Did Black Sabbath Really Rip Off “Paranoid”?
via @Alina Z Sergiu / YouTube
Few songs in the heavy metal world are as instantly recognizable as Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. With its driving guitar riff and urgent pace, it has become the defining track of the band’s career and a cornerstone of the genre. Created in the late ’60s by a group of Birmingham musicians, Paranoid emerged during a moment of inspired improvisation.
Oddly enough, Paranoid was never intended to be a hit. According to the band, it was a last-minute addition to their second album, created simply to fill time. Yet, its catchy simplicity and raw energy transformed it into an instant classic—so much so that the album was renamed after it.
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath’s frontman, later referred to the track as a “gift” that seemingly came from nowhere. For him, the song represents a kind of divine inspiration—a bolt of lightning in the studio that turned into a career-defining anthem still performed decades later.
The 25-Minute Riff That Shaped a Genre
As the story goes, Paranoid took no more than 25 minutes from inception to completion. Drummer Bill Ward recalled the session as something of a blur, a spontaneous jam session that gave birth to one of the most famous riffs in music history. Guitarist Tony Iommi, known for crafting dark, heavy guitar parts, struck gold once again—accidentally.
During a 2019 radio interview, Osbourne detailed how the producer, Roger Bain, pushed them to record one more track. With no song prepared, they jammed something out on the spot. What came out was Paranoid, and to everyone’s surprise, it became their first hit single.
The speed and ease with which the song was written only add to its mythos. There were no lengthy studio sessions or rewrites—just a quick burst of creativity that happened to change music history. But such simplicity also opened the door for doubt: could something that iconic really be that original?
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A Case of Musical Déjà Vu
As iconic as the Paranoid riff is, some have questioned its originality. A band called The Half-Life released a song titled Get Down, recorded in 1969, which bears a striking resemblance to the opening riff of Sabbath’s hit. Though Get Down wasn’t released until years later, the similarities are hard to ignore.
Critics and listeners who have compared the two songs note how closely the riffs align in tone and structure. This has led some to suggest that Black Sabbath may have unintentionally—or even deliberately—lifted the riff. But without any concrete evidence or legal action, the accusation has largely remained a curiosity rather than a scandal.
Most notably, there’s no indication that Iommi had ever heard Get Down before creating Paranoid. Considering the track was unreleased at the time, the odds of him copying it are extremely slim. The resemblance may just be one of those strange musical coincidences that occasionally happen in the industry.
Coincidence or Creativity?
Music has a finite number of notes and rhythmic patterns, and sometimes two bands—entirely independent of each other—arrive at similar conclusions. That may be the most logical explanation behind the resemblance between Paranoid and Get Down. With no lawsuit filed and no public dispute, even The Half-Life seem content to let the matter rest.
Tony Iommi’s track record further supports the case for innocence. He is widely respected for his innovation and influence on rock guitar playing, with few if any credible accusations of plagiarism throughout his career. The idea that he would lift a riff from an unknown band without credit seems out of character.
In the end, Paranoid remains one of the most influential metal songs ever created. Whether born from inspiration or coincidence, its legacy is secure. And if anything, the debate only enhances the song’s legend—an anthem forged in under half an hour that still rocks the world today.
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