- Mr. Crowley
Infobox Single
Name = Mr. Crowley
Artist =Ozzy Osbourne
from Album =Blizzard of Ozz
B-side = "You Said it All"
Released =September 20 ,1980 &August 22 ,1995 (re-issue)
Format = 7" Vinyl (45RPM)
Recorded =March 22 toApril 19 ,1980
Genre = Heavy metal
Length = 4:55
Writer =Ozzy Osbourne ,Randy Rhoads ,Bob Daisley
Label = Jet, Epic
Producer =Max Norman
Certification =
Chart position = * #46 (UK Singles)
Last single = "Crazy Train "
(1980)
This single = "Mr. Crowley"
(1980)
Next single = "Flying High Again "
(1981)"Mr. Crowley" is a 1980 heavy metal song performed by
Ozzy Osbourne (withBob Daisley contributing lyrics, andRandy Rhoads the music), released on the album "Blizzard of Ozz ". The song is one of Osbourne's first two singles as a solo artist following his expulsion fromBlack Sabbath . It reached #46 on the UK charts.The songs' melody and chord progressions recall
Gary Moore 's song "Parisienne Walkways". Moore was a major influence on guitaristRandy Rhoads .Fact|date=July 2008The second guitar solo in "Mr. Crowley" is ranked number 28 on "
Guitar World " Magazine's poll of the "100 greatest guitar solos". According to band mythology, Osbourne was dissatisfied with the first guitar solo thatRandy Rhoads recorded for the song. Rhoads, in angry protest, went into the studio right away and banged out the famous solo. Afterwards, he stormed out and asked how that solo was. Osbourne smiled and said: "This is it!".Fact|date=February 2007Ozzy came up with the song's title, a reference to the infamous
Aleister Crowley , and Bob Daisley's subsequent lyrics are addressed to him. The song's lyrics do not display a profound knowledge of Aleister Crowley. His last name is mispronounced (it rhymes with "holy"). The lyrics ask "did you talk with the dead?", where Crowley believed in reincarnation. The lyrics state that Crowley "waited on Satan's call", where -- despite his reputation as a Satanist -- Crowley did not believe that Satan even existed.Noted covers include
Moonspell (Darkness and Hope , 2001) andCradle of Filth (Nymphetamine Special Edition, 2005).Tim 'Ripper' Owens (withYngwie Malmsteen on guitar),Joe Lynn Turner , George Lynch andThe Cardigans have also recorded covers of the song.Also, in the game
Guilty Gear XX , the characterI-No plays part of the ending solo to "Mr. Crowley" as one of her win poses.It is also confirmed to be a playable song in the upcoming video game
Guitar Hero World Tour , along withCrazy Train , both are master tracks.Personnel
*
Ozzy Osbourne -vocals
*Randy Rhoads - guitar
*Bob Daisley - bass
*Don Airey - keyboards
*Lee Kerslake - drums
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