 "Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1" 
Released on October 11, 2005 on Inside Recordings 
Tracks:
Produced by Jackson Browne and Paul Dieter Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1 presents twelve songs culled from Browne's extensive and critically acclaimed solo acoustic concerts around the world over the past few years, the disc also captures both spirited and humorous exchanges between Jackson and his audiences, making for a truly intimate listening experience. This new compilation is his first live release since his 1977 multi-platinum album Running On Empty. Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1, which debuted at #55 on the Billboard album chart, also marks the recording debut of a song more than three decades old, "The Birds Of St. Marks," not previously released on any Jackson Browne album. Featuring solo performances on both guitar and piano, the track listing reaches back to Browne's early years with "These Days" and "Take It Easy," and spans his entire career with other highlights including "Fountain Of Sorrow," "For Everyman," "The Pretender" and "Looking East." A stirring live version of "Lives In The Balance," the title track from Jackson's powerful 1986 album, will be the new album's lead single. PLEASE NOTE: When the album was first released, there was an "exclusive" bonus track on CDs sold at Best Buy stores in the U.S.: "The Rebel Jesus". (Both the Japanese and the Australia/New Zealand versions of the CD also contain this bonus track.)
THE BARRICADES OF HEAVEN Originally from the album Looking East (1996) Running down around the towns along the shore When I was sixteen and on my own No, I couldn't tell you what the hell those brakes were for I was just trying to hear my song Jimmy found his own sweet sound and won that free guitar We'd all get in the van and play Life became the Paradox, the Bear, the Rouge et Noir And the stretch of road running to L.A. Pages turning Pages we were years from learning Straight into the night our hearts were flung Better bring your own redemption when you come To the barricades of Heaven where I'm from All the world was shining from those hills The stars above and the lights below Among those there to test their fortunes and their wills I lost track of the score long ago Pages turning Pages we were years from learning Straight into the night our hearts were flung Better bring your own redemption when you come To the barricades of Heaven where I'm from Childhood comes for me at night Voices of my friends Your face bathing me in light Hope that never ends Pages turning Pages torn and pages burning Faded pages, open in the sun Better bring your own redemption when you come To the barricades of Heaven where I'm from. Better bring your own redemption when you come To the barricades of Heaven where I'm from. Written by Jackson Browne, Jeff Young, Kevin McCormick, Scott Thurston, Mark Goldenberg, Mauricio Lewak & Luis Conte (c) 1996, Swallow Turn Music/Glad Brad Music, Inc./Eye Cue Music, adm. by Almo Music Corp./Bateria Music/Irague Music, ASCAP/Neurp Songs/Faux Music/Longitude Music Co., all rights on behalf of Faux Music, adm. by Longitude Music Co., BMI. THESE DAYS Originally from the album For Everyman (1973) Well I've been out walking I don't do that much talking these days These days-- These days I seem to think a lot About the things that I forgot to do For you And all the times I had the chance to And I had a lover It's so hard to risk another these days These days-- Now if I seem to be afraid To live the life I have made in song Well it's just that I've been losing so long I'll keep on moving Things are bound to be improving these days These days-- These days I sit on corner stones And count the time in quarter tones to ten, my friend Don't confront me with my failures I had not forgotten them Written by Jackson Browne (Open Window Music, ASCAP) THE BIRDS OF ST. MARKS Previously unreleased Oh how sadly sound the songs the queen must sing of dying A prisoner upon her throne of melancholy sighing If she could see her mirror now She would be free of those who bow and Scrape the ground before her feet Silently she walks among her dying midnight roses Watches as each moment goes that never really know us And so it seems she doesn't care If she has dreams of no one there Within the shadows of her room But all my frozen words agree, and say it's time to Call back, all the birds I sent to Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm Weary of the nights I've seen Inside these empty halls Wooden lady turn and turn among my weary secrets And wave within the hours past and other empty pockets Maybe we've found what we have lost When we've unwound so many crossed entangling Misunderstandings; but All my frozen words agree and say it's time to Call back all the birds I sent to Fly behind her castle walls, and I'm Weary of the nights I've seen Inside these empty walls Written by Jackson Browne (c) 1970 Open Window Music, Companion Music and Altantic Music Corp. FOUNTAIN OF SORROW Originally from the album Late For The Sky (1974) Looking through some photographs I found inside a drawer I was taken by a photograph of you There were one or two I know that you would have liked a little more But they didn't show your spirit quite as true You were turning 'round to see who was behind you And I took your childish laughter by surprise And at the moment that my camera happened to find you There was just a trace of sorrow in your eyes Now the things that I remember seem so distant and so small Though it hasn't really been that long a time What I was seeing wasn't what was happening at all Although for a while, our path did seem to climb But when you see through love's illusions, there lies the danger And your perfect lover just looks like a perfect fool So you go running off in search of a perfect stranger While the loneliness seems to spring from your life Like a fountain from a pool Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light You've known that hollow sound of your own steps in flight You've had to hide sometimes, but now you're all right And it's good to see your smiling face tonight Now for you and me it may not be that hard to reach our dreams But that magic feeling never seems to last And while the future's there for anyone to change, still you know it's seems It would be easier sometimes to change the past I'm just one or two years and a