Browne was born in Heidelberg, Germany, where American serviceman father was stationed. Browne moved to the Highland Park district of Los Angeles, California at an early age and soon began singing folk music locally. In 1966, his major career began as a part of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Often mixing catchy melodies with reflective, moody, and sometimes melancholic lyrics, some of his most popular hit singles include "Doctor My Eyes", "Running on Empty", and "Somebody's Baby". Considered a precociously-talented songwriter by many peers, Browne's solo career got its legs when he signed a publishing contract with Nina Music. His work have been performed by several artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, Larry Norman, Linda Ronstadt, Nico, and Tom Rush, among many others.
After moving to Greenwich Village, New York, Browne worked, for a brief period, in Tim Buckley's back-up band and on Nico's Chelsea Girl. This album includes two of Jackson's songs and the pair were reputedly lovers for awhile. After leaving New York City, Browne formed a folk band with Ned Doheny and Jack Wilce.
In 1971, Browne signed with Asylum Records and released Jackson Browne (1972), which included "Doctor My Eyes", a major hit and later coverec by the Jackson Five . He didn't sustain pop success, though, and his next album, For Everyman (1973), while considered of high quality, was a commercial failure.
Late for the Sky (1974) established a significant audience for Browne, and fans and critics often consider this Browne's best album. Highlights include the searching title song, the elegiac "For a Dancer" and apocalyptic "Before the Deluge", the pure arrangements featuring David Lindley's evocative violin and guitar playing, and the Magritte-inspired cover. The title track was also featured in Martin Scorsese's film, Taxi Driver.
Browne released his breakthrough album, The Pretender (1976) soon after the suicide of his wife, Phyllis. Featuring livelier production by Jon Landau, the title song is a vividly described account of trying to maintain one's ideals in the struggle against the realities of day-to-day life.
During this time, Browne produced and played on Warren Zevon's first two Asylum albums.
Browne began recording his next LP while on tour, and Running on Empty (1977) became his biggest commercial success. Breaking the usual conventions for a live album, it was truly made on the road, including tracks recorded on buses and in hotel rooms, with none of the songs having appeared on any of his prior albums. Running on Empty contains many renowned songs, such as the propulsive title track (Browne's biggest hit single), "The Road", "Rosie", and "The Load-Out/Stay" (Browne's affectionate and knowing send-off to his concert audiences).
In 1979, Browne was a founding member of Musicians United for Safe Energy.
Browne achieved less critical acclaim with Hold Out (1980), although it was commercially successful--his only number 1 record, and with his hit single "Somebody's Baby" from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. Lawyers in Love followed in 1983 and contained hints of a more political focus, especially in the mysteriously satirical title track.
Political protest came out full force in Lives in the Balance (1986), an overt condemnation of Reaganism and American policy in Central America. Flavored with new instrumental textures, it was a huge success with Browne fans, though not with mainstream audiences. World in Motion (1989) was even more politically-oriented and polarizing. Browne frequently played for causes he believed in, including Amnesty International (making several appearances on the 1986 A Conspiracy of Hope Tour), Farm Aid, and the Christic Institute.
After four years of silence and a break-up with his girlfriend, actress Daryl Hannah, Browne returned with I'm Alive, a critically acclaimed album with a more personal perspective that sold respectably, the title track being a modest radio hit. Looking East (1996) was released soon after, but was not as successful critically or commercially. The Naked Ride Home was released in 2002. On 11 May 2003, Jackson Browne made a celebrity guest star debut on the FOX series The Simpsons.
As a whole, Browne's work is marked by compelling melodies, simple, honest, and insightful lyrics, and a flair for composition rarely seen in the world of rock and roll. He is often referred to as "a thinking man's rock star."
Browne was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. He also participated in the Vote for Change tour in October 2004, playing a series of concerts in American swing states. These concerts were organized by MoveOn.org with the general goal of mobilizing people to vote in that year's Presidential campaign. Browne's appearances were joint performances with Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo', and in one instance with Bruce Springsteen. Three of Browne's albums were selected by Rolling Stone magazine as among its choices for the 500 best albums of all time.
Browne released "Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1"in 2005 and "Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2" in 2008, both on Inside Recordings. The "Vol. 1" album consists of live recordings of eleven previously released tracks and "The Birds of St. Marks," a song that does not appear on any of Browne's studio albums. The "Vol. 2" album contains roughly the same mix of twelve songs (popular hits vs. deep cuts). Interestingly, both albums also contain separately tracked "intros" to some songs, giving a brief glimpse of the intimacy between artist and audience at the shows where the songs were recorded.
