Joe Osborn - One Heck Of A Discography!!!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by audiodrome, May 8, 2007.

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  1. audiodrome

    audiodrome Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Of Boston
    I first saw this list a while ago, but I just came across it again and I am absolutely in awe of this guy's discography. As far as numbers go, he's got to be right up there with Hal Blaine (considering that Hal played on almost all of these hits also).

    JOE OSBORN - BASS

    The Osborn Top 40

    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. In his days in Nashville, Osborn played on 53 certifiable number one songs on the country charts.

    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

    WOW!!! :eek:
     
    eno, jahndhi and mono2STEREO like this.
  2. LesPaul666

    LesPaul666 Mr Markie - The Rock And Roll Snarkie

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Yes indeed! one helluva player and session monster. I bring up his name and no-one ever knows who I'm talking about...what a shame.
     
  3. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR
    One of my favorite bass players!! I love the tone he got from playing with a pick on his '60 stack knob Fender Jazz Bass. Joe said that he kept the original flatwound strings(which is what were on the bass when he received it from the factory), for 17 years before he changed them!!!:yikes:

    Jamerson was right. Dirt keeps the funk!!:D
     
  4. audiodrome

    audiodrome Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Of Boston
    I've got a '67 Gibson EB2 with flatwound strings - very cool sound!
     
  5. Jeff H.

    Jeff H. Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern, OR
    I love the sound of them too. I have LaBella flatwounds on my Danelectro DC and Hofner Beatle basses.
     
  6. JohnT

    JohnT Senior Member

    Location:
    PA & FL gulf coast
    Wow.

    An incredible list.
     
  7. Done A Ton

    Done A Ton Birdbrain

    Location:
    Rural Kansas
    Where is Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In? Wasn't that number one for weeks when it came out? Monster bass on that one. Joe Osborn is one of my favorites as well.
     
  8. audiodrome

    audiodrome Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Of Boston
    Maybe that was one he forgot! :p
     
  9. audiodrome

    audiodrome Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    North Of Boston
    Did Joe play on that one?
     
  10. Yes, Joe Osborn did play on "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In". He is shown playing along to the record in The Wrecking Crew documentary.

    I see "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" is on the list. Carol Kaye talks about coming up with the bass intro to that song. It is quite possible they both played bass on the track. Anyone have any insights?
     
  11. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    I thought Carol Kaye created the bass intro to "Wichita Lineman".
     
    Mike Griffiths likes this.
  12. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    Love his work. I'd imagine Hal Blaine's discography is even longer, though!

    Unsung session heroes: their work is known to millions but only the determined few know who they are.
     
  13. Of course, you're right. I got the songs mixed up. Never mind.
     
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