With Ozzy Osbourne’s passing in July, many of us have gone back to appreciate his music and entertaining moments in the spotlight.
He was a polarizing character at times, but his work ethic, talent, and wild, entertaining antics, along with his personality, captivated millions of beloved fans, as well as the many who were more critical of him and his lifestyle and image, for the better part of sixty years.
With over 150 songs, both worldwide hits and more obscure fan favorites, he left us with an impressive catalog of art to pull from whenever we feel that itch for a little Ozzy. Whether you’re looking for an early heavy metal anthem from Sabbath or a big power ballad from his later solo career, you’re likely to find something to fit any mood.
Lately, there seems to be an air of mourning over the loss of the Rock God, so many have been turning to some of the more heartfelt Ozzy-sung ballads, such as “Mama, I’m Coming Home” or “Goodbye to Romance,” among others.
One that has stood the test of time the longest, also became his first UK number-one hit, is the 1972 Black Sabbath song “Changes.” The song was written in the studio while recording Vol. 4, when guitarist Tony Iommi was experimenting with the piano melody, and bassist Geezer Butler penned the lyrics after being inspired by the break of their drummer, Bill Ward, and his first wife.
Geezer added the bassline, before both he and Iommi created the string sounds with an instrument called a Mellotron, an early electro-mechanical keyboard instrument invented a decade before. Ozzy took the song and gave it emotional life with his vocal performance, which hits as hard today as it did upon its creation fifty-plus years ago.
There are some memorable covers of the song that have grabbed us over the years, like Charles Bradley’s heart-wrenching R&B take and, most notably, Ozzy and daughter Kelly Osbourne’s duet version that also topped the UK charts at number one.
A lesser-known cover that has recently resurfaced is a video of the St. Louis Women’s Choir singing the song, while Ozzy, his son Jack, and daughter Kelly look on. Originally airing on Season 5, episode 3 of “Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour,” Kelly surprised her father and brother Jack by taking them to a church in St. Louis, MO, and sat them in the pews, while the choir was practicing.
The choir struck the first chord, falling into a massive version of “Changes.” The voices in the choir all harmonizing together during the verses over the simple piano line, we feel the build to the minor chord drop into the emotional chorus of the song, where sections of the choir break off to lay out long-held vocalized notes, while others sing the lyrics atop.
It’s incredibly moving and emotional on its own, but to see the three Osbournes sitting, enwrapped, both with one another and the performance, we feel the weight of it hit us. Made all the more heavy with the fact that Ozzy has passed on, the church choir singing the Black Sabbath ballad takes on a whole new breadth of feeling.
Ozzy wasn’t known for his vulnerable displays of emotion, but he is almost moved to tears, as are his children, as they take in the beautiful moment together.
It’s a short, but incredibly sweet and wholesome thing to witness and sit with as the viewer, leaving us yearning for more time with the wild rock legend that we will never get. Luckily, the internet is scattered with these clips and songs that we can return to time and again, to celebrate, to mourn, or to rock out with.