"No one gives a shit but Jackson Browne." - Randy Newman in "A Piece Of The Pie"
Website: www.jacksonbrowne.com
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Jackson Browne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just when I was getting over you
Just when I was going to make it through
Another night without missing you
Thinking I might just be strong enough after all
When I hear your footsteps echoing in the hall
Baby here we stand again
Even though you looked so sure
As I was watching you walking out my door
But you always walk back in like you did today
Acting like you never even went away
Well I don't know if I can
Open up and let you in baby
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again
I can hear you telling me
How you needed to be free
And you had some things to work out alone
Now you're standing here telling me
How you have grown
Here come those tears again
Now you'll tell me how to hold them in
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again
Some other time baby
When I'm strong and feeling fine maybe
When I can look at you without crying
You might look like a friend of mine
But I don't know if I can
Open up enough to let you in
Here come those tears
Here come those tears again
Walk away
I'm going back inside and turning out those lights
And I'll be in the dark but you'll be out of sight
The song "Here Come Those Tears Again" by Jackson Browne is a classic ballad about heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on from a past relationship. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who has finally started to move on from their former partner, only to be confronted with their presence once again. The singer's resolve crumbles as they find themselves unable to resist the temptation of familiar love.
The song begins with the singer admitting that they were just starting to get over their ex-lover when they unexpectedly hear their footsteps in the hallway. The singer is clearly struggling to deal with the emotions that come with seeing their former flame once again. It is clear that the singer is torn, both wanting to move on and be strong enough to resist the temptation of their former lover, while simultaneously wanting to open themselves up again to the possibility of a relationship.
As the song progresses, the singer tells their lover that they're not sure if they can open up and let them in again. Although the lover insists that they've grown and changed over time, the singer is still hesitant to risk being hurt again. The song ends on a note of resignation, with the singer deciding to walk away and turn out the lights, symbolically closing the door on the past relationship.
Overall, "Here Come Those Tears Again" is a heartfelt and relatable song about the struggles of moving on from a past love. Its powerful lyrics capture the complex emotions of heartbreak, including the confusion, anger, and conflicting desires that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Here come those tears again
The tears of nostalgia start flowing again
Just when I was getting over you
I thought I was past the memory of you but here we are again
Just when I was going to make it through
I was trying to heal and move on from you
Another night without missing you
I was hoping to get by without thinking of you
Thinking I might just be strong enough after all
I believed I could handle it and not be affected
When I hear your footsteps echoing in the hall
Your presence haunts me and I can't shake off the memories
Baby here we stand again
We find ourselves in the same situation again
Where we've been so many times before
We have a history of repeating this pattern
Even though you looked so sure
You seemed confident in leaving before
As I was watching you walking out my door
I saw you leave and thought it was for good
But you always walk back in like you did today
You keep coming back, just like you did now
Acting like you never even went away
You pretend as if leaving made no difference in our relationship
Well I don't know if I can
I'm not sure if I have the strength
Open up and let you in baby
Allow you to enter my life again
I can hear you telling me
I can remember you explaining to me
How you needed to be free
You said you needed space or freedom
And you had some things to work out alone
You had personal issues to solve on your own
Now you're standing here telling me
Presently you are here, informing me
How you have grown
You say you have progressed and matured
Now you'll tell me how to hold them in
You will advise me on how to suppress my emotions
Some other time baby
Maybe in the future
When I'm strong and feeling fine maybe
When I am mentally and emotionally stable
When I can look at you without crying
When I can see you without being emotionally affected by it
You might look like a friend of mine
You could appear like someone I know
Walk away
Leave me alone
I'm going back inside and turning out those lights
I'm going inside and turning off the lights
And I'll be in the dark but you'll be out of sight
I will be alone in the dark, but you will not be visible
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JACKSON BROWNE, NANCY FARNSWORTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Long
What a beautiful, simple ballad. Bravo Jackson. Bravo.
Jim Shelledy
Mr Jackson Browne.....Truly a national treasure.
ddoorn1
Thank you so much! Jackson Browne has so much HEART to his music!
Louis Moskowitz
Brilliant, as always
Tracey-Lee Dogon
Jackson Browne... from before Running On Empty to Standing In The Breach... my favourite shade of Browne.
Soda Jerk
the browne sound
d Hoxha
some people are just gifted. he was writing like this for the last 50 years. the greatest singer songwriter that ever lived. his music will live on forever.
James Pringle
what you hear in his music has a name, it's called enlightenment
Ruminator
A gem of a song.
Robert Shea
The first time I heard him on the radio(thanks to the old FM radio) it struck me that he seemed to the only one who spoke/sang of death. I was very grateful for that . I won't tell you why. But I'm glad to be here to tell you that. Lifelong fan.