Ozzy Osbourne has lived an extraordinary life, from his rise to fame with Black Sabbath to his status as a reality TV icon. Known for his wild antics and love of the macabre, Osbourne has always delighted fans with his eclectic tastes.
Despite being a self-proclaimed Beatles fan, Ozzy revealed that his number-one track is the haunting 1967 classic ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ by Procol Harum.
In a 2009 feature for NME’s book ‘Inspired By Music – celebrities pick their favourite songs’, Osbourne explained why the song resonates so deeply with him. “When I hear that haunting melody on the Hammond organ, I immediately become transfixed,” he said.
Released in 1967, ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ became an instant hit, topping the UK charts for six weeks. It’s one of the few tracks to sell over ten million copies and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. For Ozzy, the song’s haunting atmosphere is what makes it stand out—a quality that perhaps mirrors the darker undertones of his own music.
Although Procol Harum takes the top spot, Ozzy Osbourne’s other favourite songs reflect the wide range of his influences. In a 2004 interview with Rolling Stone, he revealed a list of his top tracks at the time, offering a glimpse into the songs that shaped his life and career.
First on the list is ‘A Day in the Life’ by The Beatles. “It takes me back to a magical time in my life,” Ozzy said. His love for The Beatles doesn’t stop there.
He also picked ‘Hey Jude’ (“Hands down, one of the greatest songs ever written”) and ‘Yesterday’ as two of his other all-time favourites. He marveled at the simplicity behind the latter’s original title, saying: “I would have loved to have heard the working-title version, Scrambled Eggs”.
Second place goes to ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon, for which Ozzy’s admiration is heartfelt and unwavering. “This song will never get old for me,” he said.
Another McCartney classic, ‘Live and Let Die’, gets the bronze medal: “A f***ing great song. I love it!”
Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’ brings back more colourful memories from Ozzy’s younger days. “Reminds me of my LSD days. I’m glad I survived,” he said.
Mountain’s ‘Mississippi Queen’ is another song that holds special meaning for Ozzy: “This one brings back memories of my very first U.S. tour with Black Sabbath,” he recalled.
Not surprisingly, Ozzy also included Led Zeppelin’s ‘Dazed and Confused’ on his list. Describing the first time he heard it, he said, “My world stood still the first time I heard this.”
‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ by The Animals is another that Ozzy has considered to “always [have] been a favourite” of his.
Finally, the rock icon rounded out his list with Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, saying: “Great melody. Great lyrics. Great song. I love Elton John!”