Zakk Wylde is honoring the late Ozzy Osbourne. The former Ozzy Osbourne Band member has penned a new song, “Ozzy’s Song,” in remembrance of the Black Sabbath frontman, who died in July.
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Wylde wrote the song when he returned home following Osbourne’s funeral. The track will appear on his upcoming Black Label Society album, Engines of Demolition.
“I got home, I sat in our little library room and there was a book of Ozzy up there. I was just looking at it, and I had the headphones on,” Wylde told People. “It was probably at 1:00 in the morning.”
“I was just listening… and then I said, ‘All right, let me see what I’m going to write here,’” he continued. “And then I was just looking at a book of Ozzy and then I just wrote those lyrics.”
The lyrics are ones Wylde “would’ve never written” if “Oz was still around,” he said.
While Osbourne’s name isn’t mentioned in the track, the Prince of Darkness became the title for the song at the suggestion of Wylde’s wife.
“Whenever we were in the truck, and we were just driving, she was like, ‘Hey, put on Ozzy’s song again,’” Wylde said. “So that’s where it came about.”
Zakk Wylde Opens Up About “Ozzy’s Song”
While the song is in homage to Osbourne, the musician said it is intended to help anyone struggling with loss.
“Lyrically, if the song touches somebody because they lost their mom or dad or somebody they love,” he said, “if the song touches them and they’re like, ‘Zakk, the lyrics actually felt like they were speaking to me,’ that’s all that matters, man.”
Reflecting on his relationship with Osbourne, Wylde told the outlet, “With Ozzy and my father… they didn’t even have to say anything. Both of them were just hard as nails, resilient… no matter if they got knocked down, they’d always get back up. Through it all, they never were jaded. They always had a heart of gold and they were always compassionate.”
“Oz always had the fire to want to perform… That never dulled. It was pretty awesome,” he said. “When we’d be up [on stage]… looking at the boss, I’d give him a thumbs up. He’d give me the thumbs up. You’re amongst lions. And it’s a really powerful feeling.”
As for what he learned from the late rocker, Wylde said it all comes down to “fortitude.”
“The resilience to keep going, man,” he said. “I mean, just keep plowing through mountains and conquering.”
Engines of Demolition is due out March 27.
Photo by Mike Guastella/WireImage
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