A few weeks ago I attended a Joan Osborne concert (you can read my review here) and since then I’ve been playing several Joan Osborne CDs. My favorite Joan Osborne album is Breakfast in Bed with its covers of many hit songs. Included on this CD is Osborne’s stirring rendition of “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” from Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Also great is Osborne singing “Heat Wave.”
How Sweet It Is is almost as good as Breakfast in Bed with Osborne singing standards like “I’ll Be Around,” “How Sweet It Is,” “War,” and “Everybody Is a Star.”
Also worth listening to is Righteous Love with songs like Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and “Love Is Alive.” If Joan Osborne visits Western New York again, I plan to attend her concert! How many of these songs do you remember?
GRADES: Breakfast in Bed: A
How Sweet It Is: B+
Righteous Love: B
TRACK LIST:
- “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination” (Gerry Goffin, Barry Goldberg)
- “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Bill Withers)
- “Midnight Train to Georgia” (Jim Weatherly)
- “Baby Is a Butterfly” (Osborne)
- “Breakfast in Bed” (Eddie Hinton, Donnie Fritts)
- “Cream Dream” (Osborne)
- “Natural High” (Charles McCormick)
- “Heart of Stone” (Osborne)
- “Sara Smile” (Daryl Hall, John Oates)
- “Eliminate the Night” (Osborne)
- “Break Up to Make Up” (Thom Bell, Linda Creed, Kenneth Gamble)
- “I Know What’s Goin’ On” (Osborne)
- “Alone with You” (Osborne)
- “Kiss and Say Goodbye” (Winfred Lovett)
- “Heat Wave” (Holland–Dozier–Holland)
- “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (William Weatherspoon, James Dean, Paul Riser)
- “Everybody Needs a Friend” (Curtis Mayfield) (bonus track)
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | I’ll Be Around Written-By – Phil Hurtt, Thomas Randolph Bell | 4:31 | |
| 2 | Think Written-By – Aretha Franklin, Ted White | 3:38 | |
| 3 | How Sweet It Is Written-By – Lamont Herbert Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland* | 4:21 | |
| 4 | Smiling Faces Sometimes Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield | 4:44 | |
| 5 | Love’s In Need Of Love Today Written-By – Stevie Wonder | 4:12 | |
| 6 | These Arms Of Mine Written-By – Otis Redding | 4:39 | |
| 7 | Only You Know And I Know Written-By – Dave Mason | 3:45 | |
| 8 | War Written-By – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield | 5:50 | |
| 9 | Why Can’t We Live Together Written-By – Timothy E. Thomas | 4:57 | |
| 10 | Axis: Bold As Love Written-By – Jimi Hendrix | 4:03 | |
| 11 | The Weight Written-By – Robbie Robertson | 5:13 | |
| 12 | Everybody Is A Star Written-By – Sylvester Stewart | 3:15 |
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Running Out Of Time Written-By – Joan Osborne, Louie Perez | 4:45 | |
| 2 | Righteous Love Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur | 4:15 | |
| 3 | Safety In Numbers Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Joan Osborne | 4:28 | |
| 4 | Love Is Alive Written-By – Gary Wright | 3:26 | |
| 5 | Angel Face Written-By – Andreas Uetz, Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez | 3:35 | |
| 6 | Grand Illusion Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca | 4:02 | |
| 7 | If I Was Your Man Written-By – Joan Osborne, Joseph Arthur, Louie Perez, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman | 4:58 | |
| 8 | Baby Love Producer – Aaron Corness Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Rainy Orteca | 4:17 | |
| 9 | Hurricane Written-By – Erik Della Penna, Jack Petruzzelli, Joan Osborne, Mike Mangini | 4:16 | |
| 10 | Poison Apples (Hallelujah) Written-By – Joan Osborne, Rick Cherthoff*, Rob Hyman | 4:18 | |
| 11 | Make You Feel My Love Producer – Rick Wil* Written-By – Bob Dylan | 4:02 |
I would certainly give all of these a listen. I like that she picked some lesser-known and rather unexpected songs like “Love Is Alive”, “Why Can’t We Live Together”, and “Kiss and Say Goodbye”. I can just see Joan driving around, listening to the radio, hearing a rather obscure oldie, and thinking to herself, “That might be worth a try.” These collections give me that vibe.
Deb, you certainly have the vibe right! These CDs display the best of Joan Osborne’s covers. And, as you say, Osborne has chosen some unexpected songs which add to the delight these albums deliver!!
Deb, you’re right, of course. I also get that same vibe from recent Boz ascaggs albums, starting with MEMPHIS.
Jeff, I have some Boz Scaggs CDs around here somewhere…
I like her work; though it would take effort to screw up a song as contagious as “Heat Wave”, I might just go listen to her version now…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTKFR3ra2ts Osbourne with the Funk Bros. and backing vocalists who are uncredited in this snippet from STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN…
Todd, STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN is a wonderful documentary!
Todd, check out “What’s Become of the Broken Hearted” on YouTube. Classic!
Alas, I’m only seeing two live performances, the better one a soundcheck with all kinds of technical distortion. Got a good link?
Todd, try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG5FGjnp_yU&list=RDrG5FGjnp_yU&start_radio=1
Even while lip-synching, the Supremes didn’t have Nothing on Martha and the Vandellas. Though if Florence Ballard was singing lead, that might’ve been less true.
Todd, I love Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes! Girl groups ruled in the 1960s!
One of my husband’s favorites.
Patti, Phil had great taste!
9 on the first, all of them on the second (we have the CD) and one on the third.
I was particularly impressed at one of the benefit concerts we saw her perform at (some years ago) when she said she has to get home to her 13 year old daughter.
OK, bought BREAKFAST IN BED.
Jeff, you and Jackie will enjoy BREAKFAST IN BED!
Jeff, I’ve been a fan of Joan Osborne for decades. I listen to her CDs on a regular basis.
I have been a fan of Joan Osborne from day one. Well, pretty much day one. She’d been around a bit before RELISH came out, but that was her first real album, and it was a winner. We’ve seen her a few times, but not often enough. A great singer, and while she makes her living off of covers, a good songwriter as well. I have most of her cds, and always enjoy playing them.
Jeff, I share your enthusiasm for Joan Osborne and her cover songs. I’ve only seen her performance live once–the Joan Osborne Sings Dylan event–but if she’s anywhere close to Western NY I’d make the effort to see her.