Admittedly, I've been derelict over the last couple months when it comes to posting, outside of Hair Band Friday. But as Jacobim Mugatu so eloquently put it, you can derelict my balls.
If there's anything to prompt me to get back into at least posting Retro Videos of the Week, it's the death of a legend. Yesterday, the world lost one of the most iconic figures in rock history and the most important person in the history of heavy metal: John "Ozzy" Osbourne.
I'm not going to get into Ozzy's life or what he meant to modern music, as I just don't have the time. There are full books about that if you're interested in learning more. Rest assured, I love Black Sabbath and Ozzy's solo work. I'm glad I got to see Black Sabbath thrice in my life, though I'll be kicking myself for not looking more into going to their last show, a mere 18 days ago in Birmingham. Part of me thinks Ozzy knew he was near the end, which is why they scheduled that last hurrah when they did.
But anyway, in 1991, Ozzy released his sixth solo album, No More Tears. It was a big hit, reaching #7 on the Billboard album chart and eventually going 5x platinum in the U.S. "Mama, I'm Coming Home" -- which was co-written by Ozzy, the late great metal god Lemmy Kilmister, and Ozzy's then-guitarist Zakk Wylde. It's a power ballad, as was the style in 1991, but it's heartfelt. Supposedly inspired by Ozzy's efforts to get sober, it's an ode to his wife Sharon for having stuck with him through the rough patches. Perhaps what's most amazing is that this is Ozzy's only Top 40 solo song in the U.S., reaching #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 (though several of his duets have charted higher).
RIP, sweet Prince of Darkness.
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