Planet Caravan

"Planet Caravan"
Song by Black Sabbath
from the album Paranoid
Released	18 September 1970 (1970-09-18)
Recorded	16–21 June 1970
Genre	Psychedelic rock space rock
Length	4:29
Label	Vertigo Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Tony Iommi Bill Ward Geezer Butler Ozzy Osbourne
Producer(s)	Rodger Bain

"Planet Caravan" is a song by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It was originally released on their 1970 album Paranoid.

Overview

Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler – who composed the song's lyrics – said the song is about floating through the universe with one's lover. Black Sabbath lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne uses a Leslie speaker to achieve the vocals' treble and vibration effects. The piano parts on the track were played by album engineer Tom Allom. Iommi overdubbed flute to the reversed multitrack master which was then re-forwarded and treated with stereo delay.

On 31 May 2020, "Planet Caravan" was used as wake-up music for the crew of a SpaceX Crew Dragon before the craft's launch later that day. It was the first time music was used to wake astronauts since the last shuttle mission in July 2011. The craft was bound for the International Space Station.

The song features an ambient and laid back sound which is often considered a departure from the band’s traditional brand of heavy metal.

Personnel

• Ozzy Osbourne – vocals
• Tony Iommi – guitar, flute
• Geezer Butler – bass guitar
• Bill Ward – congas
• Tom Allom – piano

Pantera cover

"Planet Caravan"
Single by Pantera
from the album Far Beyond Driven
Released	1994
Recorded	1994
Length	4:03
Label	East West
Songwriter(s)	Tony Iommi Bill Ward Geezer Butler Ozzy Osbourne
Producer(s)	Terry Date Pantera
Pantera singles chronology
"I'm Broken" (1994) "Planet Caravan" (1994) "5 Minutes Alone" (1994)

"Planet Caravan" was covered by American heavy metal band Pantera for their 1994 album Far Beyond Driven.

Release and reception

The song was released as the second single from the Far Beyond Driven album, and the follow-up single to their hit single "I'm Broken" in 1994 on East West Records as a 12" single. It became Pantera's highest-charting single, peaking on the UK Singles Chart at number 26. Metal Hammer magazine ranked the cover of "Planet Caravan" number 31 on their list of the 50 best Pantera songs.

Track listing

American single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Planet Caravan" (Album Version)	4:03
2.	"Cowboys from Hell" (Live)	5:08
3.	"Primal Concrete Sledge" (Live)	3:57
4.	"By Demons Be Driven" (Biomechanical Mix)	4:16

European single 1

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Planet Caravan" (Black Sabbath cover)	4:03
2.	"The Badge" (Poison Idea cover)	3:56
3.	"A New Level" (Live)	5:43
4.	"Becoming" (Live)	4:04

European single 2

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Planet Caravan" (Black Sabbath cover)	4:03
2.	"The Badge" (Poison Idea cover)	3:56
3.	"Domination" (Live)	4:55
4.	"Hollow" (Live)	2:27

Charts

Chart (1994–1995)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	90
UK Singles (OCC)	26
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)	2
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)	21