The Osmonds Released A Hard Rock Song In 1972 That Shreds Their Sunshine Pop Image

Previously known as a squeaky-clean pop group made up of singing and smiling brothers, the Osmonds shattered that sunny image with the 1972 single "Crazy Horses." It's surprisingly one of the hardest rock songs of the 1970s, an early stab at heavy metal even, and from a most unlikely source.

Over the previous couple of years, the Osmonds presented disposable and innocuous pop songs geared at a family audience. Through relentless appearances on glitzy TV variety shows, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny Osmond sang and charmed their way into the Top 40 with songs like "Double Lovin'," "Yo-Yo," "Down by the Lazy River," and "One Bad Apple," the latter arguably among the worst No. 1 hits of the '70s.

But then in '72, the Osmonds abruptly and audaciously dropped the act with the release of "Crazy Horses," a loud and edgy rock tune stuffed with thundering drums, shrill keyboards, aggressive electric guitar noise, and menacing vocals. A vibrant horn section adds to the aural chaos, resulting in a tune that sounds like Blood, Sweat & Tears tried to cover Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." It's not a style that the Osmonds would stick with, but it was a lark worth pursuing, and it proved successful. Here's the wild tale of "Crazy Horses."

The Osmond brothers took a chance on the hard rock "Crazy Horses" because they felt they'd earned it after years of dutifully recording whatever their handlers selected. "Having been successful, we wanted to freak out and make our own music," Merrill Osmond told The Guardian. The song came together quickly, during a rehearsal. Jumping off from a metallic riff Wayne Osmond developed, Alan Osmond built a chord progression and came up with environmentalist lyrics, another departure for the group. "Those 'crazy horses, smoking up the sky' are gas-guzzling cars, destroying the planet with their fumes," Jay Osmond explained. 

Along with a killer guitar solo from Wayne, "Crazy Horses" was made whole with an electronic wailing achieved with Donny Osmond's organ rig, intended to sound like a crying horse. The Osmonds' usual main vocalist at this time was Merrill, but he retreated to the pre-chorus, handing over the lead job to Jay. "His voice was growlier, and this track was heavier than anything we'd ever done," Merrill said.

Despite some reluctance from its label, the Osmonds issued "Crazy Horses" as a single. And while many musicians switch genres and betray their loyal fans, the public embraced the Osmonds' new sound. In its ultimately temporary foray into heavy music, the Osmonds sent "Crazy Horses" to No. 14 in the U.S. and No. 2 in the U.K.