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About

Genius Annotation

“Crazy Train” is the first single from British heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne’s debut solo album, Blizzard of Ozz, released in 1980. A live version of the song recorded in 1981 from the album Tribute was also released as a single in 1987 with an accompanying music video.

The song was written by Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley. The subject matter of the lyrics is the Cold War and the fear of annihilation that existed during this period. The song is saying that political leaders manipulate the thoughts and feelings of the masses for their own greedy and destructive purposes. The mass media then spread these lies, creating mass hysteria.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Ozzy Osbourne say about "Crazy Train"?
Genius Answer

Randy had the basic riff, the signature riff. Then we worked on music together. He needed something to solo on so I came up with a chord pattern and the section for him to solo over.

Before it was called “Crazy Train,” before we even had a title, Randy and I were working on the music. He had his effects pedals, and coming through his amp was a weird kind of chugging sound. It was a phase-y kind of psychedelic effect, this chugging sound that was coming through his amp from his effects pedal.

Randy was into trains—he used to collect model trains and so did I. I’ve always been a train buff and so was Randy. So I said, ‘Randy, that sounds like a train. But it sounds nuts.’ And I said, ‘A crazy train.’

Well, that’s when the title first was born. And then Ozzy was singing melodies and he was phrasing exactly how it ended up. And I started writing lyrics to it.

Bob Daisley, Songfacts

Credits
Harmony Vocal
Percussion
Recorded At
Ridge Farm Studio, Rusper, UK, 22nd March 1980
Release Date
September 12, 1980
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