Electric Angel Lyrics

It is hard to believe almost 3 years have passed since my last posting but I am finally back to give an update on the concept album. With bankruptcy now behind me and a new life ahead of me let me share with you the story and lyrics behind this long overdue album.


~Electric Angel~

This concept album is about the death and legacy of the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. While fans are still actively keeping the memory of Randy alive his positive influence has never been transcribed into the musical language he spoke with through his guitar. The story of Randy’s death has been told quite eloquently by those close to him yet no musical homage has ever been performed other than as a tribute. In a tribute album only the artist’s music is ever performed. In an album which pays homage to an artist, “new” music is created and performed as a show of respect to the artist to whom you feel indebted. Personally speaking, my interest in guitar peaked with the Ozzy Osbourne-Tribute album. Wolf Marshall showed me how to play but it was Randy who provided the inspiration.
Although Randy may no longer be with us his music still survives and inspires each generation. As a guitar teacher I get asked quite frequently to play “Crazy Train” by my students. With the 25th anniversary of Randy’s death now behind us, I felt the time was right to create an album that pays homage to his approach to guitar playing. I began this album with a deep study of Randy’s rhythm patterns, classical runs and chord progressions. By studying his influences I was able to discover where some of his inspiration on Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman originated. For example, Leo Brouwer’s Study #6 helped inspire Randy to write “Diary of a Madman.” Randy’s riff in “Suicide Solution” and intro to “No Bone Movies” can be traced back to his early days with Quiet Riot in a song called “Force of Habit.” There are also quotes from “Dee,” “Goodbye To Romance” and even “Crazy Train” in the song “Laughing Gas.”
It is not farfetched to believe Randy might have developed future songs with Ozzy that would have originated in Quiet Riot in some form or another. While Randy felt his Quiet Riot material was not of the same caliber as the material he was writing with Ozzy, I thought it important to include some of these impulses into this album. The complete thoughts of any artist should not be ignored simply because he/she is afraid of being critically analyzed. I am fully aware of how pop rhythms are frowned upon in heavy metal. I therefore only use the ideas in a limited sense. My hope is that this album captures the spirit of what Randy’s music is all about. As a general rule in musical expression, learning from another artist’s body of work will often help in developing one’s own ability to better express musical ideas.
This album has two stories to tell. The first story is concerned with Randy’s death while the other is concerned with the style of music he expressed through his guitar. This album is quite challenging from a musical point of view. When Ozzy and Randy wrote together their songs were often powerful and profound. Ozzy’s lyrical sensibilities and Randy’s technical expertise were a lethal combination. I approached this album with the same thoughtfulness and determination as any serious guitarist would have about their craft. The riffs and key signatures are carefully selected for maximum effect. The songs created in this album reflect the kind of storytelling Randy and Ozzy were expressing with their music.
While the story of this tragedy can best be told by those that were actually there let me briefly summarize what happened on March 19, 1982. According to police, the pilot/bus driver Andrew Aycock (36), hairdresser Rachel Youngblood (58), and Randy were on an early morning joyride after staying up over 24 hours. While Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge slept in the tour bus parked next to the house owned by Jerry Calhoun (also the owner of Florida Coach) the other 3 buzzed overhead circling the bus three times. On the fourth pass they collided with the tour bus on the right rear side. The plane had been flying roughly treetop level before it tipped the bus. After it tipped and went over the bus the plane then hit a pine tree in the front yard and nose-dived into the home. The home burst into flames and killed everyone on board the private (Beachcraft Bonanza) plane. No one was injured in the home but at 9:00 AM everyone was in absolute shock. Ozzy’s band was on the Diary of a Madman tour and a concert was scheduled that weekend at the Tangerine Bowl (T-Bowl) in Orlando, Florida. This brief stop would cost the metal world its brightest shining star- Randy Rhoads.




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March 19, 1982

For Randy Rhoads fans this date marks the end of an extremely talented musician but the beginning of a legend that is sure to grow for many years to come. This piece is designed to capture the essence of the surreal circumstances by which Randy died. None of us could have imagined a plane crash; especially one that should never have happened. The shear “craziness” of this event can only be imagined through the sounds that probably occurred that day. While the events that transpired that day can never be changed, fans often wonder what it might be like if Randy were still alive today. What kind of music would Ozzy and Randy write together in this new millennium? My belief is that Ozzy and Randy would have written a concept album together. Electric Angel is my way of imagining what some of those issues might be for the new millennium. I dedicate it to YOU, the fans of Randy and Ozzy’s music. Remember, this concept album can only tell a story but it can never be the whole story.

Please Don’t Go

It is never easy to say goodbye to the loved ones we lose in death or tragedy. Oftentimes we feel that the best thing in our life was taken away before we ever got a chance to truly appreciate it. In a sense we feel cheated because our dreams may have suffered a permanent setback or the best times in our lives may have been stolen from us. Like a child desperately needing love to grow, tragedy can starve our inner ability to trust others and create a deep resentment towards the world around us; a world which seems to be cold, dark and malicious.

Jimmy Jimmy Bang Bang

In childhood we often see movies or TV shows which express the ideal family life which we never experience. Whether it is Leave It To Beaver or The Brady Bunch the kindness and love shared by those characters in one 30 minute program might be more than we could experience in a lifetime. This piece tells the story of an orphaned teenage boy that grows up being a fierce soldier. Without the guidance of a loving family he struggles against the moral flexibility of fighting against a foe he doesn’t even know. He is told by his commanders to shoot first and ask questions later. Jimmy has to face the dilemma of either shooting a child and her mother or be killed himself. What he decides to do at this critical moment in his life will change his life forever. These situations are quite common in warfare where fighting becomes increasingly brutal and humanity becomes less important in any effort to survive.

Angel On Earth

In life there are people which feel like angels placed here on Earth to help us through our darkest hours when all hope appears to be lost. Like a whirlwind they come into our lives to lift us up and make us better than we ever thought we could be. They make us better human beings. They are wise beings which are at peace with themselves. Their helpful nature is often mesmerizing for us to watch. Whenever they are around us we shine and feel at ease. Their work inspires others and is what all of us aspire to become. For Ozzy this was Randy.

War Of The Worlds

Religious wars are fought over the interpretation of what God’s will means in various denominations. Today’s hostilities are between the two major belief systems, the Muslim Crescent and the Christian Cross. Extremists believe their religious convictions tell them to hate others if it contradicts their own belief system. It is perception which clouds their own judgment in this very volatile game. How many of us have ever been suckered into an argument only to find that neither side was playing fairly? Throughout history poor countries have been the pawns of richer countries. Whether it is for oil or for land, one tells lies about their foe in order to gain power for more control. They are the masters of deception. Inflaming emotions is their primary tool of choice. Only when we choose not to follow such crazy ideologies will we ever conquer our lust for fighting. This does not mean that we do not fight for what is right but rather we shouldn’t choose fighting as the only means to a resolution whenever there is conflict. This piece is concerned with those different religious ideologies in the world which never seem to find any type of common ground and fight to the death. This fight never seems to find a resolution.

Undying Love

Once in a lifetime we meet someone that overlooks our flaws and sees the real person underneath. They are our soul mates throughout life. They are hopelessly devoted and loyal. They keep us grounded when our lives get turned upside down and keep us motivated when life has us on the ropes. Without them we are like a ship traveling through murky waters without a compass. This piece is about those special to us which keep us afloat in a sea that is full of danger. For Ozzy this is his wife Sharon.

Toxic Wasteland

In 2005, New Orleans was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The levies which broke allowed the Gulf of Mexico to flood the city with salt water on two separate occasions. This led to sewage and toxic chemicals to permeate into every home. The slow response by our U.S. government allowed over a thousand people to unnecessarily parish. Some believe that our lack of conscious effort to recognize the warning signs of such a disaster will lead to our eventual extinction. If using the Greek alphabet to name hurricanes is the new norm then maybe we do not deserve the right to be called “human” beings. This piece is about what the consequences of such natural disasters will have on future generations. Should we hold those in power accountable for the thousands of lives lost when the magnitude of such a disaster was not known until days later? When tragedy occurs no one wins in the blame game.

A Doorway In Time

Most of us never pay any attention to the subtle changes occurring around us on a daily basis. How many of us would like to change some tragic event in our lives which could have been prevented? While time travel is still only a theoretical possibility it cautions us against changing something that was going to happen no matter what we tried to do to prevent it. Randy’s death has inspired many musicians to take their craft more seriously and that one should never stop learning or seeking out a deeper understanding in their sense of musical expression. Maybe that is the only thing that we can make sense of from this tragedy.

Resurrection

We live in an age where pharmaceutical drugs are the solution to every physical ailment. Depression, weight loss, anxiety, high cholesterol and acid reflux all have a specially designed pill. America is becoming ever more addicted to prescription drugs. Got a problem, take a pill. Like zombies we walk through life in a kind of haze. It is no wonder that diseases are not being cured but rather tamed through medication. Should we be surprised that the last cure for any disease was for polio in the 1950’s? This piece is a cry for change in the quality of life we are slowly losing. A lifestyle change which can only come from learning the truth about companies profiting from a lack of consumer health.

Always

We must never forget the loved ones that pass on. They are always part of us no matter how many years may pass by. Remembering them is vital to keeping their spirit alive. Whether we light a candle in their memory or leave flowers by their final resting place, acknowledging their life here helps us to cope with the finality of this existence. This final piece is a message which honors Randy and his brief life here on Earth. He has become to many an “Electric Angel.”




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March 19,1982 (3:54)


Please Don’t Go (3:53)

I was asleep when you left this morning
Too tired and stoned to see the warning
Why did you want to fly so high?
No final words or even a goodbye

Please Don’t Go
How was I supposed to know
All you really wanted to do was go
Please Don’t Go

My life feels so unbearable
Just an unlucky fool that’s so unstable
My heart is tearing in two
I’m so sad and lost without you

Please Don’t Go
Somebody please tell me what to do
I have no one else to turn to
Please Don’t Go

I’m a madman on the loose
Out of control with nothing to lose
I seem to be on a road to nowhere
My tragedy is so cruel and unfair

Spiraling madness and total confusion
Wounds that feel like an open contusion
Don’t tell me what to feel inside
I’m facing hell my entire life

Please Don’t Go
Acting crazy keeps me on the ground
Lost forever and never to be found
Please Don’t Go


Jimmy Jimmy Bang Bang (4:06)

He was a wounded child without a home
Thrown into this world and left all alone
A perfect pawn for your war machine
Another soul to fight for the obscene

Trained to make the living deceased
Got a burning rage ready to unleash
Don’t stand in the way of his fire
Fearless and insane his only desire

Jimmy Jimmy is coming for you
Killing for the red, white, and blue
Out of the darkness creeping up on you

A weapon of mass destruction and doom
Iron man will and a lust to consume
Wicked ways have no rhyme or reason
In his mind killing is kind of fun

No angel is going to save you tonight
Madman is coming and looking to fight
What’s it gonna be- a leg or an arm?
The Grim Reaper wants his lucky charm

Jimmy Jimmy is coming for you
Killing for the red, white, and blue
Out of the darkness creeping up on you

How are you gonna get home tonight?
Jimmy has many ways to start a fight
Guns and knives are his only vices
Loves to chop things up into little slices

All fired up and ready to go
Hear the screams in the rain and snow
A zombie searching for meat and brains
Leaving every house full of blood stains

Jimmy Jimmy is coming for you
Killing for the red, white, and blue
Out of the darkness creeping up on you

Jimmy can’t decide right from wrong
Fighting the only solution for so long
A look into a young girl’s innocent eyes
Is the only way to tear off his disguise


Angel On Earth (3:48)

You entered my life just like a dream
Couldn’t have imagined a better team
The world got to see the best damn show
If I am wrong just tell me so

Was it for real? I’m not quite sure
When I felt down you were my cure
Got this funny feeling inside of me

Angel on Earth took away my frown
Angel on Earth saved this sad clown

Out of nowhere you stood above the rest
No doubt about it you’re simply the best
Destiny took you away from me
Can’t change it so I’ll just let it be

You mean so much to me can’t you see
A perfect little gift to openly receive
Time after time it seemed like fantasy

Angel on Earth will I see you tonight?
Angel on Earth make me feel alright

My heart is always with you that’s true
But my life seems tougher without you
Always a gentleman to those you’d meet
Someone that rocked you off your feet

Maybe I messed up and deserve all this
Party like an animal in an abyss
Whatever the reason it doesn’t matter
Better keep rockin’ or I’ll end up sadder

Always moving at the speed of life
Can’t believe I’m still alive
Love it ‘cause it gets me so damn high

Angel on Earth take my soul away
Angel on Earth such a price to pay

My heart is always with you that’s true
But my life seems tougher without you
Always a gentleman to those you’d meet
Someone that rocked you off your feet
I know some things have gone wrong
But you were my best friend all along

Day after day the road feels like a zoo
People looking at me looking at you
Our time together was not meant to last
The future became my tragic past

So much left undone, the end of my fun
Lost you forever like a prodigal son
This madness took you away from me

Angel on Earth won’t you set me free
Angel on Earth you made me believe

Angel…take me away…Angel!
Simply the best…Angel!
Angel I’ll never forget you
No! No!


War Of The Worlds (4:23)

Doomsday, our suicide solution, Paranoid delusion
Tells us we should nuke them
One side, says we have to hate
Or suffer a worse fate
It’s the only way to deal with them

Don’t look back or they will get you
One way track is their only view
In your mind spiders crawl inside
Left behind are those that died

Nothing left behind but the sick or blind
Hold on tight to your own belief
Stand and fight when there’s no relief

War-torn, Armageddon nightmare,
Put a jihad on you
The poor become the extremists
Never wanna stop dying for what’s true

No one wins in the game of war
Mortal sins grind away the poor
Can’t you see the madness is real?
Their only way to live is to steal

You’re no different from the innocent
Don’t you know how to love someone?
Or do you only shoot your gun?

Find another way to stop the decay
See it through their eyes
Don’t lie or even ask why

The War of the Worlds
Is it the end? War will offend

Take one look through shattered glass
At a world fighting over gas
Hand of Doom reigning over us
Like a whip cracking in a circus
On your knees…just to appease

Voices, screaming at the window
Telling you what to know
And that you should fear it
Choices, taken from the dark side
Leads you into madness
And makes your life feel like shit

Don’t look now but the end is near
Close your eyes, there are no more tears
Here it comes, it’s the End Of Days
In this game, all of mankind pays

Prophecy tells us to follow because
The end creates a beginning
The truth is found in dying

I’m a believer not a deceiver
But I don’t know where to begin
My life has been filled with sin
The War of the Worlds
Is it the end or just a trend?

Please wake up before its too late
Don’t be fooled by a belief in fate
Look inside yourself for the truth
Rocky roads eventually turn smooth
Make your choice…with your voice

The War of the Worlds
Where will it end? War against friends


Undying Love (4:17)

I was so tired of being all alone
Couldn’t seem to find a reason to go on
Time was turning my heart into stone
When I met you my hope was gone

It was your undying love that saved me
From a lonely eternity

You gave me the love to carry on
Without you I have no rhyme or reason
You got me back on my feet again
I finally have a new place to begin

It was your undying love that made me
Break the rules and set me free

I didn’t think I’d ever find piece of mind
But you showed me love is blind

My madness did not scare you away
Even when alcohol consumed my day
Still by my side after all these years
You get me through my doubts and fears

It was your undying love that got me
Out of my self-pity

Tragedy in my life brought us together
But love is by my side now and forever


Toxic Wasteland (5:25)

Dawn of the dead scream for you
Left behind is nothing new
Who’s to blame for this awful mess?
Out of time and under stress

Fight to live, live or die, or lose the right
No one sees their tears of fright

Can you see them in the midst?
Up on rooftops loud and pissed
Demons rising everywhere
No food or water here or there

Run away, do not stay, it’s just not safe
Hurry, ghosts are coming this way
Toxic Wasteland

Has everyone gone insane?
Come and ride the crazy train
Thousand voices say goodbye
Can you hear them when they cry?

No more tears, only lies
Don’t be so surprised
If they end up victimized

Death and sewage fill the streets
Rats are crawling over their feet
Eating like its trick or treat
Always searching for fresh meat

Hope seems lost
For all those in this holocaust
Will we count the human cost?

Toxic Wasteland for sale
Toxic Wasteland is Hell

Things will never be the same
This is Satan’s House of Pain
You might think it’s so surreal
When their blood just won’t congeal

Lose your soul, dig a hole
For a loved one you know
Next time you’ll be part of the show

Toxic Wasteland no bail
Toxic Wasteland is jail

Someday Atlantis will rise
Big Easy will roll the dice
Mankind has to start again
Even in this place of sin
Once…again


A Doorway In Time (4:43)

Living in my own Twilight Zone
On this lonely road far from home
One foot stuck in the past
No way out, not gonna last
Much too fast

When I am up I feel really down
A fool without a clue, a fool like you
That much is true

I’m still alive though my life’s a mess
Maybe I’m crazy but I must confess
Rock-n-Roll is all I want to do
It’s the only thing that gets me through
So what else is new

It feels like my feet are off the ground
My mind is lost and can’t be found

Travel into my centre of eternity
A rip in time
Hold on tight, it’s gonna get rough
A deep black hole
Where you will lose your mind
See events for the very first time
Deja-Vu is coming true
Don’t forget what goes on
Will happen to you again and again
Till you’re through

A Doorway in Time changes the past
Within your mind

If I could change my twisted past
My dark days wouldn’t be so vast
I’m running out of hope and sanity
Mama please help me out of this tragedy
I’m on my knees

Need to get out of this black illusion
A broken mind and a broken soul
Follow me wherever I go

This crack in the sky surrounds me
It could be heaven calling to see
If I’m willing never to return
Where I go is not your concern
So just let me go

At the speed of light you can really fly
Here, time has come to say goodbye
I have to at least try
A Doorway in Time leads to a place
Where I can change my twisted mind


Resurrection (4:36)

Do you see a better tomorrow?
Or a life of fear and full of sorrow
Drugs control how we feel in our lives
Stealing away the day and the night
I don’t know if there is a way out
But we have to change what life’s about

Children are being doped up from birth
We must teach them to be down to earth
Don’t let them become secret losers
Like the crack junkies or the boozers
See the pain from the tears in their eyes
Speak of the devil telling their lies

Children of the drug generation
Fight the evil until you have won
Write your own prescription now
To get you through the ups and downs
Find a brand new way to start
Follow what’s in your heart
Everything will be alright
Resurrect your life tonight

Try to see through your distorted mind
The snowflakes you see make you blind
They want you to be their Ginny pig
A grave for yourself is what you dig
Save your soul before it’s too late
The drugs you ingest will make you hate

Children of the drug generation
Fight the evil until you have won
Write your own prescription now
To get you through the ups and downs
Find a brand new way to start
Follow what’s in your heart
Everything will be alright
Resurrect your life tonight

In these days of perpetual highs
Can you tell the truth from the lies?
Deep inside you know it’s just a game
In the mirror you see who to blame
Control is their way to break your will
Take away all your pain with a pill

Children of the drug generation
Fight the evil until you have won
Write your own prescription now
To get you through the ups and downs
Find a brand new way to start
Follow what’s in your heart
Everything will be alright
Resurrect your life tonight


Always (5:04)

The moments I shared with you
Seem to be so very few
It was so perfect from my point of view
I was so lucky to find you
At the time when no one knew
Where is was going or what I was to do

But you took a chance
On a song called Romance
Our first stance was just a glance
A dream come true…who knew
I was lucky to have known you
A true friend, simply the best
I will always remember you Randy

You were too good for this world
An angel with wings unfurled
Playing with intense passion, each day
No matter where we were playing
People were always saying
Great things about you
It was something I already knew

What a great showman and gentleman
For me just to see this moment
Working so hard smiling and so happy
I was lucky to have known you
My friend, you’re the best
I will always remember you Randy

There was no other friend like you
Who took me to the heights I knew
What a gift you were to me
Taught me to smile and be free

Though the years have passed me by
Never stop wondering how or why
Our time together seemed to last forever

Couldn’t have done it, not without you
It’s true, I thank you for each day
I am able to be alive and free
I was lucky to have known you
My friend, you’re the best
I will always remember you Randy