Jay Buchanan Of Rival Sons Shares Moving Cover Of Black Sabbath’s “Changes”

According to blabbermouth, Jay Buchanan has released heartfelt cover of Black Sabbath’s 1972 ballad “Changes,” reimagining the classic song as a deeply personal tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. Originally recorded for a Rolling Stone France session, Buchanan’s rendition arrives with a stripped-back western-gothic sound that echoes the intimate atmosphere of his 2026 solo album Weapons Of Beauty, replacing the original’s piano-driven melancholy with a more Americana-inspired arrangement while allowing his soulful vocals to carry the song’s emotional weight.

Lyrically, “Changes” explores the pain of loss, regret, and the emotional transformation that follows heartbreak. Buchanan leans into those themes with a vulnerable performance, bringing new meaning to lines like, “I feel unhappy, I feel so sad / I’ve lost the best friend that I’ve ever had,” and the song’s recurring refrain, “I’m going through changes.” While the lyrics were originally written about the end of a relationship, Buchanan reinterprets them as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, whom he toured with for 18 months during Black Sabbath’s The End tour. In a statement accompanying the release, Buchanan said the song took on new significance after Ozzy’s passing, describing him as someone who “won” by living a full life, growing old with his family, and receiving an outpouring of love from fans during Black Sabbath’s farewell celebration at Villa Park.

The cover serves as both a tribute to Ozzy and a celebration of Black Sabbath’s enduring legacy, arriving on the anniversary of the band’s Back To The Beginning charity concert. Buchanan’s rendition is available on streaming platforms beginning July 1, with a limited run of 300 seven-inch vinyl copies exclusively available through Fingerprints Records in Long Beach, California.

According to mxdwn, Jay Buchanan, the frontman of Rival Sons, announced his debut solo album Weapons of Beauty, which marks a significant departure from the band’s hard-hitting rock sound by embracing a more intimate, stripped-down style shaped by atmospheric arrangements, vulnerable songwriting, and the isolation of writing the record in an underground bunker in the Mojave Desert with longtime producer Dave Cobb.