Song of the Week #48

This Song of the Week has been planned for months and months - in fact, all the way back to the very first post, after deciding to create this little blog spot on the website, I already had this one earmarked ahead of time.

Why, I hear you ask? Well this is a tribute to a very dear friend of mine who sadly passed away in late 2018. This week coming up has his birthday, and coincidentally is also mental health awareness week 2022. Said friend had his own demons, and despite ironically talking to people about their mental health for a living, he was very secretive of his own. At the time, nobody thought anything of it. Retrospectively, he did try and improve things by quitting drink for a few months in 2017, which now seems all too poignant, given it was drink that was his downfall. But now upon reflection, many of us have realised had we actually confronted the reality of what was going on, he might still be here. I myself am extremely poor at it, but if you are struggling, find someone to talk to. Everybody would rather listen to your problems than listen to the eulogy at a funeral - trust me!

So for this post’s soundtrack, it is a tribute to an old friend, with memories attached - as we have alluded to many times on this blogspot. Every year we would head to Download Festival in a group, get absolutely ripped on room temperature Carlsberg and smuggled shoulders of gin into the site. Fantastic times had by all. We saw many good bands over the years, and many atrocities (see the Song of the Week from last year on Marilyn Manson), but the one I’m focusing on this week is from the last time we headed to Castle Donington together. I’ve always been a massive Ozzy Osbourne fan, so watching the Prince of Darkness take to the stage for an unbelievable 2 hour stint in 2018, with a setlist packed to the brim with highlights from throughout Ozzy’s career was a dream come true.

This week’s song was the first of the encore, and I’ll always remember that long haired drunken mess (read: my friend, not Ozzy Osbourne) with his arms aloft screaming the chorus as loud as he possibly could. The memories of this song always bring tears to my eyes when it comes on shuffle. I’ll be raising a G&T to him on Thursday, and I hope for any of you that knew him, you’ll be doing the same. I miss you brother, we all do.

Remember if you need help, TALK!

Mama, I’m Coming Home - Enjoy!