"Paranoid" was released as a single and received regular airplay on mainstream radio. The single, with "The Wizard" on the B-side, was released in the UK in July 1970 and it reached the number 4.
Lead singer Ozzy Osbourne continued to play this song in concert during his career as a solo artist.
"Paranoid" was ranked #34 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs. In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 11 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Rolling Stone ranked it #250 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is #1 in the book The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time
Paranoid
black sabath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'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
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 late
In the song Paranoid by Black Sabbath, the lyrics depict the mental state of the singer who is feeling isolated, frustrated and disillusioned with life. The opening lines express his dissatisfaction with his woman as she is unable to help him deal with the issues he is facing in his own mind. The perception of other people's views on his behaviour and thoughts cause him to be further isolated from his surroundings. He feels as though he is going insane, and fears that he will lose his mind without something to pacify him.
He reaches out to someone to help him find some form of escapism or happiness in life, as he is unable to see the things that make true happiness. His inability to feel happy or experience love is expressed in the next stanza. He feels as though he is a burden to those around him and his constant state of unhappiness is causing them to feel the same. The song ends with a warning to the listener to enjoy life, as the singer is unable to do so himself.
Line by Line Meaning
Finished with my woman
I have parted ways with my companion
'Cause she couldn't help me with my mind
She was unable to aid me with my thoughts
People think I'm insane
Others view me as mentally unstable
Because I am frowning all the time
As I am always scowling
All day long I think of things
Throughout the day, my mind is occupied with various thoughts
But nothing seems to satisfy
Yet, none of them bring me fulfillment
Think I'll lose my mind
I fear that I am at risk of losing my sanity
If I don't find something to pacify
Unless I discover a means of calming myself down
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Could you assist me in finding something to preoccupy my thoughts?
I need someone to show me
I require assistance from someone to indicate
The things in life that I can't find
The aspects of life that I am unable to discover
I can't see the things that make true happiness
I am incapable of identifying the factors that produce genuine contentment
I must be blind
It appears that I am visually impaired
Make a joke and I will sigh
If you tell a jest, I will react with a sigh
And you will laugh and I will cry
While you will find amusement, I will feel the urge to weep
Happiness I cannot feel
Unfortunately, I am incapable of experiencing joy
And love to me is so unreal
Love is something I perceive to be illusory
And so as you hear these words
Therefore, as you listen to this song
Telling you now of my state
Which details my present condition
I tell you to enjoy life
I would advise you to find joy in your existence
I wish I could but it's too late
Unfortunately, for me, it is impossible as it is too late
Contributed by Asher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Lebieow
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 late
@ash-khiru6729
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 late
@andresuki2691
[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
@daterror6301
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 late
@djwucuejaix5684
[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
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
[Chorus]
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Whoa, yeah
[Verse 2]
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 3]
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 late
@leokimvideo
The birth of METAL
@niklaseriksson3343
Metal had already been around a while when this came out. Metal started with their first album "Black Sabbath".
@ryyyan4795
Dude, you’re everywhere
@hermanaksom5303
actually, it's a typical hard rock) - the same thing Zeppelin, Purple, Hedrix, Krimson, Who or Blue Cheer already practiced. That these first two albums inspired those guys who would develop hard rock into HM later in the second half of the 1970s - definitely maybe.
@hermanaksom5303
@dayRman there was no such precise terminology that days: everybody called typical hard rock bands like Zeppelin, Purple, Sabbath or even Scorpions - heavy metal bands. Just like anything provocative like Kiss, Motley Crue, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Venom or Mercyful Fate were called black metalists and even satanists. People were so susceptible and unprepared back then.
@kennyhall2118
No it's not!
@karltietjen3876
Leaving this comment so that whenever someone likes it I'll comeback and listen to this masterpiece
@aaronringling9008
Well we are waiting lol
@Anonymous_Music
Keep coming back
@Anonymous_Music
@@paulcastro5140 yeah that sounds like somethin a Paul Castro would say