TRACK #279:

Secret Loser by Ozzy Osbourne

I love Black Sabbath. C’mon, who doesn’t?

If you’re here reading this, the chances are pretty good that you love ‘em too.

But for as influential and important as they are to Heavy Metal, they aren’t intrinsically tied to Halloween or Horror, at least not in my mind anyway.

Sure, I could throw on band anthem Black Sabbath, say it’s referential, add some samples and call it a day. But the fact of the matter is, that song’s not really about that movie at all. Besides, for as much as I like that tune, it’s a bit laborious for a party playlist.

Or, following a natural progression, I could tap Ozzy Osbourne himself and select generic Halloween Playlist mainstay Bark at the Moon, but I won’t.

Despite the monstrous nature of the song, and of course, Greg Canom’s fantastic prosthetic work for Ozzy’s wolf-like transformation, I’ve never really associated that song with Halloween.

It’s certainly a song you hear a lot around Halloween, but I dunno, doesn’t feel Halloweeny to me.

I think, more to the point though, it’s an Ozzy song I don’t care for that much. It’s a good enough tune, don’t get me wrong. I won’t change it if it comes on the radio, but it’s not one of my favorites from the man.

But, if you’re Halloween Shindig, you’ve gotta have a more suitable solution to the problem, right? Surely Ozzy’s songs have been all over the movies, Horror movies to boot.

Well, not exactly. Strangely enough, Ozzy hasn’t really been tapped that often by the pictures. And the first time he was ever included on any soundtrack at all happened to be the same year this song was released. Coincidence? Knowing record execs, probably not.

That year was 1986.

That film was The Wraith.

And that song was Secret Loser.

From Ozzy’s 4th solo album, Ultimate Sin, comes this 4-on-the-floor, pedal-to-the-metal Rock ‘N Roll race car rumbler that kicks the tires and lights the fires.

Now, you could argue that The Wraith isn’t exactly a horror film, so this song doesn’t exactly qualify. And, to a certain extent, I’d agree. The Wraith doesn’t exactly feel like a typical horror movie.

But let’s check the facts.

A guy is killed and then returns from the dead as a ghost to enact deadly revenge on the people responsible for his murder. Sounds like a horror movie to me gang. In fact, it even sounds strangely familiar

I often like to argue that The Wraith was ripped off almost wholesale by a much more celebrated gothic-horror film of some report, known as The Crow. There’s even a character named Skank in both films. Coincidence? How bout the fact that The Wraith has a Gutterboy and The Crow has a Funboy? Ok, that ones a stretch, but still kinda weird in context.

You could come at me with the fact that The Crow is based on a graphic novel by James O’Barr and that’s where those names and plot come from. You’d be right, but that comic was also published 3 years after this movie released and maybe James O’Barr was a big Charlie Sheen fan, I dunno. I’m just saying, smells a little Wraith-like to me.

All I’m really saying is, if I threw a My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult, or Nine Inch Nails song on here song from The Crow, there wouldn’t be any question. And since The Wraith is basically a more fun, 80’s, racecar version of The Crow, …with Sheryiln Fenn, Clint Howard and Randy Quaid mind you…it’s a perfectly reasonable addition.

So keep that in mind while listening to this much cooler song, from this much cooler movie.

A wraith man! An evil spirit and it ain’t cool!