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The 10 essential Ozzy Osbourne songs

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A heavy metal musician with a soft soul, Ozzy Osbourne, known for his headbanger image, played emotion and depth into the genre he co-created as the lead vocalist of Black Sabbath. He later transformed this genre into a worldwide phenomenon through his controversial solo acts. With sales of tens of millions of albums, two inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a surprising late-life career as a groundbreaking reality TV star, Osbourne passed away on Tuesday at 76, shortly after his supposed final performance in Birmingham, England. Here are ten of his most important songs listed in the order they were released.

Black Sabbath, ‘Paranoid’ (1970)

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Despite the heavy and ominous image often associated with Black Sabbath, the band had an unexpected agility, as showcased in their lively debut single that reached No. 4 on the U.K. pop chart. Titled “Paranoid,” this song tells the story of a despondent young man who fails to recognize the things leading to genuine joy, as Osbourne croons over Tony Iommi’s persistent guitar riff. Despite its somber theme, the song maintains an unyielding momentum. Black Sabbath ended their farewell concert this month with “Paranoid” – a track that has been streamed over 1.3 billion times on Spotify.

Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs,’ released in 1970, is a powerful anti-war song much like John Fogerty’s “Fortunate Son.” It expresses its critique of the architects of the Vietnam War through images of witches and sorcerers manipulating minds that have been brainwashed. The anger in Ozzy Osbourne’s voice is still strongly felt today.

Black Sabbath’s song “Iron Man” (1970) showcases Ozzy Osbourne’s ability to portray empathy in a heavy yet strangely compassionate narrative about a man who journeys through time to save mankind, but ends up being transformed into steel in a powerful magnetic field upon his return. He sings, “Nobody wants him / They just turn their heads,” followed by, “Nobody helps him / Now he has his revenge.

Black Sabbath, ‘Sweet Leaf’ (1971) – a tune often interpreted as a love song for marijuana. Ozzy takes things quite far with his lyrics while Tony Iommi provides the song with its signature sluggish guitar riff, which was later prominently sampled by the Beastie Boys in their “Rhymin’ and Stealin’.

Music

As I prepare for an upcoming performance at the iconic Hollywood Bowl this coming Sunday, I, a seasoned singer and songwriter, find myself reminiscing about some of my timeless hits with the legendary band, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

In my opinion, one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most poignant vocal performances can be found in the heart-wrenching piano ballad “Changes” from Black Sabbath’s 1972 album. He pours his anguish over a broken romance into every note, stripping the song down to just the raw emotion of the lyrics. In a beautiful twist, Ozzy and his daughter Kelly collaborated on a touching duet version in 2003, while soul singer Charles Bradley delivered a powerful cover that resonated deeply with listeners until his untimely passing.

‘In 1979, Ozzy Osbourne was kicked out of Black Sabbath due to his constant drug and alcohol issues. However, he swiftly regained success as a solo artist, achieving a Top 10 rock radio hit on his debut with “Crazy Train.” This song was co-created with guitarist Randy Rhoads, who had departed Quiet Riot to join Ozzy’s band. The lyrics of “Crazy Train” reflect upon the multitude of people living in conflict during the Cold War – a grim topic that surprisingly resulted in one of Ozzy’s most joyful songs.’

In 1980, following “Crazy Train,” Mr. Crowley (the song) was created by Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads, who sadly passed away in a plane crash during their tour with Ozzy in 1982. This mid-tempo track revisited Black Sabbath’s exploration of the supernatural, focusing on Aleister Crowley, a man who styled himself as a prophet.

‘No More Tears’ (1991)

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Instead of fading away like many other heavy metal veterans, Osbourne managed to remain significant during the grunge period by releasing hits such as the hauntingly captivating title track from his album “No More Tears”, which highlighted his strong partnership with guitarist Zakk Wylde.

Another emotional anthem from the early ’90s, ‘No More Tears’, was penned by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, and Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, expressing the sentiment, ‘I’m on my way home, Mama.’

In the year 2019, Ozzy Osbourne, at the age of 70, showcased his powerful voice in the trap-metal fusion track “Take What You Want”, which was a hit collaboration from Post Malone’s album “Hollywood’s Bleeding”. The partnership between Osbourne and producer Andrew Watt on this song eventually led to Watt producing Osbourne’s last two solo albums, namely “Ordinary Man” (2020) and the Grammy-winning “Patient Number 9” (2022).

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2025-07-23 02:01

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