The Osborne siblings strummed their first chords during those jam sessions. From the very start, TJ Osborne was the brother with the voice. He sang in a thick, low baritone, crooning like Johnny Cash long before he was even old enough to drive. Older brother John, on the other hand, was the family’s guitar shredder, his fingers capable of down-home bluegrass licks, arena-worthy rock riffs, country twang, and everything in between. Combined, the two Osbornes could play everything from traditional country music to rock & roll, creating a broad, full-bodied sound that would eventually fill the 11 songs on their major-label debut, Pawn Shop.
Like its title suggests, Pawn Shop offers a little bit of everything. There’s bluesy slide guitar, country duets, southern rock solos, harmonies, and plenty of groove. The hooks are big, the guitars are loud, and the songs — every last one of them co-written by the Osbornes, who reached out to award-winning songwriters like Shane McAnally and Ross Copperman for help — introduce a duo whose music bridges the gap between the mainstream and the alternative world. Some songs were written at home in Nashville, while others came together on the road, where the guys spent several years headlining their own club shows, touring the country with Darius Rucker, and playing some of the biggest arenas in America with fellow rule-breaker Eric Church.
“Most duos are built on singing,” says TJ “But John is an incredible guitar player, and this band is built on me singing and John playing guitar. It gives us two parallels that work nicely together.”
“It’s like an old-school rock approach,” adds John, who cites classic bands like Aerosmith and the Allman Brothers as influences on the duo’s dynamic. “Groups like that always had the lead singer as well as the sideman guitar player. That’s what we’re going for, too. We’re carving our own path in country music.”
That unique path has already led the band toward the upper half of the country charts. “Rum” got them there first, mixing the feel-good sunshine of a beach tune with a far more realistic storyline. There’s no actual beach in “Rum,” after all. Instead, Brothers Osborne turn the song into a tribute to the simple pleasures that their Maryland hometown offers: friends, good weather, and the occasional drink. They even filmed the song’s music video in Deale, filling the clip with footage of friends, relatives, and locals.
“Most people we grew up with don’t go to these beautiful beaches,” says TJ. “They can’t afford to do it. They don’t have the time for it. What we’re most familiar with is people going to the local bars and hanging out with each other.” John adds, “We tried to have the biggest time possible with what little we had. ‘Rum’ explains that.” The brothers agree, “We had to say it from our own perspective.”
A similar theme runs throughout “Dirt Rich” and “Pawn Shop,” two songs that stress the importance of appreciating what you’ve got. Pawn Shop dishes up plenty of love songs, too, from “Loving Me Back” — an old-school country duet featuring vocals from Lee Ann Womack — to “Stay a Little Longer,” the band’s biggest hit to date. While a three-minute guitar solo brings “Stay a Little Longer” to an epic, anthemic close, Brothers Osborne also devote time to more laid-back songs, from the nostalgic California country of “21 Summer” to the 420-friendly “Greener Pastures.”
Brothers Osborne, who co-produced the album with Jay Joyce (the award-winning producer behind Little Big Town’s Painkiller, Eric Church’s The Outsiders, and Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller), recorded most of Pawn Shop during breaks in their busy touring schedule, using members of their own touring band rather than session musicians from the Nashville community. The result is an album that’s stamped with the unmistakable mark of a band. It doesn’t sound like two singers, flanked by anonymous players. Instead, it sounds like a group of road warriors who’ve spent years sharing bus seats and hotel rooms, creating the sort of chemistry that can’t be faked. Pawn Shop is both raw and real, and Brothers Osborne — who, years after those household jam sessions in Deale, now have a handful of nationwide tours under their belts, songs on the charts, and a career on the rise — are no longer a family secret.
Tequila Again
Brothers Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that's where the story begins
At a dive bar named [?] in Encinitas
We met through a mutual friend
Had a hell of a time and we went all night
By morning she messed up my head
I swore her off, but I'll be damned
I fell in love with tequila again
We lost our minds, we danced all night
Picked up right where we left off
Raised hell with the boys
Made all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
And once again I'll wake up on time
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
I've had some lovers, some more than others
They've all been a bittersweet buzz
And I've had some vices, most more than thrice
And none does me quite like she does
I try to forget her, wish I'd never met her
But I [?]
Now come Friday night [?]
I'm back in love with tequila again
We'll lose our minds, we'll dance all night
Pick up right where we left off
Raise hell with the boys
Make all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
Yeah once again I'll wake up on time
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
They laid me down, I'll fall in and out
Of love with tequila again
The Brothers Osborne's song "Tequila Again" tells the story of a man who fell in love with a woman he met in a dive bar named Encinitas. They had a wild and crazy night, dancing, singing and having a good time, fueled by tequila shots. Despite the hangover, the joys of the previous evening lingered on, and the man realizes that he has a newfound love for tequila.
The song is a commentary on the way alcohol can bring people together and make them forget their worries, yet can also lead to hangovers and regrets. The line "we lost our minds, we danced all night" is a reminder that sometimes letting loose and having fun can be therapeutic, while "waking up with a headache turned up to 10" acknowledges the negative consequences of indulging too much.
