Jackson Browne

-"Austin City Limits" presents an hour with Jackson Browne.

♪♪ -Yeah, now I'm rolling down California 5 ♪ ♪ With your laughter in my head ♪ ♪ I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive ♪ ♪ 'Cause those dreams are dead ♪ ♪ And I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes ♪ ♪ Tell me what is wrong ♪ ♪ Was I unwise ♪ ♪ To leave them open for so long?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Recorded live from the Moody Theater, it's "Austin City Limits."

-Now showcasing new songs tailor-made for these times, along with classics, Jackson Browne.

[ Intro to "I'm Alive" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's been a long time since I watched these lights alone ♪ ♪ I look around my life tonight, and you are gone ♪ ♪ I might have done something to keep you if I'd known ♪ ♪ How unhappy you had become ♪ ♪ While I was dreaming of you ♪ ♪ With my heart in your hands ♪ ♪ And I was following though ♪ ♪ With my beautiful plans ♪ ♪ Yeah, now I'm rolling down this canyon drive ♪ ♪ With your laughter in my head ♪ ♪ I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive ♪ ♪ 'Cause those dreams are dead ♪ ♪ And I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I want to go where I will never hear your name ♪ ♪ I want to lose my sorrow and be free again ♪ ♪ And I know I've been insane ♪ ♪ When I think of places I could have been ♪ ♪ But I was dreaming of you ♪ ♪ With my heart in your hands ♪ ♪ And I was following through ♪ ♪ With my beautiful plans ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Standing here by the highway side ♪ ♪ Watching these trucks blow by ♪ ♪ Inches from my face ♪ ♪ Thinking 'bout the time I've wasted ♪ ♪ And the pleasure we once tasted ♪ ♪ Looking up and down this road ♪ ♪ I've been here before ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Can't be here no more ♪ ♪ Yeah, now I'm rolling down California 5 ♪ ♪ With your laughter in my head ♪ ♪ I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive ♪ ♪ 'Cause those dreams are dead ♪ ♪ And I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hey, look at the way I believed in you ♪ ♪ And loved you all these years ♪ ♪ Now you can fill your swimming pool with all my salty tears ♪ ♪ You could have told me what was in your heart ♪ ♪ But, baby, you lied ♪ ♪ And I thought that it would kill me ♪ ♪ But I'm alive ♪ ♪ Yeah, baby, I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Yeah, darlin', I'm alive ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm alive ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I'm alive ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Thank you.

It is so great to be at Austin City Limits.

You know, and... we're... We've been looking forward to this for a long time.

[ Guitar plays ] 1, 2, 3.

[ Intro to "The Long Way Around" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I don't know what to say about these days ♪ ♪ I'm seeing people changing in the strangest ways ♪ ♪ Even in the richer neighborhoods ♪ ♪ People don't know when they've got it good ♪ ♪ They've got the envy, and they've got it bad ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ When I was a kid, everything I did was trying to be free ♪ ♪ Running up and down Tinsel Town ♪ ♪ With the fire inside of me ♪ ♪ My planets all in retrograde ♪ ♪ The best of all my plans got laid ♪ ♪ I made my breaks, and some mistakes ♪ ♪ Just not the ones people think I made ♪ ♪ Now I'm a long way gone ♪ ♪ Down this wild road I'm on ♪ ♪ It's gonna take me where I'm bound ♪ ♪ But it's the long way around ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's a little hard keeping track of what's gone wrong ♪ ♪ The covenant unravels, and the news just rolls along ♪ ♪ I could feel my memory letting go ♪ ♪ Some two or three disasters ago ♪ ♪ It's hard to say which did more ill ♪ ♪ Citizens United or the Gulf oil spill ♪ ♪ And I'm a long way gone ♪ ♪ Down this wild road I'm on ♪ ♪ It's gonna take me take me where I'm bound ♪ ♪ But it's the long way around ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's never been that hard to buy a gun ♪ ♪ Now they'll sell a Glock 19 to just about anyone ♪ ♪ The seeds of tragedy are there ♪ ♪ In what we feel we have the right to bear ♪ ♪ To watch our children come to harm ♪ ♪ There in the safety of our arms ♪ ♪ With all we disagree about ♪ ♪ The passions burn, the heart goes out ♪ ♪ And we're a long way gone ♪ ♪ Down this wild road we're on ♪ ♪ It's gonna take us where we're bound ♪ ♪ It's just the long way around ♪ -♪ I'm a long way gone ♪ ♪ Down this wild road I'm on ♪ ♪ It's gonna take us where I'm bound ♪ ♪ But it's the long way around ♪ [ Crowd cheering ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] I don't know if I have to really say this, but it's about -- It's a cheerful song.

