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.
Think
Joan Osborne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (THINK THINK)
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
Let's go back let's go back let's go way on back when
I didn't even know you. You couldn't 'o been too much more than 10
I ain't no psychiatrist I ain't no doctor with degrees
You better think (THINK!)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (THINK THINK)
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
Freedom (freedom), Freedom (freedom)
There ain't nothing you could ask I can answer what you want
But I was gonna change my mind if you keep doin' things I don't
You better think (THINK!)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (THINK THINK)
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
People walkin' 'round everyday planning games and taking scores
Tryin to make other people lose their minds well be careful you don't lose
Yours
You better think (THINK!)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (THINK THINK)
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
You need me and I need you
Without each other there ain't nothing we can do
(vamp)
Oh Freedom (freedom) Freedom (freedom) . . .
There ain't nothing you could ask I can answer what you want
But I was gonna change my mind if you keep doin' things I don't
You better think (THINK!)
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Think (THINK THINK)
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
You need me and I need you
Without each other there ain't nothing we can do
(vamp)
Freedom . . .
Think ! . . .
The song "Think" by Joan Osborne is a cover of the original song by Aretha Franklin released in 1968. It is a classic feminist anthem and a call for freedom from oppression. The song urges people to think for themselves and not just follow the crowd blindly, while also urging people to be mindful of the impact of their actions on others.
The lyrics talk about a relationship in which one person is dominating and trying to manipulate the other. The singer asks the person to think about what they are doing and how it affects her. She stresses that she has the freedom to make her own choices and that they should respect that. The chorus is a repetition of "think" which emphasizes the importance of critical thinking.
The lyrics also touch on the issues of power dynamics and gender inequality. The singer talks about how people try to make others lose their minds by playing games and taking scores. This can be interpreted as the societal pressure to conform to certain gender roles and behaviors. The song encourages people to break free from these molds and be true to themselves.
Overall, "Think" is a powerful feminist anthem that encourages people to take control of their own lives, be mindful of their actions, and fight for their own freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
You better think (THINK!)
You need to think very seriously and intentionally about your actions
Think about what you're trying to do to me
Consider how your actions might negatively impact me
Think (THINK THINK)
Emphasizes the importance of taking the time to fully consider the situation
Let your mind go. Let yourself go free
Release yourself from any preconceived notions or biases you may have and consider the situation with an open mind
Let's go back let's go back let's go way on back when
Reflecting on a time before the current problem arose
I didn't even know you. You couldn't 'o been too much more than 10
Recalling a time before the relationship, when things were much simpler and less complicated
I ain't no psychiatrist I ain't no doctor with degrees
Acknowledging that the singer may not have all the answers, but the situation is still clear to them
But it don't take too much IQ to see what you're doin' to me
The situation is obvious and doesn't require a high level of intelligence to understand
Freedom (freedom), Freedom (freedom)
The repetition of "Freedom" emphasizes the importance of personal liberty
There ain't nothing you could ask I can answer what you want
The artist may not know what the other person wants, but they know what they don't want
But I was gonna change my mind if you keep doin' things I don't
If the other person continues to act in undesirable ways, the singer may reconsider their position
People walkin' 'round everyday planning games and taking scores
Other people may be attempting to manipulate or take advantage of the situation
Tryin to make other people lose their minds well be careful you don't lose Yours
Others may be trying to cause a scene or provoke a reaction; the singer urges caution to avoid falling into that trap
You need me and I need you
The singer acknowledges the importance of the relationship between the two parties involved
Without each other there ain't nothing we can do
Each person plays a critical role in the relationship, and neither can succeed without the other
Freedom . . .
The importance of personal liberty is emphasized once again
Think ! . . .
Reiterates the importance of careful consideration of the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aretha Franklin, Ted White
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind