"When the Lady Smiles" by Golden Earring

This week has seen the deaths of several celebrities, so many that it is hard for me to keep up with all of them. Michael Jamal Warner, Ozzy Osbourne, Chuck Magione, and Cleo Laine, among others, have all died this week. Among the celebrities who have died this week is one that many of my fellow Americans have probably not heard of, but who is close to my heart nonetheless. George Kooymans was a co-founder and guitarist of legendary Dutch rock band Golden Earring died on July 22 2025 at age 77 from complications from ALS.

I will write a full eulogy later, but tonight I will leave you with one of my favourite Golden Earring songs, "When the Lady Smiles." It was written by George Kooymans and Barry Hay. It went to number one on the charts in the Netherlands and Belgium, and peaked at no. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sadly, in the United States, I think it might be better known for tis controversial video, which was banned by MTV. Since that video can be found offensive, I will simply share the official audio.

The Late Great Ozzy Osbourne

There are those eulogies on this blog that are harder to write than others. This is one of those eulogies. Black Sabbath has been a part of my life since I was a lad and I was a fan of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career from the beginning. Black Sabbath has always been my favourite heavy metal band of all time and one of my favourite rock bands, period. While he had his share of problems in his life, there can be no doubt that Ozzy Osbourne was a talented singer and songwriter, and a true pioneer in rock music. Sadly, Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22 2025 at the age of 76. In 2003 he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he had health problems the past several years. He died seventeen days after Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning Concert in Birmingham, West Midlands.

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne was born on December 3 1948 in Marston Green, Warwickshire. His father was a toolmaker and his mother worked in a factory. He had three older sisters and two younger brothers. It was while he was in primary school that he picked up the nickname "Ozzy." At school he took part in plays. He was 14 when he became a Beatles fan, and it was their single "She Loves You" that inspired him to become a musician. 

Ozzy Osbourne left school when he was 15 years old. He worked a series of jobs, including construction worker, a plumber trainee, an apprentice toolmaker,a car horn tuner, and a slaughterhouse worker. He was 17 when he burglarized a clothing shop. Unable to pay the fine, he spent six weeks in Winson Green Prison. It was upon Ozzy Osbourne's release that his father took out a loan to buy him a sound system. Afterwards Ozzy Osbourne put an ad up in the window of Ringway Music that read, "Ozzy Zig Needs Gig--has own PA."

The ad attracted the attention of guitarist Terence "Geezer" Butler. who recruited Ozzy Osbourne as the lead vocalist for his band The Rare Breed. The Rare Breed lasted only briefly, but Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler later joined guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward in the Polka Tulk Blues Band, which also included  slide guitarist Jimmy Phillips and saxophonist Alan "Aker" Clarke. The band's name was shortened to "Polka Tulk" and then 'Earth" and Jimmy Phllips and Aker Clarke were dropped from the lineup. That name was dropped when it was learned there was already a band in England by that name. It was Geezer Buttler who suggested the name "Black Sabbath" in early 1969, taken from the 1963 movie of the same name, directed by Mario Bava and starring Boris Karloff. Along with the change in name, there was also a change in subject matter, with Black Sabbath drawing upon imagery from horror movies, fantasy, and science fiction. Geezer Butler, who had played rhythm guitar, switched to bass when Black Sabbath was formed.

It was in November 1969 that Black Sabbath was signed to Phillips Records in November 1969. Their first single, a cover of Crow's song "Evil Woman," was released on January 2 1970 in the UK. Their debut album, Black Sabbath, was released on Friday, February 13 1970 in the UK. While their debut single failed to chart, their debut album went to no. 8 on the UK album chart and no. 23 on the Billboard  album chart. Their second album, Paranoid, proved even more successful. It went to no. 1 on the UK album chart and no. 12 Billboard album chart. The first single from the album "Paranoid," went to no. 4 on the UK singles chart.  

Black Sabbath continued to see success in the Seventies. Their albums Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and Sabotage all peaking near the top of the charts in the United Kingdom and the United States. While Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! both performed well in the United Kingdom, they ranked a little bit lower on the Billboard album chart than previous albums. Behind the scenes things were not always moving smoothly. In 1977, while Black Sabbath was in rehearsal for their next album, Ozzy Osbourne abruptly quite the band. Initially he planned on a solo project, but he had a change of heart and rejoined Black Sabbath in January 1978. They recorded Never Say Die!, which was released on September 29 1978.

Following the tour for Never Say Die!, Black Sabbath rented a house in Bel Air in Los Angeles, where they intended to work on their next album. Unfortunately at this point there was friction within the band, particularly between Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi. Ultimately, Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath. He was replaced by Ronnie James Dio, formerly of Elf and Rainbow.

It was in late 1979 that Ozzy Osbourne formed a new band, the Blizzard of Ozz, which consisted of former Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake, former Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley, former Rainbow keyboardist Don Airley, and former Quiet Riot guitarist Randy Rhoads. Ozzy Osbourne's first solo album was named for the band,  Blizzard of Ozz. It was released on September 12 1980 and did well on both sides of the Atlantic. 

The Eighties would arguably the height of Ozzy Osbourne's solo career. His albums Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, The Ultimate Sin, and No Rest for the Wicked all did well on the charts. In 1985 he reunited with the original members of Black Sabbath for a performance at Live Aid. It was in 1982 that Ozzy Osbourne experienced one of the great tragedies of his life when guitarist Randy Rhoads was killed in a plane crash. Ozzy Osbourne grieved heavily and their tour was cancelled for two weeks. 

Ozzy Osbourne would continue to see success in the Nineties. It was in 1996 that he launched the annual music festival Ozzfest. The festival proved to be successful and took place until 2018. Ozzfest would see original members of Black Sabbath reunite. Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi reunited for the Ozzfest in 1997 and all four original members in 1999. The original members of Black Sabbath also recorded another album together, the live album Reunion. They toured together from 1997 to 1999. Ozzy Osbourne's solo career also continued to do well, with his albums No More Tears and Ozzmosis both doing well.

The Naughts would also be a busy decade for Ozzy Osbourne. The reality show The Osbournes, focused on the domestic life of Ozzy Osbourne and his family, debuted in 2002 on MTV and ran for four seasons. His albums continued to do well on the charts. The Teens would also see Ozzy Osbourne continue to be busy. He reunited with Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi for another world tour in 2011. The three of them recorded the final Black Sabbath studio album, 13, released on June 10 2013. It was in 2016 that they began a tour called "The End," which was meant to be the final tour of Black Sabbath. Ozzu Osbourne's penultimate album, Ordinary Man, was released in 2020.

It was in 2022 that Ozzy Osbourne's final album, Patient Number 9, was released. It was this year, on February 5, that Ozzy Osbourne's wife Sharon Osbourne announced a final concert featuring the original members of Black Sabbath. The benefit concert called Back to the Beginning took place in Black Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham on July 5 2025. It was the first time since 2005 that all four original members performed together. In addition to Black Sabbath, Back to the Beginning had an all-star lineup that included Anthrax, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Tool, Slayer, and Metallica. 

The word "legend" is often tossed about these days, but it is entirely applicable to Ozzy Osbourne. Along with the other members of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne pioneered the genre of heavy metal. Some might even argue that Black Sabbath invented heavy metal. Their influence can be seen in a number of bands, including Judas Priest, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Monster Magnet, and others.  Black Sabbath's influence on heavy metal can be seen in everything from the music itself to the often fantastic imagery of its lyrics.

Of course, Ozzy Osbourne would have an enormous impact as a vocalist. While he did not necessarily have a wide vocal range, Ozzy Osbourne was capable of powerful vocals and he could relay emotional states and situations from despair to fear. And while Ozzy Osbourne was known for his often intense vocals, he could also deliver softer, more melodic vocals. As a vocalist Ozzy Osbourne was utterly unique, and he would have a lasting influence on heavy metal and hard rock.

"Changes" by Black Sabbath

Yesterday Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary lead singer of Black Sabbath and a solo artist in his own right, died. I have been busy working on his eulogy, but I am not going to be able to complete it today. I have been a fan of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath since I was a lad and as a result his death has had an enormous impact on me. I certainly want my eulogy for him to be as good as it possibly can be. Tonight I will simply leave you with one of my favourite Black Sabbath songs. "Changes" appeared on their album Vol. 4 . It was also released as a single. "Changes" is fairly atypical of Black Sabbath's oeuvre. It is a ballad that features neither guitar nor drums. It simply consists of Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on piano and Mellotron, and Geezer Butler on bass and Mellotron.

TCM Summer Under the Stars 2025

Among Turner Classic Movies fans, August is one of the most anticipated months. Quite simply, it is the month of Summer Under the Stars, a month-long programming block in which each day is devoted to the films of one actor. Like many TCM fans I always look forward to Summer Under the Stars, the only downside of the month being that it means doing without Noir Alley for 31 days!

Just as in previous years, 2025 sees several actors appearing for the first time on Summer Under the Stars. These actors included Christopher Plummer, Ruby Dee, Pedro Armendáriz, Charles Bronson, James Gleason, Gina Lollobrigida, Sir Tom Courtenay, and Donald O'Connor. In some of these cases it is surprising to me that it is their first times being featured on Summer Under the Stars. I would have thought Charles Bronson and Donald O'Connor would have appeared on Summer Under the Stars before! I do have to point out that this year's Summer Under the Stars will see several films air on Turner Classic Movies for the very first time, including Aces High (1976), The Sound of Music (1965), Death Wish (1974), and The Milkman (1950). 

Each year I post my picks as to the must-see movies airing during Summer Under the Stars. Here is this year's batch. As always, all times are Central.

Lana Turner, Friday, August 1:
12:30 PM The Three Musketeers (1948)
5:00 PM The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
9:15 PM The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
1:30 AM Johnny Eager (1942)

Christopher Plummer, Saturday, August 2:
10:15 AM International Velvet (1978)
12:40 PM Inside Daisy Clover (1965)
2:45 PM Aces High (1976)
5:00 PM The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
12:00 AM The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Audrey Hepburn, Sunday, August 3:
9:00 AM The Children's Hour (1961)
11:00 AM Sabrina (1954)
1:00 PM Charade (1963)
5:00 PM Wait Until Dark (1965)
7:00 PM Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
9:15 PM How to Steal a Million (1966)
11:30 PM My Fair Lady (1964)
2:30 AM Love in the Afternoon (1957)

Howard Keel, Monday, August 4:
3:00 PM Kiss Me Kate (1953)
5:00 PM Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
7:00 PM Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
9:00 PM Show Boat (1951)
11:00 PM Calamity Jane (1953)

Claude Rains, Tuesday, August 5:
5:00 AM Stolen Holiday (1937)
8:15 AM Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)
10:30 AM The Unsuspected (1947)
5:00 PM Now, Voyager (1942)
7:00 PM Notorious (1946)
9:00 PM Casablanca (1942)
11:00 PM Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Judy Garland, Wednesday, August 6:
9:00 AM For Me and My Gal (1942)
11:00 AM Presenting Lily Mars (1943)
3:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
5:00 PM Summer Stock (1950)
7:00 PM A Star is Born (1954)
4:00 AM The Harvey Girls (1946)

Ruby Dee, Thursday, August 7:
6:30 AM The Edge of the City (1957)
8:30 AM Take a Giant Step (1959)
10:30 AM Black Girl (1972)
2:15 PM Buck and the Preacher (1972)
7:00 PM A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

James Garner, Friday, August 8:
8:15 AM Cash McCall (1960)
10:00 AM Boys' Night Out (1962)
12:00 PM The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
2:00 PM The Americanization of Emily (1964)
7:00 PM Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
9:00 PM Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971)
3:15 AM Skin Game (1971)

Elizabeth Taylor, Saturday, August 9:
5:00 AM National Velvet (1944)
7:15 AM A Date with Judy (1948)
10:30 AM Father's Little Dividend (1951)
2:00 PM Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
7:00 PM The Taming of the Shrew (1967)

Clark Gable, Sunday, August 10:
8:30 AM Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
11:00 PM It Happened One Night (1934)
2:00 PM Wife vs. Secretary (1936)
7:00 PM Teacher's Pet (1958)
9:15 PM The Misfits (1961)

Glenda Farrell, Monday, August 11:
5:00 AM Little Caesar (1931)
11:45 AM The Adventurous Blonde (1937)
2:00 PM Blondes at Work (1938)
3:15 PM Torchy Gets Her Man (1938)
4:30 PM Torchy Blane in Chinatown (1939)
5:45 PM Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939)
7:00 PM Girl Missing (1933)

Pedro Armendáriz, Tuesday, August 12:
5:15 PM  La rebelión de los colgados (The Rebellion of the Hanged-1954)
7:00 PM Soledad's Shawl (1952)
9:00 PM 3 Godfathers (1949)

Shirley MacLaine, Wednesday, August 13:
10:30 AM Being There (1979)
12:25 PM Irma la Douce (1963)
3:15 PM Gambit (1966)
5:15 PM The Trouble with Harry (1955)
9:30 PM Sweet Charity (1969)
2:30 AM Some Came Running (1958)

