Discography
Jackson Browne
Remastered: 2023
It's not often that a single album is sufficient to place a new performer among the first rank of recording artists. Jackson Browne's long-awaited debut album chimes in its author with the resounding authority of an Astral Weeks, a Gasoline Alley, or an After the Gold Rush.
Jackson Browne's sensibility is romantic in the best sense of the term: his songs are capable of generating a highly charged, compelling atmosphere throughout, and-just as important-of sustaining that pitch in the listener's mind long after they've ended.
Don't miss it. (RS 103)
Bud Scoppa, Rolling Stone, 1972
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1.
JAMAICA SAY YOU WILL
Jamaica was the lovely one, I played her well
As we lay in the tall grass where the shadows fell
Hiding from the children so they would not tell
We would stay there ‘til her sister rang the evening bell
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these empty hours,
Say you will - come again tomorrow
The daughter of a captain on the rolling seas
She would stare across the water from the trees
Last time he was home he held her on his knees
And said the next time they would sail away
Just where they please
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these lifeless sails
And stay until my ships can find the sea
Jamaica was a sweet young one, I loved her true
She was a comfort and a mercy through and through
Hiding from this world together, next thing I knew
They had brought her things down to the bay
What could I do?
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these sails
And we will sail until our waters have run dry -
2.
A CHILD IN THESE HILLS
I am a child in these hills
I am away, I am alone
I am a child in these hills
And looking for water
And looking for life
Who will show me the river
And ask me my name?
Is there nobody here who will do that -
Well I have come to these hills
I will come to the river
As I choose to be gone
From the house of my father
I am a child in these hills
I am a child
Chased from the gates of the city
Where no one had touched me
I am away, I am alone
I am a child in these hills
And looking for water
And looking for life
Who will show me the river
And ask me my name?
Is there nobody here who will do that -
Well I have come to these hills
I will come to the river
As I choose to be gone
From the house of my father
I am a child in these hills
I am a child -
3.
SONG FOR ADAM
Though Adam was a friend of mine
I did not know him well
He was alone into his distance
He was deep into his well
I could guess what he was laughing at
But I couldn’t really tell
Now the story’s told that Adam jumped
But I’m thinking that he fell
Together we went traveling,
As we received the call
His destination India
And I had none at all
Well I still remember laughing
With our backs against the wall
So free of fear, we never thought
That one of us might fall
I sit before my only candle
But it’s so little light to find my way
Now this story unfolds before my candle
Which is shorter every hour
As it reaches for the day
And I feel just like a candle in a way
I guess I’ll get there
But I wouldn’t say for sure
When we parted we were laughing still
As our goodbyes were said
And I never heard from him again
As each our lives we led
Except for once in someone else’s
Letter that I read
Until I heard the sudden word
That a friend of mine was dead
I sit before my only candle
Like a pilgrim sits beside the way
Now this journey appears before my candle
As a song that’s growing fainter
The harder I play
‘Til I fear before I end, I’ll fade away
But I guess I’ll get there
Though I wouldn’t say for sure
Though Adam was a friend of mine,
I did not know him long
And when I stood myself beside him
I never thought I was as strong
Still it seems he stopped his singing
In the middle of his song
Well I’m not the one to say I know
But I’m hoping he was wrong
I’m holding out my only candle
Though it’s so little light to find my way
Now this story’s been laid beneath my candle
And it’s shorter every hour
As it reaches for the day
And I feel just like a candle in a way
I hope I’ll get there
But I never pray -
4.
DOCTOR MY EYES
Doctor, my eyes have seen the years
And the slow parade of fears without crying
Now I want to understand
I have done all that I could
To see the evil and the good without hiding
You must help me if you can
Doctor my eyes
Tell me what is wrong
Was I unwise
To leave them open for so long
As I have wandered through this world
And as each moment has unfurled
I’ve been waiting to awaken from these dreams
People go just where they will
I never noticed them until I got this feeling
That it’s later than it seems
Doctor, my eyes
Tell me what you see
I hear their cries
Just say if it’s too late for me
Doctor, my eyes
They cannot see the sky
Is this the prize
For having learned how not to cry -
5.
FROM SILVERLAKE
Did you see our brother?
He was here the other day
But he only came to say that he was leaving
Did you see his lady?
She was looking where he'd gone
But she wasn't letting on that she was grieving
She's bound to go
Perhaps she'll find him waiting for his boat
In some city far away
She's bound to go
Lately I remember
Afternoons of smoke and wine
There was nothing we could find but peace and pleasure
And with a smile he told me
That he wanted just to be
On his way across the sea no man can measure
He won't be back
And the sun may find him sleeping in the dust
Of some ruin far away
He won't be back
Early today as watched while the skyline was shaking
I heard a rumbling
Early today the mechanical city was waking
And I ran out stumbling, mumbling
Out through the laughter of children and dogs
Did you see our brother? Someone who had been away
He was here the other day Suddenly came back today
But he only came to say that he can't breathe here And I allowed a hope to stray into my mind
Did you see his lady? For a moment face to face
She was reaching for his hand We looked back upon the place
Just as if to tell her man that she can't either Where long ago we went to chase
Our careless time
Oh what do you know?
