Ozzy Osbourne names his 10 favourite songs of all time
Ozzy Osbourne is far from the sinister figure that he became known for in the days of Black Sabbath. Although ‘The Prince of Darkness’ still has an affinity for macabre subjects in his songs, his appearances on reality TV shows have made him look more like a bumbling father than someone who’s crawled out of the crypt. Outside of his storied history with metal, Osbourne is still a classic rock nerd when asked about his favourite songs.
When talking to Rolling Stone about his record collection, it’s easy to see where he was inspired in his salad days. Long before they were known as the inventors of metal, Black Sabbath was indebted to blues traditions, which shows in Osbourne’s inclusions of ‘Mississippi Queen’ by Mountain and ‘Dazed and Confused’ by Led Zeppelin.
Much like Sabbath, Zeppelin was also an eclectic band with an affinity for heavy music, being called one of the progenitors of metal on their first handful of releases. Even in Sabbath’s first few shows, Tony Iommi’s guitar licks began to take on a similar form to what Jimmy Page was doing, only getting the macabre makeover when taken into the studio.
Outside of the blues traditions, Osbourne also expressed a love for Pink Floyd, including the song ‘Money’ in the playlist because it reminded him of his days experimenting with LSD. Aside from his drug trips in the ‘70s, it’s not hard to see progressive influences in Sabbath’s music either. Though their early jams started with blues structures, albums like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage would see them trying on different sonic vignettes, often including some prog leanings.
For many artists of his generation, Osbourne always had a soft spot for The Beatles. Throughout his list, Osbourne sports three songs by the Fab Four, each with a unique identity. Though there might be tender beauty in the ballads he chose, like ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Hey Jude’, ‘A Day in the Life’ was one of the first instances the world got used to heavy music in rock and roll, painting a vivid surrealistic picture over five minutes with orgasmic orchestral crescendos.
The Beatles’ solo careers are also given a spot on the list as well, with John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ earning high praise, as well as Paul McCartney’s Bond theme ‘Live and Let Die’. While tender and soft songs don’t seem part of Osbourne’s DNA, it’s not as far off as people might think. When listening to some of his ballads like ‘Changes’ with Black Sabbath or ‘Goodbye to Romance’ off his first solo record, Osbourne may as well be trying on his Beatles impression, with a voice that’s the spitting image of John Lennon.
There are even a few left-field choices, like cuts from The Animals and Elton John, each showing Osbourne’s versatility as an artist. Despite spending years in the hallowed halls of metal history, Osbourne still retains the purity of being a music fan. Regardless of how much black stage garb he puts on every night, ‘The Prince of Darkness’ may as well be any average rock fan with some slightly more expensive clothes.
Ozzy Osbourne’s 10 favourite songs of all time:
- The Beatles – ‘A Day in the Life’
- John Lennon – ‘Imagine’
- Paul McCartney – ‘Live and Let Die’
- Pink Floyd – ‘Money’
- Mountain – ‘Mississippi Queen’
- The Beatles – ‘Hey Jude’
- The Beatles – ‘Yesterday’
- The Animals – ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’
- Led Zeppelin – ‘Dazed and Confused’
- Elton John – ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’
