Black Sabbath perform "Paranoid" live at the O2 Academy in Birmingham.

"Paranoid" is a song by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, featured on their second album Paranoid (1970). It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard".

"Paranoid" was the first Black Sabbath single release, coming six months after their debut album was released. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler (from Guitar World magazine, March 2004):

"A lot of the Paranoid album was written around the time of our first album, Black Sabbath. We recorded the whole thing in about 2 or 3 days, live in the studio. The song "Paranoid" was written as an afterthought. We basically needed a 3 minute filler for the album, and Tony came up with the riff. I quickly did the lyrics, and Ozzy was reading them as he was singing."

"Paranoid" eventually became the name of the album, and somewhat unusually, the word paranoid is never mentioned in the lyrics. Originally the band had wanted to call the album War Pigs after the song of the same name, but the record company persuaded them to use "Paranoid" instead because it was less offensive.

Lyrics

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

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

Can you help me occupy my brain?

Oh yeah

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

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

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

Songwriters: ANTHONY IOMMI / JOHN OSBOURNE / WILLIAM WARD / TERENCE BUTLER

Paranoid lyrics © S.I.A.E. Direzione Generale, Essex Music International, Essex Music International Inc., Essex Music International Inc, Westminster Music LTD, CMINOR MUSIC OBO STORYBOOK MUSIC, BMG PLATINUM SONGS OBO CRAM-RENRAFF CO