by Robert Wilkinson
This week had some extraordinary musical birthdays, including John Lennon and John Entwistle. Also born October 9 is an extraordinary musician who has given us some of the catchiest tunes in history!
Jackson Browne (October 9, 1948) has given us some of the most memorable songs ever written, including "Take It Easy," "Running on Empty," and "Lives in the Balance," a song with such a powerful message that the video was banned from commercial television during the Reagan years. Today we send a huge 68th birthday salute to a great songwriter and social conscience.
I'm glad that when I was working for ACTV in Austin I could put the original "Lives In The Balance" video into heavy rotation, even though I was challenged by Republicans who took exception to the images of the Central American death squads turned loose on an innocent population by Reagan and his war criminal henchmen, including Elliot Abrams, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and others. May the warmongers pass from this Earth as soon as possible.
Jackson is part of the core of a Southern California music scene that has featured such major talents as Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, David Lindley, Warren Zevon, Bonnie Raitt, Jack Tempchin, Waddy Wachtel, and a whole bunch of other shining lights. They were all over each other's records, and gave the world some pretty amazing tunes ranging through a lot of musical styles.
Okay folks, on with the shew. For your enjoyment, some great songs!
I found it again! Here’s the original music video of "Lives In The Balance," a breathtaking look at the murder Reagan and Bush cut loose on Central America. Wow. Still as powerful now as it was 30 years ago!
Here's the re-edited music video of "Lives In The Balance," not the same as the original in the 80s, but updated for the Middle East wars and no less powerful. By all means, look up the lyrics!
Here's "Lives In The Balance," a fantastic live acoustic performance with Jackson joined by Graham Nash, David Crosby, David Lindley, and friends.
Live at the 1979 No Nukes MSG concert, a driving performance of "Running On Empty"
From the BBC in 1978, "Running On Empty"
From 2004 in Giants Stadium, here's "Running On Empty" with Bruce Springsteen
Here is one of the most amazing concerts I've ever had the privilege of attending! A million people assembled to see Jackson and Bruuuuce doing "The Promised Land" in Central Park in June 1982 at the biggest anti-nuke gathering in history. I was there, up close and personal, in charge of a section of the stage front. The Earth literally shook when they broke into this song! Awesome to feel a million people stomp the ground. Awesome to be in the presence of history being made. Awesome to be alive.... (that day killed the nuclear movement for 25 years!) From the same concert, the second song of their duet, Running On Empty - the day the world changed!
Jackson doing his first hit, "Doctor My Eyes"
Here’s a very rare acoustic performance by Jackson set to stills recorded when he was hanging with the Eagles. Their first hit was a tune by my old friend Jack Tempchin called “Peaceful Easy Feeling”
Here’s Jackson in 2006 at the Philadelphia Folk Festival with the great David Lindley performing the song he wrote (with Glenn Frey) that was the Eagles' debut single, “Take It Easy.” From the same gig, a fantastic acoustic performance of “I’m Alive”
I found a clip of the Eagles at the 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony doing “Take It Easy”
Here’s a live version of a 1974 duet by Jackson and Linda Ronstadt doing another song written by Jack Tempchin, “One More Song”
From Soundstage '76, "Rock Me On The Water."
In 1978, Jackson did a great show for the BBC backed by David Lindley, Jim Gordon, the ever-beautiful Rosemary Butler, Craig Doerge, and Bob Glaub. Last year I had “The Load Out” and “Stay” but this year it’s disappeared, but I found other clips from that great show! If you click on this first link, it will play and then autoload the other songs from the show, so enjoy Jackson Brown in Concert - “The Fuse” (followed by “Here Come Those Tears Again,” “Rock Me On the Water,” “Cocaine,” “Rosie,” “Running On Empty,” “Love Needs A Heart,” and “Nothing But Time.”)
From 2009 at the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here’s Jackson and Crosby, Still, and Nash performing in a great live video performance of “The Pretender”
Here's Jackson doing his hit, "Somebody's Baby."
From the Amnesty International Concert / Secret Policeman 's Ball, Jackson performing "For Everyman"
Here’s the original music video for “Tender is the Night”
Last year I had this tune live at the Shoreline Amphitheater in 1992, but it’s gone. Instead, here’s a fantastic studio performance of the very beautiful “Shape of A Heart”
The full one hour show at Shoreline is also gone. So instead, here’s an hour of Jackson Browne at Glastonbury - 2010
From that show, two great ones by Jackson! "The Pretender" and "Doctor My Eyes"
Here's a rare treat! Here's Jackson along with some remarkable playing by David Lindley doing "My Problem is You" at the Palace in Albany. From the same concert, here's "Late for the Sky."
From his performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, doing Bob Marley's legendary "Redemption Song.”
We’ll close this birthday tribute with a fitting set of clips!
Here’s Bruce Springsteen's speech at Jackson’s 2004 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Here’s Jackson’s acceptance speech into the Hall of Fame
Here's Jackson Browne’s performance at his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame of “Running On Empty” Paradise lost indeed!
For an encore, live in Montreux in 1982, a fitting final pair of tunes! Here’s Jackson Browne doing a really great offering of “The Load Out” and “Stay,”
For the second encore, we get into the wayback machine and go to 1976 for a full 70 minute show with a bunch of his early best! From Passaic, here’s Jackson Browne Live at the Capitol theater in Passaic NJ - 1976
For the third encore, from 1986 in Essen at Rockpalast, an hour and 35 of Jackson at his best! Jackson Browne Live at Rockpalast 1986
The official Jackson Browne website
Thanks for all the great tunes and inspiration over the years, Jackson. May you rock on across the waters for a long time!
© Copyright 2019 Robert Wilkinson
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