Jackson Browne anyone?

I first got into Jackson when the Pretender came out. I worked my way backwards from there. That was my junior year in high school. Spent many nights going to sleep with Jackson in my headphones. He was a big help getting me through high school.

 

His '80s stuff is overlooked because it had '80s production and some disliked the politics. Hold On Hold Out is a great song; if you've not heard the song "Black and White," it's a great lamenting of a life wasted, of losing your vision, of giving in -- maybe an updated "The Pretender." I'm a huge fan of that song.

 

I have no idea how I missed the fact that this live album was released 8 years ago. I still listen to the Browne/Lindley Santa Cruz '87 bootleg, but this one's official! Thanks for the post!

 

"Rock Me on The Water" got me hooked on Jackson. Bought "For Everyman" and have been a fan ever since.


Alt. version.

 

Lives in the Balance from Richie Havens's last album is one of my all-time favorite recordings!

 

I went through a brief JB phase around the turn of the century. He'd been on my list to check out for some time and I'm glad I did. I don't object to the politics at all, but the person will always be more engaging. What I'm not so keen on (surprise, surprise) is the sterile 80s production on albums like Lawyers In Love. Not heard all his stuff by any means, but everything I HAVE heard I've liked.

Must get round to seeing him live at some point.

 

Well that's what I decided. Also started playing Joni Mitchell records. Had to force myself at first, having come of age with the Stones, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Creedence and the like. But after awhile, I started to get him (and Joni). And guess what kind of music I spin most these days..

I remember seeing him on the tour that ROE came from, in Tucson. He introduced David Lindley as "one of the strangest people I have ever met"...

 

Welcome to the forum!

I love Jackson. My favorite albums are S/T, For Everyman, Running on Empty, Hold Out, and Lawyers in Love.

 

An older workmate borrowed me Lawyers In Love and Lives In The Balance back in the late 80's.
I really liked Lives In The Balance...not so Lawyers.
Political or not...I like it when people speak out.

 

Yes yes. They sound different though and unlike some of those early albums there is some filler. I’ll give a shout out for World In Motion which seemed to be a commercial failure in the grunge period. The first 3 tracks are excellent, later a great cover of I Am A Patriot and the closer Lights and Virtues is as stunning a song as he has ever written.

 

As you can tell by my avatar, love Jackson Browne. As I just commented about Dan Fogelberg in a separate thread, JB is one of those artists you never get tired of. I've been listening to JB since the 70's and it's still like reconnecting with an old friend every time I put one of his albums on. Love pretty much everything he's put out from the Self Titled through I'm Alive. After that he kind of lost me. If you are looking for some great sounding cd's, look for the DCC gold versions of The Pretender and Late For The Sky. They sound fantastic. Also, as a few others have mentioned, the 5.1 Surround Sound DVDA of Running On Empty is a fun listen.

 

I’m Alive was very inspirational to me as I was coming back to a happy life post divorce. It’s funny, my two little boys really liked that recording too. They were recovering divorce as well.

 

I know he was close friends with David Crosby when he was just getting started. I remember an interview with Crosby where he talked about this young guy who was the best songwriter he’d ever heard, but who, unfortunately, had a singing voice “like a water buffalo.” You can hear a little bit of it on the first album, but JB pretty much learned to write in a range his voice could handle. And the songs were great.

 

Absolutely! These were among the first few DCCs that showed me just how amazing Steve's work is. Now enjoying this gem:

 

Jackson plays well with others, too. Great duet with Ray Davies. Give a listen.....

 

Some JB thoughts - thoughts I've said previously on this site:
Browne and Lindley are one of the best combinations in music history. They were meant to work and perform together. They complement/compliment each other perfectly.
I saw one of Jackson's 2 shows at Great Woods in Mansfield, Massachusetts, when he was promoting the World In Motion album. He sat at the piano and began to tell the story of a couple he met when he went out for a walk in the afternoon. They explained to Jackson that they were following his tour and going to all the shows, so Jackson said he wanted to do a song dedicated to them. IIRC it was I Thought I Was A Child - it has that line "chase the songs from town to town" which is what the couple was doing. Jackson was about one third into the song when he came to a dead stop, lay down on the piano bench, and was laughing his head off. When he regained a bit of composure, he sat up and admitted that he totally forgot the lyrics. He got a standing ovation and the lyrics shouted out to him by several in the audience and continued the song.

 

What a great story! I agree Lindley and Browne are fantastic together. Love Lindley's playing on JB's tracks. He really does more than enhance the songs. He elevates them to another level in my opinion.

 

Great comments here. Browne’s the real deal... not only an enormously talented artist, but having met him, I can attest he’s a sincere and genuinely decent person.

 

I've seen him live numerous times and he's always been excellent but while I enjoy a lot of Browne's work and there are songs on all every album that I really like, the nearest I come to thinking he has a great album are The Pretender, I'm Alive, Late for the Sky and Lives in the Balance. There are other albums where what I consider to be the gems are less frequent, like Lawyers in Love, World in Motion, Looking East and Hold Out. The one I could never get away with is Running on Empty. Great title track and Love Needs a Heart, but the rest do nothing for me. Maybe it's a 'you had to be there' thing.

 

Great song, I like Greg Allman's cover better actually...

 

Jackson and Gregg were good friends from being roommates in LA in the 60's. Gregg is well qualified to deliver that song. He broke up while singing it on his last album thinking of his brother and didn't finish the last verse.

 

Wow that’s excellent. Is the rest of the recording as good?

 

These two guys made some pretty good music together.

 

I like some of his songs but can someone explain to me exactly what Lawyers in Love means? I've never been able to figure out what lawyers have to do with some of the things he's talking about in the song...or maybe I'm just missing something.

 

Who hovers over like a buzzard the end of love once promised as forever? Who monitizes the misery of loves end? The image of lawyers in love is one of cynicism and nihilism delivered by the singer with as much sarcasm as he can muster. At that moment in U.S. history, all idealism seemed to be devolving into meaningless profiteering. That image, for Jackson, seemed to sum up the times.

That’s my take, anyway (I haven’t read any interviews with him about it).