1) The Browns were … Read Full Bio ↴There are three bands under the name The Browns.
1) The Browns were an American family singing group from Pine Bluff, Arkansas made up of Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown.
Country music singers, they sang individually at rural venues until 1954 when Maxine Brown, and younger brother Jim Ed, signed a record contract as a singing duo. Eighteen-year-old Bonnie joined the group in 1955, and the following year they were signed by Chet Atkins, RCA Victor Records producer in Nashville, Tennessee. The family trio recorded several songs that met with only modest success until 1959, when their 45 rpm folk single called "The Three Bells" was a no. 1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 pop music and country music charts. Based on a song called "Les trois cloches," the song was originally a hit in France for both the group Les Compagnons de la chanson and Édith Piaf.
The Browns followed up the success of "The Three Bells" with "Scarlet Ribbons" and "The Old Lamplighter," recordings that also did very well on both the pop and country music charts. With an international following, The Browns toured Europe extensively and recorded further moderate successes on the country music charts. In 1963, they became part of the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1965, Jim Ed Brown began working on a solo career, and in 1967 the trio formally disbanded. Jim Ed continued to record for RCA and had a number of country hits starting in 1965 while still with The Browns. In 1967, he released his first solo top 10 with "Pop A Top" which became his signature song. In 1970, he gained a crossover hit with "Morning" which went to number 4 on the country charts and number 47 on the pop charts. Other hits for Jim Ed included "Angel's Sunday"(1971), "Southern Loving"(1973), "Sometime Sunshine"(1974) and "It's That Time Of Night"(1974). In 1976, he released a string of major duet hits with Helen Cornelius starting with the #1 hit "I Don't Wanna Have To Marry You". Other hits for the duo included "Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye"(1977), "Born Believer"(1977), "I'll Never Be Free"(1978), "If The World Ran Out Of Love Tonight"(1978), "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"(1979), "Lying In Love With You"(1979), "Fools"(1979), "Morning Comes Too Early"(1980), and "Don't Bother To Knock"(1981).
Jim Ed has also hosted the syndicated country shows Jim Ed Brown's Country Place, and Nashville On The Road. On The Nashville Network he hosted the talent show You Can Be A Star, and the travel show Going Our Way which featured his wife, Becky, where they went traveling to different places in an RV.
Maxine Brown briefly had a solo career during the late 1960's releasing an album and single for Chart Records titled "Sugar Cane Country".
In 2006, the Browns reunited to perform "The Old Lamplighter" and "The Three Bells" for the PBS special, Country Pop Legends.
2) A horror-themed punk band. Formed in 1998, they played consistently for a year and a half around Western Canada, opening for The New Bomb Turks, Nashville Pussy, AFI, and Good Riddance. In the spring of 1998 the band self-released their first album "Getting Jiggy with The Browns". At this time, the line up was much different; Charlie - Guitar & Vocals, Emmett - Guitar, Leroy - Bass, Freddy - Drums and Lucy - Keyboards.
During the summer of 1998 Lucy and Emmet left the band, Freddy moved to Guitar and a new drummer named ODB began performing live shows, a new keyboard player was not sought out. Also around this time Charlie gave up his guitar duties and focused solely on lead vocals.
In 1999 Meter Records (Canada) released "Greatest Hits Volume One." Shortly after the release The Motherfucking Browns played what they said was their "final" show (summer of 1999) much to the dismay of both Meter Records and the Western Canadian music scene.
In 2000 Middle Man Records (USA) released a split 7" record with The Motherfucking Browns and John Q. Public. The Motherfucking Browns contributed a song from their 1999 album; "Lady, Stay Dead!" alongside a cover of "Bullet" a cover by the influential horror-rock band The Misfits.
2003 saw the release of Tony Hawk's Underground, video game for all major gaming platforms. Alongside bands like Kiss and Social Distortion, The Motherfucking Browns contributed a censored version of their song: "American Werewolf in Calgary". Tony Hawk's Underground went on to win several awards as a groundbreaking video game in 2003.
With the success of Tony Hawk's Underground a new website for the band was announced as well as a new myspace site. Both sites confirmed The Motherfucking Browns were performing with a new line-up: Charlie - Vocals, Eddie - Guitar, James - Bass, Joe - Drums.
2004 saw the release of "And Now the Screaming Starts!" on Meter Records (Canada). After much publicity, and several live shows in the Mid West USA, Horror High Records released their single "The Scream on Halloween" on their "Prom Queen Massacre" compilation, featuring other horror-rock bands such as Blitzkid and Calabrese.
After nearly three years of no activity Meter Records reported that The Motherfucking Browns have returned with the original line up that played on "Greatest Hits Volume One" (except ODB who had since passed away, and replaced by Chow Yun). In the fall of 2007 The Motherfucking Browns played a triumphant "comeback" show in their hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Performing alongside fellow horror rockers Forbidden Dimension. In an interview with Beatroute Magazine a new album for 2008 was announced.
The band is known for their abrasive stage shows, wearing Balaclava ski masks on stage, and songs primarily about horror movies. Charlie Brown is also a contributing writer for horror website www.killerfilm.com
"The best band in the fucking world, you fuckers!"
3) The Browns, a gospel-influenced band, exude excitement on the stage and offer a life-changing experience to all who hear them. The Browns deliver the powerful message of the gospel through word and song that engage audiences of all ages.
The Browns have been touring across the United States since the group began its full-time ministry nine years ago. The heralded group began on the local and state level and has expanded and grown into a national touring group.
