If you’ve ever been to an Ozzy Osbourne concert, it’s likely you heard fans chanting, “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy!” The original version — “Oggy” — actually originated with Cornish tin miners in Cornwall, England, where wives would shout, “Oggy, Oggy Oggy!” down the mine shaft to their husbands to announce that hot meat pies were ready. The miners would shout back "Oi, oi, oi!" to indicate they wanted one. This practice provided the miners with a hot meal and was an integral part of their daily lives. The Australian version of the chant gained widespread popularity during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when an individual began chanting, “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” and the crowd responded, “Oi! Oi! Oi!” The phase quickly became a common patriotic chant at international sporting events. The “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy!” chant at Ozzy Osbourne concerts started with a fan at a 1981 show, who began chanting and got the rest of the audience involved. The singer acknowledged the chant by yelling to the fan, “Sing it to me, brother!” The chant quickly spread through the crowd and evolved into a signature, recurring element of Osbourne’s live performances.
