Suicide Solution
Encyclopedia
"Suicide Solution" is a song by Ozzy Osbourne
. It is track five on the album Blizzard of Ozz
released in 1980. Guitarist Randy Rhoads
wrote the riff to the song (he had previously used the riff on the Quiet Riot
track "Force of Habit"), and Bob Daisley
helped co-write the lyrics. Ozzy Osbourne supposedly released this track as a tribute to Bon Scott
of AC/DC
who died of alcohol poisoning.
The song was very controversial following its release. On January 13, 1986, Osbourne was taken to court by the parents of John McCollum, a depressed teenager who shot himself in the head while listening to this song. The court cleared Osbourne in the case. IBAR, The Institute for Bio-Acoustics Research, analyzed the song and found that subliminal message-like noises were recorded in the song at approximately the 2:19 mark in the song; Osbourne, however, denied anything of the sort. Lyricist Bob Daisley and Osbourne himself both claimed that Ozzy said, "Get the flaps out." However, some claim that Ozzy said, "Get the glass shoot," "Let yourself go," "Get the fucking gun" or "Get the gun, get the gun, shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot," both of which supported the court case . Either "Get the flask out" or "Get the shot glass," however, were more logical translations, since the song is dealing with alcohol.
What is also overlooked is that Osbourne and Daisley, when they wrote the lyrics, used the word "solution" to mean a substance--in this case, an alcoholic beverage--dissolved in a liquid, not in the sense of solving a problem. Osbourne himself has had a lifelong struggle with alcohol addiction, and the song is particularly meaningful to him because it depicts the personal self-destruction he was facing before he sobered up.
Another tragic case was that of rock music obsessed 14 year old (Eric A.) of St. Louis Park, Minnesota
, who shot himself with a .22 caliber rifle. His parents blamed Osbourne, AC/DC
, Judas Priest
, Black Sabbath
and Mötley Crüe
. Osbourne, however, was the prime target, due to this song.
The song is also famous for Randy Rhoads's solo at the end of the song on the live album Tribute. This solo originated from Rhoads' Quiet Riot
days in which he performed parts of it during the solo to the Quiet Riot song "Laughing Gas
." The original solo was over 6 minutes and contained references to "Goodbye to Romance," "Mr. Crowley
," "Crazy Train
, and "the overture to The Legend Of William Tell
," even though the solo he performed with Osbourne was just over two minutes. The live solo features some of Rhoads's fastest recorded playing.
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. It is track five on the album Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz is the first solo studio album by British singer/songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, recorded in Surrey, UK and released on September 20, 1980 in the UK and on March 27, 1981 in the U.S.. It is the comeback album of Osbourne following his firing from Black Sabbath the previous year...
released in 1980. Guitarist Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
wrote the riff to the song (he had previously used the riff on the Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
track "Force of Habit"), and Bob Daisley
Bob Daisley
Robert John "Bob" Daisley is an Australian musician, bassist and lyricist who has performed in genres of rock, blues, R&B, hard rock and metal.-Early career:...
helped co-write the lyrics. Ozzy Osbourne supposedly released this track as a tribute to Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
of AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
who died of alcohol poisoning.
The song was very controversial following its release. On January 13, 1986, Osbourne was taken to court by the parents of John McCollum, a depressed teenager who shot himself in the head while listening to this song. The court cleared Osbourne in the case. IBAR, The Institute for Bio-Acoustics Research, analyzed the song and found that subliminal message-like noises were recorded in the song at approximately the 2:19 mark in the song; Osbourne, however, denied anything of the sort. Lyricist Bob Daisley and Osbourne himself both claimed that Ozzy said, "Get the flaps out." However, some claim that Ozzy said, "Get the glass shoot," "Let yourself go," "Get the fucking gun" or "Get the gun, get the gun, shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot," both of which supported the court case . Either "Get the flask out" or "Get the shot glass," however, were more logical translations, since the song is dealing with alcohol.
What is also overlooked is that Osbourne and Daisley, when they wrote the lyrics, used the word "solution" to mean a substance--in this case, an alcoholic beverage--dissolved in a liquid, not in the sense of solving a problem. Osbourne himself has had a lifelong struggle with alcohol addiction, and the song is particularly meaningful to him because it depicts the personal self-destruction he was facing before he sobered up.
Another tragic case was that of rock music obsessed 14 year old (Eric A.) of St. Louis Park, Minnesota
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
, who shot himself with a .22 caliber rifle. His parents blamed Osbourne, AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
. Osbourne, however, was the prime target, due to this song.
The song is also famous for Randy Rhoads's solo at the end of the song on the live album Tribute. This solo originated from Rhoads' Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
days in which he performed parts of it during the solo to the Quiet Riot song "Laughing Gas
Laughing Gas (solo)
"Laughing Gas" was a song performed by Quiet Riot at all the live performances while Randy Rhoads played with the band. It was never recorded onto an album until a live bootleg performance was enhanced and placed on The Randy Rhoads Years...
." The original solo was over 6 minutes and contained references to "Goodbye to Romance," "Mr. Crowley
Mr. Crowley
"Mr Crowley" is a 1980 heavy metal song performed by Ozzy Osbourne, released on the album Blizzard of Ozz, Osbourne's first solo effort following his firing from Black Sabbath. It peaked at number 46 on the United Kingdom charts. Musicians playing on the song are guitarist Randy Rhoads, bass...
," "Crazy Train
Crazy Train
"Crazy Train" is a song written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley. It was released as the first single in 1980 on Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard of Ozz. The song was recorded in 1980, a year after leaving Black Sabbath, and later included on the live album Tribute,...
, and "the overture to The Legend Of William Tell
William Tell Overture
The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, after which he went into semi-retirement, although he continued to compose cantatas, sacred music and secular vocal...
," even though the solo he performed with Osbourne was just over two minutes. The live solo features some of Rhoads's fastest recorded playing.
Personnel
- Ozzy OsbourneOzzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
- vocals - Randy RhoadsRandy RhoadsRandall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Bob DaisleyBob DaisleyRobert John "Bob" Daisley is an Australian musician, bassist and lyricist who has performed in genres of rock, blues, R&B, hard rock and metal.-Early career:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Lee KerslakeLee KerslakeLee Kerslake is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep, in addition to his work in the Ozzy Osbourne band...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....