It was after relocating to New York City in the early '90s (to study at N.Y.U.'s film school) that Osborne began to take a singing career seriously after singing Billie Holiday's classic "God Bless the Child" at a local bar's "open mic night." In addition to Holiday, Osborne looked to such legendary vocalists as Etta James and Ray Charles as role models, as the up-and-coming singer decided not to cater to major record companies and formed her own label, Womanly Hips, which resulted in such releases as 1992's in-concert Soul Show, among others. But eventually, Osborne decided to sign on with a major label, Mercury, which in turn issued the singer's next release, 'Relish,' in March 1995. The album eventually racked up sales of three million copies and proved to have a long life, as almost a year after its initial release the track "One of Us" became a massive MTV and radio smash, camping out at the number-one spot on the U.S. singles chart for 2 weeks. Other tracks ("Right Hand Man" and "St. Teresa") failed to match the success of Osborne's first hit, but the singer still managed to connect with a large and appreciative audience, especially while touring as part of the 1997 edition of Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair tour. Osborne received numerous Grammy nominations in both 1996 and 1997.
Producing a worthy followup to Relish proved to be a time-consuming challenge for Osborne. Mercury tried to buy her some time by issuing a compilation release, 'Early Recordings' (which collected the early releases 'Live at Delta '88' and 'Blue Million Miles'). In the meantime, Osborne focused on supporting a few groups/causes she felt strongly about, such as Rock the Vote and Planned Parenthood (eventually being named an honorary member of Planned Parenthood's Board of Advocates), besides covering "I'm Just a Bill" as a duet with Isaac Hayes on the 1998 'Schoolhouse Rocks the Vote' benefit album. Osborne also studied briefly with the late Qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and performed alongside such notables as Stevie Wonder, Melissa Etheridge, Taj Mahal, Luciano Pavarotti, Spearhead, Bob Dylan, and the Chieftains.
September 2000 finally saw the release of Osborne's second all-new studio album, titled 'Righteous Love'; but it failed to match its predecessor's commercial success and sank from sight shortly after its release. In 2002, Osborne bounced back with 'How Sweet It Is,' a collection of covers that leaned heavily on classic soul and R&B tunes from the 1960s and '70s. A career retrospective, 'One of Us,' came out in 2005.
Osborne played a prominent role in the 2002 film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," performing with the legendary Motown house band the Funk Brothers in a concert performance segment, and appearing with several members of the group in an interview segment. She and her band accompanied the Dixie Chicks for a national tour in the summer of 2003, during which time she also joined veteran San Francisco jam-rockers the Dead as a vocalist, and released her fourth album, titled 'How Sweet It Is,' a collection of classic rock and soul covers.
During 2005 and 2006, she performed on numerous occasions with Phil Lesh and Friends. In February 2007, she appeared at the Grand Ole Opry.
In November 2006, Osborne released 'Pretty Little Stranger,' her self-described "Nashville album."
In May 2007, Osborne issued 'Breakfast in Bed,' a return to the soul music that she had covered on 'How Sweet It Is'. 'Breakfast in Bed' also featured the two songs ("Heatwave" and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted") that she had covered for the film Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
She sings lead vocals on the cover of "Spoonful" on Vivian Campbell's solo album 'Two Sides Of If'.' Osborne also provided some vocals for "Wayfaring Stranger" on Spearhead's 1997 album 'Chocolate Supa Highway.' Joan is featured on The Holmes Brothers 2007 collection 'State of Grace' performing "Those Memories of You," an old Allan O'Bryant and Bill Monroe bluegrass tune.
Her album Bring It On Home was released on March 27, 2012. It is a collection of vintage blues and soul covers, and it received a 2013 Grammy Awards nomination for Best Blues Album.
Osborne was a member of Trigger Hippy from 2012 to 2018.
Osborne released the original album Love and Hate in 2014, and in 2017 the album Songs of Bob Dylan. A new album of original songs, Trouble and Strife, is due in September 2020.
Broken Wings
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody hurt you bad, beaten down and left to cry
And the price you'll have to pay
You'll be paying in years of your life
Somebody is to blame, don't you see, I feel insane
Somebody got away and it makes me feel sad
And the price you'll have to pay
Somebody's got to help you
I believe I love you so
Somebody's gonna touch you
Don't believe I'll let you go
And the love I had to give
I'll be givin' in years of my life
And the love I had to give
I'll be givin' in years of my life
The lyrics to Joan Osborne's song "Broken Wings" appear to be about someone who has been hurt badly, perhaps in a relationship, and is struggling to recover. The first verse finds the singer addressing this person as a "little bird" who can no longer fly because somebody has "broken your wings." This image conveys a sense of vulnerability and helplessness, as well as the idea that the victim of the hurt is not to blame. The second verse suggests that the singer is also affected by the situation, feeling "insane" because the person who caused the harm has gotten away. This may indicate that the singer is a friend, partner, or family member of the hurt person, and is struggling with their own feelings of anger and frustration at the situation.
The chorus makes it clear that the harm done will have long-lasting effects. The repeated phrase "And the price you'll have to pay / You'll be paying in years of your life" suggests that the emotional trauma can't be easily healed or resolved. The use of the word "price" reinforces the idea that someone has caused this harm intentionally, and that the victim is being made to suffer because of another's actions. However, the chorus also introduces an element of hope, with the singer offering to "help you" and expressing the belief that they "love you so." This creates an emotional tension between the pain of the past and the possibility of a brighter future.
Overall, "Broken Wings" is a poignant depiction of the aftermath of trauma, and a recognition of the long-term costs of healing from hurt. The use of metaphor and imagery, combined with Osborne's soulful voice, make for a powerful and affecting song.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody broke your wings, little bird, you can't fly
You're broken and grounded, beaten and hurt so you can't soar in life
Somebody hurt you bad, beaten down and left to cry
You've suffered great pain, broken and left to weep at the hands of someone else
And the price you'll have to pay
You'll be paying in years of your life
The cost of healing from this trauma is immeasurable and will take years of your life to rebuild
Somebody is to blame, don't you see, I feel insane
Somebody got away and it makes me feel sad
Someone caused your harm, and it's driving me mad that they got away with it and it's making me sad
Somebody's got to help you
I believe I love you so
Somebody's gonna touch you
Don't believe I'll let you go
You need someone to heal you, and I love and care for you enough to be that person. I won't let you slip away
And the love I had to give
I'll be givin' in years of my life
I'll spend years of my life loving and caring for you to help you heal from your pain
Writer(s): JOHN MAYALL
Contributed by Ruby P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.