Bark at the Moon by Ozzy Osbourne

Album: Bark at the Moon (1983)

Charted: 21

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Bark at the Moon was the first studio album Ozzy released without lead guitarist Randy Rhoads, who died in a plane crash the year before while the band was touring in Florida. Jake E. Lee took over on guitar.

Lee and bass player Bob Daisley wrote the song with Ozzy, but weren't credited as part of an agreement they made with Osbourne's record company. The album lists Ozzy as the solo composer of all the songs, which is far from true.
This song is about a werewolf who comes back from the dead and seeks revenge. Horror archetypes are a consistent source of lyrical inspiration for Ozzy - his band Black Sabbath was named after a horror movie.
In the liner notes for The Ozzman Cometh, Ozzy wrote: "The title for this song actually came from a joke I used to tell where the punch line was 'eat s--t and bark at the moon.' I'd had the vocal line for this and Jake came up with the riff. It was the first song we wrote together." >>
Suggestion credit:
Matthew Daubert - Mequon, WI
In 1983, a 20-year-old Canadian man named James Jollimore claimed that this song compelled him to stab a woman and her two sons to death. The next year, parents of a 19-year-old American man would sue Ozzy and blame his death on "Suicide Solution," a song from Osbourne's first solo album in 1980.
In the video, Ozzy plays a mad scientist who concocts a potion that turns him into a werewolf - his werewolf transformation pre-dated Michael Jackson's in "Thriller" by about a month, but the effect had been done in the 1981 film An American Werewolf In London. Directed by Mike Mansfield, it was Ozzy's first concept video.

According to Ozzy, it took eight hours in makeup to turn him into the beast. He says the video was filmed in an old mental hospital, and in one room they found a pickled fetus in a jar.
Ozzy was attempting rehab at this time. His wife, Sharon, made him go to the Betty Ford Clinic, which didn't work. Ozzy finally went sober in 1991.
A cover version appears on the 1999 compilation Land of the Wizard: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. It is performed by Sanctorum. >>
Suggestion credit:
Brett - Edmonton, Canada
Speaking with Ultimate Classic Rock in a December 2013 interview, Jake E. Lee recalled the writing process for the Bark At The Moon album. "Most of that was really me and [bassist] Bob Daisley. Because Ozzy would show up and kind of play around with songs," he said.

"I remember that I had the riff for 'Bark At The Moon' and I played that, and he said, 'Oh, I love it - we'll call that one 'Bark At The Moon',' because he already had the album title in mind," Lee continued. "So he said, 'That's the one that's going to be 'Bark At The Moon.'' He'd come in with things like that and then he'd drink, and he'd either pass out or leave, which left just me and Bob. We'd stay in the studio and flesh out the songs. It was fun working with Bob. He wrote all of the lyrics, and he's a great lyricist. So yeah, me and Bob, we had a good working relationship. It was fun doing that record."
Ozzy sang this during a solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 at a show in Carterville, Illinois, which was in the path of totality. The sun vanished as Ozzy howled.
The US and UK albums have slightly different covers and a few different tracks.
Tommy Aldridge played drums on this track, but Carmine Appice, who had recently joined Ozzy's band, hits the skins in the video.

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Comments: 13

Jodie from XxBob Daisley is such a talented guy. He has written so many great lyrics for Ozzy. Greg Dana Strum from Slaughter is the one who introduced Randy to Ozzy, not Sharon.
Michael from Santa Cruz, Ca"Listen in awe,and you'll hear him...Bark at the moon...".One of My favorite lyrics...
Greg from Slidell, Laozzy wouldnt hav even started a solo career if it werent 4 sharon.after he got kicked out of sabbath he drank and got high all day until sharon hooked him up with rhoads.then his career took off...if it werent 4 sharon we would stil b listening 2 sabbaths slow ass riffs instead of amazing songs like this
Robert from Atlanta, GaIf you ask me, there is nothing scarier than a werewolf that is also a ghost! anyway, this song is awesome!
Donald from Corpus Christi, TxThis song is in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on V-Rock.
Vic from Melbourne, AustraliaActually, it was Bob Daisley (again) who wrote the lyrics for "Bark at the Moon". Bob and Jake E Lee got together in New York to write and work on the music. Jake NEVER tried to sound like Randy, I think he did a great job in his own style, especially considering what he was up against. For the record, Bon Scott and Bob Daisley were great mates before Ozzy ever met Bon. It was BOB who wrote the song "Suicide Solution", but it wasn't about Bon Scott, it was about Ozzy drinking himself to death.
Josh from Detroit, MiActually, Suicide Solution was written by Bob Daisley before Bon Scott died. It was written about how Ozzy was drinking himself to death. Ozzy and Sharon have told many lies regarding the writing of the first five Ozzy albums.
Soutiman from Mumbai, IndiaThe song rocks absolutely. Superb energy.
Lester from New York City, NyBrad Gillis (of Night Ranger) was Ozzy's guitarist on the live album 'Speak of the Devil'.
Tom from Chicago, Ilbest song ozzy sings
Josh from Las Vegas, NvSuicide Solution was a tribbute to the death of AC/DC's Bon Scott, a friend of Ozzy. (Also one Of my Idols!)
Jason from Dover, PaBest Ozzy Solo Song Ever
Brian from Paoli, InFrom Tony Iommi, to Randy Rhoads, then to Jake E Lee, and now Zakk Wylde. Ozzy has had some of the best guitarist ever.

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