Synopsis
A young girl in a nightgown enters a dim, institutional-looking building and moves through a corridor lined with closed doors. She peers through the peepholes, discovering Ozzy Osbourne performing "Perry Mason" with his band inside the rooms. The unsettling setting suggests a prison or death row, giving the song's references to violence, crime, and the need for a courtroom champion a stark visual backdrop. The video alternates between the girl's journey and Ozzy's intense performance.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released on November 1, 1995, alongside the launch of the Ozzmosis era.
- "Perry Mason" was the first single from Ozzmosis. It reached No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
- Ozzy described the song as a spoof during an interview published before Ozzmosis was released. The deliberately odd subject matter reflects the track's mixture of grim crime imagery and a catchy, almost playful chorus.
- The video presents the performance as something hidden behind locked doors rather than a conventional stage show. The peephole framing makes the viewer share the girl's position as an outsider looking into Ozzy's world.
- A Japanese television program filmed a making-of feature around the video, including behind-the-scenes footage and an interview with Ozzy.
- The song was written by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde, and John Purdell. Rick Wakeman contributed keyboards to the album recording, while Geezer Butler played bass.