While the world of music has given us many tear-jerkers, Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” is not one of them. Or at least, that’s what I thought until I found myself getting misty-eyed watching the Prince of Darkness shout, “All aboard!” for the last time.
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Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath Say Farewell at Villa Park Show
Nearly six decades after they transformed rock music forever, Ozzy Osbourne and his Black Sabbath bandmates went “Back to the Beginning.” On Saturday (July 5), Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward reunited onstage for one last show at Aston’s Villa Park in the quartet’s hometown of Birmingham, England.
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, 76, had to be choosy about which songs he performed during his final bow. But he couldn’t leave out “Crazy Train,” his debut single from his 1980 debut solo album Blizzard of Oz.
[RELATED: 4 of My All-Time Favorite Ozzy Osbourne Vocal Performances (Without Black Sabbath)]
Appropriately rising from the depths beneath the stage in a skull-and-bat adorned throne, the Godfather of Metal grinned wildly as the sold-out crowd chanted his name.
ozzy fucking osbourne! 🖤💜#BackToTheBeginning pic.twitter.com/bWM1uGBubN
— Georgia 🪩🎀 (@georgiaftp) July 5, 2025
“I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel,” Ozzy told the crowd ahead of “Mama, I’m Coming Home.” “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Ozzy Osbourne show without a healthy dose of profanity. “Are you ready? I can’t f—ing hear you!” he barks. Satisfied with the crowd’s cheers, the Grammy winner shouts, “All aboard!”
And then we’re off, the hard rock icon closing out his five-song set with the song that kickstarted his solo career. Mental wounds still screaming / It’s driving me insane, he sings. I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.
Ozzy Osbourne performs "Crazy Train" for the last time in front of the audience at Villa Park in Birmingham pic.twitter.com/NRWtNCIwYG
— 🎸 Rock History 🎸 (@historyrock_) July 5, 2025
“One last ride on the rails that rewired rock forever,” one fan appropriately summed it up on X/Twitter.
Featured image by Marie Korner/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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