Sterling Hayden, Thursday, August 14:
10:00 AM Suddenly (1954)
5:00 PM The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
7:00 PM The Killing (1956)
11:45 AM Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Janet Leigh, Friday, August 15:
5:00 AM Holiday Affair (1949)
9:00 AM Angels in the Outfield (1951)
3:00 PM The Naked Spur (1953)
5:00 PM Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
7:00 PM Psycho (1960)
11:00 PM Act of Violence (1949)

Charles Bronson, Saturday, August 16:
11:45 PM The Magnificent Seven (1960)
2:00 PM The Great Escape (1963)
7:00 PM Hard Times (1975)
11:00 PM Death Wish (1974)
12:45 AM The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Jennifer Jones, Sunday, August 17:
11:00 AM Portrait of Jennie (1948)
12:45 PM Carrie (1952)
7:00 PM Cluny Brown (1946)
9:00 PM The Song of Bernadette (1943)

James Gleason, Monday, August 18:
10:00 AM The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)
11:30 AM A Date with the Falcon (1942)
7:00 Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)
9:00 PM The Night of the Hunter (1941)
10::45 PM Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Hedy Lamarr, Tuesday, August 19:
6:45 AM Boom Town (1940)
7:00 PM Samson and Goliath (1949)
9:00 PM Algiers (1938)
12:30 AM Her Highness and the Bellboy (1945)

James Cagney, Wednesday, August 20:
9:15 AM The Strawberry Blonde (1940)
11:15 PM The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)
7:00 PM Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
9:15 PM The Mayor of Hell (1933)
11:00 PM City for Conquest (1940)
2:30 AM Blonde Crazy (1931)

Patrica Neal, Thursday, August 21:
7:00 AM The Hasty Heart (1949)
10:00 PM Hud (1963)
12:00 AM A Face in the Crowd (1957)
1:!5 AM The Subject was Roses (1968)

Frank Sinatra, Friday, August 22:
8:30 AM Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
12:30 PM Ocean's 11 (1960)
3:00 PM High Society (1955)
5:00 PM The Tender Trap (1955)
7:00 PM Guys and Dolls (1955)
9:45 PM The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)
12::00 AM Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)
2:15 AM Anchors Aweigh (1945)

Gina Lollobrigida Saturday August 23:
10:45 AM Beat the Devil (1953)
3:00 PM Trapeze (1956)
7:00 PM Come September (1961)

Henry Fonda, Sunday August 24:
5:00 AM The Male Animal (1942)
9:45 AM The Lady Eve (1941)
11:45 PM A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)
5:00 PM The Wrong Man (1956)
7:00 PM Fail-Safe (1964)
11:00 PM Mister Roberts (1955)

Shirley Jones, Monday, August 25:
8:30 AM The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)
12:15 PM The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
4:30 PM Oklahoma! (1955)
7:00 PM Carousel (1956)
9:15 PM The Music Man (1962)
12:00 AM Elmer Gantry (1960

Tom Courtenay, Tuesday, August 26:
5:00 AM Operation Crossbow (1965)
1:15 PM King Rat (1965)
7:00 PM Billy Liar (1963)
9:00 PM The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)

Joan Crawford, Wednesday, August 27:
5:00 AM Rain (1932)
11:00 AM A Woman's Face (1941)
3:00 PM The Damned Don't Cry (1950)
1:30 AM Humoresque (1946)
3:45 AM Possessed (1947)

Donald O'Connor, Thursday, August 28:
11:00 AM Beau Geste (1939)
2:30 PM The Milkman (1950)
5:30 PM I Love Melvin (1943)
7:00 PM Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Alexis Smith, Friday, August 29:
9:30 AM The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945)
1:00 PM The Woman in the White (1948)
7:00 PM Any Number Can Play (1949)
10:45 PM Night and Day (1946)

Kirk Douglas, Saturday, August 30:
5:00 AM Out of the Past (1947)
10:45 AM Seven Days in May (1964)
1:00 PM Paths of Glory (1957)
7:00 PM Detective Story (1951)

Irene Dunne, Sunday, August 31:
6:30 AM The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)
8:45 AM Penny Serenade (1941)
1::00 AM The Awful Truth (1937) 
100 PM Theodora Goes Wild (1936)
2:45 PM A Guy Named Joe (1943)
7:00 PM My Favorite Wife (1940)
8:45 PM I Remember Mama