Flying High Again by Ozzy Osbourne

Album: Diary of a Madman (1981)

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This song is about drug use, a subject Ozzy Osbourne knows very well. Until he went completely sober in 1991, Ozzy spent a lot of time under the influence.

The lyric, however, was written mostly by Bob Daisley, who was Ozzy's bass player and lyricist. Daisley says it was inspired by time when he was playing in Australia, and he got into a discussion about drugs with a "straight" fellow.
Although it was a big part of his life, few of Ozzy's songs are about drugs. "Road To Nowhere," from 1991, is about his life before he went sober, and two songs he did with Black Sabbath were about drugs: "Snowblind"(cocaine) and "Sweet Leaf"(Marijuana).

Speaking with Spin in 1986, Ozzy said: "When I was a drug addict, I used to write things like 'Flying High Again,' 'Snowblind,' all this s--t. And the other night, I thought, 'F--king' 'ell, I sing one song for it and then straight after I sing one song against it.' But the thing is, that's OK. Because that was where I was when I wrote that, so why shouldn't I do it? It's part of my life."
Randy Rhoads played guitar on this song and co-wrote it with Ozzy, Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake. Diary of a Madman is the last album Rhoads played on; he died the next year while the band was touring in Florida. Rhoads was in a small plane that started buzzing Ozzy's tour bus. It got too close, clipped the bus, and crashed into a house; killing Rhoads, the pilot, and the tour hairdresser.

"Randy Rhoads was the best," Ozzy said in a press statement. "If I had to say which one of the guitar players you'd rather work with, who was the most musically trained, it was Randy, because he could write, he could read, he could play, he taught at his mother's school, and he had patience with me. And he would work with me, as opposed to me having to work on top of what he put down."
This was included on Tribute, a double-album of live tracks featuring Rhoads on guitar. Ozzy selected the tracks with the help of Rhoads' mom, and released it in 1987.
In the UK, this song was released as a single, but it didn't chart.
The album was digitally remastered and re-released in 2002.
Vile covered this for the 1999 collection Land of the Wizard: A Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. >>
Suggestion credit:
Brett - Edmonton, Canada

Comments: 21

Jodie from XxPatrick, I'm pretty sure that one's Diary of a Madman.
Jodie from XxOzzy's trying to take credit for writing this one too. Which is so pathetic being that this one was also written by Bob Daisley
I love this song.
Jodie from XxPerry Mason, that ones about drugs too. Cocaine and overdosing.
Patrick from Kennesaw, GeorgiaThis song, according to Bob Daisley's website, is about depersonalization disorder. I read somewhere years ago how it influenced his songwriting in many ways. Remarkable bass player and musician in his own right.
Christian from Oslo, Norwaypopular belief is that it's about cannabis... Ozzy is doing the "smoking a joint" move on stage while performing it... but yeah, I guess it could be about some psychedelic drug...
Jay from Brooklyn, Nyi think it's very clear that this song is about LSD,,, anyone disagree?
Andrea from Savona, Italysnowblind , sweet leaf, hand of doom, fairies wear boots, behind the wall of the sleep, supernaut are all the drug's oriented songs written by sabbath.

add any title i forgot but i guess that's it.

there are some other songs with some words or lines reffering to drugs but are just words or line not the entire song
Mp from Toronto, OnWrite by Bob Daisley, I believe.
- mark, los angeles, CA

You would be correct. All lyrics on the first 3 albums were written by Bob Daisley.
Brian from Richmond , VaI always loved this song. I love the line "Mama's gonna worry, I've been a bad, bad boy. No use sayin' sorry. It's something that I enjoy."

The guitar is so crunchy and mean.
Danny from Des Moines, IaI love this song's solo. It fits perfectly with the title because I feel like I'm flying through the sky. I know, I'm not very down to Earth.
Madalyn from Greensburg, Paawesome song....one of my many favs from ozzy
Chris from Bradenton, FlFaeries Wear Boots as well
Jordan from Edmonton, CanadaAfter The plane crashed Ozzy ran into the house and rescued the home owner
Blues from Dundas, Canadait wasn't a house it was a garage
Mark from Ann Arbor, Milisten to this song drunk, it speeks to you more, if you know what i mean
Mark from Los Angeles, CaWrite by Bob Daisley, I believe.
Derek from Brampton, CanadaHand of doom and numerous other songs by Ozzy, bith solo and with Black Sabbath, are about drug use.

I love the music in this somg, possibly the best song Ozzy ever had a hand in.
Ravyn from Hell, NyThere are a LOT of Ozzy and Black Sabbath songs about drug use, you'd figure.
O8l9 from 99oll, Ilyeah and what about planet caravan?
Tony from Crooklyn, NyI hear one time Bill Ward threw his drumstick at Ozzy because Ozzy was being uncool, but then the Oz ducked and the stick went into some kid's eye socket, nearly killing him. Bill just kept playing and denyed everything. the kid kept the stick and got a glass eye engraved with the words "bit of finger" on it! True story!!

-Mob Rules, NYC, super ace, XXVII, RAT SALAD!!!
Cameron from Hayward, CaIsnt the Black Sabbath song "Hand of Doom" also about drug use?

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