One of his best songs. This pure acoustic track is my favorite version of the song he recorded. The song is about his wife Phyllis, and there's a lot of emotion in the lyrics.
I can't even explain the impact this song has on me as it was the song I was listening to in 1990 when I tried to take my life. I thought there was nothing to live for. Now, 30 years later, I can see that there was so much to live for. I still love this song and cry almost every time I hear it but please never give up or in. Grieve and move on. Life has so much for you.
Glad you're still here with us! No relation that I know of, but one of my older my brothers good friends was Joe Arnold that had a brother named Fred. All the guys from that period had fast cars and my brother would always tune them up. Back when Mopar ruled the performance market. I remember Joe's blue car, and I know it was a Mopar, but for the life of me I can't remember the model of it. Danny had a Charger, I can remember Mike had a white Roadrunner, Sam had a 69 Charger RT 440 magnum balanced and blue printed. My brother had a Super B. Clyde had a 440 TA Challenger. Another guy had a GTX Hemi. And then there was me that was to young to drive, but always got to ride with them when they tested them out the night before they went to the weekly drag strip to see who had the best in the 1/4 and 1/8th mile. Cars were fast, and gas was cheap! Now I need to ask my brother what Joe had.
I do this song when I gig. Not every gig. But everytime I do it,I play it for me knowing that in the room no-one has ever heard it. I lose myself in it. When I sing ‘about the size a fist, something thrown that had missed’ I know I’m repeating one of the greatest lines ever written. A genius, dinner with him, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Joni, Carole and Brian Wilson would be a blast.
None can compare. The most gifted, cut to the throat, cut to the heart song writer, singer, and poet in generations. No other. Thanks for all the years, helped me get through this life with more love disappointments than I care to recap. But wow. THIS song is his best. Followed by Fountain of Sorrow.
My husband and I saw Jackson on Valentines day last year He is wasssss brilliant. His music got me through some really bad times. I have always wanted to see him in concert but he wasn't eveee close to me to go see him. He is remarkable ❤!! Well worth the.$700.. I ❤ you Jackson!!
Such a touching and beautiful song. One of his best. I love the acoustic version. I have been a Jackson admirer for 50 years. This is one of many examples why.
I couldn't agree more or have said it any better , I think he plays the guitar beautifully , and is a gifted pianist . which makes him ,in my oppinion a one of a kind extremely talented individual .
Amen. his music changed my life for the better. i am 24 and a musician myself, and after discovering his music, i have learned more than anyone else can teach. Jackson Browne - The greatest songwriter of all time.
Saw Jackson Browne last night in Louisville,KY.-he was soooo great-soooo beautiful-his voice was so like always BEAUTIFUL-he sang this song and I cried for the good times-love him.....
I have just discovered this amazing artist and I have fallen in love hook line and sinker.What an amazing talent,so glad I have finally listened to him.There are so few artists around like this now who wrote songs with such depth and soul.He comes from an era of music that was hands down the best.
They don't make songwriters like that anymore. Well, no I take that back. There is a tiny hand full. Dawes is one group that writes beautiful and meaningful songs as well and I'm sure they were heavily influenced by JB.
+ Charlie5 thumbs. Dawes and Jackson and Warren Zevon. Sometimes they are inseparable. This particular song only involves Jackson and the death of his wife. ”In the hour before dawn , when I knew she was gone”.
I have never heard this version before. Love it; just the guitar and Jackson Browne's voice. One of my favorite musical artists. Someone wrote about this being played at their funeral. I want to have Running on Empty played at my funeral. I always play this song at sometime when I take a road trip. To me; when I die that will be the ultimate road trip and Running on Empty has been a constant for me when on the road.
Ladies and Gentleman, please take the time to get to know one of the best American Songwriters of All!!! Some may rock you, some may roll you, but Jackson Browne leaves you paralyzed with emotion.
I saw him live in Ninety One when I was Twenty Four and it was really really good. He rolled into Cincy Ohio with nothing but a voice a soul and a grand piano, wow I'd love to see that again
Just saw him last month in Woodenville WA for first time. Saw him on TV recently but went expecting that like all of us in the 1970s he would possibly be older and not as good. I was so wrong. One of the best EVER concerts. Perfection. He puts his heart into his music and cares about the audience and I would see him again tomorrow. Amazing. Began loving Jackson Brown in mid 70s and have never tired of his music and now more than ever he remains the BEST.
LIKEWISE. JACKSON SPEAKS TO MY SOUL; HAVING TRAVELED SEVERAL OF SIMILAR, NOT EQUAL, ROADS, FROM SAME GENERATION; RACKING UP MILES ON VARIED MUSICAL PATHS, YET ARRIVING ON A MUTUAL DESTINATION.
