The Osbournes Have More in Common With the Sinatras Than You Might Think

The Sinatras and the Osbournes might not seem to have much in common at face value, but they share a distinction few families can boast (and no, it’s not just their general celebrity). In 2003, Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne made musical history that placed them among the same ranks as Frank “Ol’ Blue Eyes” Sinatra and his daughter, Nancy Sinatra.

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Frank and Nancy Sinatra Made History In 1967

As the eldest daughter of iconic crooner Frank Sinatra, it’s no surprise that Nancy Sinatra pursued a career in the entertainment industry herself. She landed a record deal with her father’s label, Reprise Records, when she was 21. Four years later, in 1965, Nancy got her first global hit with “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” With her quintessentially 1960s look and sound, Nancy enjoyed consistent commercial success in the latter half of the decade.

That success continued into 1967, when she released a duet with her father, “Somethin’ Stupid.” The song was a massive hit worldwide, spending a month at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also topped the charts in the U.K., making history as the first father-daughter No. 1 hit in either country.

The late ‘60s chart-topper was somewhat of a comeback for Frank, who had become a bit antiquated to the younger crowd of the Swinging Sixties. Despite its overwhelming popularity, some critics have dubbed the song incestuous, considering the romantic message behind the father-daughter duo. Nancy once gave her tongue-in-cheek two cents about the “incest song” comments, saying, “I think [it’s], well, very sweet!”

In 2003, Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne Followed Suit

Nearly four decades after Frank and Nancy Sinatra released their hit song, “Somethin’ Stupid,” Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne followed up with their own record-breaking duet: “Changes.” The 2003 single was a remake of the 1972 original by Black Sabbath. Like the Sinatras’ track, Ozzy and Kelly’s version of “Changes” became the second No. 1 duet by a father-daughter duo in U.K. history. And like “Somethin’ Stupid,” it was equally successful and criticized.

On the one hand, a No. 1 placement in the U.K. Singles Chart is no small feat. But on the other hand, not everyone was crazy about the duet. In 2009, a Village Voice article called the 2003 version of “Changes” one of the 50 worst songs of the 2000s. Despite this less-than-stellar superlative, the song managed to peak at No. 1 in Scotland, No. 4 on the Eurochart Hot 100, No. 7 in Ireland, and a modest No. 31 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

At the very least, the Osbournes did what the Sinatras didn’t do, which was modify the lyrics to get rid of any romantic undertones between the two vocalists. Whereas the original Black Sabbath version of “Changes” was about a failing marriage, Kelly and Ozzy’s version clearly spoke about the distance in their father-daughter relationship as Kelly grew older and began paving her own way. We shared the years, we shared each day in love together. We found a way turned into We shared the years, we shared each day. I love you, Daddy, but I’ve found my way.

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