ESSAY IV - COVER LOVER
OZZY OSBOURNE v JOHN LENNON
‘The Madman and the Dreamer’
How?
Originally recorded in 1971 on John Lennon’s second (proper) studio album
Imagine, ‘How?’ is an example of the singer’s capacity to produce seamless melody, clever word-play and bitterly ironic humour. Beginning with the brilliantly existential line;
‘How can I go forward when I don’t know which way I’m facing?
How can I go forward when I don’t know which way to turn?’
‘How?’ poses a series of rhetorical questions, which undermine the complacency of modern life by challenging the basic securities and assumptions about our journey through time, which sits well with his persona of a borderline neurotically moral pop-prophet. I’ve never been overly impressed with what I’ve heard from Lennon’s solo work, and although I can appreciate songs like ‘Imagine’ and ‘Working Class Hero’ for their fine production and effortless fluidity, the politics surrounding his life can be a off-putting side show, and his elevation to the status of demi-god by fans borders on nauseating. Also, not all of his songs have aged well lyrically, and now appear almost childishly naïve in the cynical 21st Century. ‘How?’ however, still sounds strong and fresh, probably because of its ambiguous content and less-than-preachy message to the listener. Lennon’s voice is wavy yet gentle, and it feels as if the former-Beatle is boasting the peak of his vocal control and versatility. The song carries a whispering melody, and even the thudding drum-beats never raise the quiet frustration to desperate outcry. Is this a weakness? Some would argue not, as the singer’s drawing out the last line of the verses is musical confectionary, and there is a fatherly sense of consolation pervading throughout. This considered, there is also room to argue that there is an untapped potential to this song, where a singer with heavier designs and an equally well-loved persona may step in to challenge the champion.
Enter Ozzy Osbourne; Prince of Darkness, heavy metal titan and confessed John Lennon super-fan. The similarities between Osbourne and Lennon are surprisingly many; from their talent for forming melody, to their troubled, drug-addled lives, controversial wives, and (yes, even their sunglasses). Osbourne describes Lennon as his ‘hero’, and that is evident by his tributes in the form of his cover of ‘Working Class Hero’ and ‘In My Life’, along with open homages in songs like ‘Dreamer’ and ‘I Just Want You’ to ‘Imagine’ and ‘All You Need Is Love’ respectively. But in this writer’s humble, Osbourne has offered no greater gift of remembrance to Lennon than of his cover of ‘How?’, which was recorded in 2010 for Amnesty International on the same week that Lennon would have turned seventy.
The difference is notable from the first line, as Osbourne’s signature voice, lacking that refined finesse of Lennon’s, lays down a heavy-hearted wail, which carries double the vocal weight of the original. Suddenly in Osbourne’s hands, the song becomes far less distant and becomes sudden and urgent. The song is interpreted differently as Ozzy sings it, replacing the dry sarcasm of Lennon with his own signature earnestness. The anonymity is replaced by the unmistakeable personal touch of a singer that was twice as old as Lennon at the time of their respective recordings, and carries all the scars and worries that ail any surviving rock ‘n’ roll superstar, giving new meaning to lines like;
‘Life can be long,
And you’ve got to be so strong,’
This is still Osbourne singing delicately, in his warming ballad-style, but his voice has all the feel of boisterous heavy-footedness in comparison with Lennon’s, which allows it to contrast perfectly with the original. He may not be able to carry the whimsical, floating end of the verses with the same dexterity, but his voice has such a unique huskiness in his old age, that it has none less of the charm. No other singer (imo) could have given this song the recognition it deserves better than the former Sabbath-frontman, and in spite of his humility and contentedness to live in the shadow of his hero, Osbourne pretty well challenges Lennon’s supremacy over this understated and fantastic song. This track stands as a noble statement, which observes that, regardless of genres, demographics and displays of image, music is a uniting art-form. I noted before that there are strong similarities between these two controversial singers, and their musical themes are not so different either. Both strived to understand and survive the often cold world we all inhabit, and ‘How?’ allows those similarities to be appreciated in the best way possible.
There have been many people who have covered songs by great artists like Lennon and The Beatles, but too often they have been charmless ways of satisfying their own ego and trying to place their own persona on a pedestal (naming no names…Noel). More commonly, cover versions are nearly always the subject of many fierce debates, which always end in nastiness, without proper appreciation for both versions (except on Music Banter, of course) . Osbourne’s cover of ‘How?’ is different, and side-steps all of the politics by offering a new musical interpretation of a song that applies so strongly to both artists’ lives. Both are to be immortalised for very different reasons, but the lyrics are eerily apt for both men and their roller-coaster journeys through creative life. The music video, showing Osbourne wandering through New York before laying flowers on the ‘Imagine’ memorial is a touching symbol of respect for a man who has been a hero for so many. All politics and rhetoric aside, both of these versions warrant high regard, but if asked to pick a winner, I’d predictably pick Ozzy, simply because of the perfect employment of his grizzled voice to sing a song that, like the ideals of that Liverpool Dreamer, were once so promising and are now aged and worn (but still singing loud to be heard).
FINAL SCORES:
OSBOURNE / * * * *
LENNON / * * * *
We’ve seen a tie here today, ladies and gentleman, and perhaps we should ‘give peace a chance’ and say that both versions are equal. In the spirit of amnesty the judges appear to be allowing this to happen. Both men have been summoned to the centre of the ring, obliged to shake hands, and the crowd is jubilant. Let’s hope we never forget this moment, where comradery was solidified between the Madman and the Dreamer. Thank you, and good night. Good night, sweet ladies, good night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq7jLEnZw6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awOcbVoS4yE