If you have not seen him live GO you leave the show knowing you have seen one of the greatest artist ever Any chance I get to see him I would go.Dont let this pass you by...
Have seen him twice in the past few years. One solo acoustic show, one concert with his band. I prefer the intimacy of the solo acoustic shows. Amazing talent.
Saw his show a month ago, in a concert hall in Calgary. Acoustics were amazing, as is this recording. Just him with his rack of 18 guitars, and another (didn't catch his name, talented) with at least seven steel guitars, the lap kind. Was not disappointed.
Jackson is among the top American Songwriters of his time & mine! This tune is one of my most loved ~ love love love this tune ~ been performing his tunes for years & I love that his voice is still clear & beautiful ~ love his duets with Bonnie Raitt! So much depth in his poetry he's got the magic in his words ~ sung so melodically ~
If I had one wish to have music session with any musician and to go to stateside there would only be one man, It would surely be Sir Jackson Browne, What a singer and composer,only the best God Bless Jackson:
Just saw Jackson at the MACC Castle Theater on Maui a couple weeks ago. Great acoustic sets and quite an experience I gotto share with my now 34 year old son. Thanks for all the music all these years...Blessings, Ed
Jackson Browne for me a gift for us from GOD a truly wonderful songsmith a wonderful wordsmith with a way to get messages across about the good and the bad times we all live through. as he said there is one dance we do alone but when Jackson is called to the dancefloor ,WHAT A LEGACY
My ex husband played this song on my 18th birthday 7/9/1991. He told me it was our song and gave me a gold necklace with a ruby in it. It didn't make sense to me then. Why would he pick a song like this to be our song. It was depressing. After struggling for 20 yrs and finally going through a very painful divorce last year.. it is almost a self fulfilling prophecy.. sigh.. a clue .. I cry whenever I hear this song, but very beautiful with great meaning to me.
This man is not just a musician or lyricist. Jackson Browne is a Poet. He has that unique ability to put to words those feelings we share but can't see to express. He has seen a lot of heartache in his life and it is played -out in his songs. Very often I feel as if I'm a voyeur peeking into a man's private life. He's magical. He's,"Jackson"
I think Jackson Browne's music is beautiful and direct. He is about PEACE listen to it. Sad that someone with such a loving message to give the world is targeted by nutjobs who have nothing to offer the world but hate.
One of my favorite Jackson Browne's songs. Great acoustic version. "Love" is often walking into the great abyss of unknowing until one day you wake up.
Jackson Browne was brought to my attention by a friend of mine who is no longer among us. We were in our early 20's back in the seventies and I have followed JB ever since. An inspirational source in so many ways through life.
being romantically challenged, i can relate to this song. the doomed relationship...the one that hurt the most before, during and after. Those are the memories you never shake, and never share with anyone else. You sound crazy...holding out for the love that that never worked out, that shattered your heart ,so meaningfully and deep.... memories are sacred and concealed deeply inside only to be brought out in your moments of quiet. the acoustic guitar work on this is truly inspired.
Well said. It's hard to move on sometimes and leave the past beautifully broken as it should be. Luckily time has a way of eroding away the bad times like a weathered stone leaving only the the good memories.
straight from your heart, my dear friend Jackson, you indeed know how to touch our hearts, beautiful song, you know one of my favorites one ! (I told you)
This song has to be as crushing for him as "Tears In Heaven" must be for Clapton. The story he's telling is of his beloved wife, who ended her own life, and left him alone to pick up the pieces and carry on...
This was the lives in the balance tour. I seen this tour in Baltimore. At the time ( 1986 ) they had a large tent amphitheater right next to the water. boats could pull adjacent to the theater and listen to the concert for free. Jackson Browne came out on stage and said helo Baltimore, and I would like to say hello to my friends on the boats who were too cheap to buy tickets. he said ,even though you don't have a ticket I want to dedicate the first song to you guys. and he opened the concert with Rocking on the water. I thought it was very funny and also very cool. great concert. We had came by boat also, but my wife and I got a Slip in the marina. We traveled about 130 miles by boat to see this concert. Great memories.
+tackless Saw Jackson at the Mann Music Center in Philly on that tour. Ticket was a whopping $9.50, even me, a pizza delivery guy could swing that! Worth very penny!
+sillyone52062. Cool I have been to the MannMusic Center quite a few times. I seen Neil Young, The Band, Jackson Browne and Crosby Stills and Nash twice. it's a great place for concerts , but it's in a shaky area.
