Black Sabbath’s Bestselling Album ‘Paranoid’ for re-Release in April

 

Black Sabbath has been deemed to be one of the heaviest, darkest bands of all time.  With more than 12 albums and a black metal dedicated line-up, the band set the bar for many metal groups that came, thereafter. Originally known as Polka Tulk and later as Earth, Black Sabbath is said to have been inspired not only by blues and metal, but also by the dark, gothic elements of 70’s horror movies.

The album Paranoid, set for re-release on April 8^th, was Black Sabbath’s second album – follow-up to their 1^st self-titled record – and second association with producer Rodger Bain. The record was released under their original line-up, Tony Iommi on guitar, Gezzer Butler on bass guitar, Bill Ward on drums and Ozzy Osbourne on vocals.

Upon release in September of 1970 in the UK, and later in the US on January of 1971, the band’s second album was everything that the fans and music critics wanted to hear. By 1995, ‘Paranoid’ had sold more than 4 million copies, acquiring a quadruple Platinum status and granting, since its release, monumental recognition to the group.

The album’s popularity was encompassed, perhaps, not only due to good music but also to the themes addressed in their tunes; a clear a representation and perception of a world in chaos prognosticated by the Vietnam War and the Cold War developing at the time. Aside from wartime references in many of their tracks, topics of mental disease and drug abuse are also exposed in many of Sabbaths songs ie.Planet Caravan, Hand of Doom, Fairies Wear Boots.

The band’s focus on the issues brought on by war was so that the album’s original title used to be ‘War Pigs’, alike the name of the album’s first track.  In an attempt to reach a broader audience and refrain from directly offending any Vietnam War advocates, the title was changed to ‘Paranoid’, also a track in the album.

The story goes the song ‘Paranoid’ was an unplanned, improvised song Black Sabbath put together as a filler for the scarcely packed release. Much to the band’s surprise, the song had become so popular that it reached #4 on the UK charts.

The bestselling album’s re-release set for April 8^th of this year will not only include the original 1970 version of the record on the 1^st disc, but also a quadraphonic mix on the 2nd disc, and original studio recordings of each track on the 3^rd one.

 

The track listing is set as follows:

Disc 1 – Original Version

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

Disc 2 – Quadrophonic Mix

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

Disc 3 – Unreleased Recordings

1. War Pigs – instrumental

2. Paranoid – alternative lyrics

3. Planet Caravan – alt. lyrics

4. Iron Man – instrumental

5. Electric Funeral – instrumental

6. Hand of Doom – instrumental

7. Rat Salad – instrumental

8. Fairies Wear Boots – inst.

 

Along with the new unreleased material, the album will also include rare photos and artwork of the band, as well as copies of the recording notes that gave place to it.

Black Sabbath toured with Ozzy Osbourne in a reunion world trek from 1997 to 2005. Osbourne was fired from the band in 1979 and later replaced by Ronnie James Dio who took over vocals until the mid 80’s.

Presumed to have changed their name to ‘Heaven & Hell’ upon reuniting with Ronnie James Dio in 2007, the band is still expected to tour under the Black Sabbath name and original line-up in a near future.

 

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