Andy Greene
View all posts by Andy Greene June 18, 2026
Ozzy Osbourne onstage with Black Sabbath in 1974. No doubt, the set included "Paranoid." Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images When Black Sabbath wrapped up their career with the grand Back to the Beginning farewell show on July 5, 2025 — a mere 17 days before Ozzy Osbourne died — they ended their four-song set with “Paranoid.” No other song would have made sense. The 1970 single transformed Black Sabbath from a cult band with little traction outside of their native England into one of the most popular groups in the world. For the remainder of their career, it was not possible for them to leave the stage without playing it.
That remained true once Ozzy left the group in 1979, and soon began playing solo shows the next year with a long string of lead guitarists. And it remained true for Sabbath in the Eighties when they changed out their singer like most people change their socks.
It means that quite a few singers and guitarists have tackled “Paranoid” over the years. Here’s a look back at 12 renditions of the timeless tale about losing your mind.
-
Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne
Image Credit: Chris Walter/WireImage The original Black Sabbath were at the peak of their powers when they played L’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix in Paris on Dec. 20, 1970, just three months after the Paranoid album dropped, and a professional camera crew captured the magic for all time. This is before oceans of cocaine, booze, and money began slowly ripping the band to pieces. They’d play “Paranoid” hundreds and hundreds of times after this night, but it never sounded quite as vital.
