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”.
sorry i never knew you
The Browns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sleeping a dream came to me i dreamed
About the end of time, about enternity.
I saw a million sinners fall on their knees to pray
The lord he sadly shook his head and this i heard him say.
Sorry i never knew you,
I find no record of your birth sorry i never knew
You go and serve the one that you have served before.
Fully come when i could stand a thrive,
I told the lord that i had been a christian all the while,
So thru his book,
He took a look,
And sadly shook his head.
Then he placed me over on his left and this i heard him say.
Sorry i never knew you,
I find no record of your birth, sorry i never knew you,
Go and serve the one that you served down on earth.
3rd verse there were my wife and children,
I heard their loving voice,
They must have been so happy oh how they did rejoice,
Their robes of white around them, their faces all aglow,
My little girl looked over at me and this i heard her say...
Chours daddy we can′
T go with you,
We must dwell in the joy of our lord,
Sorry for we still love you,
But you'
Ll never be our daddy anymore.
4th verse now when i had awakened, the tears were in my eyes,
And looking all around me,
And there to my surprise there were my loving babies i knew it was a
Dream and down beside that bed of
Mine you should have heard me scream.
Chours father which art in heaven,
I know thou gave thine only son,
Father please forgive me, for i want to be ready when you come,
In “Sorry I Never Knew You,” the Browns sing a song about a dream that reflects on their understanding of salvation and what it means to be a true Christian. The first verse of the song sets us in the end times where a group of sinners falls to their knees to pray, yet the Lord still does not recognize them. The second verse follows with the singer eagerly telling the Lord that he has been a Christian and is ready to go to Heaven, but again, the Lord does not recognize him. In the third verse, the singer sees his family, but even they do not recognize him because he is not part of the group that made it into Heaven. Finally, in the last verse, the singer wakes up and realizes it's only a dream. He falls to his knees, begging for forgiveness and asking to prepare himself for when the Lord comes.
The lyrics of this song show the Browns’ introspections on their faith and salvation. The dream sequence provides a sense of urgency to the message and reminds listeners of the consequences of not living a true Christian life. The song also highlights the thought that one's earthly life will not carry over into eternity and that one must forsake their earthly desires and serve the Lord completely to be saved. The lyrics deal with heavy themes and are a reminder to those who listen that they must never take their salvation lightly.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night as I lay sleeping a dream came to me
The singer experienced a powerful dream.
I dreamed about the end of time, about eternity.
The dream involved themes of the apocalypse and the afterlife.
I saw a million sinners fall on their knees to pray
The dream included a scene in which many people repented for their sins.
The Lord he sadly shook his head and this I heard him say.
In the dream, the voice of God expressed disappointment and sorrow.
Sorry I never knew you,
God expressed regret for not being familiar with the singer.
I find no record of your birth
God indicated that the singer's life on earth was not notable.
You go and serve the one that you have served before.
God instructed the singer to return to their previous way of life.
I thought the time had fully come when I could stand a thrive,
The singer had felt confident in their spiritual standing.
I told the Lord that I had been a Christian all the while,
The singer believed they had already been living a religious life.
So thru his book, he took a look, and sadly shook his head.
God revealed, through their life's record, that the singer was not as faithful as they had assumed.
Then he placed me over on his left and this I heard him say.
God placed the singer on their 'left,' indicating that they were not among the chosen.
There were my wife and children, I heard their loving voice,
The dream included a reunion with the singer's deceased family.
They must have been so happy oh how they did rejoice,
The singer saw their late family members looking joyous and at peace.
Their robes of white around them, their faces all aglow,
The deceased family members were depicted wearing symbolic and heavenly attire.
My little girl looked over at me and this I heard her say...
The singer's daughter spoke to them in the dream.
Daddy we can′t go with you,
The singer's daughter conveyed that they could not accompany them.
We must dwell in the joy of our Lord,
The singer's daughter indicated that their family had found eternal happiness elsewhere.
Sorry for we still love you,
The singer's daughter expressed love for them despite their separation.
But you'll never be our daddy anymore.
The family no longer existed in a way that allowed the singer to be their father.
Now when I had awakened, the tears were in my eyes,
The dream had a strong emotional impact on the singer.
And looking all around me, and there to my surprise
Upon waking up, the singer realized their surroundings were different from the dream.
There were my loving babies I knew it was a dream
The singer saw their own children in reality and recognized that the dream was not real.
And down beside that bed of mine you should have heard me scream.
The experience was so distressing that the singer cried out.
Father which art in heaven
The singer addresses God in prayer.
I know thou gave thine only son,
The singer acknowledges the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Father please forgive me, for I want to be ready when you come
The singer asks God for forgiveness and expresses their desire to be prepared for the afterlife.
Writer(s): Sherman Branch, Henkle Little
Contributed by Molly V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.