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.
Sweeter Than The Rest
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the sun in my eyes
And I reach for the feeling
That the world is my prize
I'm crossing Brooklyn ferry
With the clouds to my west
And I know what I'm missing
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
Well, you climbed in my window
And you painted me gold
It was stone recognition
It was truth being told
And we burn down the winter
With the fire we possess
And I wish you could know this
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
And I wish you well, and I wish you well
And I wish you well
Oh, I wish you well, and I wish you well
And I wish you well
Well, well, well
Some days I wonder
If it's time to go home
But this dream I've been dreaming
Will not leave me alone
I can go where I want to
And I'm doing my best
But I know what I'm losing
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
Oh, some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Than the rest
The lyrics to Joan Osborne's song "Sweeter Than the Rest" reflect on a past romantic relationship and the feelings of nostalgia and loss that come with it. The opening lines paint a picturesque scene of the singer standing by the water's edge, reaching for a feeling that the world is theirs. However, despite the beauty around them, they still can't shake the feeling of missing someone they once loved. The reference to crossing the Brooklyn Ferry is a nod to a famous Walt Whitman poem that also explores themes of nostalgia and loss.
The second verse describes the passion and intensity of the relationship with the metaphor of painting someone gold. The relationship was meaningful and helped them get through tough times, but as time passes, they still can't shake the feeling that they lost something special. The chorus repeats the phrase "Some are sweet but you were sweeter" as a way of acknowledging that there have been other relationships, but none have matched the intensity and sweetness of the one that they lost. The singer wishes their former partner well, but the dream of what could have been still haunts them and keeps them from fully moving on.
Overall, the song captures a bittersweet feeling of longing for a past love and the emotional complexity that comes with letting go of something that was once so precious.
Line by Line Meaning
Flood tide below me
I feel like I'm on the cusp of something great.
With the sun in my eyes
The future is bright and full of possibilities.
And I reach for the feeling
I'm striving to capture this moment, this feeling of hope.
That the world is my prize
I believe that anything is possible and the world is mine for the taking.
I'm crossing Brooklyn ferry
I'm on a journey, both physical and emotional, and I'm experiencing the ups and downs that come with it.
With the clouds to my west
There are obstacles and challenges on this journey, but I'm moving towards something better.
And I know what I'm missing
I'm aware of the things I've lost, the people I've left behind.
Some are sweet but you were sweeter
Although I've met many people and experienced many things, there is one person who stands out as special.
Well, you climbed in my window
This special person came into my life unexpectedly, but changed it in the best way possible.
And you painted me gold
They showed me the best parts of myself, and made me feel special and valuable.
It was stone recognition
We recognized something in each other that was strong and unyielding, like stone.
It was truth being told
Being with this person felt like the ultimate truth, like I was living my most authentic life.
And we burn down the winter
Together, we were able to overcome the cold and dark times in life and bring warmth and light to each other.
With the fire we possess
Our love and passion burned brightly and kept us warm even when it was cold outside.
And I wish you could know this
I wish this special person knew how much they meant to me, and how much they changed my life.
Some days I wonder
Sometimes I question if I made the right choices or if I should go back to how things were before.
If it's time to go home
I wonder if it's time to go back to my old life, my old ways.
But this dream I've been dreaming
Despite these moments of doubt, I have a dream for my future that keeps me moving forward.
Will not leave me alone
This dream is persistent and won't let me forget about it or give up on it.
I can go where I want to
I'm free to pursue my dreams and go wherever I want in life.
And I'm doing my best
I'm putting all my effort and energy into achieving my goals.
But I know what I'm losing
Despite my forward momentum, I'm aware of what I've lost and what I've left behind.
Than the rest
Out of all the people and experiences in my life, this special person stands out as the most important, the sweetest.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC M BAZILIAN, RICHARD CHERTOFF, ROBERT EDWARD HYMAN, JOAN OSBORNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Roberto
This music is just Amazing and beautiful Joan Osborne the best 👍👏✌️😌
JimInNashville
Simply the best song I've heard this year. Masterful lyrics, simple yet evocative. Beautiful hook line, and, of course, the lush, passionate voice and perfect diction of the inimitable Joan Osborne. If this song doesn't hit the top 10 on radio lists, there is simply no justice. Every time I hear this song, I visualize Joan on the ferry, with the wind in her hair. Awesome!
FalconWhite
I really like this!! She has a great voice! Good to know she's still making albums.
Buz Kloot
Goodness, what a talent and how well has she used it!
Randy Potter
Joan is a treasure.
HUGUINI
Just Beautiful, I feel so lucky for having had the chance to hear such Talented Singers from the 90's like Joan, because nowadays music's lack of Talent is so Sad
Rob Waxman
I feel the same about the 60s and 70s.
lisa oaks
WHAT A VOICE! LOVE THIS SONG.....
Buz Kloot
Yes, wow. What a sublime voice!
sylvia1971de
This is Rob Hyman's and Eric Bazilian's musical brilliance at the basis and Joan Osborne's personality on top of it. Impressive.