Among the songs he helped write were some of the Osmonds’ best-known recordings, including “One Bad Apple,” “Crazy Horses,” “Down by the Lazy River,” “Hold Her Tight” and “Are You Up There?”
His contributions helped demonstrate that the Osmonds were more than performers who relied on their family name.
They were musicians and entertainers who were deeply involved in creating their own material.
“Crazy Horses” and a Changing Sound
The Osmonds’ music evolved considerably during their rise to fame.
While they were initially associated with clean-cut television performances and pop music, the group experimented with a much harder sound during the early 1970s.
One of the clearest examples was “Crazy Horses.”
The song became one of the group’s signature recordings and demonstrated that the Osmonds were capable of moving beyond the wholesome image associated with their television appearances.
Alan’s songwriting partnership with his brother Merrill was an important part of that creative development.
