The first known public appearance of the Osborne Brothers was in 1951. They joined the cast at WCYB Bristol, Virginia, to perform on a program called "Farm and Fun Time", along with other Bluegrass bands, such as, The Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Carl Story and his Rambling Mountainers. Other members of "Farm and Fun Time" included, Jim & Jesse, Little Robert Van Winkle, Curly King and the Tennessee Hilltoppers, and country recording artist Red Kirk. The live program aired five days a week, Monday through Friday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm on WCYB Radio, and covered five states.
Upon their breakout into the bluegrass scene, the Osborne Brothers quickly became noted for their virtuosic instrumentation and tight, melodic vocal harmonies. Their first country chart appearance was "Once More", a 1958 trio with Red Allen, with a then-novel inverted stacked harmony: Bobby singing the lead line highest, then Sonny singing baritone, and finally the third singer (in this case Red Allen) singing the tenor as the lowest part. This placed Bobby's distinctive voice as the lead, and made the third voice a somewhat interchangeable part. As a result, the brothers could hire a series of guitarist/singers without changing their overall sound. This "high lead" vocal trio became their signature sound, used to great effect in the country market, with songs like "Blame Me", "Sweethearts Again", and a remake of the Carter Family's "Fair and Tender Ladies".
During their breakout period of the mid 1950s, Sonny's banjo and Bobby's mandolin styles became distinctive and easily-identifiable with their overall sound. The band was inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry on August 8, 1964.
The Osborne Brothers have the distinction of having recorded two songs that would go on to be officially voted as "state songs." The first, "Rocky Top," was named a Tennessee state song in 1982. The other, "Kentucky," was named a state song for the brothers' home state of Kentucky.
In 1994, The Osborne Brothers were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association's Hall of Honor. The induction is considered bluegrass music's highest honor.
Fair and Tender Ladies
The Osborne Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take warning how you court your men
They're like a star on a cloudy morning
First they'll appear and then they're gone
They'll tell to you some loving story
They'll swear to you their love is true
Straight way they'll go and court another
Oh don't you remember our days of courting
You told me that you would love me the best
You could make me believe by the fall of your eyes
That the sun rose in the west
If I had known before I courted
That love was such a killing thing
I'd lock my heart in a box of golden
And fasten it with a silver pin
I wish I was a little sparrow
And I had wings and I could fly
I'd fly right home to my false true lover
And when he'd ask, I would deny
But I am not some little sparrow
I've no wings and I can't fly
So I'll stay right here with my grief and sorrow
And let my life pass me by
Come all ye fair and tender ladies
Take warning how you court your men
They're like a star on a cloudy morning
First they'll appear and then they're gone
In The Osborne Brothers' song "Fair and Tender Ladies," the lyrics warn women about the deceitful nature of men when it comes to love. The lyrics encourage women to be cautious when courting men because they are unpredictable and can easily leave without any explanation. The men in the song are compared to stars on a cloudy morning because they can easily appear and then disappear without leaving any trace behind. The women are cautioned against believing their sweet words and loving stories, which are often lies.
In the second verse, the woman reflects on her own experience with a deceitful lover who promised to love her the most but then went ahead to court someone else. She remembers how she fell for his lies and believed that he loved her because of his convincing and charming mannerisms. The woman regrets not knowing earlier that love is a "killing thing" and that it can be painful when one's heart is broken. If she had known this earlier, she would have guarded her heart and protected it from being hurt.
In the third verse, the woman imagines herself as a little sparrow with wings who could fly away from her "false true lover" if she wanted. However, she is not a bird and cannot fly away from her pain and hurt. She must stay where she is and let life pass her by with her grief and sorrow.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale that warns women to be careful when it comes to love and men. It advises them to guard their hearts and not to believe everything men tell them, as men can easily change their minds and leave with no warning.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all ye fair and tender ladies
Attention, all women, who are beautiful and gentle.
Take warning how you court your men
Be careful to choose the right man to court.
They're like a star on a cloudy morning
Men are like a fleeting star, appearing and quickly disappearing.
First they'll appear and then they're gone
They show up for a while only to disappear later.
They'll tell to you some loving story
They'll narrate a romantic story to you.
They'll swear to you their love is true
They'll falsely promise you a love that never ends.
Straight way they'll go and court another
Promptly, they'll go to court another woman.
And that's the love that they had for you
This is how much they loved you; not much at all.
Oh don't you remember our days of courting
Do you remember when we were courting?
You told me that you would love me the best
You claimed that you would love me the most.
You could make me believe by the fall of your eyes
Your confident gaze made me believe your lies.
That the sun rose in the west
You made me believe impossible things, like the sun rising in the west.
If I had known before I courted
If only I knew before falling in love with you.
That love was such a killing thing
Love is a dangerous and destructive thing.
I'd lock my heart in a box of golden
I would protect my heart with a golden box.
And fasten it with a silver pin
I would secure it with a silver pin.
I wish I was a little sparrow
I wish I were a small bird.
And I had wings and I could fly
If I had wings, I could fly away and escape.
I'd fly right home to my false true lover
I would fly back to the man who deceived me.
And when he'd ask, I would deny
If he asked about my whereabouts, I would lie.
But I am not some little sparrow
However, I'm not a bird.
I've no wings and I can't fly
I don't have wings to fly, so I must stay.
So I'll stay right here with my grief and sorrow
Thus, I'll remain here, tormented by sadness and pain.
And let my life pass me by
I'll watch my life go by without taking action.
Come all ye fair and tender ladies
Once again, attention all women who are gentle and beautiful.
Take warning how you court your men
This time, be careful in selecting the men you want to be with.
They're like a star on a cloudy morning
Remember, men are like fleeting stars that disappear quickly.
First they'll appear and then they're gone
They will arrive and depart quickly, leaving you alone in the end.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MAYBELLE CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andyprice4876
Can't get better than this. Absolutely perfect. Every time I hear their version, it sounds better and better.
@tvrvere
So tender and sweet. Love it❤
@arnoldharris
Awesome Harmony. RIPGuys.✨✨
@larrybaldwin6743
Some of the best harmony ever! Sorry we lost them. They are in a much better place!
@elf3477
Rest in peace to my beautiful father who played and sang this song perfectly. Miss u dad.
@davidkitson635
A beautiful song performed perfectly. When I take my dogs (both females) out for a walk, I first call their attention; “Come on, my fair and tender ladies”.
@julieroeters9718
😉
@lisabarnes4653
Beautiful!
@mikeburks9641
unbelievable harmony. much respect to these guys.
@yeshuh4681
absolute perfection. Emotion, harmony, grasping words, and of course overall vibe. praying for more stuff on this level in or after the year 2022