Randy Rhoads was trained as a classical Guitarist, this Whole Album is a Master piece And a testament to his Talent....

This song is Randy at his best in my opinion. Such an amazing musician taken from us way too soon. Thank you for the great insights into this song.

This guy nails it. I have said for years this song is a masterpiece. He explains it in a way that I know innately but could never break it down as concisely

Now you know why 40 years later he is still being recognized. His ability to infuse Metal Music with Classical composition is beyond amazing.

Bob Daisley: "The other thing was that Randy [Rhoads] had the rough idea for the song 'Diary of a Madman' and I came up with title. I wrote all of the lyrics as well on the album. Ozzy would come and go from rehearsals. One day he came in and we played him 'Diary of a Madman' and because it had funny timing he couldn't get his head around. He said, 'Who the f--k do you think I am? Frank Zappa?' We said, 'You sing in this part but you don't sing here. This timing goes like this etc.' He started to like it when he got his head around but at first he was like, 'This is not for me'."

It's dark, it's tormented, it's unsettled, it's GLORIOUS. One of my all time favorite songs, definitely my favorite Ozzy / Randy song.

Bob Daisley deserves so much credit for his lyrical content. Sad, yet brilliant storytelling.

This guy's assessment almost brought me to tears and validates what I've always said--Diary of a Madman is an epic piece of music and story.

Bob Daisley - the most underrated musician of all time....

35 years after first hearing it, Diary of a Madman still gives me goosebumps.

The riff at 9:11 is a brutal, masterpiece of rock history. That guitar riff (E-C-F#-E/B) stands alone in Randy Rhoads brief but genius discography. That riff summons a demon in the sky. It’s fkn epic!

I was 14 when Randy died, and he’s the only musician I can think of that makes me get emotional every time I hear him play. We are are so blessed by his short time on this earth, and so robbed at the same time.

This song is a masterpiece and really shows Randy’s classical background.

The whole album is a METAL MASTERPIECE 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Bob Daisley wrote ALL the lyrics and Co-composed ALL the music and played the bass on Ozzy's first 3 albums.

This is by far Ozzys greatest song. It is perfectly constructed musically. It’s a very advanced composition and produced perfectly.

This is Ozzy’s finest moment. This song is incredibly complex. The lyrics are haunting and beautiful. The music is beyond comparison.

Ozzy over his career has written very little, outside of vocal melodies. Bassist Geezer Butler wrote 90% of the lyrics in Black Sabbath, bassist Bob Daisley wrote the lyrics for Ozzy's first four solo albums, and on No More Tears, Motorhead's Lemmy (another bass player!) wrote lyrics for four songs. Bass players writing his lyrics is a pattern!

I love when more formal musician's recognize rock music. It's not all poppy bubble gum. Randy Rhodes as fans know was classically trained and was a music teacher who was always looking to improve his abilities as a guitar player and musician in general. Thank you so much for the respect. 👍

I was fortunate enough to have seen Randy with Ozzy in concert just six weeks before his death. He was simply mesmerizing to watch. So into his instrument. He's still missed.

"Diary of a Madman" Actually, thee entire album, especially the side of the record that ends with this song, imo, morphs like a classical masterpiece, that is so intensely dramatic and has always been my personal favorite from day one. Decades later, I read an interview with Ozzy where he stated that on that album they had a little more time and money for Randy to stretch out a bit in the studio. Ozzy stated that Randy didn't come out of the studio for like 3 days straight or something of that sort and Ozzy quote, "Randy had this huge shit eating grin on his face." Imo, this is the pinnacle of Randy's guitar work in the studio in conjunction with a perfect drummer "Lee" and "Bob" on Bass and plenty of the lyrics, is truly a hidden Gem that Ozzy should have kept on permantly. Bob played off and on other album's later on, but this album is beyond anything Ozzy has ever been apart of. Huge, blessed talent and the music, lyrics all of it over shadows any type of gimmicks that were on any other albums, because there really is no gimmick. Just music, truth. Randy, being classically influenced and borrows stuff or as Ozzy often told him "Nic that!" Which didn't set well with Randy while taking lessons or practicing classical pieces from days of old, but Randy lightly did so at times and made it his own. The "Karl Orf" type monk chanting harmonies at the conclusion of the song are so intense that it takes it to the intimate climax. Musically speaking, this particular album is pure gold and what a great thing it would have been to be in the studio just witnessing this being put together, let alone a part of it. When you have a classical composer here, stopping the tape in awe, just to explain the tempos and arrangements? That's pretty amazing. RIP Randy & Lee

Before his untimely death, Randy was about to get his master's degree in classical music. Comparing Randy to Eddie Van Halen is like comparing apples to oranges as Eddie's style is more swing. Both incredible musicians and will always be missed but never forgotten.

The best track of Ozzy's solo career, an absolute masterpiece.

This song "Diary of a Madman" is my favorite song by Ozz/Randy. I am a guitar player and love everything Randy does on this song. He weaves in lots of classical style guitar playing throughout the song and in the background. When I learned this song I remember learning chords I had never used before. I remember where I was when I heard the news that Randy had died and I still have a newspaper clipping of the article about his death. The solo sounds like it might be Harmonic Minor but I am not positive and do not have my guitar on my hands yet. At one time I played the majority of this solo / lead but not 100% note for note. This song has so many twists and turns covering many genres. I still wonder what Randy would have done if he did not die so young. If my memory still works I think he was 25 when he died so he was still quite young. What a tragedy and loss of talent. Thanks for showcasing this song and giving your opinion on it while also pointing out some of the timing and music theory along the way. This is my first time here at your channel and I subscribed because I enjoyed the way you go about explaining the song. Have a great evening, take care and greetings from the east coast

Mr Crowley is one of the best ozzy's songs musically (intro with church organ) and the solo is one of the greatest ones in metal history check it as soon as you can

Bob Daisley was the hidden "genius" behind much of Ozzy's early solo work - fantastic bass player and lyricist. He was responsible for the sublime songwriting on this album. He also contributed greatly to Black Sabbath's unfairly maligned Eternal Idol album of the late 80's which features some of their darkest songs (painfully underrated, I love the Ray Gillen and Tony Martin recordings).

Randy's masterpiece...the guitar solo is like nothing else...this is what neo classical music should be, well though out compositions....not mindless shredding as fast as you can...I'll always love this

Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a Madman are 2 of the best albums there will ever be. Supposedly Bob Daisley has some recordings from band practices that hopefully he will release some day.

It's Doug listening to Randy ... I'M NOT CRYING!!! Welcome to Randy, Doug.

This album is the best in Ozzy’s career, Randy’s compositions and solos were amazing

I can't believe you went right past that Hungarian Minor scale solo as if it was the most common thing you ever heard. You didn't even listen to it, you were so focused on the timing. Randy Rhoads captures the insanity so perfectly well with that solo. I don't think I've ever heard another song with a Hungarian Minor scale in it in my life.

Tears come to my eyes as you unearth the greatness of this piece from your highly educated vantage point which I could not verbalize as well as you all these years. All I knew was this was one the great rock songs of that era.

Would love to see him to listen to Randy’s classical guitar piece “Dee”

The Classical Intro was taken by Randy from Leo Bouwers Estudios Sencillos#6/ At the time Randy being into classical guitar was practicing Estudio Sencillo #6 and Ozzy passed by and said that needs to be a song..and there you have it- history. Lyrics that's all Bob Daisley-master of bass and words..! Long Live Randy, Bob, Lee- Long Live The Blizzard of Ozz !

Doug, consider reviewing Ozzy's song "Tonight" from Diary of A Madman. IMO the most expressive/emotive/awe-inducing guitar solo by any guitarist at the end of that song. Simply mind-blowing. If you haven't heard it, you haven't heard Randy at the absolute peak of his game. He went full-on God-mode on that solo. Would love to have access to the full studio outtakes of that song...