The lyrics also suggest that the man has had many lovers before, but none has affected him in the same way as tequila. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for addiction, showing how easy it is to get pulled back in despite the negative consequences. Ultimately, the song is a fun and catchy ode to the joys and pitfalls of drinking tequila.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never forget the first time kissed her
The singer reminisces about their first kiss with a girl and reflects on their journey of falling in love with tequila.
And that's where the story begins
This is the beginning of the story of the singer's love for tequila.
At a dive bar named [?] in Encinitas
The singer met the girl at a local bar in Encinitas where they had a good time together.
We met through a mutual friend
The artist and the girl met through a friend they had in common.
Had a hell of a time and we went all night
They had a great time together and continued their night without stopping.
By morning she messed up my head
The girl had a strong impact on the singer, causing them to feel confused and uncertain.
I swore her off, but I'll be damned
Although the singer initially tried to avoid getting involved with the girl, they couldn't resist their strong connection.
I fell in love with tequila again
The artist associates their feelings for tequila with their feelings for the girl, as they both have the ability to make them feel a wide range of emotions.
We lost our minds, we danced all night
The artist and the girl had an intense night of dancing and having fun, letting themselves go completely.
Picked up right where we left off
The artist and the girl have a strong connection that allows them to quickly jump back into the fun without missing a beat.
Raised hell with the boys
The singer mentions how they and their friends had a wild time together.
Made all kinds of noise
The group was rowdy and loud, causing a commotion wherever they went.
Singing at the top of our lungs
The singer and their friends were singing loudly and joyously, enjoying each other's company without any care in the world.
And once again I'll wake up on time
Despite their wild night, the singer still wakes up at their scheduled time.
With the headache turned up to 10
The singer's hangover is very painful and severe, a result of drinking too much tequila.
Asking myself why the hell
The artist questions why they keep falling for tequila despite the painful hangovers it gives them.
I've had some lovers, some more than others
The artist has had several past romantic relationships, some more significant than others.
They've all been a bittersweet buzz
The singer's past relationships have all had their downsides, despite initially feeling exciting and enjoyable.
And I've had some vices, most more than thrice
The singer has indulged in various vices, with some habits being more frequent than others.
And none does me quite like she does
Despite their many vices, none compare to the unique hold tequila has over the artist.
I try to forget her, wish I'd never met her
The artist attempts to move past their love for tequila, wishing they had never tried it in the first place.
But I [?]
The artist can't complete this sentence, implying that they are unable to fully let go of their love for tequila.
Now come Friday night [?]
On Friday nights, the singer often finds themselves back at the bar where they first met the girl and discovered their love for tequila.
They laid me down, I'll fall in and out
Despite the pain and hangovers that come with it, the artist will continue to fall in and out of love with tequila.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN OSBORNE, KENDAL MARVEL, THOMAS OSBORNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Castillo
"Tequila Again"
I'll never forget the first time i kissed her
And that's where the story begins
At a dive bar named Gina's in Encinitas
We met through a mutual friend
Had a hell of a time and we went all night
By morning she messed up my head
I swore her off, but I'll be damned
I fell in love with tequila again
We lost our minds, we danced all night
Picked up right where we left off
Raised hell with the boys
Made all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
Yeah once again I'll wake up on tile
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
I've had some lovers, loved some more than others
They've all been a bittersweet buzz
And I've had some vices, most more than thrice
And none does me quite like she does
I try to forget her, wish I'd never met her
But I'll let her waltz right on in
Now come Friday night
I'll fall right back in love with tequila again
We'll lose our minds, we'll dance all night
Pick up right where we left off
Raise hell with the boys
Make all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
Yeah once again I'll wake up on tile
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
They laid me down, I'll fall in and out
Of love with tequila again.
Carrie Mahoney
An amazing band . They're great live too
Chris Castillo
"Tequila Again"
I'll never forget the first time i kissed her
And that's where the story begins
At a dive bar named Gina's in Encinitas
We met through a mutual friend
Had a hell of a time and we went all night
By morning she messed up my head
I swore her off, but I'll be damned
I fell in love with tequila again
We lost our minds, we danced all night
Picked up right where we left off
Raised hell with the boys
Made all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
Yeah once again I'll wake up on tile
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
I've had some lovers, loved some more than others
They've all been a bittersweet buzz
And I've had some vices, most more than thrice
And none does me quite like she does
I try to forget her, wish I'd never met her
But I'll let her waltz right on in
Now come Friday night
I'll fall right back in love with tequila again
We'll lose our minds, we'll dance all night
Pick up right where we left off
Raise hell with the boys
Make all kinds of noise
Singing at the top of our lungs
Yeah once again I'll wake up on tile
With the headache turned up to 10
Asking myself why the hell
I fell in love with tequila again
They laid me down, I'll fall in and out
Of love with tequila again.
Joe M. Lemos Jr.
Love this song!
Barry Stevens
Y’all simply rock! Love your music!
Michelle Chapman
My favorite song right now <3 Loved you guys in Stockton,CA!
Anita Lacko
Good music, very talented fellas 👍👍
Joeseph Lamb
Love it
Bamabelle73 Roll Tide
❤ one of my favorites
Gary Hanson
Love these guys. Saw em' in Tulsa two months ago. Great show. Gotta get the new CD. "Shooting It Straight" rocks hard🎸
Trish Wyckoff
Gary Hanson the new Album even better. For a summer album. It rocks