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
I'm Alive
Jackson Browne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I look around my life tonight and you are gone
I might have done something to keep you if I'd known
How unhappy you had become
While I was dreaming of you
With my heart in your hands
And I was following through
Yeah, now I'm rolling down this canyon drive
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'Cause those dreams are dead
And I'm alive
I want to go where I will never hear your name
I want to lose my sorrow and be free again
And I know I've been insane
When I think of places I could have been
But I was dreaming of you
With my heart in your hands
And I was following through
With my beautiful plans
Standing here by the highway side
Watching these trucks blow by
Inches from my face
Yeah, thinking 'bout the time I've wasted
And the pleasure we once tasted
Looking up and down this road
(Following through)
I've been here before (following through)
I can't be here no more (following through)
Yeah, now I'm rolling down California five
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'Cause those dreams are dead
I'm alive
Yeah, baby, I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
Hey look at the way I believed in you
And loved you all these years
Now you can fill a swimming pool with all my salty tears
If you'd have told me what was in your heart
But, baby, you lied
And I thought that it would kill me
But I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
The lyrics of the song "I'm Alive" by Jackson Browne and David Lindley talk about heartbreak and moving on. The first verse describes the loneliness and regret that the songwriter feels after the end of a relationship. Browne laments that he might have been able to save the relationship if he had realized how unhappy his partner was.
The chorus repeats a mantra of being alive, even though the dreams of the relationship are dead. The second verse sees Browne yearning for a fresh start without reminders of his past relationship. He acknowledges that he had been delusional in thinking that things could have been different. The phrase, "looking up and down this road," showcases a sense of wanderlust and longing for new experiences.
The final verse includes a bitter accusation towards the person who broke Browne's heart. He talks about the depth of his feelings for them and how he is suffering because of their lies. However, he ends on a note of resilience, implying that he will move past the breakup and carry on living.
Overall, "I'm Alive" is a poignant song about grief, regret, and strength. It is a reminder that even when things feel hopeless, life goes on, and we must keep striving for a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long time since I watched these lights alone
I haven't been this lonely in a long time
I look around my life tonight and you are gone
I realize you're not a part of my life anymore
I might have done something to keep you if I'd known
If I had known you were unhappy, I would have tried to fix it
How unhappy you had become
I didn't realize how unhappy you were
While I was dreaming of you
I was lost in thoughts of you
With my heart in your hands
My heart belonged to you
And I was following through
I was determined to make things work
With my beautiful plans
I had grand visions for our future
Yeah, now I'm rolling down this canyon drive
I feel like I'm spiraling out of control
With your laughter in my head
I can't stop thinking about your laughter
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
I need to forget in order to move on
'Cause those dreams are dead
Our plans for the future can never come to fruition
And I'm alive
Despite everything, I'm still here
I want to go where I will never hear your name
I need to escape the pain of your memory
I want to lose my sorrow and be free again
I want to let go of my sadness and start anew
And I know I've been insane
I realize I've been irrational in my thinking
When I think of places I could have been
I imagine the things I could have accomplished if I wasn't so caught up in us
Standing here by the highway side
I'm stuck and unable to move forward
Watching these trucks blow by
Life goes on without me
Inches from my face
The world is right in front of me, but I can't seem to connect with it
Looking up and down this road
I'm considering my options and trying to make sense of my life
I've been here before
I've been stuck like this before
I can't be here no more
I need to leave this place behind
Yeah, now I'm rolling down California five
I'm on the move again, but still troubled
Hey look at the way I believed in you
I was so devoted to you
And loved you all these years
I loved you for a long time
Now you can fill a swimming pool with all my salty tears
I've cried so much because of you
If you'd have told me what was in your heart
If only you had been honest with me
But, baby, you lied
You deceived me
And I thought that it would kill me
I thought I would never recover
But I'm alive
But I'm still here, and that's something
Yeah, I'm alive
I'm still able to move forward
Yeah, I'm alive
I'm still breathing and living my life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jackson Browne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Perzane
Mr. Browne, thank you for posting these videos. I’m 25 years old and your music, especially this whole album, got me through a very difficult time several years ago. I can’t help be sit here and cry when listen to these performances. I feel so honored and privileged to be able to watch and listen to one of my favorite artists, who created a lot of this music before I was even born, performance these for free on YouTube. Thank you for all you’ve done, the music you’ve created, and the lives you’ve changed. This means the world to me that you do this.
Ralph Davis
I am 77, and blown away by your maturity.
C K
Terrific
Louis Cuisinier
I hear what you're saying. I've been through some rough patches in my life, too. Kid, if you haven't already, you've got to take up an instrument. It's people like you who should be saying things. Peace, out. God bless, and good luck.
Tina McFarland
@yama penny Beautiful!
yama penny
👍‼🤩
Tom Stephenson
This song was solace for so long after the end of a relationship. Jackson has been such a positive presence in my life.
B Landgren
@I am a soldier of God King of KingsMe 3.
vinyltone
@LLB The melancholy in his voice and lyrics speak to the vulnerable and imperfect side of each of us who 'get' him.
Lowell Calavera
Yes, indeed. Acoustic 1 & 2 took the emotion to the next level, for me.