bring the classical music to the masses by removing the ideas people have about it, I love music from mozart to metallica, imagine what sort of mind mozart had as a boy to be able to compose such complex arrangments to create something of such awe and beauty and then you compare that to the mind of a pop artist just repaeating the same line because its catchy lol

First time I heard this song when it was released I immediately locked onto the lyrics and the most painted a picture to support them. Been a fan ever since.

I love what you do. I'm a percussionist who plays keys now. Big YES fan. Met Rick Wakeman a few times.

It was the same year 1970 that Deep Purple had finished their album 'in Rock' and were told they needed a single, so after an evening at the pub they threw together "Black Night" (around a riff they didn't even invent themselves), and it became one of their biggest hits. Seems to have been a thing at that time....

Every time I hear Paranoid it sounds newer and more fresh.

This song is an anthem ! The beginning of the heavy metal ! 🙏🤗

The beauty is in the simplicity.

This was the first heavy metal (it was "heavy rock" in those days") 7-inch single I ever bought, a couple of weeks after I bought my first turntable in 1973. Still easy to get, even well over two years after first release. I still have that vinyl single, 50 years later! Pretty unmistakable riff from Tony, and powerful words from Geezer I believe primarily about depression, although I always suspected maybe also how its impact can sometimes be accentuated and tend to paranoia through "certain herbs". Either way, Geezer surely must have been writing from personal experience here, given the simple raw power in the lyrics? Interested to hear what Doug has dug out regarding the true meaning! (And from others who are more familiar than I am).

Doug, would love to see you react to the Pentagram album “First Daze Here,” a compilation of their material from the 70s that was never properly released at the time due to circumstance and self-inflicted issues. Incredible bluesy, Sabbath-esque rock tunes that are criminally underrated and an interesting story as to why they didn’t become a bigger name at the time. Also just think you’d really dig the songs and find the band’s story fascinating from a historical context. Cheers from San Diego 🍻 love what you do with this channel!

I've dealt with depression for years and i kinda relate to this song, I've never used cannabis or any other drug, but this music is something that helps with the noise in my mind, the intrusive thoughts, i can say metal has saved my life a couple of times, i love to see other people discover it and realize how powerful and special it can be.

Tony used a ring modulator on the guitar solo and the same ring modulator was used in the intro for the vocal "Iron Man" effect.

Heya Doug, I have been enjoying your content for a couple of years now so thank you for making it. I have recently rediscovered my love of the early 80's King Crimson and thought I'd suggest them to you. Tracks such as Sleepless, Waiting Man, Matte Kudasai, Neal and Jack and Me are a few suggestions. All the best to you and yours

this so cool!

Great reaction as usual Doug

"You Won't Change Me", and "Junior's Eyes" are a couple of great Sabbath songs. The California Jam set is also great. Thank you Doug, for lending a learned ear to this, as we have internalized it without seeking to know what it is.

Always been amazed that a song that was apparently thrown together in the studio on the spot to finish the time of the album, became the album title and virtually the band's signature song. I remember seeing them perform live on TV, I think it was California Jam. I remember when they played this song, I couldn't follow Geezer on the bass at all. His hand was just a flesh blur in front of the guitar. Granted, a lot of that was likely an artifact of when it was taped and how it was broadcast. Grand Funk also has a song called "Paranoid", also from 1970. Completely different song. And, Grand Funk also have a song called "Heartbreaker", as does Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones. All completely different songs. I find it interesting that bands of basically the same genre, more or less, release songs with the same name, and maybe the same time frame.

Hi Doug, the sound effect on Tony's guitar solo is made by a ring modulator effects pedal.

Hi Doug...great one

One of the great headbanging tunes of the 70's.

Simple, but Oh so Powerful!

Guitar solo is (as far as I can tell), "traditional" distorted guitar in the left, and the same solo doubled with ring modulation in the right side. I used to play this as a warm-up song at jam sessions.

A song that is still played on the radio everyday

I still have the single bought when it was released. the B side The Wizard is a great track too.

It's my favorite song slapped together at the eleventh hour

this is crazy fire

Doug, i think you would agree this is probably the first head banging song recorded way back in 1970...the sabbs bring head banging into existence!

The guitar sound in the solo is what makes it Great. The tone and feel, plus the fuzz, in 1969! is why it still stands up today. Less is More

Éste es el inicio de todo lo que conocemos como heavy metal,Black Sabbath son los padres del metal y no pienso discutirlo con nadie..... Sabbath rules forever!!!!

Thanks Doug!

Your experience with the lyrics is pretty much identical to mine. I never really heard the message of the song, despite hearing it _lots_ of times on the radio, until I heard a cover version by another artist, who sang the lyrics differently. That artist was Puddles Pity Party.

Absolutely nostalgic metal track

One of the best “short songs” ever made. The 3-minute mark was the standard in rock music until the late 60’s - early 70’s. It’s fascinating how bands who made their fame via shorter songs adapted and started writing longer songs. When Pete Townshend started writing his rock opera “Tommy”, he came right out and said, “Rock songs are two minutes and fifty seconds!“ His transition to longer songs was a smashing success.

Doug you have done so much Black Sabbath but haven't touched anything from the Tony Martin albums! You have to check out this very interesting and underrated period of Black Sabbath, which was probably their 'darkest' era! Tony Martin is a really talented vocalist and doesn't get enough recognition, in my opinion he stands with Ronnie James Dio from a technical perspective. Please listen to and review 'When Death Calls' from The Headless Cross albums which features Brian May from Queen on lead guitars. Brilliant song!

Hi Doug - the effect on the guitar solo is called a ring modulator

That's the cool thing with rock-n-roll,it doesn't have to be complicated to be great.

Rock, frequently at its best, is a back to basics minimalism. This song is a good example of that, especially from a time when rock was starting to look for inspiration away from the blues. The only reason this song was recorded is because the album needed about 3 minutes more music. So Tony quickly came up with a riff, Geezer quickly came up with the lyrics, and Ozzy quickly came up with the most basic of what can barely be called a melody. Yet for some reason these early Sabbath songs are still powerful and don't get old. It's like rock had found its very loud, crude and aggressive, very British alternative to the blues. American proto punk in the form of the Stooges and Velvet Underground had been doing something similar, yet different. The blues would later make a comeback in the form of Stevie Ray Vaughn and, more recent, The White Stripes. But what Sabbath and others were doing showed a different, yet still minimal kind of way -- a few power chords and you're off.

Back in the day in Finland, there was a running joke where in any random gig people from the audience would shout to the band "play Paranoid!" How many bands actually complied is unknown.

such a classic hard rock song

Always made me paranoid in my late teens - it's why I didn't indulge very frequently back in the day, and why haven't touched it since.

Huge fan of the series. Would love to hear your thoughts on Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson. Or anything from that album in general!

Growing up in the late sixties early seventies this track and Deep Purples Black Night were the two covers that local bands had to do .Sabbath and Deep Purple were ahead of the curve.

Saw them at California Jam! 1974.

Iommi liked to use stereo panning or double tracked solo's slightly off w each other for a psychedelic feeling. Still in the Hendrix era here. And recorded on a 4 track!

Nice analysis of the song... however, your comments about the use and effects of smoking canavas were far more interesting and welcomed. Worthed, as usual. Keep it up. Thanks

LOS JAIVAS - "Alturas de Machu Picchu" Full album is a *masterpiece*

The first time I heard this song, I was about 13 years old. It completely changed my life

Great song! I hope you react to the other single from this album, another Black Sabbath classic, "Iron Man".

The b side of the Paranoid single was The Wizard from the first album.

Doug. I had a laugh when you said that you are not sure whether you have never heard this before. Hilarious.😂

I smoked as a kid and never had bad effects. After my first pregnancy, my metabolism changed and weed makes me very paranoid. I wish I could partake but I can't. I'm not a drinker either. I wish I had something to take the edge off life sometimes but that's the way it goes. Great analysis Doug. Always a pleasure.

It would be nice watching you react to Clube Da Esquina's Um Girassol Da Cor De Seu Cabelo. It's a legendary song from the greatest Brazilian album of all time.

One channel of the guitar solo is going through a ring modulator. He didn't use it when playing live.

Lovely analysis, for a lovely song. I'd also suggest listening to the cover by Type O Negative, which is basically slowed down to a third of the speed (becoming about 7 and a half minutes long). Would love a quick comment on how slowing the song changes its energy. Oh, and thank you again for all the videos, always love listening to your analysis.

I believe their first single was a cover of the band Crow, the song was Evil Woman.

I love Black Sabbath. This song is played every 15 minutes on classic rock radio. Grand Funk Railroad has a song by the same title. I think you should check it out as well. PLEASE!

This was the first CD i ever bought

I didn't know until I recently read Geezer Butler's biography "Into the Void" that he did indeed suffer from depression from an early age. Puts a new perspective on the song for me.

Evil Woman ( a cover) off the first album was Black Sabbath's first single.

Next time you delve into Sabbath you should delve into one of these three tracks Changes, Planet Caravan or Laguna sunrise, they might surprise you.