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Introduction
Crazy Horses: The Osmonds’ Unexpected Musical Turn
In October 1972, The Osmonds released “Crazy Horses,” the title track from their fourth studio album. The song was a bold departure, shedding the group’s polished, clean-cut pop image. Released on October 14, 1972, the track quickly climbed to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a massive hit in the UK, peaking at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.
While The Osmonds were known as a teen idol boy band, “Crazy Horses” was a statement of creative independence. According to Merrill Osmond, the group had previously had much of their material chosen by record executives, but they wrote and produced this song themselves. Wayne came up with a heavy riff, Merrill added the melody, and Alan filled in the chords; the song was complete within an hour.
Notably, this was the only Osmonds hit to feature Jay Osmond on lead vocals. His raspier tone gave a darker edge to the verses, while Merrill sang the higher chorus lines (“What a show…smokin’ up the sky”). The lyrics used the metaphor of “crazy horses” to represent gas-guzzling cars polluting the atmosphere—an unusually topical environmental message for a mainstream pop act at the time.
The song faced some controversy. In France and South Africa, authorities initially banned the track, misinterpreting the phrases “smoking up the sky” and “horses” as drug references before understanding its environmental intent.
“Crazy Horses” also earned the respect of rock critics. Chuck Eddy later ranked the album among the 500 best heavy-metal albums, acknowledging its harder sound and impact on pop-rock history. The song has been covered and sampled by bands ranging from KMFDM and Metallica to Electric Six. More recently, it continues to find new audiences through viral moments, such as when Donny Osmond humorously reacted to a slowed-down doom-metal version of the track.
All in all, “Crazy Horses” stands as a rare moment when a family-friendly teen act shattered expectations to release a gritty, self-written anthem with both an urgent ecological message and significant musical weight.
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