Re-Re-discovering Joe Osborn

[lowend1]

How many of these did I hear riding in the back seat of my dad's car - One badass bass player! (My faves are "Midnight Confessions" and "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In")
From the internet...

With a recording career that spanned three decades, one can assume there might be a few hit songs along the way. In bassist Joe Osborn’s case, the number is around 200. This list contains songs that appeared on the pop charts. According to Joe, it’s a little incomplete due to the fact that he can’t remember every session.

Arranged By Year - Artist - Title - Chart Position

1961 - Rick Nelson - Travelin’ Man - 1
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - This Diamond Ring - 1
1965 - Barry Maguire - Eve Of Destruction - 1
1966 - Mamas & Papas - Monday Monday - 1
1966 - Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town - 1
1967 - Association - Windy - 1
1969 - Fifth Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues - 1
1969 - Tommy Roe - Dizzy - 1
1970 - Carpenters - Close To You - 1
1970 - Neil Diamond - Cracklin’ Rose - 1
1970 - Partridge Family - I Think I Love You - 1
1970 - Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water - 1
1972 - Helen Reddy - I Am Woman - 1
1973 - Carpenters - Top Of The World - 1
1973 - Helen Reddy - Delta Dawn – 1
1974 - Carpenters - Please Mr. Postman – 1

1964 - Johnny Rivers - Memphis - 2
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Count Me In - 2
1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Save Your Heart For Me - 2
1967 - Mamas & Papas - Dedicated To The One I Love - 2
1968 - Association - Never My Love - 2
1968 - Richard Harris - Macarthur Park - 2
1970 - Carpenters - Superstar - 2
1970 - Carpenters - We’ve Only Just Begun - 2
1970 - Fifth Dimension - One Less Bell To Answer - 2
1971 - Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays - 2
1972 - Carpenters - Hurting Each Other - 2
1973 - Carpenters - Yesterday Once More - 2
1976 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - I’d Really Love To See You Tonight – 2

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man - 3
1967 - Johnny Rivers - Baby I Need Your Lovin’ - 3
1968 - Fifth Dimension - Stone Soul Picnic - 3
1968 - Monkees - Valleri - 3
1969 - Bobby Sherman - Little Women - 3
1971 - Carpenters - For All We Know - 3
1973 - Carpenters - Sing - 3
1973 - Helen Reddy - Leave Me Alone – 3

1965 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Everybody Loves A Clown - 4
1966 - Mamas & Papas - California Dreamin’ - 4
1967 - Scott Mackenzie - San Francisco - 4
1974 - America - Tin Man - 4
1975 - Carpenters - Only Yesterday – 4

1962 - Rick Nelson - Teenage Idol - 5
1962 - Rick Nelson – Young World - 5
1966 - Mamas & Papas - Words Of Love - 5
1967 - Mamas & Papas – Creeque Alley - 5
1968 - Grass Roots - Midnight Confession - 5
1968 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Just Dropped In - 5
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Julie - Do You Love Me - 5
1974 - Neil Diamond - Longfellow Serenade - 5
1975 - America - Lonely People - 5
1977 – Kenny Rogers - Lucille – 5

1962 - Rick Nelson - It’s Up To You - 6
1964 - Rick Nelson – For You - 6
1966 - Mamas & Papas - I Saw Her Again - 6
1966 - Tommy Roe - Hurray For Hazel - 6
1969 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Ruby - 6
1969 - Neil Diamond - Holly Holy - 6
1970 - Barbra Streisand - Stoney End - 6
1972 - Johnny Rivers - Rockin’ Pneumonia - 6
1971 - Partridge Family - Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted – 6

1965 - Johnny Rivers - Seventh Son - 7
1967 - Fifth Dimension - Up Up And Away - 7
1969 - Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer - 7
1971 - Tommy Roe - Stagger Lee - 7
1972 - Carpenters - Goodbye To Love – 7