couple of changes behind you In my lessons at love's pain and heartache school Where if you feel too free and you need something to remind you There's this loneliness springing up from your life Like a fountain from a pool Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light You've known that hollow sound of your own steps in flight You've had to hide sometimes but now you're all right And it's good to see your smiling face tonight Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light You've known that hollow sound of your own steps in flight You've had to struggle, you've had to fight To keep understanding and compassion in sight You could be laughing at me, you've got the right But you go on smiling so clear and so bright Written by Jackson Browne (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP) YOUR BRIGHT BABY BLUES Originally from the album The Pretender (1976) I'm sitting down by the highway Down by that highway side Everybody's going somewhere Riding just as fast as they can ride I guess they've got a lot to do Before they can rest assured Their lives are justified Pray to God for me baby He can let me slide 'Cause I've been up and down this highway Far as my eyes can see No matter how fast I run I can never seem to get away from me No matter where I am I can't help feeling I'm just a day away From where I want to be Now I'm running home baby Like a river to the sea Baby if you can see me Out across this wilderness There's just one thing I was hoping you might guess Baby you can free me All in the power of your sweet tenderness I can see it in your eyes You've got those bright baby blues You don't see what you've got to gain But you don't like to lose You watch yourself from the sidelines Like your life is a game you don't mind playing To keep yourself amused I don't mean to be cruel baby But you're looking confused Baby if you can hear me Turn down your radio There's just one thing I want you to know When you've been near me I've felt the love stirring in my soul It's so hard to come by That feeling of peace This friend of mine said "Close your eyes, and try a few of these" I thought I flying like a bird So far above my sorrow But when I looked down I was standing on my knees Now I need someone to help me Someone to help me please Baby if you need me Like I know I need you There's just one thing I'll ask you to do Take my hand and lead me To the hole in your garden wall And pull me through Written by Jackson Browne (c) 1976 SWALLOW TURN MUSIC FOR A DANCER Originally from the album Late For The Sky (1974) Keep a fire burning in your eye Pay attention to the open sky You never know what will be coming down I don't remember losing track of you You were always dancing in and out of view I must have thought you'd always be around Always keeping things real by playing the clown Now you're nowhere to be found I don't know what happens when people die Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try It's like a song I can hear playing right in my ear That I can't sing I can't help listening And I can't help feeling stupid standing 'round Crying as they ease you down 'Cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing Dancing our sorrow away (Right on dancing) No matter what fate chooses to play (There's nothing you can do about it anyway) Just do the steps that you've been shown By everyone you've ever known Until the dance becomes your very own No matter how close to yours Another's steps have grown In the end there is one dance you'll do alone Keep a fire for the human race Let your prayers go drifting into space You never know what will be coming down Perhaps a better world is drawing near And just as easily it could all disappear Along with whatever meaning you might have found Don't let the uncertainty turn you around (The world keeps turning around and around) Go on and make a joyful sound Into a dancer you have grown From a seed somebody else has thrown Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own And somewhere between the time you arrive And the time you go May lie a reason you were alive But you'll never know Written by Jackson Browne (c) 1974 SWALLOW TURN MUSIC TOO MANY ANGELS Originally from the album I'm Alive (1993) There's an angel on a ribbon Hanging from the armoire door There's a Cupid with his feet crossed On the bird cage by the door There's a baby angel drummer His eyes are open wide And two more tiny cherubs On the mantle side by side Too many angels Have seen me crying Too many angels Have heard you lying There are photographs of children All in their silver frames On the window sills and tabletops Lit by candle flames And upon their angel faces Life's expectations climb Where the moment has preserved them From the ravages of time Too many angels Have seen me crying Too many angels Have heard you lying Bring the morning on Voices sing of day I want to step out in the morning sun Through the flood of tears I want this darkness gone Your sweet face appears These apparitions coming one by one But there's no end in sight Only the dead of night And too many angels Too many angels Have seen me crying Too many angels Have heard you lying Too many angels Bring the morning on Voices sing of day I want to step out in the morning sun Through the flood of tears I want to greet the dawn Cast away these fears Forget about the things we could have done Bring the morning on Voices sing of day I want to watch the children as they run Through the broken years I want this darkness gone Your sweet face appears These apparitions coming one by one But there's no end in sight Only the dead of night And too many angels Written by Jackson Browne (c) 1993 SWALLOW TURN MUSIC, ASCAP FOR EVERYMAN Originally from the album For Everyman (1973) Everybody I talk to is ready to leave With the light of the morning They've seen the end coming down long enough to believe That they've heard their last warning Standing alone Each has his own ticket in his hand And as the evening descends I sit thinking 'bout Everyman Seems like I've always been looking for some other place To get it together Where with a few of my friends I could give up the race And maybe find something better But all my fine dreams Well thought out schemes to gain the motherland Have all eventually come down to waiting for Everyman Waiting here for Everyman-- Make it on your own if you think you can If you see somewhere to go I understand Waiting here for Everyman-- Don't ask me if he'll show -- baby I don't know Make it on your own if you think you can Somewhere later on you'll have to take a stand Then you're going to need a hand Everybody's just waiting to hear from the one Who can give them the answers And lead them back to that place in the warmth of the sun Where sweet childhood still dances Who'll come along And hold out that strong and gentle father's hand? Long ago I heard someone say something 'bout Everyman Waiting here for Everyman-- Make it on your own if you think you can If you see somewhere to go I understand I'm not trying to tell you that I've seen the plan Turn and walk away if you think I am-- But don't think too badly of one who's left holding sand He's just another dreamer, dreaming 'bout Everyman Written by Jackson Browne (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP) LIVES IN THE BALANCE Originally from the album Lives In The Balance (1986)
I've been waiting for something to happenFor a week or a month or a year With the blood in the ink of the headlines And the sound of the crowd in my ear You might ask what it takes to remember When you know that you've seen it before Where a government lies to a people And a country is drifting to war And there's a shadow on the faces Of the men who send the guns To the wars that are fought in places Where their business interest runs On the radio talk shows and the TV You hear one thing again and again How the USA stands for freedom And we come to the aid of a friend But who are the ones that we call our friends-- These governments killing their own? Or the people who finally can't take any more And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone There are lives in the balance There are people under fire There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wire There's a shadow on the faces Of the men who fan the flames Of the wars that are fought in places Where we can't even say the names They sell us the President the same way They sell us our clothes and our cars They sell us everything from youth to religion The same time they sell us our wars I want to know who the men in the shadows are I want to hear somebody asking them why They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are But they're never the ones to fight or to die And there are lives in the balance There are people under fire There are children at the cannons And there is blood on the wire Words and Music by Jackson Browne (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP) LOOKING EAST Originally from the album Looking East (1996) Standing in the ocean with the sun burning low in the west Like a fire in the cavernous darkness at the heart of the beast With my beliefs and possessions, stopped at the frontier in my chest At the edge of my country, my back to the sea, looking east Where the search for the truth is conducted with a wink and a nod And where power and position are equated with the grace of God These times are famine for the soul while for the senses it's a feast From the edge of my country, as far as you see, looking east Hunger in the midnight, hunger at the stroke of noon Hunger in the mansion, hunger in the rented room Hunger on the TV, hunger on the printed page And there's a God-sized hunger underneath the laughing and the rage In the absence of light And the deepening night Where I wait for the sun Looking east How long have I left my mind to the powers that be? How long will it take to find the higher power moving in me? Power in the insect Power in the sea Power in the snow falling silently Power in the blossom Power in the stone Power in the song being sung alone Power in the wheat field Power in the rain Power in the sunlight and the hurricane Power in the silence Power in the flame Power in the sound of the lover's name The power of the sunrise and the power of a prayer released On the edge of my country, I pray for the ones with the least Hunger in the midnight, hunger at the stroke of noon Hunger in the banquet, hunger in the bride and groom Hunger on the TV, hunger on the printed page And there's a God-sized hunger underneath the questions of the age And an absence of light In the deepening night Where I wait for the sun Looking east Written by Jackson Browne, Scott Thurston, Mauricio Lewak, Luis Conte, Jeff Young, Kevin McCormick and Mark Goldenberg (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP/Bateria Music, ASCAP/Iraguo Music, ASCAP/Neurp Songs, BMI/Eye Cue Music, ASCAP/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Faux Music, BMI) THE PRETENDER Originally from the album The Pretender (1976) 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 I've been aware of the time going by They say in the end it's 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 we'll fill in the missing colors In each other's paint-by-number dreams And then we'll put out dark glasses on And we'll make love until our strength is gone And when the morning light comes streaming in We'll 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 Written by Jackson Browne (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP) TAKE IT EASY Originally from the album For Everyman (1973) Well I'm a-running down the road trying to loosen my load I've got seven women on my mind Four that want to own me, two that want to stone me One says she's a friend of mine Take it easy, take it easy Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy Lighten up while you still can Don't even try to understand Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy Well I'm a-standin' on the corner in Winslow, Arizona With such a fine sight to see It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford Slowin' down to take a look at me Come on baby, don't say maybe I've got to know if your sweet love is gonna save me We may lose and we may win But we will never be here again Open up I'm climbin' in to take it easy Well I'm a-running down the road trying to loosen my load Got a world of trouble on my mind Lookin' for a lover who won't blow my cover She's just a little hard to find Take it easy, take it easy Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy Come on baby, don't say maybe I've got to know if your sweet love is gonna save me You know we got it easy We oughta take it easy Written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey (Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP/Red Cloud Music, ASCAP) |