Meta Description: Discover how The Beatles inspired Ozzy Osbourne’s musical journey from Black Sabbath’s heavy metal to his solo career. Learn about the unexpected influence of the Fab Four on the Prince of Darkness.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Beatles Influence: The Unexpected Inspiration Behind the Prince of Darkness
Someone like Ozzy Osbourne can’t be imagined living his life without a legion of demons pursuing him. Even though the image of the “Prince of Darkness” has recently suffered due to his transformation into The Osbournes’ most foolish elderly man, there is still something about seeing him in person that evokes the essence of heavy metal. However, Ozzy Osbourne’s Beatles influence was significant; his initial dream was to join The Beatles when he began to sing.
But was there a member of Osbourne’s generation that the Fab Four did not, in some way, impact? The music of those four Liverpool boys made everything feel suddenly more exciting when it came on the loudspeaker. Before them, other rock and roll artists had tried their hand at becoming famous.
That was even before The Beatles began experimenting in their subsequent careers. While the moptop era was great, listening to them record albums like “Sgt. Pepper’s” in the 1960s was something else. Hearing them discuss drug use for recreational purposes and their transformation into total heathens by growing mustaches and diving into the psychedelic scene felt like leaping off a cliff.
Osbourne, however, felt captivated by the moptop era from the beginning. He said to Jack Black, “‘She Loves You’ by The Beatles is the song that made me decide what I want to do in my life. It seems like it was yesterday when I had this blue transistor radio and I thought, ‘Fuck… what is this?’ That was really insightful! They’ve just sparked my creativity. It was my dream to be a Beatle.”
Even though he extolled their virtues, it’s difficult to discern any Beatles influence on the original Black Sabbath album. The band had obviously been consuming a lot of British rock to gain exposure. They drew more influence from bands like Cream and Led Zeppelin. They became less influenced by anything even vaguely pop-oriented.
Actually, Black Sabbath was like a storm cloud on the radio, if The Beatles were the bright sunshine. Even though they had no intention of becoming pop stars, it is still quite strange to see them in the same charts as Simon and Garfunkel during the 1970s.
Osbourne’s vocal style did start to resemble that of the Beatles after they got people used to their loud sound. When it was time to dial it back, Osbourne had a unique nasal cadence in about half of his songs. It sounded as though he was attempting to mimic John Lennon’s vocal style. This was evident on ballads like “Changes.”
Ozzy Osbourne’s Beatles influence remained unwavering throughout his solo career, even when he ventured into lighter fare like “Crazy Train.” He would have to make do with playing “Paranoid.” He really wanted to be up there singing songs like “Hey Jude.” Although it’s undoubtedly not the same dream, the trade is still fair.
Subheading: The Beatles’ Impact on Ozzy Osbourne’s Musical Evolution
Ozzy Osbourne’s journey from aspiring Beatle to the Prince of Darkness in Black Sabbath highlights the unexpected influence of The Beatles on his music. His vocal style and musical creativity owe much to the Fab Four, showcasing their enduring impact on rock legends.