A Soulful Detour on the Road to Hard Rock: The Enduring Heartbreak of The Osmonds’ “Julie”
The early 1970s belonged, in large part, to the fresh-faced, multi-talented Osmonds. Their seismic shift from wholesome barbershop harmonists on The Andy Williams Show to genuine teen idols in the wake of “One Bad Apple” created a phenomenon known as “Osmondmania.” Yet, beyond the clean-cut bubblegum pop that adorned Donny Osmond’s solo career, the core band—Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and latterly Donny—was on a determined path to be taken seriously as a rock group. This ambition found its heaviest expression in their 1972 album, Crazy Horses.
“Julie” is a deep-cut gem from that pivotal, raw-edged album, and one that beautifully showcases the soul-infused emotional depth of lead singer Merrill Osmond. Though it was not released as a single, and therefore did not chart in its own right, its home on the groundbreaking Crazy Horses album is what solidifies its place in their legacy. The album itself was a massive commercial success, peaking at Number 14 on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the United States and reaching Number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, signaling the brothers’ enduring popularity even as they embraced a harder, self-penned sound.
This track is an emotional outlier on a record best remembered for the churning, hard-rocking title track. Where “Crazy Horses” was a thunderous social statement, “Julie” is a vulnerable, gut-wrenching plea, a snapshot of pure, unadulterated heartbreak. The song, credited to brothers Alan, Merrill, and Wayne, is a classic, universal tale of regret. It dives into the frantic, sinking feeling of realizing you are actively, carelessly pushing away the most important person in your life—a woman named Julie. Merrill’s soul-stirring vocals, raw and soaring, convey the protagonist’s desperation as he laments, “I keep slipping away, I’m a-losing my way with you / Oh what could it be? You know it’s just like me to say something wrong.” This wasn’t the saccharine puppy love of a teeny-bopper hit; this was a man confronting his own failures in a serious relationship, a maturity that resonated deeply with the burgeoning emotional intelligence of their young, and often older, audience.
For those of us who came of age during that vibrant, shifting time, “Julie” offers a poignant echo of first loves and the confusing turbulence of young adulthood. It wasn’t just another song on the album; it was a window into the soulful capabilities of the brothers, a perfect counterpoint to the hard rock they were exploring. The arrangement is exquisite—a slow, piano-driven opening that quickly builds tension, culminating in Merrill’s signature, desperate scream near the song’s climax, an electric moment that perfectly captures the character’s emotional breaking point. This scream is arguably one of the finest moments of raw rock vocal performance in the Osmonds’ entire catalog, proving they were far more than a boy band. It’s a track that reminds us that beneath the teen idol smiles and matching outfits lay a group of earnest musicians grappling with the complex soundtrack of life, regret, and the timeless, devastating loss of a love they couldn’t hold onto. Its reflective, almost gospel-tinged passion is a beautiful piece of nostalgia for the complexity and surprising depth of a cherished, unforgettable era in pop music.