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| Jackson Browne (right) with his sons Ethan and Ryan on the beach at Santa Monica |
I wanted to create a blogpost that had nothing to do with The Plague. I thought about one of my musical heroes - Jackson Browne from Santa Monica, California. I first encountered his self-penned songs back in 1972. The album was "Saturate Before Using" and I loved it. I loved the way the poetry and the music intertwined. It spoke to me in a very personal way.
As the years passed, I purchased every one of his albums and back in March 2009 - I got to see him in concert at Sheffield City Hall. I was sitting on the front row with my younger brother Simon. We were not disappointed. If you will excuse the expression, Jackson brought home the bacon that evening. It is amazing to think that this was eleven years ago.
Jackson's love songs are plaintive, vulnerable and poetic but he also writes about injustice, climate change, and the state of America. He is a singer songwriter who belongs to the real world, not a minstrel who strums his guitar in some ivory tower remote from everyday life.
I already knew a lot about Jackson's personal life - about the death by suicide of his first wife - Phyllis Major in 1976 - about his two sons Ethan and Ryan - about his ten year relationship with Daryl Hannah. But just to check out some details I investigated his "Wikipedia" page and I was shocked to read this amendment:-
"On March 24, 2020, Browne announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 amidst the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic."
Jackson Browne at Glastonbury in 2010:-
Jackson Browne at Glastonbury in 2010:-
hahahaa just surrender! The Plague is dominating everything for now.
ReplyDeleteOnly for now, tho
Of course you are allowed to laugh Kylie, but I don't see how the laughter connects with this particular post.
DeleteI'm laughing at the way The Plague encroached despite your resistance. It's the laugh of bitter familiarity :)
DeleteOkay I get you now.
DeleteI've always loved Jackson Browne and his music. We saw him perform back in the early 80s in Kansas City. As you said, he does put on a good show. I did not know he was diagnosed with Covid-19. How frightening. Let's hope he is able to fight this off.
ReplyDeleteI was more shocked to learn that Jackson had gone down than when I heard about our prime minister and Prince Charles.
DeleteYour comment not a charitable view, YP, but at least you are honest. Obviously we are more affected by the misfortunes of those close to us, or take an interest in from the distance, than someone who means little to us.
DeleteWhoever might be struck by the virus, I'd most certainly not be "shocked". No one is exempt. Having said that, a few years ago, I was pacing the place on waking to the truly shocking(!) news of a musician's sudden death; more on my son's behalf to whom the guy meant a lot (no names mentioned - I dare say not your scene)
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I knew the name but couldn't come up with any pieces I knew by him - turns out that the song I'm most familiar with is Running on Empty. According to a quote from Wikipedia about the album of the same name, it was not representative of his work before or after although it was one of his best-known - what do you think of that assessment?
ReplyDeleteMusic is an excellent vehicle for revisiting points in our lives, and for getting away from other points.
I disagree with that assessment. "Eunning on Empty" fits comfortably into his oeuvre. But I do agree with your final point.
DeleteI'm glad you disagreed because I thought it was a great single; I'm not sure if I know any others from the album but will have to check.
DeleteI see below that Take It Easy is one of his too; that's a favourite. Why do I not connect his music with him?
DeleteHe was quite bashful at first and saw himself as a writer more than a performer. He wrote "Take It Easy" for The Eagles.
DeleteSo much for your intention of creating a corona-free zone with your post :-(
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear someone you care about has been tested positive. Fortunately, we know that the majority of those infected survive; unfortunately, we have no guarantee anyone in particular will pull through.
My main method of getting away from the current situation is reading. Speaking of which... more reading material arrived in the mail yesterday!!!!!!!!!
Think of it as a late birthday present.
DeleteThank you very much, Neil!
DeleteI thought this was a post about Spear and Jackson garden tools YP, more music posts please kind sir.
ReplyDeleteSpear and Jackson is a Sheffield firm. Trust you to think about gardening! Get back in yer polytunnel ye scallywag!
DeleteI had not heard of Jackson Browne before......how did he avoid me? I really liked that video ( once it got going!). Just checked on "Running on Empty", thought I might know that, but it didn't ring any bells. Thanks for posting him.....hope. he will be OK. .....and hope you will be too. x
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling by again Frances. I thought you had deserted me. Why not check out some more Jackson Browne via YouTube? Perhaps his most famous song is "Take It Easy" which is what we are all doing during The Plague.
DeleteI can imagine it was quite a jolt when you read the statement. One man's music that means so much to you. The melodies of the past have a way of bringing us up short--sometimes with joy--sometimes with sorrow. Always evocative.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to learn that so far Jackson Browne's symptoms are mild and he is keeping himself in strict quarantine. He probably picked up the virus in New York.
DeleteI didn't know who he was until I watched your video and his voice sounded familiar so I googled him. Running On Empty and Take It Easy, both songs I love, just never knew who sang them.
ReplyDeleteFor me he is in the same league as Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell - in other words Brilliant!
DeleteWell, you've got to laugh, YP, as Kylie did, I did and Librarian pointed out: Your punchline somewhat contradicting your intro and intention.
ReplyDeleteU
The point was that even when you try to get away from The Virus it's likely to raise its ugly head. I had not thought of that as funny but now I can kind of see where you and Kylie are coming from with this.
DeleteI, too, saw a bitter humor in the irony of it all. But nothing much has been funny in the true sense for a while now.
DeleteAnd here I thought you wrote this because you know he was infected by the virus. Jackson Browne is a classic in my song lists.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know until I was half way through writing the post Bathwater.
DeleteI hadn't taken much notice of Jackson Browne until now but that clip is lovely. I've never done Glastonbury either but feel intensely sad that it's been cancelled. Only one or two weeks in and already I'm longing for it to end. Who isn't? Must chin up, knuckle down get on with it until we all (well most) pull through.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased you enjoyed that clip Jean. Why not become a JB fan like me with the help of You Tube? You seem pretty cool!
DeleteJackson Browne is part of the soundtrack of my life. There's no way around that. I always enjoyed his music too. Never saw him live, though. Glad you got to. I hope he pulls through, well and fine.
ReplyDeleteAnd did you know that Darryl Hannah is now with Neil Young?
I detect a theme.
Perhaps Darryl Hannah will move on to Keith Richards next - just to piss you off.
DeleteI don't know. Keith's been married to the same beautiful woman for thirty-six years or so. He seems mighty happy with her.
DeleteI too love Jackson Browne's music YP, and also go to see him when he came to Cairns back in 2009.
ReplyDeleteHey, that was the same year that I saw him! Nice to hear from you again Carol. I hope you are well.
DeleteYikes! I didn't know he had coronavirus! I've never owned any of his albums but I've always liked his songs I've heard on the radio. "Lawyers in Love" comes to mind, for some reason.
ReplyDeleteOne of the special songs that has always stuck with me is "Song for Adam", addressed to an acquaintance who died. "Though Adam was a friend of mine/ I did not know him well/ He was alone into his distance/ He was deep into his shell/ 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..."
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