This year The Browns received the prestigious honor of Top 10 Mixed Group of the Year for the second year in a row. The Browns will be attending the Singing News Magazine fan awards at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. “It started out with the Singing News magazine fans voting for the top ten,” Michaela said. “We had no idea we were up for this ward until we got an e-mail to tell us. We were up with some wonderful groups. This honor is very rewarding coming from the fans and knowing that we’ve touched their hearts or ministered to them in some way.” Previously The Browns had been awarded the Top Horizon Group of the Year for 3 consecutive years.
The group has finished their newest recording at the Sound Kitchen and Daywind Studios in Nashville, TN with Grammy award winning producer, Bubba Smith. ”A New Day” will be the Browns 10th national CD release. The newest single on the album has just climbed to #25 on the national radio charts. It is written by group member Jessica, and her fiance, Nick Trammell intitled “It’s A God Thing”.
Where I Was
The Browns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was watching Neal Armstrong walking on the moon
That same day I pretended I was an astronaut
on the playground monkey bars I flew above the stars
I was in a Dallas disco the night John Lennon died
The DJ played "Imagine" and everybody cried
I remember a thousand lighters held up in our hands
All we were saying was let's give peace a chance
[Chorus]
Where was I when you stopped lovin' me
When did I become history
There's not many things that escape my memory
Tell me where was I when you stopped loving me
Every twenty thousand years a comet lights up the night
On a blanket we watched it sail across the sky
A Moment like that comes just once in life
It felt like our first time at 11:35
[Chorus]
I remember when I met you
The taste of our first kiss
I remember your goodbye
Could you tell me this
[Chorus]
Where was I when you stopped loving me
The Browns's song "Where I Was" is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of time and memory. The song begins with nostalgic references to the singer's childhood and adolescence, as he recalls watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon on a black and white TV when he was in grammar school. The singer also reminisces about playing make-believe as an astronaut on the playground monkey bars that same day. The song then shifts to more adult memories, as the singer remembers being in a Dallas disco the night John Lennon died, and how the DJ played "Imagine" and everyone cried while holding up lighters.
The chorus of the song poses the question "Where was I when you stopped lovin' me?" suggesting that the memory of lost love is a central theme of the song. However, the lyrics also delve into broader themes of the passage of time and the ways in which memories are both preserved and lost. References to a once-in-a-lifetime moment like a comet lighting up the night sky, and the taste of a first kiss, are contrasted with a sense of loss as the singer grapples with the question of when and how he became "history" to his former lover.
Overall, "Where I Was" is a moving meditation on the nature of memory, time, and loss. The song invites the listener to reflect on their own experiences of love and loss, and the memories that persist even as time marches on.
Line by Line Meaning
On a black and white TV back in grammar school
Back when I was just a kid in grammar school, I remember watching the iconic moment in history when Neal Armstrong walked on the moon on an old black and white television set.
That same day I pretended I was an astronaut
I was so enamored with the idea of space travel that I even pretended to be an astronaut that same day on the monkey bars in the playground.
on the playground monkey bars I flew above the stars
As I played on the monkey bars, I imagined myself flying amongst the stars, exploring the mysteries of the universe.
I was in a Dallas disco the night John Lennon died
One particularly fateful night, I found myself at a disco in Dallas when the news broke of John Lennon's tragic death.
The DJ played "Imagine" and everybody cried
In honor of John Lennon, the DJ played his iconic song "Imagine", causing an outpouring of grief and emotion from everyone in attendance.
I remember a thousand lighters held up in our hands
As we all mourned the loss of a legend, we stood together with our lighters raised high in the air, united in sorrow and remembrance.
All we were saying was let's give peace a chance
In that moment of shared sadness and emotion, we were reminded of John Lennon's message of peace and love, and we all came together in a spirit of unity and hope for a better world.
[Chorus]
The refrain of the song repeats, asking the question: where was I when you stopped loving me? The memories and events recounted in the previous verses all serve to emphasize the loss and confusion felt by the artist over this event.
Every twenty thousand years a comet lights up the night
In contrast to the historical and cultural events described earlier in the song, this verse speaks to the sense of wonder and awe inspired by natural phenomena, such as the sight of a comet lighting up the night sky.
On a blanket we watched it sail across the sky
The poet reminisces about a moment shared with his lover, when they lay together on a blanket and watched a beautiful comet streak across the sky.
A Moment like that comes just once in life
The singer recognizes the rarity and significance of such a moment, and cherishes the memory deeply.
It felt like our first time at 11:35
The memory of watching the comet together is powerful enough to evoke the same feelings of nervous excitement and anticipation felt in the beginning of the lovers' relationship.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats, underscoring the central theme of the song: a yearning to know where things went wrong and why the singer's lover stopped loving them.
I remember when I met you
The poet recalls the moment when they first met their lover, picturing the details of that day in his mind.
The taste of our first kiss
As he reflects on their early romance, the poet recalls the sensory details of their first kiss: the scent, the feel, and especially the taste of the experience.
I remember your goodbye
The poet also remembers the painful moment of separation from his lover, a difficult goodbye that lingers in his memory and troubles him still.
Could you tell me this
The song ends on a plaintive note, with the poet asking his lost love to explain why they stopped loving him and left him behind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANNA LISA GRAHAM, BILLY MADDOX, JIM ALLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maxine Russell
I love this song, written by our good friend, Harlan Howard. I hope it will be one of your favorites also. Thanks for the post. (Maxine Brown)
mrblindfreddy9999
maxine. I can honestly say you guys never recorded a dud and i have heard some awful stuff..I even tossed some cd's in the bin lol (not yours) cheers Dave