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Green Grass - 8
1968 - Boyce & Hart - I Wonder What She’s Doin’ Tonight - 8
1969 - Tommy Roe - Jam Up - Jelly Tight - 8
1972 - America - Ventura Highway - 8
1972 - Fifth Dimension - Didn’t Get To Sleep At All - 8
1975 - Helen Reddy - No Way To Treat A Lady – 8

1961 - Rick Nelson - Hello Mary Lou - 9
1964 - Johnny Rivers - Mountain Of Love - 9
1967 - Spanky & Our Gang - Sunday Will Never Be The Same - 9
1969 - Bobby Sherman - La La La - 9
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Easy Come Easy Go - 9
1971 - Grass Roots - Sooner Or Later - 9
1971 - Partridge Family - I’ll Meet You Halfway - 9
1973 - Art Garfunkel - All I Know - 9
1973 - B.W. Stevenson - My Maria - 9
1974 - Helen Reddy - You And Me Against The World - 9
1975 - Austin Roberts - Rocky - 9
1978 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - We’ll Never Have To Say Goodbye Again - 9
1982 - Sylvia - Nobody – 9

1967 - Johnny Rivers - Tracks Of My Tears - 10
1968 - Association – Everything That Touches You - 10
1970 - Mark Lindsay - Arizona - 10
1972 - Fifth Dimension - If I Could Reach You - 10
1976 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - Nights Are Forever – 10

1961 - Rick Nelson - A Wonder Like You - 11
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Somethin’s Burnin’ - 11
1974 - Carpenters - I Won’t Last A Day Without You - 11

1963 - Rick Nelson - Fools Rush In - 12
1964 - Johnny Rivers - Maybelle - 12
1968 - Cass Elliott - Dream A Little Dream - 12
1971 – Fifth Dimension - Never My Love - 12
1972 - Carpenters - It’s Going To Take Some Time - 12
1972 - Austin Roberts - Something’s Wrong With Me - 12
1973 - Helen Reddy - Peaceful - 12
1976 - Carpenters - There’s A Kind Of Hush – 12

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - My Heart Symphony - 13
1968 - Fifth Dimension - Sweet Blindness - 13
1971 - Helen Reddy - I Don’t Know How To Love Him - 13
1972 - Partridge Family - I Woke Up In Love This Morning - 13

1967 - Johnny Rivers - Summer Rain - 14

1966 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Paint Me A Picture - 15
1969 - Grass Roots - I’d Wait A Million Years - 15
1971 - Grass Roots - Temptation Eyes - 15
1974 - Helen Reddy - Keep On Singing – 15

1961 - Rick Nelson – Ever Lovin’ - 16
1967 - Fifth Dimension - Go Where You Wanna Go - L 6
1971 - Grass Roots - Two Divided By Love - 16
1971 - Bobby Sherman - Cry Like A Baby - 16
1981 - Carpenters - Touch Me When We’re Dancin’ – 16

1968 - Spanky & Our Gang - Like To Get To Know You - 17
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Tell It All Brother - 17
1975 - Carpenters - Solitaire – 17

1976 - Art Garfunkel - I Only Have Eyes For You – 18

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Muddy Water - 19
1968 - Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Sealed With A Kiss - 19
1969 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - But You Know I Love You - 19
1970 - Glen Campbell - Honey Come Back - 19
1971 - Fifth Dimension - Love Lines Angels & Rhymes - 19
1976 - Helen Reddy - Somewhere In The Night - 19
1982 - Michael Murphy - What’s Forever For – 19

1965 - Johnny Rivers - Midnight Special - 20
1967 - Mamas & Papas – Twelve Thirty - 20
1969 - Fifth Dimension - Workin’ On A Groovy Thing - 20
1970 - Michael Parks - Long Lonesome Highway - 20
1972 - Partridge Family - It’s One Of Those Nights - 20
1977 - Olivia Newton John - Sam – 20

1967 – Gary Lewis & The Playboys - Where Will Words Come From - 21
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Blowing Away - 21
1977 – England Dan & John Ford Coley - It’s Sad To Belong – 21

1975 - Helen Reddy - Emotion – 22

1967 - Grass Roots - Things I Should Have Said - 23
1967 - Tommy Roe - It’s Now Winter’s Day - 23
1969 - Glen Campbell - Try A Little Kindness - 23
1977 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - Gone Too Far - 23

1966 - Mamas & Papas - Look Through My Window - 24
1967 - Scott Mackenzie - Like An Old Time Movie - 24
1969 - Grass Roots – Heaven Knows - 24
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Puppet Man - 24
1970 - Bobby Sherman - Hey Mr. Sun – 24

1963 - Rick Nelson - String Along - 25
1969 - Fifth Dimension - California Soul - 25
1970 - Mark Lindsay - Silver Bird – 25

1976 - Carpenters - I Need To Be In Love - 26
1964 - Rick Nelson - The Very Thought Of You - 26
1965 - Johnny Rivers - Where Have All The Flowers Gone - 26
1967 - Glen Campbell - By The Time I Get To Phoenix - 26
1967 - Mamas & Papas - Glad To Be Unhappy - 26
1969 - Glen Campbell - Where’s The Playground Suzie - 26
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Reuben James - 26

1968 - Boyce & Hart - Alice Long - 27
1970 - Glen Campbell - All I Have To Do Is Dream - 27
1970 - Fifth Dimension - Save The Country – 27

1966 - Grass Roots - Where Were You When I Needed You - 28
1969 - Grass Roots - Bella Linda - 28
1972 - Partridge Family - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – 28

1968 - Fifth Dimension - Carpet Man - 29
1969 - Tommy Roe - Heather Honey - 29
1971 - Bobby Sherman - The Drum – 29

1968 - Spanky & Our Gang - Sunday Morning - 30
1969 - Cass Elliott - It’s Getting Better – 30

1967 - Spanky & Our Gang – Makin’ Every Minute Count - 31
1969 - Grass Roots - The River Is Wide - 31
1971 - Glen Campbell - Dream Baby - 31
1974 - Albert Hammond - I’m A Train – 31

1970 - John Philips - Mississippi - 32
1973 - Fifth Dimension – Living Together, Growing Together - 32
1977 - Carpenters - Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft – 32

1966 - Johnny Rivers - Under Your Spell Again - 33
1970 - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Heed The Call - 33
1976 - Olivia Newton John - Don’t Stop Believin’ – 33

1967 - Fifth Dimension - Paper Cup - 34
1972 - Grass Roots - Glory Bound - 34
1973 - Neil Diamond - Be - 34
1974 - Art Garfunkel - Second Avenue – 34

1969 - Glen Campbell – True Grit - 35
1970 - Grass Roots - Baby Hold On - 35
1973 - America - Don’t Cross River - 35
1975 - Helen Reddy - Bluebird - 35
1977 - Carpenters - All You Can Get From Love – 35

1968 - Glen Campbell - I Want To Live - 36
1969 - Glen Campbell - Let It Be Me - 36
1969 - Cass Elliott - Make Your Own Kind Of Music – 36

1972 - Fifth Dimension - Together Let’s Find Love – 37

1974 - Art Garfunkel - I Shall Sing - 38
1975 - Johnny Rivers - Blue Suede Shoes – 38

1967 - Boyce & Hart - Out And About - 39
1968 - Association - Time For Lovin’ - 39
1968 - Glen Campbell - Gentle On My Mind - 39
1972 - Grass Roots – The Runaway - 39
1973 - Partridge Family - Look Through The Eyes Of Love – 39

1966 - The Turtles - You Baby - 40

[Aussie Mark]

That's some list.  If he had written those songs he'd be one of the richest people on the planet.  I hope he got at least a reasonable call fee for recording each of these.

[Pilgrim]

Are you KIDDIN' ME?  Dang, that's one FINE list of works!

[lowend1]

That's some list.  If he had written those songs he'd be one of the richest people on the planet.  I hope he got at least a reasonable call fee for recording each of these.