This song is incredibly emotional. The story of a man's wife who lost hope and committed suicide. I can't even imagine the pain and the heartache he feels. Yet he pulls himself together and writes an incredible song. The music and the lyrics expose the core of his heart. This man is a gift to the World. I just don't get the negative responses.
It takes on a deeply profound meaning, when you know the story about the song. Jackson writes beautifully about even the most painful moments of his life. Phyllis Major Browne was an actress and model. She was a very beautiful woman.
A fantastic version of this song. I had to listen to it about 50 times, over and over. I have been a Jackson Browne fan since the early 70's. Saw him on tv about 1973 and was hooked. Not sure if this is about Phyllis or Daryl. Doesn't matter. It is one the most heart wrenching songs I have ever heard. Obviously he loved the woman and felt deep deep pain and regret over the failed relationship and love lost. This song brings me to tears. It wrecks me baby.
This takes me back to the good old days of radio one when the American chart rundown was done on Saturday afternoon heard the recorded version in 1986 on the album lives in the balance hosted by Gary Byrd.
The picture of Jackson Browne sitting at the piano was shot in Sonoma California at 205 East Spain Street by Harold Diltz. I know because it's my parents house. That's my father's piano. The photo has been worked with an enlarger and an airbrush. The shutters were smaller, so Harold photographed the doors from the entry room and cut them in with an exacto knife. Harold told me how he was going to do it. Jackson didn't like the size of the shutters. He said they were too small. There was a third photo behind Jackson's head. He left all three photos on the wall after the photo shoot. If you look closely enough the one with the clouds looks like Jerry Garcia. I wrote the lyrics to "Looking East." I gave them to Jon Landau in 1981. Jackson it's nice to see that you did all right. Thanks for recording "Looking East" it is a geographical with maximum degrees of rotation, juxtaposition, it was a mathematical exercise that involved the use of a compass and a clock. Mathematical genius, an effort at signature encryption. Take care and be well..
+eric heine. I don’t know what to believe. I see Jackson at the piano with some of his personal belongings, such as his horn. I don’t see doors and shutters and I don’t see any clouds in photos that look like Jerry Garcia., but I’m willing to listen to more
>>I completely agree.. one of his BEST. I loved this song the first time I ever heard it,in 1986.... and its lyrics are haunting and hold a Truth that is filled with emotion .... ; its a song that is timeless.
'79... It was a diamond that she wore...in the shape of a tear drop...after she left she sent it back to me...it was a bridge from which it dropped...into the river below...
I saw Jackson 3 times so far. No frills show just one of the greatest songwriters ever. Emotion in every word. Awesome musician. There is no other like him.
It was a ruby that she wore On a chain around her neck In the shape of a heart In the shape of a heart It was a time I won't forget For the sorrow and regret And the shape of a heart And the shape of a heart I guess I never knew What she was talking about I guess I never knew What she was living without People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove Speak in terms of belief and belonging Try to fit some name to their longing People speak of love There was a hole left in the wall From some ancient fight About the size of a fist Or something thrown that had missed And there were other holes as well In the house where our nights fell Far too many to repair In the time that we were there People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of Reach out to each other though the push and shove Speak in terms of a life and the learning Try to think of a word for the burning You keep it up You try so hard To keep a life from coming apart And never know What breaches and faults are concealed In the shape of a heart It was the ruby that she wore On a stand beside the bed In the hour before dawn When I knew she was gone And I held it in my hand For a little while And dropped it into the wall Let it go, heard it fall I guess I never knew What she was talking about I guess I never knew What she was living without People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove Speak in terms of a life and the living Try to find the word for forgiving You keep it up You try so hard To keep a life from coming apart And never know The shallows and the unseen reefs That are there from the start In the shape of a heart
..."...the shallows, & the unseen reefs that are there from the start..."....to use words, not in there traditional, linear ways, but as a kind of code, to at one-and-the-same-time, show you 'pictures' of experiences, & invest the way they are arranged, & sound, to achieve an inexplicably deeper, broader meaning & context.....this is what great writers (& most-especially, poets) achieve....spinning from ordinary pictures a 'finer fabric', empowered by their magical ability to contact us, emotionally, indirectly, but most-definitely more powerfully, offering us an opportunity for insight, into our selves, into experiences, other times, & defining a 'way-of-seeing' capable of transforming us, healing us, opening us up.....this is in many ways the highest art, and this man, JB (who i first saw in Maine in the mid 70s & have seen countless times since) is Truly a one-of-a-kind gift (to Us all).....He is a Master artist, comparable to a Shakespeare, a Dylan, a Picasso.......a psychically attuned soul, fulfilling his insights by making them palpable & assessible to any with 'ears to hear'......i thank The Creator every time his voice enters me....so mahalo nui (Thanks, so much), Mr Browne, for all the secret hieroglyphs you craft to a) bear your soul, b) heal yourself, & c) offer Us the chance to see through your eyes, into Ourselves, and yes, to heal Ourselves, as well....
+ Chris Andrus. Great insight. Thanks. I'm in the process of comparing him to the great southern writer Pat Conroy and why the two of them are not in the "elite"
@@stargazer6753 ...well (i guess) that depends on whose "elite", (for me) he stands alone, at the top of all RnR writers...i am, even after hearing his words for over 50 years, stunned & mesmerized by the way he 'strings 'ordinary' words/ideas together... much peace, love & aloha my friend & luck with your project ...
@@chrisandrus689 I am using the word “elite” in the pejorative, as in the negative, as it has been for many years. Let us not get too tied up in semantics, but we do need to know word definitions. I think we can agree that Jackson Browne is the greatest lyricist of our time. There is Robert Zimmerman, but that is another story.
I can't even explain the impact this song has on me as it was the song I was listening to in 1990 when I tried to take my life. I thought there was nothing to live for. Now, 30 years later, I can see that there was so much to live for. I still love this song and cry almost every time I hear it but please never give up or in. Grieve and move on. Life has so much for you.
God bless u 🙏 Joe
Glad you're still here with us!
No relation that I know of, but one of my older my brothers good friends was Joe Arnold that had a brother named Fred. All the guys from that period had fast cars and my brother would always tune them up. Back when Mopar ruled the performance market. I remember Joe's blue car, and I know it was a Mopar, but for the life of me I can't remember the model of it. Danny had a Charger, I can remember Mike had a white Roadrunner, Sam had a 69 Charger RT 440 magnum balanced and blue printed. My brother had a Super B. Clyde had a 440 TA Challenger. Another guy had a GTX Hemi. And then there was me that was to young to drive, but always got to ride with them when they tested them out the night before they went to the weekly drag strip to see who had the best in the 1/4 and 1/8th mile. Cars were fast, and gas was cheap! Now I need to ask my brother what Joe had.
So nice to hear how a song can do so much!!! Jackson lived it and he gave us so much beautiful songs and still does!!
@@21stCenturyTemplar. yes he did! I think it is about his wife Phyllis Major that took her life. However I'm not positive.
/hugs. 😢
So many heart breaking, thought provoking, songs. He is such a gifted and talented man!!
I do this song when I gig. Not every gig. But everytime I do it,I play it for me knowing that in the room no-one has ever heard it. I lose myself in it. When I sing ‘about the size a fist, something thrown that had missed’ I know I’m repeating one of the greatest lines ever written. A genius, dinner with him, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Joni, Carole and Brian Wilson would be a blast.
I've heard it and love it. I'm a huge fan. Can I be at that dinner?
One of. The. Strongest n. Sweetest. Vocalists I ever heard
In. 62 years!!!
None can compare. The most gifted, cut to the throat, cut to the heart song writer, singer, and poet in generations. No other. Thanks for all the years, helped me get through this life with more love disappointments than I care to recap. But wow. THIS song is his best. Followed by Fountain of Sorrow.
My husband and I saw Jackson on Valentines day last year
He is wasssss brilliant. His music got me through some really bad times. I have always wanted to see him in concert but he wasn't eveee close to me to go see him. He is remarkable ❤!! Well worth the.$700.. I ❤ you Jackson!!
Been a fan since the early 70S. No better songwriter, anywhere.
The Pretender will hold a special place in my soul all my days
Jackson will break your heart through his honesty and clarity of his lyrics.Such a talented artist.
Long live Jackson Browne! This song just fills my heart! Thank you Jackson for 40/+ years of such great music!
Such a touching and beautiful song. One of his best. I love the acoustic version. I have been a Jackson admirer for 50 years. This is one of many examples why.
I love this acoustic version, raw at the best!
He isn't getting enough recognition he truly deserves. One of my favorite male artistes.
One of the best songwriters of the 20th century, PERIOD. An exceptional wordsmith. Thank you Mr Browne...*sigh*...
I think so too. simplex is best. I live in Japan, I can hear his voice of california.
+Carlos. Yes indeed.
♥️♥️♥️♥️
Yes! His poetry is sooo full of LIFE. Good and bad! Very unique musician! ❤️🎵🌹
I couldn't agree more or have said it any better , I think he plays the guitar beautifully , and is a gifted pianist . which makes him ,in my oppinion a one of a kind extremely talented individual .
