Ozzy Osbourne ‘Mr. Crowley’ Mispronounced
What we read and what we say can be two different things. Who knew Ozzy Osbourne ‘Mr. Crowley’ was a mispronunciation? Certainly Ozzy didn’t when he recorded the song. I…
After being fired from Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne began a successful career of his own in 1979, releasing his first solo album, Blizzard of Ozz.
Credit: Frazer Harrison / GettyimagesWhat we read and what we say can be two different things. Who knew Ozzy Osbourne 'Mr. Crowley' was a mispronunciation? Certainly Ozzy didn't when he recorded the song.
I get it. I've always had concerns about saying artists' names properly. To this day I somewhat avoid saying Neil Peart's last name due to my paranoia of mispronunciation. I usually watch this video clip first just to be sure because who wants to mispronounce The Professor's name?
It's Easy Enough to Do
Thank God for the internet or chances are good I'd butcher a name here or there to this day. Ozzy Osbourne 'Mr. Crowley' came about in 1980. There was no internet help. Thus Ozzy didn't know Crowley was pronounced "crow-lee" like the bird.
Ozzy Osbourne 'Mr. Crowley' has some origin explanation in the liner notes for Ozzman Cometh. Ozzy saying, "I'd read several books about Aleister Crowley. He was a very weird guy and I always wanted to write a song about him... there was a pack of tarot cards he had designed lying around the studio. Well one thing lead to another and the song 'Mr. Crowley' was born."
Since it's extremely possible that Ozzy had seen but never heard Crowley's name pronounced, it's easy to see why the mispronunciation was extremely understandable.
Mr. Crowley Had Influence On More Than Just Ozzy
Aleister Crowley captured the attention of more than one rock and roller. The Beatles featured Aleister Crowley's face on the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. Some theories suggest that Aliester Crowley was the actual Sgt. Pepper character from the album.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page purchased a house previously owned by Crowley near Loch Ness in Scotland. Today the house is open to tourists.
Ozzy Osbourne 'Mr. Crowley' Live With Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads RIP. What genius. It's such a pleasure watching him play. I wish there were more live videos of this caliber available.
Paul Natkin/WireImageWidely acknowledged as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, Randy Rhoads was a dramatic game changer for heavy metal and for generations of guitar players. After recording two albums with Quiet Riot (the band he cofounded in 1973), Rhoads joined ex-Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne's new solo band in 1979. In many ways due to Rhoads' stunning guitar work, Osbourne's first solo release, 'Blizzard of Ozz' (1980), is recognized as one of heavy metal’s greatest albums, and its biggest single, “Crazy Train,” features one of the most recognizable guitar riffs ever played.
Scroll down to enjoy a list of Ozzy's top solo songs. Our experts ranked them. You can feel free to agree or disagree.