Now go back and listen to the pocket on that stuff. Yeah, even the Danny Partridge "ghost" sessions. Positively astounding.

From a VG interview:

>>What was scale back then?
I believe I started at $45 [an hour], and just before I left, it was up to $130. The last few years I was in L.A., I was charging double scale. We thought that by charging double we would work less and make the same money, but producers were willing to pay us anything we wanted, so we started working more than we really cared to. Heck, there was a time when I worked two sessions a day, six days a week, and then a session on Sundays. It was really too much after a while.<<

Hell read the whole interview - it's great!
http://www.myspace.com/joeosborn/blog/146619739

[Freuds_Cat]

Wow, how would it be to pull that out as your resume'?

Incredible.

[lowend1]

That is only the pop stuff, which, as the excerpt states, totals at around 200. Apparently, Joe's country top 40 resume roughly doubles that number. One count listed Osborn as bassist on fifty-three No. 1 hits on the country charts.

For simplicity's sake, I swiped this photo from Joe's MySpace page. This is the back of the 1960 stack-knob J-bass that he played in all those sessions. Zoom in and check out the detail. I'd love to have that finish on my bass.

[godofthunder]

 I had no idea who played all those great lines! Thanks for posting this!

[lowend1]

What really boggles my mind is that these lists only include bona fide Top 40 songs. How many non-hit singles and album tracks are not covered?
Read the story of Joe's J-bass. A survivor in the truest sense! (you may have to copy/paste the address - not sure what's up with the link)
http://www.bassplayer.com/article/retro-rama-joe-osborn’s/August-2010/118871

[rockinrayduke]

Carol did "Midnight Confessions" but I feel the same as you do about JO. I was listening to a little Paul Revere the other day specifically "Too Much Talk". JO very smooth and dexterous on that one.

[nofi]

geez, that's the top 40 soundtrack to my high school and college days. lots of gems on that list.

[Dave W]

That is only the pop stuff, which, as the excerpt states, totals at around 200. Apparently, Joe's country top 40 resume roughly doubles that number. One count listed Osborn as bassist on fifty-three No. 1 hits on the country charts.

That's right. I had copied a list from a Shreveport music site that no longer exists, it's on my old hard drive somewhere.

[jumbodbassman]

Are you KIDDIN' ME?  Dang, that's one FINE list of works!

+1

I didn't realize that was all him.  His work with the Fifth Dimension was superb....

[Dave W]

Okay, I found his country list. There's some overlap with the pop list above. And again, these are only the bigger hits.


COUNTRY TOP 40


Joe Osborn has four Hat Awards from The Academy of Country Music, over 100 gold records, several platinum records, three Super Picker Awards from The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Nashville, TN, two Most Valuable Player Awards from The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Los Angeles, CA and other prestigious awards in the music industry.


Glen Campbell

1. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
2. I Wanna Live
3. Dream Baby
4. Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
5. Gentle On My Mind
6. Kentucky Means Paradise
7. Galveston
8. Where's the Playground, Susie?
9. True Grit
10. Try a Little Kindness
11. Honey Come Back
12. Oh Happy Day
13. It's Only Make Believe
14. Burning Bridges
15. Hey, Little One
16. Manhattan Kansas
17. One Last Time
18. Wherefore and Why
19. Houston
20. Oklahoma Sunday Morning
21. Everything a Man Could Ever Need
22. The Last Time I Saw Her

Glen Campbell/Bobbie Gentry

23. Let It Be Me
24. All I Have To Do Is Dream

Glen Campbell/Anne Murray

25. I Say a Little Prayer/By The Time I Get to Phoenix

John Conlee

26. Rose Colored Glasses
27. Lady Lay Down
28. Backside of Thirty
29. Before My Time
30. Baby You're Something
31. Friday Night Blues
32. She Can't Say That Anymore
33. What I Had With You
34. Could You Love Me
35. Miss Emily's Picture
36. Busted
37. Nothing Behind You, Nothing In Sight
38. I Don't Remember Loving You
39. Common Man
40. I'm Only In It For The Love
41. In My Eyes
42. As Long As I'm Rocking With You
43. Way Back
44. Years After You
45. Workin' Man

