From Ozzie Nelson To Ozzy Osbourne

Toogood Reports ^ | April 28, 2002 | Chuck Baldwin

[Starmaker]

It seems that only a few years ago television brought Ozzie and Harriet Nelson into our homes each week. Then again, the current popularity of the MTV show, "The Osbournes," makes it seem like an eternity ago. Outside of similar sounding first names, there is nothing similar between the two principal characters. Neither is there anything similar between the two cultures they represent.

"Ozzie and Harriet" represented traditional America. The family had disagreements but never cursed or used foul language. The father was humorous but never irreverent. The wife was strong but always ladylike. The boys were mischievous but never sinful.

Families could watch an entire season of "Ozzie and Harriet" without ever having their morals attacked or their piety insulted. In fact, fundamental virtues such as honesty, morality, and integrity were integral themes of the show. The show was not the only thing pictured in black and white - so was right and wrong.

However, today's Ozzy knows no such decorum. The Osbournes are crude, vulgar, and profane. Four letter words flow from their mouths faster than water falls over Niagara. That they could even be allowed on television speaks to the debauchery of today's society. That they have become the biggest hit show in MTV's history (even President Bush is said to be "a big fan") means the culture has thoroughly collapsed.

One family therapist explained the show's success saying, "There's a domineering mother and a feeble father, something that's common to many families." She also said, "In some ways, they live a very normal life in this upper-middle-class environment, mixed with a really strange mentality and dysfunction." In other words, people like the Osbournes because they are mixed up and dysfunctional also. If that isn't a commentary on where we are as a culture, I don't know what is!

Then again, is everyone watching MTV? Are the Osbournes truly reflective of our culture? The change agents, who desire to turn America into a place Lucifer himself would enjoy visiting during winter vacations, say, "Yes." Of course, those same people would deny that the Nelsons ever reflected American society. (It's not clear how they can have it both ways.)

Obviously, millions of people in this country today have never heard of "Ozzie and Harriet" and, therefore, have never experienced life in traditional America. Furthermore, the Osbournes and MTV are helping to make sure they never will.

[eddie willers]

(what on earth did Ozzie do for a living?).

He was a Big Band leader....
you know, the 1952 equivalent of a Rock Star.

[southern rock]

But some say the 50s had already turned down that road. Harriet may not have been domineering like Osbourne's wife, but Ozzie Nelson was already pretty bland, detached and feeble. Maybe TV itself dethrowned the father and helped to create a void that domineering mothers could step into. But for better or worse, Ozzie Nelson, Ward Cleaver and the other TV dads of the 50s were far from older models of male or paternal dominance.

What I don't understand is why people insist on defining an entire decade by it's lamer sit-coms. If the 1950's was the "Leave it to Beaver" and "Ozzie and Harriet" decade, then the 1980's was the "Family Matters" and "Full House" decade. I guess the 90's was the "Step by Step" and "Boy meets World" decade. Please! How come no one ever refers to the 50's as the "Honeymooners" decade? Or the "I Love Lucy" decade? Could it be because those shows actually had some bite to them and don't fit a pre-conceived stereotype about an entire decade?

[AppyPappy]

Ozzie Osbourne is portrayed (rightfully so) as a man on the edge of a complete breakdown. Every child of an alcoholic recognizes the Ozzie character. He's one arm reach away from total failure. He just hangs on another day.

It's a show that you laugh at but should feel bad about it later.

[southern rock]

He's one arm reach away from total failure.

Yeah, that mansion he's living in really bespeaks total failure. :)

[AppyPappy]

That mansion won't do him a bit of good if he goes on a bender and runs off his family.

[Trust but Verify]

Appy,

If 20+ years of marriage and all the problems associated with the lifestyle of a rock star haven't 'run his family off' it ain't going to happen now.

Have you actually watched the show? They are 'different' but they are a loving, close family. Far from me to judge them.

[mad puppy]

His song lyrics are very pro-God...

Suicide Solution:

Wine is fine

But whiskey's quicker

suicide is slow with liquer

Take a bottle drain your sorrows

THEN IT FLOODS AWAY TOMMOROW!!

-------------------

Hmmm. How is that 'very pro-God'? Plagiarizing a few verses from the Bible for some other songs doesn't make him pro-God.

