I adore every track, but my favorites include the cover of "Son of a Preacher Man" (is it possible to go wrong with that tune?) and "His Eyes Are a Blue Million Miles," which combines Osborne's later move toward an eclectic studio sound and her heartfelt club blues, taking the best from both worlds.

On a side note, I have had friends ask me who the singer is when I put on _Early Recordings_, because the sound is so vastly different from Osborne's studio recordings-- and what's more, everyone who hears the CD loves it. If you liked _Relish_, then it can only get better from there.

Absolutely Outstanding Music!
A friend turned me on to this CD, and as soon as I heard what is THE definitive version of "Son Of a Preacher Man" (sorry, Aretha), I was out shopping for this album. ALL of the songs on this CD are worth listening to, if for nothing else than to be in awe of the power of Joan Osborne's voice. Standouts like "Fingerprints" and "What You Gonna Do" leave the listener simultaneously speechless and aching for the next Joan Osborne album. "Relish" didn't even come close to exposing the talent that lies beneath.

Help
Does anyone know if Joan sings the song from Joan of Arcadia-What if God were on of us?? I am sure it is her but cant find it!

if you knew joan...
No, i don't actually KNOW Joan, any more than any of the other thousands who had the pleasure of watching her smoke every other chick on the NYC music scene when the calendar started with a 19 and not a 20. i am writing this b/c another reviewer reminded how much i used to really enjoy catching joan live at wetlands, delta- even at continental divide and gonzales if memory serves- it seemed like you could catch her somewhere at least once a week and sometimes even twice. i get up at 5 am for work, and joan was the only musician who could ALWAYS get me out on a school night. this album almost captures her LIVE energy.
i remember the first time i saw her live at a w/e outdoor show at the seaport [an outdoor 'mall' that i despised, but my EXwife liked]. in the midst of all the summertime heat and shopping, folks profiling their boats and overdressed types getting their heels caught in the boardwalk, i heard the voice of an angel- albeit a dirty angel that sang with a leer and a wink. if you think her vh1 or austin city limits gigs were hot, they were nothing compared to hearing her in a low ceilinged, smoke filled juke joint, watching her hips sway as she torched the joint with her sheer joy at being alive. she could take that room up and down and all around and you wouldn't hit the head for fear of missing a moment. and now she opens for the 'dixie chicks'.... i'm waiting for her return to small venue playing- that is the very best place to feel her full impact.
enough of the memory lane- just letting you know i been digging joan since you didn't know who she was, and i am telling you that THIS IS THE JOAN THAT I REMEMBER! no, i don't absolutely love every cut, but nonetheless, this is consistently among the most played on my iPod- much more than relish or righteous love [both good in their own right- BUT not Definitive joan]. i will leave it to others to break it down cut by cut- on the whole they get it right. i just need to let you know that THIS is joan, 'straight no chaser'!

btw- ran into her in street recently and the energy and vibe art STILL there in person. if you EVER have a chance to see her live, do yourself a favour and GO!

Do you REALLY want to know Joan Osborne?
Look no further than this compilation CD of her early works, before she was signed to major label deal. Here, her first live CD ("Live at Delta 88") and studio EP (or two...I forget) are distilled into a great document. Without question, Ms Osborne is the kind of raw/gritty singer who should not be tamed or molded by a hotshot producer or record company demands for a hit single. She should be on the stage singing blues, soul and rhythm and blues standards with a few tasty originals mixed in, and that's what's presented here in all it's glory. If you're one of those original Joan fans who remembers her gigs at places like Wetlands Preserve (when anyone who was anyone on the downtown scene was apt to sit in for a song or two - Blues Traveler, the Spin Doctors, God Street Wine, etc.), then you'll get a real nostalgia kick out of this treasure.