Never get tired of listening to him a timeless artist...A master
Amen. his music changed my life for the better. i am 24 and a musician myself, and after discovering his music, i have learned more than anyone else can teach. Jackson Browne - The greatest songwriter of all time.
I saw JB 30 years ago in Greensboro NC. It was absolutely the best experience. Now my daughter listens and loves him too❤️
An an amazing song that hits home
This song is perfect.
There are some people you simply wish you were. He makes feelings tangible.
jackson browne ~ defines my generation in so many songs ~
Jackson's ability to paint a visual masterpiece is mind boggling, really.
Terrific song! I've always been a Jackson Browne fan ever since I bought his first album back in 1972!
This song is so awesome and brings tears to my eyes EVERY TIME
Saw Jackson Browne last night in Louisville,KY.-he was soooo great-soooo beautiful-his voice was so like always BEAUTIFUL-he sang this song and I cried for the good times-love him.....
I have just discovered this amazing artist and I have fallen in love hook line and sinker.What an amazing talent,so glad I have finally listened to him.There are so few artists around like this now who wrote songs with such depth and soul.He comes from an era of music that was hands down the best.
His music will be with you a long, long time....
Such a heart felt song that has had different Pains at different phases of my life❤️😢🫂❤️
This man has been a long time favourite of mine since forever ❤️ still is💕
You have to appreciate how this one it is so well written that it comes off equally well either slow or quick.
A beautiful rendition of my favorite Jackson Brown tear jerker ballad.I saw him do this live in promotion of the album and the band delivered it.
This is an absolute work of art
JB is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. His songs talk to one's soul.
I always feel like he is reading my heart.
Joyce Jeffries Exactly!
They don't make songwriters like that anymore. Well, no I take that back. There is a tiny hand full. Dawes is one group that writes beautiful and meaningful songs as well and I'm sure they were heavily influenced by JB.
+ Charlie5 thumbs. Dawes and Jackson and Warren Zevon. Sometimes they are inseparable. This particular song only involves Jackson and the death of his wife. ”In the hour before dawn , when I knew she was gone”.
AMEN
Beautiful, timeless song that is still as lovely and real today as it was all those years ago
Play this back to back with with Lives In The Balance and life rarely gets better.
I have never heard this version before. Love it; just the guitar and Jackson Browne's voice. One of my favorite musical artists. Someone wrote about this being played at their funeral. I want to have Running on Empty played at my funeral. I always play this song at sometime when I take a road trip. To me; when I die that will be the ultimate road trip and Running on Empty has been a constant for me when on the road.
Ladies and Gentleman, please take the time to get to know one of the best American Songwriters of All!!! Some may rock you, some may roll you, but Jackson Browne leaves you paralyzed with emotion.
I saw him live in Ninety One when I was Twenty Four and it was really really good. He rolled into Cincy Ohio with nothing but a voice a soul and a grand piano, wow I'd love to see that again
+ tom johnson. I envy you. Isn't that just like Jackson.
I can never decide what is my favorite song by him because each song is great.Each time I listen to his art I relize the greatness of his work.
One of the most amazing songs in his extensive catalog of music. Lyrically, Jackson Browne has few, if any equals. I've loved his music for 40 years.
same me. mate never got over glen frey passing
A guitar , a voice and a story to tell.... excellence ! 💞
Fantastic rendition, pure gold.
He is the ONLY Musician that makes Me Cry everytime.
He just knows how to put words together... is freaken brilliant
Such a beautiful song and such an amazing artist...JB is never running on empty...
He reminds you of a time in your life when you were not jaded by the world.
Just saw him last month in Woodenville WA for first time. Saw him on TV recently but went expecting that like all of us in the 1970s he would possibly be older and not as good. I was so wrong. One of the best EVER concerts. Perfection. He puts his heart into his music and cares about the audience and I would see him again tomorrow. Amazing. Began loving Jackson Brown in mid 70s and have never tired of his music and now more than ever he remains the BEST.
Arlene Brewer dang, I'm sad I missed it. I live in that area
I was at the same show. So many songs with so many memories. cried like a baby. Very moving show.
I'm with you!
LIKEWISE. JACKSON SPEAKS TO MY SOUL; HAVING TRAVELED SEVERAL OF SIMILAR, NOT EQUAL, ROADS, FROM SAME GENERATION; RACKING UP MILES ON VARIED MUSICAL PATHS, YET ARRIVING ON A MUTUAL DESTINATION.
Wish I could attend atleast one of his concerts. One of the best lyricists!
2019 & still one of my favourite hearbreaking songs 🎶🎶❤
One of the most emotionally packed songs I have ever heard.
I hear you.
If you have not seen him live GO you leave the show knowing you have seen one of the greatest artist ever Any chance I get to see him I would go.Dont let this pass you by...
Have seen him twice in the past few years. One solo acoustic show, one concert with his band. I prefer the intimacy of the solo acoustic shows. Amazing talent.
oh my God he is doing a Candian tour already got my tickest prayed that he would come back to Monteal
Saw his show a month ago, in a concert hall in Calgary. Acoustics were amazing, as is this recording. Just him with his rack of 18 guitars, and another (didn't catch his name, talented) with at least seven steel guitars, the lap kind. Was not disappointed.
David Lindley, maybe?
I saw him a couple years ago at our Zoo amphitheater. Outside concert, the weather was perfect, and JB was as good as ever.
Jackson is among the top American Songwriters of his time & mine! This tune is one of my most loved ~ love love love this tune ~ been performing his tunes for years & I love that his voice is still clear & beautiful ~ love his duets with Bonnie Raitt! So much depth in his poetry he's got the magic in his words ~ sung so melodically ~
If I had one wish to have music session with any musician and to go to
stateside there would only be one man, It would surely be Sir Jackson Browne,
What a singer and composer,only the best God Bless Jackson:
When the vocal comes in - gives me chills
From the first time that I heard this song I loved his imagery in the lyrics.Thank you for posting this wonderful version of the classic.
I don't think there has ever been anyone like Jackson Browne... How he puts his heart and soul into the beautiful songs he writes.
Beautifully executed, masterful, so sad, I guess I'll never knew. Sing it for me today as my tears fall.
Just saw Jackson at the MACC Castle Theater on Maui a couple weeks ago. Great acoustic sets and quite an experience I gotto share with my now 34 year old son. Thanks for all the music all these years...Blessings, Ed
Jackson's voice has always been so soothing to me. No one can match his talent for making the words & music flow so beautifully
His best song. Hits me in the core of my heart.
Jackson Browne for me a gift for us from GOD a truly wonderful songsmith a wonderful wordsmith with a way to get messages across about the good and the bad times we all live through. as he said there is one dance we do alone but when Jackson is called to the dancefloor ,WHAT A LEGACY
@alvysinger one of the great things about living in LA....you never know who you are going to meet...cool for you ......
@alvysinger Ain’t that something’. What a story!
My ex husband played this song on my 18th birthday 7/9/1991. He told me it was our song and gave me a gold necklace with a ruby in it. It didn't make sense to me then. Why would he pick a song like this to be our song. It was depressing. After struggling for 20 yrs and finally going through a very painful divorce last year.. it is almost a self fulfilling prophecy.. sigh.. a clue .. I cry whenever I hear this song, but very beautiful with great meaning to me.
He is and always be a favorite to me !
Love You Jackson, Carol ~ God Bless
This man is not just a musician or lyricist. Jackson Browne is a Poet. He has that unique ability to put to words those feelings we share but can't see to express. He has seen a lot of heartache in his life and it is played -out in his songs. Very often I feel as if I'm a voyeur peeking into a man's private life. He's magical. He's,"Jackson"
Yes! I think of him as a "Troubador" or "Poet/Singer" and everything he writes is magnificent.
Thank you, Jackson Browne. Thank you.
I think Jackson Browne's music is beautiful and direct. He is about PEACE listen to it. Sad that someone with such a loving message to give the world is targeted by nutjobs who have nothing to offer the world but hate.
One of my favorite Jackson Browne's songs. Great acoustic version.
"Love" is often walking into the great abyss of unknowing until one day you wake up.
Jackson Browne was brought to my attention by a friend of mine who is no longer among us. We were in our early 20's back in the seventies and I have followed JB ever since. An inspirational source in so many ways through life.
being romantically challenged, i can relate to this song. the doomed relationship...the one that hurt the most before, during and after. Those are the memories you never shake, and never share with anyone else. You sound crazy...holding out for the love that that never worked out, that shattered your heart ,so meaningfully and deep.... memories are sacred and concealed deeply inside only to be brought out in your moments of quiet. the acoustic guitar work on this is truly inspired.
That is so truly beautiful and deeply moving.
Lori Higgins so elegently stated
Well said. It's hard to move on sometimes and leave the past beautifully broken as it should be. Luckily time has a way of eroding away the bad times like a weathered stone leaving only the the good memories.
Lori Higgins beautifully said
Lori Higgins romantically challenged starts at home don't tar everyone with the same brush or the feathers might stick to you and yours
straight from your heart, my dear friend Jackson, you indeed know how to touch our hearts, beautiful song, you know one of my favorites one ! (I told you)
Jackson Browne and a guitar, that's all I need.
on his own to a big crowd sheer talent the sound is just thank you dr m.
This song has to be as crushing for him as "Tears In Heaven" must be for Clapton. The story he's telling is of his beloved wife, who ended her own life, and left him alone to pick up the pieces and carry on...
with an 18 month old son.
I think this is one of the best versions of this song, thank you for uploading & Sharing, awesome,
This was the lives in the balance tour. I seen this tour in Baltimore. At the time ( 1986 ) they had a large tent amphitheater right next to the water. boats could pull adjacent to the theater and listen to the concert for free. Jackson Browne came out on stage and said helo Baltimore, and I would like to say hello to my friends on the boats who were too cheap to buy tickets. he said ,even though you don't have a ticket I want to dedicate the first song to you guys. and he opened the concert with Rocking on the water. I thought it was very funny and also very cool. great concert. We had came by boat also, but my wife and I got a Slip in the marina. We traveled about 130 miles by boat to see this concert. Great memories.
I saw a show from that tour, as well.
+tackless Saw Jackson at the Mann Music Center in Philly on that tour. Ticket was a whopping $9.50, even me, a pizza delivery guy could swing that! Worth very penny!
+sillyone52062. Cool I have been to the MannMusic Center quite a few times. I seen Neil Young, The Band, Jackson Browne and Crosby Stills and Nash twice. it's a great place for concerts , but it's in a shaky area.
lol and you got to see one of the greatest artist ever.
tackless is
Love this version, this man must have seen love through my eye's. Sooo many memories.
Love this song- never heard this acoustic version so thank you- with all my heart X
This song is incredibly emotional. The story of a man's wife who lost hope and committed suicide. I can't even imagine the pain and the heartache he feels. Yet he pulls himself together and writes an incredible song. The music and the lyrics expose the core of his heart. This man is a gift to the World. I just don't get the negative responses.
Thank you for your insight Jerry, beautiful song acoustically.
I never understood suicide. Life sucks at times but it punishes the survivors
It takes on a deeply profound meaning, when you know the story about the song. Jackson writes beautifully about even the most painful moments of his life. Phyllis Major Browne was an actress and model. She was a very beautiful woman.
I truly never knew the actual story behind this song😢 I've realized a complete different perception of the depth of this beautiful song. I'm so sorry.
what negative responses? I've read all comments and haven't seen any negativity
How is it that such a sad song can give such joy? I feel I'm becoming a woman as my only solace is my discontentment. JB is still the best.
a gift to the world..
My favorite version of this song 🎵💕
Brilliant singer and song writer ❤
A fantastic version of this song. I had to listen to it about 50 times, over and over. I have been a Jackson Browne fan since the early 70's. Saw him on tv about 1973 and was hooked. Not sure if this is about Phyllis or Daryl. Doesn't matter. It is one the most heart wrenching songs I have ever heard. Obviously he loved the woman and felt deep deep pain and regret over the failed relationship and love lost. This song brings me to tears. It wrecks me baby.
+Hungry Hubby Definitely Phyllis.But can transfer the emotion to anyone that you hold dear or love....
Hungry Hubby
Or Colleen?
@@debgibbons6532 Definitely Phyllis.
Both song and voice are timeless.
This takes me back to the good old days of radio one when the American chart rundown was done on Saturday afternoon heard the recorded version in 1986 on the album lives in the balance hosted by Gary Byrd.
Love this version. Raw and authentic.
Jackson has been my favorite artist since 1977. enuff said.
No platforms, no makeup, no theatrics: rather He is a Master poet with a mastery of music . JB, you opened my heart in 1970.
The picture of Jackson Browne sitting at the piano was shot in Sonoma California at 205 East Spain Street by Harold Diltz.
I know because it's my parents house. That's my father's piano.
The photo has been worked with an enlarger and an airbrush. The shutters were smaller, so Harold photographed the doors from the entry room and cut them in with an exacto knife. Harold told me how he was going to do it. Jackson didn't like the size of the shutters.
He said they were too small. There was a third photo behind Jackson's head. He left all three photos on the wall after the photo shoot. If you look closely enough the one with the clouds looks like Jerry Garcia. I wrote the lyrics to "Looking East." I gave them to Jon Landau in 1981. Jackson it's nice to see that you did all right. Thanks for recording "Looking East" it is a geographical with maximum degrees of rotation,
juxtaposition, it was a mathematical exercise that involved the use of a compass and a clock. Mathematical genius, an effort at signature encryption.
Take care and be well..
