Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne gave hints about plans for his funeral before he passed away aged 76.
It was announced last night (Tuesday July 22) that the Black Sabbath front man died just weeks after his farewell gig appearance in his home city of Birmingham. It was revealed Ozzy – married to Sharon Osbourne for 43 years – was with his family and “surrounded by love” when he died.
No cause of death has been revealed as yet, but Ozzy struggled with his health in recent years. In 2020, the wild man rocker shared how he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Ozzy Osbourne funeral news
Exact arrangements for laying Ozzy to rest have not been confirmed.
However, speaking to The Times in 2011, the Prince of Darkness opened up about his thoughts for how he might be remembered by his loved ones after he died.
He reportedly indicated at the time how he didn’t want his funeral to be a sad occasion. Instead, he hoped it would be an opportunity to ‘give thanks’.
There’ll be no harping on the bad times.
Ozzy is said to have told the broadsheet: “There’ll be no harping on the bad times.”
‘I don’t want my funeral to be sad’
Ozzy also recognised he had led a ‘privileged’ life thanks to his success in music and entertainment. And so he felt his own gratitude for his life should be marked in his send-off.
Ozzy went on at the time: “It’s worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives, so by any measure, most of us in this country – especially rock stars like me – are very lucky.
“That’s why I don’t want my funeral to be sad, I want it to be a time to say ‘thanks’.”
What music will be played at Ozzy’s funeral?
Ozzy also joked he wasn’t fussed about what music might be played at his funeral.
“I honestly don’t care what they play at my funeral,” he reportedly joked. “They can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes them happy.”
However, Ozzy is said to have suggested in another interview in the following years that he might wish for a track by The Beatles to be played. He is said to have narrowed down possible song choices to A Day In The Life, the final track from 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
“I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band or Revolver,” Ozzy mused to NME in 2016.
He added: “I definitely don’t want my [blank]ing greatest hits album. I never ever play that thing. I’m [blank]ing embarrassed about it. And I definitely don’t want a [blank]ing happy song. I’m dead.”
Read more: Ozzy Osbourne’s final wish granted by wife Sharon days before his death
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