I’m flipping channels, and I stop to hear Jay Leno say “Ozzy Osbourne is celebrating 17 months of being sober.” All of the sudden, Ozzy walks out, waving to the crowd, the audience goes wild, as the band plays…
Smoke On The Water
WTF?
Ozzy Osbourne was, of course, a well-known member of Black Sabbath. So, I’d say they did their research in spades.
No, stupid. :smack:
Ignore my attempt at editorializing.
I don’t think I get the reference. Sabbath did the song when they toured without Ozzy, so the TS band played it to introduce Ozzy? It may be clever, and it’s definitely obscure, but I’m not sure what they were going for.
Ozzy was long gone from Sabbath before Ian Gillan ever toured with them. Gillan, in fact, was filling Ozzy’s old spot as lead singer (Gillan was the third lead singer in Black Sabbath’s history after Ozzy and Ronnie James Dio). Gillan was formerly the singer for Deep Purple so they performed “Smoke On the Water” with him in concert, but Ozzy was never connected that particular band lineup and playlist.
My guess is that they played it because it’s a standard (almost generic) “heavy metal” riff and the band probably didn’t know any Black Sabbath or Ozzy songs.
And as well-known as the riff from “Paranoid” is, it’s kind of embarassing that they did.
I didn’t see the show so I’m confused. Are you saying that they played the riff from “Paranoid” and NOT “Smoke On the Water?”
Or are you saying they played both riffs?
I didn’t see the show either, but from the description in the OP, I’m guessing they only played Smoke. My comment was to the effect that they could’ve played Paranoid, had an equally recognizable riff, and actually played from the right band.
Oh…ok. I think I might have gotten thrown by a typo. Did you mean to say “It’s embarrassing that they didn’t” instead of “did?”
Basically, that’s what I was trying to convey. I guess I wasn’t thinking that clearly last night.
I thought the point of the OP is that they were announcing his sobriety, and then playing a song that teenagers everywhere believe to be about doing bong rips.
If ironic humour was the effect the band was going for, those morons should have played “Sweet Leaf.” Way to bungle a joke, guys.
They’re a professional band. I would imagine someone in the group could figure out how to play “Ironman.” A nine-year-old could figure that one out.
It’s got a better main riff, too.
Seriously. I programmed that song into my phone without any sheet music or special theory knowledge. (And it’s a Motorola, with really stupid tone controls.)
How many nine-year olds watch The Tonight Show?
The problem is that Kevin Eubanks is one of the dumbest people in show business. There, I said it.
Ozzy’s back on again for the Halloween show … and they played “Smoke On The Water” again.
I was gonna say…you’ve got a band full of highly skilled guys who launch into mini-jams for commercials and are tight enough to play tons of stuff on cue…and they don’t have a basic repitoire of classic licks?