They're bound to go Not what I’ve been feeling
The sun may find me running after them The past is healing so slow
Seeing something far away My tomorrow
We won't be back Gone from sorrow
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6.
SOMETHING FINE
The papers lie there helplessly
In a pile outside the door
I tried and tried, but I just can’t remember what they’re for
The world outside is tugging like a beggar at my sleeve
Ah that’s much too old a story to believe
And you know that it’s taken its share of me
Even though you take such good care of me
Now you say Morocco, and that makes me smile
I haven’t seen Morocco for a long, long while
The dreams are rolling down across the places in my mind
And I’ve just had a taste of something fine
The future hides and the past just slides
England lies between
Floating in a silver mist so cold and so clean
California’s shaking like an angry child will
Who has asked for love and is unanswered still
And you know that I’m looking back carefully
‘Cause I know that there’s still something there for me
But you said Morocco and you made me smile
And it hasn’t been that easy for a long, long while
And looking back into your eyes I saw them really shine
Giving me a taste of something fine
Something fine
Now if you see Morocco I know you’ll go in style
I may not see Morocco for a little while
But while you’re there I was hoping you might keep it in your mind
To save me just a taste of something fine
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7.
UNDER THE FALLING SKY
Warm and lovely mystery, fire smiling through
Before this moment fades away I want to know you
I got lightning in my pocket, thunder in my shoe
Have no fear I’ve got something here I want to show you
Low, under the falling sky
Easily we will lie
While I bring it to you
It’s a low road, a high wire going from me to you
And In your eyes the distance left is closing
I’ve got a feeling in my ocean
Blood underneath my skin
That into your bright fields this prison is opening
Low, under the falling sky
Easily we will lie
While I bring it to you
Our shadows wake each day though they don’t know why
They hope and try -- live and die
So leave them in their frozen world
Come and be my lover
If only for one stolen moment
We will live forever
Warm and lovely mystery, can you hear the choir?
Voices can no longer hold my desire
Just abandon your sad history and meet me in the fire
Where angels wait to take us higher and higher
Higher and higher
Low, under the falling sky
Easily we will lie
While I bring it to you
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8.
LOOKING INTO YOU
Well I looked into a house I once lived in
Around the time I first went on my own
When the roads were as many as the places I had dreamed of
And my friends and I were one
Now the distance is done and the search has begun
I’ve come to see where my beginnings have gone
Oh the walls and the windows were still standing
And the music could be heard at the door
Where the people who kindly endured my odd questions
Asked if I came very far
And when my silence replied they took me inside
Where their children sat playing on the floor
Well we spoke of the changes that would find us farther on
And it left me so warm and so high
But as I stepped back outside to the gray morning sun
I heard that highway whisper and sigh
Are you ready to fly?
And I looked into the faces all passing by
It’s an ocean that will never be filled
And the house that grows older and finally crumbles
That even love cannot rebuild
It’s a hotel at best, you’re here as a guest
You ought to make yourself at home while you’re waiting for the rest
Well I looked into the dream of the millions
That one day the search will be through
Now here I stand at the edge of my embattled illusions
Looking into you
Ah the great song traveler passed through here
And he opened my eyes to the view
And I was among those who called him a prophet
And I asked him what was true
Until the distance had shown how the road remains alone
Now I’m looking in my life for a truth that is my own
Well I looked into the sky for my anthem
And the words and the music came through
But words and music will never touch the beauty that I’ve seen
Looking into you - and that’s true
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9.
ROCK ME ON THE WATER
Oh people, look around you
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
Oh your walls are burning
and your towers are turning
I’m going to leave you here
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 going to pull them through somehow
Well the fires are raging hotter and hotter
But the sisters of the sun are going to
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
Oh people, look among you
it’s there your hope must lie
There’s a seabird 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
I’m going to stand before the Father
But the sisters of the sun are going to
rock me on the water now
Rock me on the water
Sister, will you soothe my fevered brow
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
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10.
MY OPENING FAREWELL
The lady stands before an open window
Staring so far away
She can almost feel the southern wind blow
Almost touching her restless day
She turns from her window to me
Sad smile, her apology
Sad eyes reaching to the door
Daylight loses to another evening
And still she spares me the word goodbye
And sits along beside me fighting her feelings
Struggles to speak, but in the end, can only cry
Suddenly, it’s so hard to find
The sound of the words to speak her troubled mind
So I’m offering these to her as if to be kind
There’s a train every day leaving either way
There’s a world, you know, there’s a way to go
And you’ll soon be gone - that’s just as well
This is my opening farewell
A child’s drawings left there on the table
And a woman’s silk lying on the floor
I would keep them here if I were able
To lock her safe behind this open door
But suddenly, it’s so clear to me
That I’d asked her to see what she may never see
And now my kind words find their way back to me
There’s a train every day leaving either way
There’s a world, you know, you got a ways to go
And I’ll soon believe it’s just as well
This is my opening farewell