Song of the Day 2/1: Ozzy Osbourne, “Patient Number 9”

Rock’s Prince of Darkness, Ozzie Osbourne, announced today that his physical condition has forced him to cancel a tour of the UK and Europe planned for spring and summer of this year. The 74-year-old was hoping to promote his solo album “Patient Number 9,” released last September to generally positive reviews, but his health problems, including Parkinson’s disease and spinal surgeries, have made walking difficult despite months of physical therapy. There’s no way, he said, that he could withstand the stress of touring.

My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak. [The treatment involves a mechanical exoskeleton.]

Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.

The title track of his last album, released last September, featured Jeff Beck on guitar.

As best I can tell, Osbourne’s last public appearance was on Sept. 8 last year for the halftime show of the Los Angeles Rams’ season opener. NBC only aired about 10 seconds of it before cutting away to commentary — nothing is more important to pro football than yapping about what everyone just watched — so Ozzie himself posted the whole performance of “Patient Number 9” and “Crazy Train” online. Notice that he arrives on stage via hydraulic lift, so he doesn’t have to walk.