Jackson Browne The Pretender

Jackson first gives an explanation of the song. Taken from a video I taped at Christmas 1994. Programme title Words and Music. Subtitle American writers. Enjoy. I have.

Following a suggestion by RedKruzer I have added Jackson's wonderful lyrics.

I'm going to rent myself a house
In the shade of the freeway
I'm going to pack my lunch in the morning
And go to work each day
And when the evening rolls around
I'll go on home and lay my body down
And when the morning light comes streaming in
I'll get up and do it again
Amen
Say it again
Amen

I want to know what became of the changes
We waited for love to bring
Were they only the fitful dreams
Of some greater awakening
Ive been aware of the time going by
They say in the end its the wink of an eye
And when the morning light comes streaming in
You'll get up and do it again
Amen

Caught between the longing for love
And the struggle for the legal tender
Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring
And the junk man pounds his fender
Where the veterans dream of the fight
Fast asleep at the traffic light
And the children solemnly wait
For the ice cream vendor
Out into the cool of the evening
Strolls the pretender
He knows that all his hopes and dreams
Begin and end there

Ah the laughter of the lovers
As they run through the night
Leaving nothing for the others
But to choose off and fight
And tear at the world with all their might
While the ships bearing their dreams
Sail out of sight

I'm going to find myself a girl
Who can show me what laughter means
And well fill in the missing colors
In each others paint-by-number dreams
And then well put out dark glasses on
And well make love until our strength is gone
And when the morning light comes streaming in
Well get up and do it again
Get it up again

I'm going to be a happy idiot
And struggle for the legal tender
Where the ads take aim and lay their claim
To the heart and the soul of the spender
And believe in whatever may lie
In those things that money can buy
Thought true love could have been a contender
Are you there?
Say a prayer for the pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender

• Category

  Music

[bschallert]

I love this tune...use to be a little girl...my mom driving to nowhere..she use to get in a mood and just put me in the car and drive, we werent going anywhere in particular, just driving for 2 or 3 hours out of the city limits.. she would sing songs (this was one) and I would just watch her..didn't get it.. Now I do! Great Lyrics and Music and most of all Artist!

[Stephen Loflin]

This song gets better the older I get,

[Lester Morrisey]

No need to beat yourself up, you're here now! :-)

[deepsee40NJ]

it is said Phoebe Snow's "Poetry Man" is written concerning this fella.

~admire brilliance from all angles"~~~peace*****

[scouserknight]

A brilliant song from a brilliant artist.

[David Pollard]

He wrote more than that for them but could have retired on money made from Take It Easy.

[David Pollard]

The Best for me!

[David Pollard]

Me to. Been a musician all my life and played a lot of JB music. I have all of his stuff. !2 or 14 albums.

[David Pollard]

Order from amazon or just google jackson Browne cds or go to cd universe.com. Also if you live close to a big cd music store.

[t0xb0x]

where did music like this go?

[Tommy Ireland]

Thanks for posting

[Dylan Noceda]

All time favorite artist ever