Do you know what happens when you drink hard with Ozzy Osbourne? You can accidentally compose a song that will become your biggest hit. Such a story happened to the American rock singer Lita Ford, who recorded the ballad Close My Eyes Forever with Ozzy.
Released as a single, the track reached the top ten of Billboard’s “hot” hundred, which was the highest achievement for Ford and the best result in Osbourne’s solo career.
The story and meaning of the song Close My Eyes Forever
The album Lita became the third solo work of Carmelita Rosanna Ford. She recorded it under the guidance of manager Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife. The musician often visited the studio, but did not plan to perform songs in a duet with Lita.
How did they create a major hit? Let’s hear what Lita had to say about the history of the song:
Close My Eyes Forever was a mistake. It was just me, Ozzy and Sharon hanging around in the recording studio. One day they showed up and gave me a housewarming present: a life-size replica of the San Diego Zoo’s gorilla Coco. She was f***ing huge. I had to buckle her in the front seat of the Jeep to take her home. Ozzy stayed, Sharon got bored and left, and Ozzy and I had a few drinks and started jamming. We started singing, fooling around, and so we wrote Close My Eyes Forever.
The next thing I remember is the sunrise. I looked at him and started, “Oh, we have a problem.” Sharon has been waiting all night. We were far from where Ozzy needed to go. He asked, “Can you take me home?” I replied, “No, I can’t.” We got so drunk that the head did not boil. He climbed into a taxi, and I strapped Coco into the jeep and drove home – I barely made it. And then we recorded this hit.
metal underground
In the memoirs of Ozzy Osbourne, the story of the composition looks somewhat different:
I remember I sang a song with Lita Ford, Close My Eyes Forever. My wife was her manager at the time. I went into the studio and the song was about half written. The next week I returned to England, and my wife calls me and says: “Do you know that song that you wrote?” And I ask: “What song?”. She said, “That song. Lita wants to finish it with you.”
So I went back to LA and recorded the song and I was like, “You know what, Lita? You can take her. I don’t want anything from her. You can take the song.” I get on a plane, I return to England, and then another phone rings. This is my wife and she said, “Can you come back? She wants to do it with you.” I ask: “What to do?”. And she: “That damn song!”. I answer: “Good.”
I’m recording a song, I’m going back to England again, and in a couple of weeks they want to make a video. And I’m like, “Damn it, this isn’t even funny anymore!” I recorded probably five million copies, but everything ended well, I was quite pleased with the final result.
Esquire October 2014
Release and achievements
Close My Eyes Forever was the ending track on Lita, released on February 2, 1988 by RCA.
A year later, the song was released as a single. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
Video of Close My Eyes Forever
A music video was made for the song by Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne, which was very popular on MTV.
Cover versions
Listen to Lita Ford sing Close My Eyes Forever in a duet with Norwegian comedian Kristian Valen.
A cover version of Close My Eyes Forever by Device is also popular. The part of Lita was performed by Lzzy Hale from the hard rock band Halestorm.
Lyrics of Close My Eyes Forever by Lita Ford/Ozzy Osbourne
Baby, I get so scared inside
And I don’t really understand
Is it love that’s on my mind, or is it fantasy?
Heaven is in the palm of my hand and it’s waiting here for you
What am I supposed to do with a childhood tragedy?
chorus:
If I close my eyes forever
Will it all remain unchanged?
If I close my eyes forever
Will it all remain the same…
Sometimes it’s hard to hold on
So hard to hold on to my dreams
It isn’t always what it seems
When you’re face to face with me
You’re like a dagger
You stick me in the heart
And taste the blood from my blade
And when we sleep, would you shelter me
In your warm and darkened grave
Chorus
Will you ever take me?
No, I just can’t take the pain
But would you ever trust me?
No, I’ll never feel the same…Ohh…
I know I’ve been so hard on you
I know I’ve told you lies
If I could have just one more wish
I’d wipe the cobwebs from my eyes
Chorus
close your eyes
close your eyes
You gotta close your eyes for me….
Close My Eyes Forever Lyrics by Lita Ford / Ozzy Osbourne Alternate
Baby, there’s fear inside of me
And I don’t fully understand
Is it love that’s on my mind, or is it a fantasy?
Heaven is in my palm and it’s waiting here for you.
What am I to do with the tragedy of childhood?
Chorus:
If I close my eyes forever
Will everything stay the same?
If I close my eyes forever
Will everything stay the same…
Sometimes it’s so hard to hold on
It’s so hard to believe in your dreams.
Nothing is what it seems
When you and I are face to face.
You are like a dagger
You pierce my heart
You taste the blood from my blade.
And when we sleep, will you shelter me
In your warm and dark grave?
Chorus
Will you ever take me?
No, I just can’t stand the pain.
Can you ever trust me?
No I will never be the same
I know I put pressure on you
I know I lied to you.
If I had one more wish left
I would brush the cobwebs out of my eyes.
Chorus
Close eyes,
Close eyes,
You have to close your eyes for me…
