Imagine a world where Ozzy Osbourne and Madonna, two iconic figures from different musical realms, unite their voices in a duet. It's a hidden gem that almost saw the light of day.
In the realm of music, where artists often revisit their archives to create 'deluxe' versions of old albums, it's a rare treat to uncover unreleased tracks that truly deserve a wider audience. Don Was, the mastermind behind Was (Not Was), holds such a treasure.
Back in 1983, during the recording of their album 'Born To Laugh At Tornadoes', Was (Not Was) invited Ozzy Osbourne and a young, up-and-coming singer named Madonna to lay down vocals for the track 'Shake Your Head'. While Ozzy's contribution was a perfect fit, Madonna's vocals, though impressive, didn't quite capture the band's signature sound.
Fast forward to 1992, and Was (Not Was) decided to re-record 'Shake Your Head' for a compilation album. This time, Ozzy re-recorded his part, but Madonna's permission was not granted for her original vocals to be used. Enter actress Kim Basinger, who stepped in to lend her voice to the track, which eventually became a massive international hit, reaching the top five in the UK.
But here's where it gets intriguing: years later, Don Was realized they had an Ozzy-Madonna duet waiting to be discovered. "We gave it to a remixer... and he turned it into a Ozzy/Madonna duet," Was revealed.
So, the question remains: with such a unique collaboration, should we be pushing for a deluxe edition of 'Born to Laugh at Tornadoes'?
In the same interview, Was shared a hilarious story from his early days in the music industry. In 1974, when Was was playing bass for Ted Lucas, they had the misfortune of opening for Black Sabbath. The audience, mostly amphetamine-fueled teenagers, were not there for folk music. "You can hear the beer bottles breaking as we were just pelted with debris from song number one," Was recalled. Despite the chaos, they managed to play three or four songs before fleeing the stage due to the drummer's injuries.
This story, along with the potential Ozzy-Madonna duet, showcases the rich history and unexpected collaborations that make the music industry so fascinating.
What do you think? Should we campaign for the release of this hidden gem? And what other musical secrets are waiting to be uncovered?
