The Vaughan Brothers is a collaboration of Stevie Ray Vaughan and older bro… Read Full Bio ↴The Vaughan Brothers is a collaboration of Stevie Ray Vaughan and older brother Jimmie Vaughan. A one time thing at the time that could've gone to more albums, but SRV's unexpected death dashed all hopes of making another album with his brother. The album "Family Style" was recorded in 1990, and was released just after SRV's death, but there will always be double trouble in our lives.

Sibling blues guitarists Jimmie Vaughan (born in 1951) and Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990) were born and raised in Dallas, TX. Each began playing guitar during childhood, Stevie Ray inspired to take up the instrument by his older brother. Jimmie Vaughan played in various groups in Dallas and Austin before hooking up with singer/harmonica player Kim Wilson and forming the Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1974. The group was signed to Chrysalis Records, for which they made four albums, starting with a self-titled 1979 debut. The second and third of them, What’s the Word (1980) and Butt Rockin’ (1981), made the lower reaches of the charts, but the band was dropped by the label after the commercial failure of T-Bird Rhythm in the fall of 1982.

Meanwhile, Stevie Ray Vaughan had been playing around Texas, at first with Triple Threat featuring singer Lou Ann Barton, and then, after her departure, with drummer Chris Layton and newly recruited bassist Tommy Shannon as Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. His appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1982 led to a recording contract with Epic Records and the release of his debut album, Texas Flood, a Top 40 hit, in 1983. He followed it with the even more successful Couldn’t Stand the Weather (1984) and Soul to Soul (1985), each of which went gold within two years. (All three albums have since gone platinum.)

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s success stimulated Epic’s interest in his brother’s band. The Epic subsidiary CBS Associated signed the Fabulous Thunderbirds and issued Tuff Enuff (1986), which spawned a Top Ten single in the title-track and itself made the Top 20, going gold within six months and eventually platinum. The same year, Stevie Ray Vaughan issued Live Alive, which eventually went platinum.

The careers of both brothers subsided soon after. Stevie Ray Vaughan went into rehab, while the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ follow-ups to Tuff Enuff, Hot Number (1987) and Powerful Stuff (1989), did not match its commercial success. Jimmie Vaughan amicably parted from the band in June 1990. Stevie Ray Vaughan returned after more than two and a half years with In Step (1989), which became his biggest seller yet, eventually going double platinum. The brothers had long planned a duo project, and in 1990 they finally found time for it, recording Family Style. But the month before the album’s scheduled release, Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990. The album appeared in September and it soared into the Top Ten, selling over a million copies.

Jimmie Vaughan helped oversee posthumous releases of his brother’s recordings, such as the two-million-selling Top Ten hit The Sky Is Crying (1991). He launched his own solo career in the spring of 1994 with Strange Pleasure, released by Epic.

'Vaughan Brothers' are also on Last.fm here: 'Vaughan Brothers'

Brothers
The Vaughan Brothers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What is that I hear?

Turn that down

Lie low ship

That's your brother
Don't do that

I won't
Your ship

Ooh oh, yeah
That sounds good
That's right
Ooh oh, boy
Sounds good

I love you both

Overall Meaning

The Vaughan Brothers' song "Brothers" is a beautiful tribute to the bond shared by siblings. The lyrics are simple yet powerful and showcase the deep love and admiration the two brothers have for each other. The first line, "What is that I hear?" seems like a casual inquiry but sets the tone for the rest of the song. The brothers are in conversation, sharing music perhaps or just enjoying each other's company. The next line, "Turn that down" reveals that one brother is being noisy and the other is asking him to be quiet.

The third line, "Lie low ship," is a metaphorical reference to sailing and indicates that one brother is advising the other to take it easy or be careful. When the second brother asks about who is making the noise, the first responds, "That's your brother," indicating that they are indeed very close siblings. Following this, there is a brief exchange where one brother asks the other not to do something, and he agrees.

The rest of the song is about the music they are sharing and the emotional connection they have for each other. It's a beautiful way of expressing brotherly love and the special bond that siblings share. The final line, "I love you both," is a powerful and emotional moment that brings the song to a beautiful conclusion.

Line by Line Meaning

What is that I hear?
I hear something, what is it exactly?

Turn that down
Lower the volume of whatever is producing that sound

Lie low ship
Stay quiet and keep a low profile

That's your brother
The person making noise is your brother

Don't do that
Stop the behavior causing the disturbance

I won't
I will comply with your request to stop making noise

Your ship
Your responsibility to maintain a quiet and peaceful environment

Ooh oh, yeah
Expressing excitement and enjoyment of the music

That sounds good
The music being played is enjoyable and pleasing to the ears

That's right
Agreement with a statement or action taken

Ooh oh, boy
Positive exclamation made due to the enjoyment of the music