Raye first attracted Nashville's attention as the lead vocalist on a string of independent singles in the 1980s. Billed as The Wrays, the act released a couple of singles on Mercury Records in the mid-80s before breaking up. Epic Records signed Raye as a solo act in 1990. A year later, the nostalgic ballad Love, Me hit No. 1, and by 2000, he charted 21 Top 10 hits for Epic. His first four studio albums, as well as his Greatest Hits, have been certified platinum. His best-known hits include Little Rock, about a recovering alcoholic, and I Think About You, about watching his teenage daughter grow up.
Josephine
Collin Raye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've been marchin' ten days and we're just outside Hawkinsville.
It's been snowin' all night and we ain't got no more kersosene.
It's colder than hell,
Josephine.
There's a fever in camp and our boys are too sick to fight.
We done lost ol' Calvin;
Weaver won't make it through the night.
I overheard the Captain say it's the worst he's ever seen.
I'm losin' some weight
but I'm still standin' up straight,
Josephine.
CHORUS
Tell the children I miss 'em and wish I could kiss 'em once more.
Bet they've growed a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door.
Tell Mama and Daddy I'm all right
And just one more thing:
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
There's three thousand Union troops camped at the river below.
And six hundred of us -
At least there was two nights ago.
Will Irwin deserted and
They hung him down by the stream.
Good God, I'm so scared,
Keep me in your prayers,
Jospehine.
The order came down: we attack tonight at nightfall.
If we can stop 'em right here
We can win this war, once and for all.
You know, I killed a Union boy last week -
Bet he wasn't fourteen.
He looked just like our son,
Forgive me for what I've done,
Josphine.
CHORUS
Tell the children I miss 'em and wish I could kiss 'em once more.
Bet they've growed a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door.
Tell Mama and Daddy I'm all right
And just one more thing:
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
And lastly, my darling, in case I should be killed...
Don't grieve me too long
Promise me that you will
Marry another and don't let him treat our babies mean,
And when he's holding you, won't you think of me too, Josephine?
CHORUS
Tell the children I miss 'em and wish I could kiss 'em once more.
Bet they've growed a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door.
Tell Mama and Daddy I'm all right
And just one more thing:
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
The song "Josephine" by Collin Raye is a heart-wrenching letter of a Confederate soldier writing to his loved one during the Civil War. He writes the letter from a high hill outside Hawkinsville, where his troop has been camping for ten days, and he is losing hope. He starts off the letter by telling his lover the harsh living conditions and the feeling of despair that have seeped in. The cold has set in, and they are running out of essentials like kerosene. The soldier tells Josephine that the morale is low, the troops are sick, and one of his comrades has already died. He is worried and scared, and his letter is filled with emotion and fear.
The soldier also talks about a possible attack that the Confederate troops will launch against the Union troops that are camping below, near the river. He reveals that he killed a Union boy and feels guilty about it as the boy was merely a child. The letter ends on the note of the soldier's mortality, he asks Josephine to promise that she would remarry if he dies in the war and care for their children. This song brings to light the pain and suffering of the soldiers during the Civil War and the fear of death and separation that stayed with them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm writin' this letter, my darlin, from high on a hill.
I am writing this letter to you, my dear, from a hill that I am perched on.
We've been marchin' ten days and we're just outside Hawkinsville.
We have been marching for ten days and we are now situated just outside of Hawkinsville.
It's been snowin' all night and we ain't got no more kersosene.
It has been snowing all night, and we have run out of kerosene.
It's colder than hell,
The temperature is exceedingly cold.
Hope you're doin' well,
I hope that you are doing well.
Josephine.
Addressing the letter to Josephine.
There's a fever in camp and our boys are too sick to fight.
A fever has broken out in our camp, and many of our own soldiers are too unwell to participate in battle.
We done lost ol' Calvin; Weaver won't make it through the night.
We have lost a companion named Calvin, and it appears as though another friend, Weaver, will not survive the following evening.
I overheard the Captain say it's the worst he's ever seen.
I overheard the Captain express that it is the worst ailment outbreak he has ever seen.
I'm losin' some weight but I'm still standin' up straight,
Even though I am slimming down, I am standing straight without a hunch in my back.
Josephine.
Addressing the letter to Josephine.
Tell the children I miss 'em and wish I could kiss 'em once more.
Conveying the message to the children that I miss them and would like to kiss them again.
Bet they've growed a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door.
I believe that they have grown at least one foot since saying farewell to me at the front door.
Tell Mama and Daddy I'm all right
Requesting to inform my parents that I am fine.
And just one more thing:
An additional remark from myself:
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
I am madly in love with you, Josephine.
There's three thousand Union troops camped at the river below.
Approximately three thousand Union soldiers are encamped just below the river.
And six hundred of us - At least there was two nights ago.
At the very least, sixty of us persisted; however, that was reportedly two evenings earlier.
Will Irwin deserted and They hung him down by the stream.
A fellow named Will Irwin abandoned our troop, and as punishment, we were forced to hang him by the waters.
Good God, I'm so scared, Keep me in your prayers, Jospehine.
May the Lord help me, as I am incredibly terrified, and continue to look out for me, Josephine.
The order came down: we attack tonight at nightfall.
The instruction has arrived: we attack tonight at sundown.
If we can stop 'em right here We can win this war, once and for all.
If we are able to halt them here, it could signify that we would win the entire war.
You know, I killed a Union boy last week - Bet he wasn't fourteen.
I must admit, I killed a Union boy the previous week - and yet I presume he was not yet fourteen years of age.
He looked just like our son, Forgiveme for what I've done, Josphine.
Strangely, He appeared strikingly similar to our son. In retrospect, please pardon me for what I have done, Josephine.
Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
I am madly in love with you, Josephine.
And lastly, my darling, in case I should be killed...
Last but not least, my love, in the event of my death...
Don't grieve me too long Promise me that you will
Please do not fret for me for too long, promise me that you will adhere to this.
Marry another and don't let him treat our babies mean,
Marry another in the future, but please ensure that he does not treat our children poorly.
And when he's holding you, won't you think of me too, Josephine?
And when he is holding you, do you mind recalling me as well, Josephine?
Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine.
I am madly in love with you, Josephine.
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: RORY LEE FEEK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Steigers
This song was released in 2005 on Collin Raye's "Twenty something and change" song written by Rory Lee Feek. Now released on Joey+Rory's "His & Hers CD with the same name. Thank you for uploading this video as I searched 3 months ago and found all but a means to listen to it. They now have recorded a video that shows the back ground of the song. Thank you again.
Rena Fox
Slightly slower pace than Collin's version
Patrick Bink
I really like Colin Raye but when sung by the original Joey & Rory is most beautiful and brings tears to eyes every time.
mander1295
Beautiful song. Pity the rude people couldn't shut up so we could hear it! I've never understood why people would go see a singer and then laugh and talk the entire time they are performing.
Maryann Anderson
My brother and I sang and he played guitar. We usually sang in church and sometimes for Rotary Clubs, Lions Club, etc. Sometimes we would have guests to our house and those guests would beg my dad to "have the children sing something". At the time I was probably 10 and my brother was 11. We would reluctantly start singing and as soon as we started singing the very people who had demanded that we sing would start yakking and laughing. We would finish the song we were singing and just casually walk out and no one would even notice. Some 15 or 20 minutes later they would sometimes seem to notice we were gone and they would ask "Why did the children stop singing." I always WANTED to say, "Because you weren't LISTENING." I think that is an extremely rude thing to do. If you don't want to listen, don't ask us to sing!
Lil McCormack
loved your show last night in Athboy,Ireland and this was my favourite song(Josephine)Lil