+eric heine. I don’t know what to believe. I see Jackson at the piano with some of his personal belongings, such as his horn. I don’t see doors and shutters and I don’t see any clouds in photos that look like Jerry Garcia., but I’m willing to listen to more
That’s awesome!
Henry Diltz
Artfully crafted song. No Bullshit! Solid lyrics that come in the shape of a heart.
truth be told
>>I completely agree.. one of his BEST. I loved this song the first time I ever heard it,in 1986.... and its lyrics are haunting and hold a Truth that is filled with emotion .... ; its a song that is timeless.
...and excellent band with amplified acoustic and electric as well...Great work all of you...
For some reason I can't listen to this without crying...
i guess i never knew, what she was living without.......what a line
Yes, and I would bet that many people on either side of relationships can relate to that great line.
'79... It was a diamond that she wore...in the shape of a tear drop...after she left she sent it back to me...it was a bridge from which it dropped...into the river below...
Jackson Browne is my musical soulmate.
Saw him last night at the Tivoli in Chattanooga Tn. Just him a guitar player and two backup singers and it was great!!
I saw Jackson 3 times so far. No frills show just one of the greatest songwriters ever. Emotion in every word. Awesome musician. There is no other like him.
It was a ruby that she wore
On a chain around her neck
In the shape of a heart
In the shape of a heart
It was a time I won't forget
For the sorrow and regret
And the shape of a heart
And the shape of a heart
I guess I never knew
What she was talking about
I guess I never knew
What she was living without
People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of
Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove
Speak in terms of belief and belonging
Try to fit some name to their longing
People speak of love
There was a hole left in the wall
From some ancient fight
About the size of a fist
Or something thrown that had missed
And there were other holes as well
In the house where our nights fell
Far too many to repair
In the time that we were there
People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of
Reach out to each other though the push and shove
Speak in terms of a life and the learning
Try to think of a word for the burning
You keep it up
You try so hard
To keep a life from coming apart
And never know
What breaches and faults are concealed
In the shape of a heart
It was the ruby that she wore
On a stand beside the bed
In the hour before dawn
When I knew she was gone
And I held it in my hand
For a little while
And dropped it into the wall
Let it go, heard it fall
I guess I never knew
What she was talking about
I guess I never knew
What she was living without
People speak of love don't know what they're thinking of
Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove
Speak in terms of a life and the living
Try to find the word for forgiving
You keep it up
You try so hard
To keep a life from coming apart
And never know
The shallows and the unseen reefs
That are there from the start
In the shape of a heart
That was a great version.
Love this song. Always makes my heartache. So many sad memories. ❤
I suppose our first real love never leaves us & music or sounds, or even smells can bring their memory back to the surface.
..."...the shallows, & the unseen reefs that are there from the start..."....to use words, not in there traditional, linear ways, but as a kind of code, to at one-and-the-same-time, show you 'pictures' of experiences, & invest the way they are arranged, & sound, to achieve an inexplicably deeper, broader meaning & context.....this is what great writers (& most-especially, poets) achieve....spinning from ordinary pictures a 'finer fabric', empowered by their magical ability to contact us, emotionally, indirectly, but most-definitely more powerfully, offering us an opportunity for insight, into our selves, into experiences, other times, & defining a 'way-of-seeing' capable of transforming us, healing us, opening us up.....this is in many ways the highest art, and this man, JB (who i first saw in Maine in the mid 70s & have seen countless times since) is Truly a one-of-a-kind gift (to Us all).....He is a Master artist, comparable to a Shakespeare, a Dylan, a Picasso.......a psychically attuned soul, fulfilling his insights by making them palpable & assessible to any with 'ears to hear'......i thank The Creator every time his voice enters me....so mahalo nui (Thanks, so much), Mr Browne, for all the secret hieroglyphs you craft to a) bear your soul, b) heal yourself, & c) offer Us the chance to see through your eyes, into Ourselves, and yes, to heal Ourselves, as well....
+ Chris Andrus. Great insight. Thanks. I'm in the process of comparing him to the great southern writer Pat Conroy and why the two of them are not in the "elite"
@@stargazer6753 ...well (i guess) that depends on whose "elite", (for me) he stands alone, at the top of all RnR writers...i am, even after hearing his words for over 50 years, stunned & mesmerized by the way he 'strings 'ordinary' words/ideas together...
much peace, love & aloha my friend & luck with your project ...
@@chrisandrus689 I am using the word “elite” in the pejorative, as in the negative, as it has been for many years. Let us not get too tied up in semantics, but we do need to know word definitions. I think we can agree that Jackson Browne is the greatest lyricist of our time. There is Robert Zimmerman, but that is another story.
Words can’t describe…..