Album · Compilation
The Ozzman Cometh
The Ozzman Cometh is Ozzy Osbourne's third greatest hits collection, released by Epic on 11 November 1997. It gathers his solo work from Blizzard of Ozz through to Ozzmosis, and the original limited-edition two-disc pressing added five previously unreleased songs. It also arrived as the first Osbourne album since he rejoined Black Sabbath, the band that had fired him in 1979.
The extras are what set it apart. Four tracks, "Black Sabbath", "War Pigs", "Fairies Wear Boots" and "Behind the Wall of Sleep", come from a Black Sabbath session recorded for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show on 26 April 1970. "War Pigs" and "Fairies Wear Boots" are early versions with different lyrics from the ones on Paranoid. Later one-disc editions from 2002 swap "Shot in the Dark" for "Miracle Man", following a royalties dispute with co-writer Phil Soussan.
The Ozzman Cometh: tracklist and credits
15 tracks · 1:16:46Tracklist
- 1Black SabbathButler, Iommi, Osbourne, Ward9:26
- 2War PigsButler, Iommi, Osbourne, Ward8:15
- 3Goodbye to RomanceDaisley, Osbourne, Rhoads5:33
- 4Crazy TrainDaisley, Osbourne, Rhoads4:50
- 5Mr. CrowleyDaisley, Osbourne, Rhoads4:55
- 6Over the MountainDaisley, Kerslake, Osbourne, Rhoads4:32
- 7Paranoid (feat. Randy Rhoads) (live)Butler, Iommi, Osbourne, Ward2:52
- 8Bark at the MoonOzzy Osbourne4:17
- 9Miracle ManDaisley, Osbourne, Wylde3:44
- 10Crazy BabiesCastillo, Daisley, Osbourne, Wylde4:15
- 11No More Tears (edit)Castillo, Inez, Osbourne, Purdell, Wylde5:55
- 12Mama, I'm Coming HomeOsbourne, Wylde, Kilmister4:13
- 13I Don't Want to Change the World (live)Castillo, Osbourne, Wylde, Kilmister4:01
- 14I Just Want YouJim Vallance and Ozzy Osbourne4:57
- 15Back on EarthTaylor Rhodes and Richard Supa5:00
- Produced by
- Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, Max Norman, Keith Olsen, Roy Thomas Baker, Michael Beinhorn, Duane Baron, John Purdell, Ron Nevison
- Executive producer
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Recorded at
- Ridge Farm Studios, Music Hall, Goodnight LA Studios, The Enterprise, Bearsville Studios, Electric Lady Studios, Right Track Recording, Studio Guillaume Tell, A&M Studios, Devonshire Studios, Conway Recording Studios
- Recorded
- March 1980 – 1995
- Mixed by
- Tony Bongiovi, Keith Olsen, David Bianco, Michael Wagener
- Mixed at
- Ridge Farm Studios, Power Station at BerkleeNYC, Goodnight LA Studios, Scream Studios
- Engineered by
- Max Norman, Roy Thomas Baker, Gordon Fordyce, Gerry Napier, Paul Northfield, Brian Sperber, Duane Baron, Michael Bosley, John Purdell, Michael Wagener
- Label
- Epic
- Length
- 1:16:46
Line-up
- Geezer Butler · bass guitar
- Tony Iommi · electric guitar · guest
- Bill Ward · drums (drum set) · guest
- Ozzy Osbourne · lead vocals, background vocals
- Bob Daisley · bass guitar, background vocals
- Lee Kerslake · drums (drum set), percussion
- Randy Rhoads · guitar, electric guitar
- Don Airey · keyboard · guest
- Johnny Cook · keyboard · guest
- Tommy Aldridge · drums (drum set) · guest
- Lindsay Bridgwater · keyboard · guest
- Rudy Sarzo · bass guitar · guest
- Jake E. Lee · guitar, background vocals · guest
- Randy Castillo · drums (drum set)
- John Sinclair · keyboard · guest
- Zakk Wylde · guitar
- Deen Castronovo · drums (drum set) · guest
- Rick Wakeman · keyboard · guest
- Mike Inez · bass guitar · guest
Singles
- “Back on Earth” · 1997
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada · 1997 | Platinum |
| Finland · 2001 | Gold |
| United States · 2001 | 2× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
34.5
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
8
ListenBrainz listeners
39k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
—
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 11 November
Every year →
More from Ozzy Osbourne
Full discography →
Blizzard of Ozz
1980
Mr. Crowley Live EP
1980
Diary of a Madman
1981
Speak of the Devil
1982
Bark at the Moon
1983
Prince of Darkness
1984
Shot in the Dark
1986
The Ultimate Sin
1986
Tribute
1987
No Rest for the Wicked
1988
Best of Ozz
1989
Just Say Ozzy
1990
Ten Commandments
1990
No More Tears
1991
Live & Loud
1993
Ozzmosis
1995
Down to Earth
2001
Live at Budokan
2002
The Essential Ozzy Osbourne
2003
Prince of Darkness
2005
Under Cover
2005
Black Rain
2007
Scream
2010
Memoirs of a Madman
2014
Ordinary Man
2020
Patient Number 9
2022
The best of 1997
All of 1997 →
OK Computer
Radiohead · 1997
Reload
Metallica · 1997
The Colour and the Shape
Foo Fighters · 1997
nimrod.
Green Day · 1997
Around the Fur
Deftones · 1997
Be Here Now
Oasis · 1997
Sehnsucht
Rammstein · 1997
Cryptic Writings
Megadeth · 1997
Album of the Year
Faith No More · 1997
1967: The First 3 Singles
Pink Floyd · 1997
BBC Sessions
Led Zeppelin · 1997
Bonfire
AC/DC · 1997
More on Epic
The label →
(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
Oasis · 1995
Ten
Pearl Jam · 1991
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine · 1992
Definitely Maybe
Oasis · 1994
Vs.
Pearl Jam · 1993
The Battle of Los Angeles
Rage Against the Machine · 1999
No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne · 1991
Be Here Now
Oasis · 1997
Renegades
Rage Against the Machine · 2000
Korn
Korn · 1994
Issues
Korn · 1999
Patient Number 9
Ozzy Osbourne · 2022
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 1997-11-06 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 6 November 1997 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 11 November 1997 | |
| Wikidata | 11 November 1997 | |
| US release | 11 November 1997 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1997 | earliest UK or European date |
11 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | US | Epic | 074646968123 | other |
| 1997 | US | Epic | 074646798027 | other |
| 1997 | US | BMG Direct Marketing, Inc. | other | |
| 1997 | ZA | Epic | 6007689237530 | other |
| 1997 | US | Epic | 020831229920 | other |
| 1997 | XE | Epic | 5099748726025 | other |
| 6 November 1997 | JP | Sony Records | 4988009850795 | original |
| 11 November 1997 | US | Epic | 5099748726025 | other |
| 2002 | AU | Sony Music | 9399700101904 | other |
| 2002 | US | Epic | 696998664623 | other |
| 25 June 2002 | US | Epic | 777495157679 | other |
Cover art sources
fanarttv · upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| fanarttv ✓ | 1000×1000 | upscaled: major: best source 1000x1000, upscaled to 1500 (x1.50) |
| coverartarchive | 600×526 | rejected |