And then there’s “After Forever,” where Ozzy asks, “Have you ever thought about your soul – can it be saved?” That’s not just a lyric—it’s a theological gut punch.
Lyrics: After Forever
BeliefNet: Ozzy Osbourne; Christian.
While Ozzy’s public image often leaned into dark and gothic themes, his private beliefs told a different story. Despite his “Prince of Darkness” moniker, Ozzy consistently rejected accusations of Satanism or devil worship. He identified as a Christian and maintained a belief in God throughout his life.
“I believe in God, absolutely,” he once said. “I'm not a Satanist, never have been.”
Ozzy’s Christian beliefs often surprised fans. Songs like “After Forever,” written during his Black Sabbath days, include lyrics that question atheism and affirm belief in God. Though he admitted he didn’t attend church regularly or read the Bible extensively, he acknowledged that Christianity influenced his worldview and some of his music.
His faith was not loud or doctrinal but personal and sincere. He reportedly received a Bible from a well-known evangelist and kept it with him. He was also known to end his concerts with a heartfelt blessing, asking God to bless his audience.
“I’m not preaching, but I think there’s a higher power watching over us,” he shared in an interview. “I should be dead a hundred times over. There’s something more to life than we understand.”
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Ozzy remained quietly committed to his Christian faith, even as his on-stage persona projected something else entirely.
More on Ozzy news and music after the PageBreak ⏬
RT: Rock icon Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76.
The legendary heavy metal frontman died just weeks after a final onstage reunion with his Black Sabbath bandmates.
British rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, the charismatic frontman of Black Sabbath who helped shape the sound and legacy of heavy metal, has died at 76, his family announced on Tuesday.
No cause of death was given, though Osbourne had battled numerous health issues in recent years. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and suffered complications from a 2019 accident, among other ailments.
“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love,” the statement says.
His death comes less than three weeks after his retirement from performing live. On July 5, Osbourne took the stage one final time with his Black Sabbath bandmates at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, marking their first reunion since 2005. The all-star farewell concert – ‘Back to the Beginning’ – featured some of metal music’s biggest names.
“I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel,” Osbourne told the crowd, referring to his long battle with Parkinson’s and multiple spinal surgeries. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948 to factory-worker parents, he endured a tough upbringing and left school at 15. Before finding fame, he worked a string of jobs, including as a manual laborer, plumber, and at a slaughterhouse. He went on to become a pioneering figure in heavy metal with Black Sabbath before achieving major solo success. He was known for iconic tracks such as ‘Iron Man’, ‘Paranoid’, ‘War Pigs’, ‘Crazy Train’ and ‘Changes’.
Female First: Alice Cooper fears Ozzy Osbourne sacrificed his health for 'rock 'n' roll'.
Veteran rocker Ozzy, 76, has retired from live performances after making his final appearance on stage at the recent Black Sabbath reunion gig at Villa Park in Birmingham, and Alice, 77, fears his old friend wasn't in "good shape" and worries he dedicated too much of his life to being a rock star.
Alice - real name Vincent Furnier - told The Times newspaper: "Ozzy deserved that farewell [concert] He survived rock’n’roll but not physically as well as he should have.
"I saw some of the show and he was not in great shape. People shouldn’t give their whole lives, their health, to rock’n’roll. Life is bigger than that."
Like many others, I believed Ozzy, with all his vices in his past, would be the last of his contemporaries to leave us. They're getting fewer and fewer...Alice, Roger Waters, Jagger, Brian Johnson, Fee Waybill, Rod Stewart, Rob Halford, Daltrey, Plant, Ray Davies come to mind. Who else?
I mean Rockers...McCartney may be an Ozzy contemporary but he's in the "Pop" category imho, not Rock. Neil Young ("Pop/CW" category) doesn't count either, he just got incredibly lucky joining Crosby, Stills and Nash. As much as I like David Byrne (Talking Heads) and David Ferry (Roxy Music), they aren't - again imho - Rock.
As most singers do aging over a career of 40-50 years, Ozzy was a rare exception having never lost his vocal range. He could still hit the same notes, high and low, as he could 45 years ago. Very few can claim this God-given gift.
There will never be another Ozzy. He can't be duplicated.
Rest In Peace Ozzy. He's in Heaven. AMEN!
"One of Those Days" by Ozzy Osbourne, from 2022's Patient Number 9.
No, the song isn't about rejecting faith in Jesus, it's just the opposite:
[Osbourne's] honest humanity comes through in "One Of Those Days" as he sings about the struggle to hold onto his faith in Jesus in the midst of a world in flames.
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Osbourne made clear that "One Of Those Days" is not an anti-Christian song. Really, it's lyrics are obviously pro-Christian in the sense that for one's faith to be tested, there had to be faith there to begin with. It likely wouldn't have been an issue at all if it weren't for Osbourne's past reputation.
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