[Trust but Verify]

Ok, that's one lyric to one song. Where is the Satan worship in those lines? Maybe for some people I should have said some or many of his lyrics are pro-God. How's this:

Your Higher Power may be God or Jesus Christ
It doesn't really matter much to me
Without each other there's just no hope for us.
I'm living in a dream, a fantasy...

There are a lot of others who are more familiar with his songs than I and have posted more lyrics, most of which are the antithesis of what his music has been portrayed.

[VinnyTex]

When does the show come on. I've never watched it!

[mad puppy]

Where is the Satan worship in those lines? Maybe for some people I should have said some or many of his lyrics are pro-God. How's this:

Your Higher Power may be God or Jesus Christ
It doesn't really matter much to me
Without each other there's just no hope for us.
I'm living in a dream, a fantasy...

There are a lot of others who are more familiar with his songs than I and have posted more lyrics, most of which are the antithesis of what his music has been portrayed.

----------
So you've gone from his lyrics are 'pro-God' to suggesting he is not into 'satan worship'. Good. Again, as I said before, lifting a few words or Biblical concepts doesn't make him pro-God. I said nothing about his satanic activities, but you obviously know more about him than I do.

Tell me, if you had daughters would you be concerned if they ran around with a guy who acted like he does? Would you want your sons to emulate Ozzy? How about someone who wrote the following:

Mr. Tinkertrain (Ozzy Osbourne/Zakk Wylde/Randy Castillo)

Would you like some sweeties little girl?
Come a little closer
I'm gonna show you a brand new world tonight
I've got a palace full of fantasy
Ready made just for you and me
Once you're there I'm gonna take you for a ride

---------------
Not exactly my vision of Mr. Right for my daughters, nor a model for my sons.

[Proud_texan]

you can't understand a damn word he's saying

Yeah, I saw it once and I couldn't understand anything either.

He may be pro-religious and pro-war and all that but my take was that it was a huge anti-drug message.

As for standards in the '50s I remember one time a guy got arrested for using profanity. It was at my grandfather's service station and there was a women within earshot and cursing in front of a woman was illegal.

And a kid out of wedlock carried the ultimate stigma.

Things were different, at least where I grew up.

[Trust but Verify]

I would love for my son to become as successful as Ozzy. I would love for him to be a great family man as Ozzy is. I beleive people can grow and change and leave the mistakes and/or excesses of their youth behind and be given credit for it. Apparently you do not.

[Trust but Verify]

I would love for my son to become as successful as Ozzy. I would love for him to be a great family man as Ozzy is. I beleive people can grow and change and leave the mistakes and/or excesses of their youth behind and be given credit for it. Apparently you do not.

[Destructor]

"Chuck Baldwin needs to lighten up. The Osbournes are what we all are: flawed."

Oh, really? Bitten the head off of any Bats lately? Seriously flawed is more like it!

[Trust but Verify]

Here we go, the bat story. I guess we'll all have to be judged for the rest of our lives based on somehting we did 20+ years ago.

[Trust but Verify]

Oh, really? Bitten the head off of any Bats lately?

Have you? Neither has Ozzy.

[Axeslinger]

Re: the lyrics to Suicide Solution. The song was written shortly after the death of Bon Scott, the lead singer of AC/DC who drank himself to death. Scott was a friend of Ozzy's and Suicide Solution is meant to be a cautionary song about what the bottle can do.
Here are the complete lyrics:

Wine is fine but whiskey's quicker
Suicide is slow with liquor
Take a bottle and drown your sorrows
Then it floods away tomorrows

Evil thoughts and evil doings
Cold, alone you hang in ruins
Thought that you'd escape the reaper
You can't escape the Master Keeper

'Cause you feel like you're living a lie
Such a shame who's to blame and you're wondering why
Then you ask from your cask us there life after birth
What you sow can mean Hell on this earth

Now you live inside a bottle
The reaper's traveling at full throttle
It's catching you but you don't see
The reaper is you and the reaper is me

Breaking laws, knocking doors
But there's no one at home
Made your bed, rest your head
But you lie there and moan
Where to hide, Suicide is the only way out
Don't you know what it's really about

[Polonius]

Note to Chuck Baldwin: "Ozzie and Harriet" was a sitcom, for God's sake! Does he, or anyone here for that matter, believe it was in any way representative of life at the time? It seems that Baldwin is hopelessly romanticizing the past based on a worthless, unrealistic example.