Ozzy Osbourne's first album after his acrimonious departure from Black Sabbath in 1978 was Blizzard of Ozz, Released in December 1980 the album also turned out to be his biggest seller ever topping the 4 million mark.
The album shared the same name as the band, and much of the bands success can be attributed to guitarist Randy Rhodes Rhodes formed the nexus of the band along with Bob Daisley on bass and Lee Kerslake (ex- Uriah Heep) on drums.
Crazy Train - Blizzard of Ozz
The track Mr Crowley was said to be inspired by satanist Aleister Crowley and as such gave the album some controversy, this number becoming one of his most popular solo songs, along with Suicide Solution and Revelation (not from this album)
Mr Crowley - Blizzard of Ozz
Mr. Crowley, what went on in your head?
Oh, Mr. Crowley, did you talk with the dead?
Your life style to me seemed so tragic
With the thrill of it all
You fooled all the people with magic
Yeah, you waited on Satan's door
Mr. Charming, did you think you were pure?
Mr. Alarming, in nocturnal rapport
Uncovering things that were sacred
Manifest on this Earth
Conceived in the eye of a secret
And they scattered the afterbirth
Lyrics Credits
Although Crazy Train and Mr Crowley were released as singles, neither were a commercial success; making this album one of the very few Top 100 sellers of the 80's without a Top 40 single.
To my mind this last track Suicide Solution surely reflects the influence of Osbourne's time with Black Sabbath. The familiar guitar riffs and the cadence of his singing ... and for me it is the best track... but I am a Black Sabbath junkie so not hard to understand.
Suicide Solution - Blizzard of Ozz
I trust you enjoyed this blast from the past and will continue to follow the count down to the #1 best selling album of the 1980's
Footnote: This project was inspired by the publication “The 100 Best Selling Albums of the 80’s” authored jointly by Peter Dodds, Justin Crawthorne, Chris Barret and Dan Auty and published by Amber Books (ISBN: 1-904867-12-1).This and other great music inspired books can be found on their website www.amberbooks.co.uk