The story of Ozzy Osbourne's Breaking All The Rules

Taken from the 1988 album 'No Rest For the Wicked', 'Breaking All the Rules' was the third single release, following 'Miracle Man' and 'Crazy Babies'. Both the song and other songs on the album seem to hint at the underlying insecurities Osbourne felt as a famous rock star and hero to his fans, with the dark shadows of addiction lurking.

Album

'No Rest For the Wicked' 'No Rest For the Wicked' was Ozzy Osbourne's fifth studio album, and the first to feature the guitar wizardry of Zakk Wylde. Originally released in 1988, it has been reissued twice since, in 1995 and 2002. Certified as a gold disc in 1989, it has since gone platinum. According to 2010 statistics, it had sold something in the range of two and half million copies worldwide. The album dealt with some controversial subject matter, including the prostitution scandal of a noted American evangelist, and Osbourne's perception that many televangelists are hypocrites and cheats. The song 'Bloodbath In Paradise' also referenced the Charles Manson murders, though some also detected references to the Vietnam War in the lyrics.

Lyrics and music

Breaking the rules The song would seem to be a direct exhortation to break rules, urging the probably female object of his attention to be the first to break all the rules and respond to his attention. Although this kind of thing is fairly typical of the macho posturing of many metal lyrics, part of the genre's outlaw appeal is that there is also a darker, perhaps more sensitive, undertone to the lyrics. Mental illness and addiction There seem to be some references to mental illness and, possibly, addiction in the lyrics of the song, with the lines "Nobody thinks the way I do/Maybe nobody cares" hinting at the loneliness and isolation that drove Osbourne to bury himself in drink and drugs. The songs 'Demon Alcohol' and 'No Rest For the Wicked' would also address this subject matter. A recurring theme of classic heavy metal lyrics The idea of 'breaking all the rules' has been long established as a recurring theme of classic heavy metal lyrics, and as an idea, it would certainly seem apposite to much of Osbourne's personal life, if not his music, which in this case is formulaic eighties metal. That makes it no less enjoyable though, and there are some pounding guitar riffs and a suitably psychotic banshee vocal performance from Osbourne to keep everyone entertained, despite the seemingly dark subject matter.