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
Rock Me On The Water
Jackson Browne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The signs are everywhere
You've left it for somebody other than you
To be the one to care
You're lost inside your houses
There's no time to find you now
While your walls are burning
And your towers are turning
And try to get down to the sea somehow
The road is filled with homeless souls
Every woman, child, and man
Who have no idea where they will go
But they'll help you if they can
But everyone must have some thought
That's gonna pull them through somehow
While the fires are raging hotter and hotter
But the sisters of the sun are gonna rock me on the water now
Rock me on the water
Sister, will you soothe my fevered brow?
Rock me on the water
I'll get down to the sea somehow
(I'll get down to the sea somehow)
Oh people, look among you
It's there your hope must lie
There's a sea bird above you
Gliding in one place like Jesus in the sky
We all must do the best we can
And then hang on to that gospel plow
When my life is over, gonna stand before the Father
But the sisters of the sun are gonna rock me on the water now
(Rock me) Rock me on the water
Sister, will you soothe my fevered brow?
Hey, rock me on the water
Maybe I'll remember
Maybe I'll remember how
Rock me on the water
The wind is with me now
So rock me on the water
I'll get down to the sea somehow
(I'll get down to the sea somehow, ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me on the water (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me now (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me on the water (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me now (ooh-hoo-hoo)
In "Rock Me On The Water", Jackson Browne observes the chaos and confusion of the early 1970s. He condemns the apathy and neglect of those in power, describing how they leave behind burning structures and homeless citizens. He expresses his need to escape this turmoil and find refuge by the sea. He believes that people have to come together in times of crisis and take care of each other. Throughout the song, he looks for signs of hope amidst the destruction, urging listeners to do the same. He looks up at a sea bird, which symbolizes the hope that he and others need to keep going. He finally turns to the "sisters of the sun", seeking comfort from the sun's healing powers.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh people, look around you
Pay attention to what's happening in the world around you
The signs are everywhere
There are indications of trouble all around us
You've left it for somebody other than you
You've ignored the problems and left it to others to fix them
To be the one to care
To take responsibility and show concern
You're lost inside your houses
You're isolated from the world and its problems
There's no time to find you now
It's urgent and necessary to address problems now, not later
While your walls are burning
The things you've built up around you are being destroyed
And your towers are turning
The systems and institutions you've relied on are failing
I'm gonna leave you here
I can't stay and watch everything fall apart
And try to get down to the sea somehow
I'm going to seek out something stable and comforting
The road is filled with homeless souls
Many people are struggling to find stability and safety
Every woman, child, and man
This affects everyone
Who have no idea where they will go
People are lost and unsure of what to do
But they'll help you if they can
Even in difficult circumstances, people will try to support each other
But everyone must have some thought
Everyone needs to have some idea of what they're working toward
That's gonna pull them through somehow
Something that will help them overcome challenges and persevere
While the fires are raging hotter and hotter
Problems are getting worse and more urgent
But the sisters of the sun are gonna rock me on the water now
Despite everything, there is still some comfort and stability to be found
Rock me on the water
Provide me with comfort and stability
Sister, will you soothe my fevered brow?
Can you help me calm down and feel better?
I'll get down to the sea somehow
I will seek out something stable and comforting
(I'll get down to the sea somehow)
Oh people, look among you
Pay attention to the people around you
It's there your hope must lie
The key to hope and progress is in working together and supporting each other
There's a sea bird above you
There are signs of hope if we look for them
Gliding in one place like Jesus in the sky
There are things that can provide a sense of stability and faith despite uncertain circumstances
We all must do the best we can
We all need to contribute and try to make things better
And then hang on to that gospel plow
Find strength and guidance in faith and tradition
When my life is over, gonna stand before the Father
One day we will all be held accountable for what we did and didn't do
But the sisters of the sun are gonna rock me on the water now
Despite this, there is still comfort and hope to be found
(Rock me) Rock me on the water
Hey, rock me on the water
Provide me with stability and comfort
Maybe I'll remember
Maybe I'll find my way back to hope and faith
Maybe I'll remember how
Maybe I'll rediscover the things that provide me with strength and hope
The wind is with me now
Things are moving in a positive direction
So rock me on the water
Provide me with comfort and stability
(I'll get down to the sea somehow, ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me on the water (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me now (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me on the water (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Rock me now (ooh-hoo-hoo)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jackson Browne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind