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.
Weed Whiskey and Willie
Brothers Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get stoned for survival, it helps with the healin'
And when it all goes to hell the only thing I believe in
Is weed, whiskey, and Willie
You can take the rain
You can take all leave my name
You can have my heartIt's broken anyway
You can take my reputation
And drag it through the mud, go on and abuse it
But don't take my smoke
My jug of brown liquor or my country music
I've got bottles and vinyl stacked to the ceilin'
I get stoned for survival, it helps with the healin'
And when it all goes to hell the only thing I believe in
Is weed, whiskey, and Willie
Turn the music up
I'm gonna lock all the doors
Turn off the lights and close every blind
There ain't nobody home
And the pictures on the wall
Just about lost in a cloud of smoke
My vices and heroes will hold me together when I'm lettin' you go
I've got bottles and vinyl stacked to the ceilin'
I get stoned for survival, it helps with the healin'
And when it all goes to hell the only thing I believe in
Is weed, whiskey, and Willie
And when I'm back on my feet, I'm gonna keep on repeatin'
Weed, whiskey and Willie
The song "Weed Whiskey And Willie" by Brothers Osborne is a heartfelt ballad that speaks about someone's reliance on three things to get them through tough times: weed, whiskey, and Willie Nelson's music. The first verse talks about how the singer has stacked up bottles and vinyl records to the ceiling, indicating a heavy reliance on these substances and music to get through life. The singer also mentions getting stoned for survival, implying that they turn to marijuana to help them cope with life's obstacles. Furthermore, the use of "healing" in the same line suggests that the singer may be struggling with some unresolved issues.
The second verse begins with the singer stating that you can take everything from them, including their broken heart, reputation, and name, but you cannot take their vices. The reference to their "jug of brown liquor" is a nod to their fondness for whiskey, which they seem unwilling to part with. The singer then goes on to express how they find comfort in their vices, especially when they are alone. The imagery of a cloud of smoke and the mention of pictures on the wall create a sense of isolation and despair.
In the chorus, the singer emphasizes their reliance on weed, whiskey, and Willie, and how these things are the only things they believe in when everything else around them is falling apart. The repetition of the phrase "weed, whiskey, and Willie" in the last line of the chorus serves as a reminder to keep believing in themselves and their vices.
Overall, "Weed Whiskey And Willie" is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles people face in life and how they rely on certain things to cope with those struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got bottles and vinyl stacked to the ceilin'
I have an excess amount of alcohol and records stored in my home.
I get stoned for survival, it helps with the healin'
I use marijuana for coping and healing purposes.
And when it all goes to hell the only thing I believe in
In times of hardship, my only comfort comes from my vices.
Is weed, whiskey, and Willie
My coping mechanisms consist of marijuana, alcohol, and country music idol Willie Nelson.
You can take the rain
You can subject me to uncomfortable situations.
You can take all leave my name
You can take away my reputation.
You can have my heart
You can take my emotions.
It's broken anyway
My heart is already damaged and unfixable.
You can take my reputation
You can destroy how others perceive me.
And drag it through the mud, go on and abuse it
You can negatively affect my reputation in any way you desire.
But don't take my smoke
Do not take away my marijuana.
My jug of brown liquor or my country music
Do not take away my alcohol or Willie Nelson's music.
Turn the music up
Increase the volume of my music.
I'm gonna lock all the doors
I will securely close and lock all doors.
Turn off the lights and close every blind
I will turn off all lights and close all window coverings.
There ain't nobody home
I am alone in this space.
And the pictures on the wall
The pictures hanging on my walls.
Just about lost in a cloud of smoke
The pictures are hardly visible due to the excess smoke in the air.
My vices and heroes will hold me together when I'm lettin' you go
My bad habits and admired individuals will keep me sane when I let you go.
And when I'm back on my feet, I'm gonna keep on repeatin'
When I have recovered, I will continue to rely on my coping mechanisms.
Weed, whiskey and Willie
Marijuana, alcohol, and the music of Willie Nelson.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Osborne, Laura Veltz, Thomas Osborne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonysneed8410
Probably one of the greatest medicines you can have... Joyful music oh and all that greenery. Good for the soul.....
@ronaldstanovitch7617
Not wrong, I'm a vegetarian 😂😂too 😊😊
@wandapilot5838
Music is the only thing I've got that excepts me
@lss364
"Don't take my smoke, my jug of brown liquor, or my country music." I couldn't agree more!
@JoshSmith-jq9tw
Brothers osborne and Chris Stapleton are greatest gd thing to ever happen to any music genre
@JoeHall-zk7nf
You are exactly right brother
@ThomasDelker-s2q
Don't forget about Blackberry Smoke and JJ Grey& Mofro ba nd
@mannybravo237
Nice! I enjoy cannabis, coffee, chocolate, cap'n morgan, comic books, and country🤘🏼
@WillMcNeely-v9x
I give up the whiskey but still got weed and Willie 🎉
@paulgritter7957
Likewise! ❤️