About the Song
By the time Ozzy Osbourne released Down to Earth in 2001, he was already a rock legend — a man whose career had spanned generations, controversies, and reinventions. Yet among the album’s heavier and more anthemic tracks lies a hidden gem often overlooked: the deeply unsettling and introspective “Can You Hear Them.” Unlike the explosive bravado found in many of his earlier works, this track lingers in a space of psychological unrest and eerie stillness, making it one of the more haunting pieces in his solo catalog.
“Can You Hear Them” opens with a cold, almost metallic ambiance, building tension before Ozzy’s voice enters — weary, reflective, and fragile. The song isn’t about loud rebellion or fiery anger. It’s about inner voices, paranoia, and the sense that something — or someone — is always watching, always whispering just out of reach. The lyrics offer little resolution, instead spiraling inward, echoing the experience of those who feel isolated not just from others, but from themselves.
Produced during a time when Ozzy was openly grappling with personal demons, health concerns, and the pressures of fame, this song plays like a window into a restless mind. The guitars simmer rather than explode, the drums are deliberate and heavy, and the production creates a claustrophobic atmosphere — not unlike the sensation of being trapped inside one’s own thoughts.
Though never released as a single, “Can You Hear Them” holds a special place for listeners who appreciate Ozzy’s more contemplative side. It reminds us that the man behind the myth is not just a provocateur or a performer, but someone who has known fear, doubt, and vulnerability. In this track, the “Prince of Darkness” doesn’t scream — he whispers, and somehow that’s even more chilling.
For longtime fans and newcomers alike, “Can You Hear Them” is worth revisiting — not just as part of Down to Earth, but as a rare and introspective moment of shadowed beauty in a storied career built on noise, chaos, and unfiltered truth.