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.
Righteous Love
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a worried mind
Drifting from place to place
I was the restless kind
Right there in front to me
Bright as the light of day
You saw a broken girl
You loved me anyway
And if I sprouted wings
I would not be amazed
Cause faith is a mystery that
Rocks me for days and days and day and
I could be in the street
I could be on a train
Or struck in some doorway down
In the pouring rain
Now there is not one place
That doesn't feel like home
No matter where I go
I know I'm not alone
[Chorus]
I've never been so sure of love
And if I sprouted wings
I would not be amazed
Cause faith is a mystery that
Rocks me for days and days and day
Oh you can ask me once
And I will tell you twice
No one's convincing me
This isn't paradise
And if I cause you pain
I'd only hurt myself
Cause we have a righteous love
I feel for on one else
[Chorus: x2]
The lyrics of Joan Osborne's song "Righteous Love" are about how love has changed the persona's troubled and restless soul. The persona was drifting from place to place, and felt like a broken girl until they met someone who saw them and loved them anyway. The love that the persona has found is so powerful that it has given them wings, and the faith that it has given them is a mystery that rocks them constantly for days on end. They could be anywhere in the world, but they know that they are not alone, and that every place feels like home because of the love they have found.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that the persona has never been so sure of love, and that it is a righteous love that they feel for no one else. They are convinced that they have found paradise, and that no one can convince them otherwise. Even if they cause their loved one pain, they know that they would only hurt themselves, because they have a love that is righteous.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a troubled soul
I was an unsettled and worried individual
I had a worried mind
My mind was filled with anxiety and unease
Drifting from place to place
I was moving aimlessly and without direction
I was the restless kind
I had a tendency to be unsettled and constantly searching
Right there in front to me
You came into my life and were immediately present and noticed
Bright as the light of day
You were unmistakable and undeniable in your impact on me
You saw a broken girl
You recognized my struggles and pain
You loved me anyway
You showed me love and acceptance despite my flaws and weaknesses
And if I sprouted wings
If I were to experience something miraculous
I would not be amazed
It would not surprise me because of my strong faith
Cause faith is a mystery that
Faith is an inexplicable force that
Rocks me for days and days and day and
Has a profound impact on me and my life for extended periods of time
I could be in the street
I could be in any random location
I could be on a train
I could be traveling anywhere
Or struck in some doorway down
I could be caught in a difficult situation
In the pouring rain
In the midst of tough circumstances
Now there is not one place
No matter where I am
That doesn't feel like home
I feel comfortable and at ease everywhere
No matter where I go
I can go anywhere
I know I'm not alone
I feel supported and loved no matter where I am or what I'm going through
I've never been so sure of love
I have never been more confident in my feelings of love
Oh you can ask me once
If you're curious about my feelings
And I will tell you twice
I'll tell you again and again
No one's convincing me
I am absolutely certain
This isn't paradise
That my current situation isn't perfect
And if I cause you pain
If I were to hurt you
I'd only hurt myself
It would also cause me pain because of how much I love you
Cause we have a righteous love
Our love is pure and true
I feel for on one else
I have never felt this way about anyone else
Chorus
Chorus
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOAN OSBORNE, JOSEPH LYBURN ARTHUR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind