Born in Providence, RI, Jeffrey Osborne was the youngest of 12 children and was constantly bombarded with music as he was growing up. He had five brothers and six sisters, some of whom went on to have music careers. His father, Clarence "Legs" Osborne, was a popular trumpeter who played with Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, and died when Jeffrey was only 13. His mother, Wanita, is ancestored by a Pequot Indian sachem. His oldest brother, Clay Osborne, is a singer and pianist, and Billy, another brother, is a songwriter and producer in Los Angeles. But Osborne's father had the greatest influence on his musical career; Clarence "Legs" Osborne turned down many top band offers during his career to be with his family. It was only after receiving his mother's encouragement that Jeffrey left for Los Angeles to play with L.T.D. At the age of 15, he sat in with the O'Jays when the drummer was too tired to play, and went on to play with them for two weeks. It was at a Providence nightclub that fate brought him together with the band Love Men Ltd. in 1969.
Osborne's solo career has brought him five gold and platinum albums, including Stay With Me Tonight, Aymuk, and Only Human. He also recorded an album of duets with popular singer James Ingram, and scored an international hit with "On the Wings of Love" in 1982. Osborne's touring and recording continue to keep him busy much of the time, but he also devotes some of his time to charity work.
The Borderlines
Jeffrey Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were closing in on the other side
With her love on my mind
I was just a working man
Working overtime in a foreign land
Tryin' to make a deal but knowing
Of thin paper walls
I met her in a small cafe
We shared some time over Beaujolais
Within a short span of time
We fell in love
Hey, the borderlines
Were closing in on the other side
With her love on my mind
We shared our body love through the night
Though we knew the end was in sight
We never stopped to think
Our love might not be
Borderlines
Could keep her love from me
Borderlines
Could say what I can see
Borderlines
Can tell me what can be
Borderlines
They will not control me, no
Borderlines
Could keep her heart from me
Borderlines
Could say what I can see
Borderlines
Can tell me what will be
Borderlines
They will not worry me, no
(They won't worry me, they won't worry me)
Hey, the borderlines
(Borderlines)
Were closing in on the other side
With her love on my mind
So we devised a working plan
A new disguise to fool any man
'Cause that's the only way
That we could be wed
And once we saw arrangements were made
We knew that we could not then delay
Authorities were hot on our trail
As we got away
Borderlines
Won't keep her love from me
Borderlines
Won't say what I can see
Borderlines
Won't tell me what can be
Borderlines
They will not control me, no
Borderlines
Won't keep her heart from me
Borderlines
Won't say what I can see
Borderlines
Won't tell me what will be
Borderlines
They will not worry me, no
Borderlines
Won't keep her love from me
Borderlines
Won't say what I can see, no
Borderlines
Won't tell me what can be
Borderlines
They will not worry me, no
(They won't worry me, they won't worry me)
Hey, the borderlines
(Borderlines)
Were closing in on the other side
With her love on my mind
Hey, the borderlines
(Borderlines)
Were closing in on the other side
With her love on my mind
(Oh whoa)
let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
Let's rock, let's go
Borderlines
(Let's rock, let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock, let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock, let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
They will not control me, no
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't keep her heart from me
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't say what I can see
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't tell me what will be
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
They will not worry me, no
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't keep her love from me
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't say what I can see
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't tell me what can be
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
They will not control me, no
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't keep her love from me
(Let's go)
Borderlines
(Let's rock)
Won't say what I can see
(Let's go)
The lyrics to Jeffrey Osborne's song The Borderlines tells a story of forbidden love between two people on opposite sides of a border that separates them physically, socially, and legally. The singer, a working man, meets a woman in a small café while working in a foreign land. They fall in love quickly, but the borderlines begin closing in on them. The singer fears that their love will not survive the borderlines, but they devise a plan to be together. They create a new disguise to fool any man and once the arrangements were made, they run away from the authorities who were hot on their trail. The singer is determined that the borderlines will not keep him from his love.
The borderlines metaphorically represent the social and political barriers that prevent people from different backgrounds and societies from coming together. The lyrics show that love can overcome these obstacles if people have the passion and determination to be together despite the odds. It also highlights the impact of the political environment on personal relationships and individual freedom, referencing thin paper walls and authorities chasing them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, the borderlines
The rules and restrictions are looming large
Were closing in on the other side
They are becoming more oppressive and restrictive
With her love on my mind
Thinking about the woman he loves
I was just a working man
Jeffrey Osborne describes himself as a common man
Working overtime in a foreign land
Jeffrey Osborne was working hard in a place that was not his home
Tryin' to make a deal but knowing
Attempted to make a deal while being aware
Of thin paper walls
Walls that are easily penetrated metaphorically and obviously do not offer much protection
I met her in a small cafe
Jeffrey Osborne met his lover in a small café
We shared some time over Beaujolais
They spent some time together enjoying Beaujolais Wine
Within a short span of time
In a relatively brief amount of time, they fell in love
We fell in love
Jeffrey Osborne and his lover fell in love
We shared our body love through the night
They made love all night
Though we knew the end was in sight
Despite knowing that they cannot stay together
We never stopped to think
They did not have time to consider the consequences of their actions
Our love might not be
Their love might not last
Borderlines
Rules and restrictions
Could keep her love from me
The rules could separate him from the woman he loves
Could say what I can see
His perception is influenced by the setting/rules
Can tell me what can be
The rules shape what is possible for them
They will not control me, no
Rules will no longer constrain Jeffrey Osborne and his lover
Could keep her heart from me
Rules could prevent them from being together emotionally as well as physically
Can tell me what will be
The rules determine destiny regardless of his will
They will not worry me, no
Jeffrey Osborne will not be held back by the rules
So we devised a working plan
They formed a plan
A new disguise to fool any man
They created a new identity which can fool the authorities
'Cause that's the only way
This is the only way we can be together
That we could be wed
They can only be together as husband and wife
And once we saw arrangements were made
After preparations were done
We knew that we could not then delay
They realized they must act quickly
Authorities were hot on our trail
The authority figures were after them
As we got away
They were escaping
Won't keep her love from me
Rules won't separate them from each other
Won't say what I can see
They won't shape Jeffrey Osborne's perceptions
Won't tell me what can be
Rules don't determine what's possible for them
Won't keep her heart from me
Rules won't separate them emotionally as well as physically
Won't tell me what will be
Rules won't dictate their destiny
Won't worry me, no
Jeffrey Osborne is not worried about the rules now
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAYMOND JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind