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.
Take These Chains From My Heart
The Osborne Brothers Lyrics
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Take these chains from my heart and set me free
You've grown cold and no longer care for me
All my faith in you is gone but the heartaches linger on
Take these chains from my heart and set me free
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
If you love somebody new, let me find a new love, too
Take these chains from my heart and set me free
Give my heart just a word of sympathy (sympathy)
Be as fair to my heart as you can be (you can be)
Then if you no longer care for the love that's beating there
Take these chains from my heart and set me free
Take these chains from my heart and set me free (set me free)
The Osborne Brothers' song "Take These Chains From My Heart" is a plea for freedom from heartbreak and unrequited love. The singer is begging their former lover to let go of them and find happiness with someone else. The chorus implores the listener to take away the chains that bind them to this unfulfilling love, and give them the chance to be free and find love again. The lyrics are filled with sadness and resignation, as the singer has lost all faith in their former partner's love and longs to move on.
The verses of the song further emphasize the singer's pain and longing for release. They describe the coldness and indifference of their former lover, and their own struggle to let go of the memories and heartache that linger. They ask for just a "spark of the love that used to be," suggesting that they still hold a glimmer of hope that the relationship can be salvaged. However, they ultimately recognize that it's time to move on and find a new love, even if it means letting go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Take these chains from my heart and set me free
Please release me from the bond that is tying me to you
You've grown cold and no longer care for me
Your feelings for me have faded and turned indifferent
All my faith in you is gone but the heartaches linger on
I no longer believe in you, but the pain and suffering you caused me remains
Take these tears from my eyes and let me see
Stop making me cry and allow me to see clearly again
Just a spark of the love that used to be
Let me remember the love we once had
If you love somebody new, let me find a new love, too
If you have moved on, then allow me to do the same
Give my heart just a word of sympathy (sympathy)
Extend some kindness to me and acknowledge my feelings
Be as fair to my heart as you can be (you can be)
Treat my heart with fairness and honesty
Then if you no longer care for the love that's beating there
If you no longer love me, at least have the decency to let me go
Take these chains from my heart and set me free
Release me from the emotional captivity that you have put me in
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED ROSE, HY HEATH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind