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.
Heatwave
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Something inside
Starts to burnin'
And I'm filled with desire
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Whenever he calls my name
So slow, sweet and plain
I feel, yeah, yeah,
Well I feel that burning flame
Has my blood pressure got a hold on me
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Sometimes I stare in space
Tears all over my face
I can't explain it, don't understand it
I ain't never felt like this before
But that doesn't mean it has me amazed
I don't know what to do, my head's in a haze
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can't keep from cryin'
It's tearing me apart
Don't pass up this chance
This time it's a true romance
Heatwave
The lyrics to the song Heatwave by Joan Osborne describe the intense feelings of desire and passion that the singer experiences when she is with her lover. She compares this feeling to a heatwave, an intense burst of heat that consumes everything in its path. The singer wonders if this feeling is something natural, or if it is the work of the devil, tempting her with lust and desire.
The singer's passion is so intense that she feels like she is burning up from the inside. She can't keep from crying, and the intensity of the feeling is tearing her apart. Whenever she hears her lover's voice or sees his face, she is overwhelmed with emotion, and she can't help but feel this intense heatwave of desire.
The lyrics also depict the confusion and uncertainty that the singer feels about this intense passion. She doesn't know if it is normal to feel this way, or if there is something wrong with her. She can't explain the feeling, and she feels like her head is in a haze. However, she urges herself to not pass up this chance at true romance, even if it is overwhelming and difficult to understand.
Overall, the lyrics to Heatwave describe the complex emotions that come with intense passion and desire. The singer is consumed by this feeling, and she struggles to come to terms with it. However, she recognizes that it is a chance at true love and that she can't let it go.
Line by Line Meaning
Whenever I'm with him
Every time I'm in his presence
Something inside
A feeling that resides within me
Starts to burnin'
It ignites and intensifies
And I'm filled with desire
My heart and soul yearn for him
Could it be the devil in me
Is there something evil within me?
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Perhaps this is just how love feels
Just like a heatwave
Similar to a sudden, intense heat
Burning in my heart
A passion that consumes me
Can't keep from cryin'
I cannot control my emotions
It's tearing me apart
It's causing me anguish and distress
Whenever he calls my name
Whenever he beckons me
So slow, sweet and plain
With a gentle, tender tone
I feel, yeah, yeah,
It touches me deeply
Well I feel that burning flame
I feel the same intense passion
Has my blood pressure got a hold on me
Is my physical reaction too strong?
Or is this the way love's supposed to be
Is this simply how love affects me?
Sometimes I stare in space
There are times I'm lost in thought
Tears all over my face
Crying uncontrollably
I can't explain it, don't understand it
It's overwhelming and confusing
I ain't never felt like this before
This is an entirely new experience for me
But that doesn't mean it has me amazed
It's not necessarily surprising despite being new
I don't know what to do, my head's in a haze
I'm unsure of how to proceed, feeling confused
Don't pass up this chance
Don't let this opportunity slip away
This time it's a true romance
This time it's a genuine love affair
Heatwave
Intense, fiery passion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWARD JR. HOLLAND, LAMONT DOZIER, BRIAN HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Waynet126
Martha and the Vandellas owned it. Joan Osborne owned it. Just goes to show how fantastic this song and the band was. One of those feel good songs for all time!
Terry Frazier
This woman’s vocals are phenomenal
Old Prankster
No studio takes. No do overs. All live. And just superb.
venutifilms
The Documentary was superb and so was the Talent included. It doesn't get any better than that. Joan and the group still make my eyes water even after watching the clip for years.
Pamela Horn
What is the name of the documentary?
I want to watch and save the whole thang(😎thing).
Michael Evans
She did this so sweetly. Actually sent a chill down my spine
Peter Nimmo
@Pamela Horn Standing in the shadows of Motown
ThisMachineKills
bob babbitt on the bass gets DOWN during the sax solo!! this whole lineup rips and joan def holds her own!! STILL awesome even after watching the clip for 4 more years LOL
raiden 21
Oh Absolutely!!!!My grown kids ranging in ages from 37-43 Love this documentary!!!
K.A. Williams
This clip still gets me emotional after all these years. Joan Osborne did a great job.