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.
Help Me
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you don't help me daddy
Gotta find somebody else
Put on your nightshirt baby hand me my morning gown (repeat 2x)
I just feel like lyin' down
Gotta help me baby help me baby
Can't do it all by myself
If you don't help me daddy
Gotta find somebody else
Oooh real quiet real quiet real quiet...
You gotta help me baby gotta help me baby
Help me baby (repeat 2x)
Oooh, oooh, oooh...
Just want a little lovin' before you pass away (repeat 2x)
Don't help me daddy, I'm gonna find somebody else...
The lyrics to Joan Osborne's song "Help Me" express desperation for assistance in a relationship. The singer repeats the line "You gotta help me baby, I can't do it all by myself" as a plea for her partner's aid. The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's need for support, and the follow-up line "If you don't help me daddy, gotta find somebody else" suggests that the singer may seek help elsewhere if her partner doesn't provide it.
The second verse shifts the tone slightly, with the singer requesting that her partner put on his nightshirt and hand her her morning gown. The line "Don't feel sleepy, I just feel like lying down" indicates that the singer may be experiencing exhaustion or burnout, and she needs her partner to step in and help shoulder the burden.
Overall, the song recognizes the importance of asking for help in a relationship and the consequences that can arise when that help isn't given.
Line by Line Meaning
You gotta help me baby
I can't handle everything on my own, so I need you to assist me
I can't do it all by myself (repeat 2x)
I'm incapable of managing this task by myself, and I require your assistance
If you don't help me daddy
If you don't come to my help or support me
Gotta find somebody else
I'll have to look for someone else who will help me achieve my goal
Put on your nightshirt baby hand me my morning gown (repeat 2x)
Get dressed in your nightwear, bring me my daytime clothes so we can get moving
Don't feel sleepy
Don't feel tired or lethargic, we have important work to do
I just feel like lyin' down
I feel exhausted or overwhelmed and want to rest for a bit
Oooh real quiet real quiet real quiet...
The surroundings have become unpleasantly quiet and eerie
Help me baby (repeat 2x)
Please provide me with the necessary support and assistance
Just want a little lovin' before you pass away (repeat 2x)
I only require some affection, care or love before you depart from this world
Don't help me daddy, I'm gonna find somebody else...
I won't look up to you for help anymore, and I'll search for another person to assist me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Willie Dixon, Ralph Bass, Willie Williamson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind