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.
Bury Me On The Battery
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bury me on the Battery
The pretty girls on Brooklyn ferry
Ask them all to weep for me
I'll be smiling brother
When they lay me down
Cause I lived my life
Say it again
I'll be smiling brother
When they lay me down
Cause I lived my life
In New York town
And I'll be smiling brother
When they lay me down
Cause I lived my life
In New York town
I'll be smiling brother
When they lay me down
Cause I lived my life
In New York town
Because I lived my life
In New York town
The song "Bury Me On The Battery" by Joan Osborne is a tribute to the city of New York. In the lyrics, the singer asks to be buried on the Battery, which is a park located at the southern tip of Manhattan. The Battery was once an important landmark for immigrants, as it was the first place they would see when they arrived in America. The singer also asks the pretty girls on the Brooklyn ferry to weep for them. The Brooklyn ferry was a means of transportation between Brooklyn and Manhattan before the bridge was built. The singer lived their life in New York town and is portrayed as happy and fulfilled, even in their death.
The song celebrates the vibrancy and spirit of New York City, which comes through in the upbeat melody and lyrics. The idea of being buried on the Battery is significant as it represents the singer's deep connection to the city and its history. The mention of the pretty girls on the ferry adds a touch of romance, which is also a characteristic of New York City. Overall, the song is a moving tribute to the city and all its wonders.
Line by Line Meaning
If I die in New York city
In the event of my death in New York City
Bury me on the Battery
Please bury me in Battery Park
The pretty girls on Brooklyn ferry
The beautiful girls commuting via the Brooklyn ferry
Ask them all to weep for me
Request them to mourn my loss
I'll be smiling brother
I will pass away content with my life
When they lay me down
During my funeral procession
Cause I lived my life
Because I spent my life in
In New York town
The city of New York
Say it again
Repeat the chorus one more time
Because I lived my life
Because I spent my life in
In New York town
The city of New York
And I'll be smiling brother
And I will die happy
When they lay me down
During my funeral procession
Cause I lived my life
Because I spent my life in
In New York town
The city of New York
I'll be smiling brother
I will depart the world content with how I lived my life
When they lay me down
At my funeral procession
Cause I lived my life
Because I spent my life in
In New York town
The city of New York
Contributed by Violet L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.