Where have you been dude? I was listening to this album since it came out and I knew it was everything that you have said about it because I've lived it my whole life. I'm 65 now and I'm still living it but only to a degree. This whole album is a masterpiece and Randy Rhoads was a genius and this was Ozzies greatest album ever.

Every track off of Diary is killer, superb album track after track. Randy on guitar & the great chemistry with Bob Daisley & the late great Lee Kerslake.

I was 15 when Randy died. I was crushed. He's still my favorite guitarist.

I remember buying the record when it came out. Sitting in front of my stereo, jaw dropped when I heard this song. Listen to it 100 times after. Spectacular song.

One of the best metal songs ever written!! Even after all these years my heart still absolutely loves it!!!!!

Randy Rhoades was without doubt the best Heavy Metal guitarist.

This song really does showcase Randy's genius. Beautifully haunting and complex but memorable at the same time. His spirt will never die! R.I.P

It's still surreal to me to this day. With those violins, I would have loved to have seen that all recorded.

80's girl here. Great review, thank you!😊 This sounded incredible Live! I'm so glad i got to see Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, performing this masterpiece!!🎸🙃 Those days were SO MUCH FUN, such great experiences, not tied to social media & devices, but actually going & seeing these legends LIVE, what a treat, i'll never forget. It's what we did, & what a fantastic ride it was!!!🎉

I talked with Kathy yesterday and we talked about this, you going over the song and Randy' guitar playing. She was blown away in what you had to say. Said if Randy was still alive that he would have loved to have talked and picked your brain going over music

Ozzy's bass player Bob Daisley wrote this song. Said Daisley: "I really wrote that one about myself. When I was 16 I had my first nervous breakdown and it really f---ed me up. I was a sensitive kid and I have always been a sensitive person. I suppose you have to be sensitive being in the arts. I wrote the words about myself. Quite often we have problems and we are our own worst enemies and that is why 'Enemies fill up the pages one by one in the diary. Are they me?' I am my own worst enemy. The other thing was that Randy [Rhoads] had the rough idea for the song 'Diary of a Madman' and I came up with title. I wrote all of the lyrics as well on the album. Ozzy would come and go from rehearsals. One day he came in and we played him 'Diary of a Madman' and because it had funny timing he couldn't get his head around. He said, 'Who the f--k do you think I am? Frank Zappa!' We said, 'You sing in this part but you don't sing here. This timing goes like this etc.' He started to like it when he got his head around but at first he was like, 'This is not for me'." Source Songfacts

The chord choices and timing of the song really brings you into the anxiety of what Bob was going through. The guitar solo Randy does is really demented and is one of my favorite of all of his solos. Pop music today really lacks what artists like this brought to the table

This is Ozzy’s best song 100%. It’s the definition of the Ozzy lyrical material and the eerie nature of the song is amazing.

Mr. Crowley has by far two of the GREATEST guitar solo's in the history of music. But you will have to decide that for yourself.

Randy was a guitar genius. It's tragic that he died so young and that we never got to see what other masterpieces of rock he could give us.

The best album in his solo career

Randy Rhoads was WAY ahead of his time. Everything he wrote still fits with today. His song composure was out of the world back in the early 80's.

One of the greatest compositions in metal history. Stairway to heaven can’t hold this song’s guitar case. Rhoades was a virtuoso that every metal guitarist either worships or is influenced by somebody that worships Rhoades. And yet, he is still under appreciated IMO. Never picked up on the moody blues influence in this track, but it’s definitely there. Anyway… Great video. Thanks for analytically confirming something I’ve felt for decades.

One of THE greatest metal masterpieces of all time! Rhoads-Daisley was a genius songwriting duo.

I was 10 yrs. Old and my eldest sister took me to see Ozzy on this tour. It was my VERY FIRST concert. And Unfortunately it was Randy's last show. I live in a small town (Morristown, Tennessee, about an hour east of Knoxville, Tennessee. To this day my sister still laughs about how big my eyes got when Randy would play a solo. From that night forward to this very day, RANDY RHOADES has been my absolute favorite guitarist. My sister came in from school and told me that Randy Rhodes had been killed in a plane crash. I cried like a baby, I discovered my guitar hero and lost him within 24 hours.

I miss Randy Rhoads so much 😢

The saddest part is knowing that Randy was planning on hanging up his time in the rockstar scene to become a teacher and spread his vast wealth of knowledge with music to other aspiring musicians. Imagine a world full of those taught by Randy?

This is my favorite Randy era Ozzy song. This is Randy at his best. I think you should listen to "leave the door open" by Silk Sonic. Lyrically, it's sexy, yet funny at the same time. Musically it's clever with its chord progressions and sneaky key changes. I've seen jazz musicians geek out over this song. I think it'll be a nice change of pace that'll leave you surprised.

Randy Rhoads is one of my favorite guitarist of all time …

Simply the best Ozzy song ever!

Keep in mind Randy Rhoads was Classically trained. He studied at UC Berkeley and was also a Music Instructor to many students.

Prog sounding you say? That's no wonder as Randy was classically trained besides being an absolute genius on guitar. Taken way too soon, I really wish we could've heard him in a proper prog band. Ozzy's band was no slouch, though. Gotta love 'em.

This is the very best Daily Doug I have seen. The joy in that grin said it all! ❤️🏆 Thank you for the analysis and more so the enjoyment you expressed. 🙏

Great, there will be "no living with me now" Your reaction has vindicated why this has been my #1 song since I was 12. Mainly the perfect hybrid of metal and classical

That 17/8 section at the end might be my favourite thing in the history of rock music.

This song always reminds me of my mom. Not that she was crazy but that she HATED the singers at the end. She hated the piece, 'Ave Satani' that Jerry Goldsmith composed for 'The Omen' films. When the singers come in at the end of Diary of A Madman, it always reminded her of 'Ave Satani.'

Probably the best rock composition of all time.

The Diary of a Madman Lp I bought the day it was released on November 7 ,1981 and I remember March 20,1982 the day Randy died. I heard the news on WMMS over my friends house on the radio. It seems liked yesterday....One of the best rock lps ever made. I also remember the cd was released years later on August 22,1995

I love that you get it on such a deep level. Not just the mastery of this piece of art but the concept. Instant subscription.

Daisley and Kerslake are the rhythm section from Uriah Heep.

I could tell you were so impressed with this one and weren't expecting it ..he is do underestimated ❤❤❤❤

Doug don't stop there, your listening to one of the Masterpiece's of Rock! This whole LP is Great all the way through!!! Musically and lyrically!

In my opinion, never before nor since has there been a song so crushingly heavy yet also so hauntingly beautiful

Doug. I have literally been waiting for you to react to this composition since the beginning of your channel. Absolutely anything on the (first) two Ozzy/Randy albums are absolute gold. Randy had a classical composer’s sensibility. “Revelation Mother Earth” next, please. Then “Mr. Crowley” live. (One of the very few pieces of clear footage of Randy performing) He was absolutely ahead of his time. 80’s metal owes a great deal of debt to Randy. They all tried to incorporate classical/baroque themes into their music to darken the tone, but always fell short of Randy’s accomplishments and his masterpieces spoke for themselves. May he never be forgotten and yes, glad the R&R Hall of Fame is recognizing his excellence. On a related issue, May Sharon “Yoko” Osbourne burn in hell for what she did to Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake. She and Ozzy have been riding the coattails of those first two records for forty years now. Randy wrote “Crazy Train” along with Bob Daisley for crying out loud!!! Not your husband, sorry.

Randy was a reincarnation of one of the great classical composers. There is no doubt in my mind. We walk this earth more than once.

Randy wrote the music, Bob Daisley wrote the lyrics and did most of the arrangement, and Lee Kerslake played some phenomenal drum parts. Ozzy did his part perfectly as well. An amazing track. All time classic.

Randy is my personal guitar hero, just loved the guy. Now, this wouldn't make for a very long video but I would LOVE it if you would do maybe a mini-video on his solo, classical guitar track, "Dee" which he wrote for his mother. It's just lovely.

Revelation (Mother Earth) is my favorite of the Randy Rhoads era.

This whole song is purposely made to sound "Off" to convey the feeling of insanity. You noticed the off beat timing, but it also uses major chords that clash against the minors. This is very effective to show a contrast between the majors and minors. I'm a guitar player and I love this song. The solo is just out of this world if you listen closely to it. Again with minors but it is also "Off" and uses augmented and suspended notes strategically placed to make it sound not right, but then after you listen to it more you see that it's perfectly correct for this composition. Randy was very good with classical guitar and was the most sought after instructor in California, LA area. He wanted to go to Juilliard to get a degree, which I'm sure he could have gotten quite easily. He was awarded "Most Promising Guitarist" by Guitar Player magazine. It's a real shame that he died so soon, I would have loved to see what all he would come up with.

No doubt a masterpiece. I loved this song as a teenager and still do thirty years later👍🤘

IT's ABOUT TIME RANDY RHOADS GOT SOME LOVE( several exclamation points) Daisley and Kirslake wrote the rhythm vocal melody and lyrics Kirslake wrote the vocal melody Daisley had the structure and Randy had the intro from Etude # 6 with a rhythmic variation and who knows what else .

All the beautiful things you said about this composition on one hand, on the other hand putting it in the context of time when not too many people were doing this kind of music.

Album turned 42 yesterday ....still as good today as it was back then

So glad you listened to the original release on Jet Records instead of the B.S. re-recorded release on Epic Records without Daisley or Kerslake. We can all thank Sharon Osbourne for that debacle.

This turned out to be the last thing we the fans received from Randy before his untimely death, and what an awesome final piece it was (similar to Rush's The Garden). By the way, Lee Kerslake (RIP) is pronounced KER-SLAKE, not KER-SLAH-KEE.

Randy was special,he had his own technique and sound.Always ready to explore new path.This guy was a genius in studio!

Randy.........5' 7" 105lb giant slayer.🔥🔥🔥 Even after 40 years, this song still brings tears to my eyes.

RR was a complete musical genius. God took him on His time. And we still are listening to Randy's genius

Randy Rhodes had such profound influence on my teenage years in the sense of how and why I wanted to play guitar. When I hear this song I still get emotional even after 35 to 40 years of listening to it. Rhodes was so brilliant.

Randy was one of the best guitarists in metal, he was a classically trained guitarist.

That song is a masterpiece.

This is Randy's unintentional magnum opus. I can never think of Randy without a tinge of sadness. He was 25 years old when he died. Just so much left to give and to live. Such a loss.

Great Doug, you got this unblocked! The next Ozzy to do is Revelation (Mother Earth). Others I'd recommend - You Can't Kill Rock and Roll, Tonight, See You on the Other Side, and Dreamer.

This entire song has a 2 measure payback. That fleeting headbanging riff that comes and goes before Randy's solo. One of the greatest riffs in history. And gone way too quick. I always rewind five times so I can bang my head more!!

That is my favorite Ozzy song. And Randy Rhodes was an incredible musician.

I always thought Ozzy wrote the song. That he didn't matters not to me. It is STILL a masterpiece. Rest in Peace Randy Rhodes.

I remember buying this album at Cactus in '81. One of my first metal albums. The album cover drew me in. The music hooked me for life! RIP R R.!

The voiceleading in the intro, the tension of the chords in the verse, the oriental sound of the solo... Randy Rhoads at his classically-trained best.

This is probably my favorite Randy Rhoads masterpiece. The song is both haunting and beautiful at the same time. Both Blizzard of Oz and Diary of a madman are just fantastic compositions by one of the greatest guitarists / musicians of all time. Add Ozzy’s amazing vocals and Bob Daisley’s lyrics and the whole thing becomes one of the best rock compositions. I wish we would have had at least a decade of albums from this lineup.

Both Blizzard Of Oz and Diary Of A Madman were recorded at the same time but released at different dates so that they could tour nonstop to promote Ozzy