Ozzy Osbourne revealed his funeral plans before death as he asked for 'celebration, not a mope-fest'

LONDON, ENGLAND: Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness and pioneering frontman of Black Sabbath, died on July 22 at the age of 76, but not before making his wishes for his final farewell clear.

Long before his death, the heavy metal icon repeatedly expressed that he wanted no part of a gloomy, tear-filled service. Instead, he envisioned his funeral as a celebration of life, not a “mope-fest.”

Ozzy Osbourne made his funeral wishes clear

Osbourne acknowledged the importance of making preparations for the sake of loved ones left behind, saying, “Yes, a bit of planning is the right thing to do for the family you leave behind.”

“There’ll be no harping on the bad times,” Ozzy told The Sunday Times in 2011. “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.”

He emphasized that his funeral should be anything but somber. “I do want to make sure it’s a celebration, not a mope-fest,” he said. “I’d also like some pranks: maybe the sound of knocking inside the coffin; or a video of me asking my doctor for a second opinion on his diagnosis of death.”

Famous for his sharp wit, the legendary rocker once joked that he didn’t want his funeral to be a “mope-fest.”

He admitted he wasn’t fussy about the soundtrack for his farewell, saying, “I honestly don't care what they play at my funeral; they can put on a medley of Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle and We Are the Diddymen if it makes ‘em happy,” Ozzy said with a laugh.

The rock legend’s family confirmed his death in a public statement, saying, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.”

“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis,” the family statement read.

His death came just weeks after a poignant farewell performance with his original Black Sabbath bandmates at a sold-out show in Birmingham on July 5, the same city where the band was born in 1968.

The cause of death for Osbourne has so far not been disclosed.

Ozzy Osbourne once spoke about his Christian upbringing

Ozzy Osbourne never specified whether he wanted any religious elements included in his funeral. In a 1986 interview with Spin, as cited by The Guardian, he shared, “I’m a Christian. I was christened as a Christian. I used to go to Sunday school.”

However, he made it clear that his faith didn’t carry into adulthood, noting that he no longer considered himself actively religious.

Osbourne led a remarkable life marked by highs, lows, and more than a few controversies, but he often said he wouldn’t change a thing. 

“If I’d done normal, sensible things, I wouldn’t be Ozzy,” he wrote in his upcoming memoir, 'Last Rites', which will be released posthumously this fall, per Variety. “Look, if it ends tomorrow, I can’t complain,” Osbourne continued. “I’ve been all around the world. Seen a lot of things. I’ve done good… and I’ve done bad.”