Earl Thomas Conley

46. You're Love's On The Line
47. Holding Her and Loving You
48. Don't Make It Easy For Me
49. Angel In Disguise

Sonny Curtis

50. Atlanta Georgia Stray
51. The Real Buddy Holly Story
52. Love is All Around
53. Good Ol' Girls
54. Married Women

Mickey Gilley

55. Stand By Me
56. True Love Ways
57. That's All That Matters
58. Heartache Tomorrow
59. You Don't Know Me
60. Lonley Nights
61. Put Your Dreams Away
62. Talk to Me
63. Fool For Your Love
64. Paradise Tonight
65. You've Really Got a Hold on Me
66. Doo' Wah Days

Merle Haggard

67. I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink

Dale Hawkins

68. La-Do-Dada

Claude King

69. Catch a Little Raindrop

Vicki Lawrence

70. The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

71. Shot Full of Love
72. Dance Little Jean
73. Long Hard Road
74. I Love Only You
75. High Horse
76. Modern Day Romance

Oak Ridge Boys

77. Ya'll Come Back Saloon
78. You're The One
79. I'll Be True to You
80. Cryin' Again
81. Come On In
82. Sail Away
83. Dream On

Pinkard & Bowden

84. Mama She's Lazy

Eddie Rabbitt

85. Rocky Mountain Music
86. I Just Want To Love You

Johnny Rivers

87. Memphis
88. Maybelline
89. Mountain of Love
90. Midnight Special
91. Seventh Son
92. Where Have All the Flowers Gone
93. Under Your Spell
94. Secret Agent Man
95. (I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water
96. Poor Side of Tpwn
97. Baby I Need Your Lovin'
98. The Tracks of My Tears
99. Summer Rain
100. Rockin' Pneumonia/Boogie-Woogie Flu
101. Blu Suede Shoes

Kenny Rogers

102. Lucille

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

103. But You Know I Love You
104. Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
105. Ruben James
106. Something's Burning
107. Tell It All Brother
108. Heed the Call

Ricky Skaggs

109. Don't Get Above Your Raising
110. I Wouldn't Change You If I Could
111. Highway 40 Blues

Red Steagall

112. Lone Star Beer & Bob Willis Music
113. Truck Drivin' Man
114. 3 Chord Country Song
115. Hard At Days & Honky Tonk Night

B. W. Stevenson

116. My Maria

Sylvia

117. Nobody

B.J. Thomas

118. Home Where I Belong

Mel Tillis

119. Love Revival
120. Good Woman Blues
121. Heart Healer
122. Burning Memories
123. I Got The Hoss
124. What Did I Promise Her Last Night
125. I Believe In You
126. Ain't No California
127. Send Me Down to Tucson
128. Coca Cola Cowboy
129. Blind in Love
130. Lying Time Again
131. Your Body is an Outlaw
132. Steppin' Out
133. Southern Rains
134. A Million Old Goodbyes

Hank Williams Jr.

135. Women I've Never Had
136. Kaw-Liga
137. Old Habits
138. Texas Women
139. Dixie on My Mind
140. All My Rowdy Friends
141. A Country Boy Can Survive
142. Honky Tonkin'
143. The American Dream
144. Gonna Go Huntin' Tonight
145. Leave Them Boys Alone
146. Queen of My Heart
147. The Conversation
148. Man of Steel

[uwe]

I always liked the bass on the Carpenters recordings. It was the one thing with a little more freedom.

[OldManC]

What an incredible player. Those 60's and early 70's cuts are what I grew up on before discovering rock. By then the bass was already what I listened for in songs. I've said this before but that list shows me that Joe Osborn is one of the main reasons I ended up playing bass. Thanks for the reminder.