45RPM: #90 Paranoid - The Dickies (1978)

Paranoid / I'm OK, You're OK

A&M

Produced by John Hewlett, Stan Lee & Earle Mankey

Released June 1978

 UK Chart #45

A-Side

Paranoid 

B-Side 

I'm OK, You're OK

The debut single from The Dickies was a cover of Black Sabbath's Paranoid (which had reached #4 in the UK Charts back in 1970!). I know we have already spotlighted one of their singles in the 45RPM Series but they are worth highlighting again because they did have some brilliant singles.

They were one of the first punk bands to emerge from Los Angeles and were formed after Stan Lee and Billy Club saw The Damned on their first US Tour. They were a band of firsts as they were the first California Punk band to appear on TV and they were also the first California Punk band to sign with a Major Label.

They were always seen as a bit of a cartoon type band which is a bit of shame as they did have some great singles and albums in their time and people seem to write them off because they were a wee bit to zany!

I always liked them because they were clever, very clever in fact when it came to their ideas for singles and in particular their choice of Cover Versions. A Punk Band covering Black Sabbath for a start is something you would not expect. Add to that their covers of Eve of Destruction, Silent Night (and B-Side Sound of Silence), Banana Splits (Tra-La-La Song) - which reached #7 in the UK, and Nights in White Satin (which we have already featured - see link above).

(Released as a Limited Edition on Clear Vinyl)

There's also a 10" White Vinyl that was released in the USA that contains different B-sides - Hideous / You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla). I'm not totally sure if this is just a Promo or if it is an actual release.