[ Laughter ] It's very -- It's a happy, you know.

It's a cheerful song about getting an artificial heart.

[ Laughter ] I'm just letting you know it's a cheerful song, because I sometimes expect there to be this, like, really rousing response at the end, and it's okay with me if you're just sort of, like, thinking about it.

[ Laughter ] -1, 2, 3.

1, 2.

[ Intro to "My Cleveland Heart" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm gonna make a few changes right away ♪ ♪ The way I leap and the way I fall ♪ ♪ The way I need somebody else's eyes to see me ♪ ♪ The way I need anyone at all ♪ ♪♪ ♪ But I expect the real changes to start ♪ ♪ When I finally get my ♪ ♪ Cleveland Heart ♪ ♪ They're made to take a bashing ♪ ♪ And never lose their passion ♪ ♪ They never break ♪ -♪ And they don't even beat ♪ -♪ And they don't ache ♪ -♪ They just plug in and shine ♪ -♪ Don't make mistakes ♪ -♪ And they don't know defeat ♪ -♪ Like my heart makes ♪ -♪ Like this broken heart of mine ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ I've been walking that broken line between ♪ ♪ The way life is and the way it seems ♪ ♪ I've been stranded on that endless straightaway ♪ ♪ Between the truth and my wildest dreams ♪ ♪ But I will no longer need to tell them apart ♪ ♪ When I've finally got my ♪ ♪ Cleveland Heart ♪ ♪ They just keep on hoping ♪ ♪ And stay so big and open ♪ ♪ They never break ♪ -♪ And they don't even beat ♪ -♪ And they don't ache ♪ -♪ They just plug in and shine ♪ -♪ Don't make mistakes ♪ -♪ And they don't know defeat ♪ -♪ Like my heart makes ♪ -♪ Like this broken heart of mine ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Thank you.

I'd like to get my two singers to come down here in front and sing this song with me -- Chavonne Stewart, Alethea Mills.

[ Cheers and applause ] This is a song that I wrote with a friend of mine named Eugene Rodriguez, who runs a cultural center in the Bay Area, in Richmond, California, for the children of immigrants.

The children whose parents came to this country from somewhere else but who, they themselves, were born here.

Eugene teaches them the traditions and the songs and the dances and the instruments of their parents' homeland.

[ Cheers and applause ] And this is a song that is...

It's really about -- It's inspired by the life of one of the teachers there who teaches dance, instruments.

Her name is Lucina, and she came to this country when she was 12.

And this is called "The Dreamer."

♪♪ ♪ Just a child when she crossed the border ♪ ♪ To reunite with her father ♪ ♪ Who had traveled North to support her ♪ ♪ So many years before ♪ ♪ She left half her family behind her ♪ ♪ And with a crucifix to remind her ♪ ♪ She pledged her future to this land ♪ ♪ And does the best that she can do ♪ ♪ A donde van los sueños ♪ ♪ Nacidos de la fé y la illusión?

♪ ♪ Donde no hay camino ni juella ♪ ♪ Solo deseos que susuran al corazón ♪ ♪ Eagles fly on columns of the wind ♪ -♪ Viviendo en el viento ♪ -♪ Fish swim the currents of the sea ♪ -♪ Que libre, el mar ♪ -♪ People cross oceans and deserts and rivers ♪ -♪ Cruzamos el rio ♪ -♪ Carrying nothing more the dream of what life could be ♪ ♪ Today she got the order ♪ ♪ They're taking steps to deport her ♪ ♪ To send her back over the border ♪ ♪ And tear her away from the life she has made ♪ ♪ We don't see half the people around us ♪ ♪ But we see enemies who surround us ♪ ♪ And the walls that we've built between us ♪ ♪ Keep us prisoners of our fear ♪ ♪ A donde van los sueños ♪ ♪ Where do the dreams go?

♪ ♪ Nacidos de la fé y la illusión?

♪ ♪ Born of faith and illusion?

♪ ♪ Donde no hay camino ♪ -♪ Ni juella ♪ -♪ Where there's no road and no footprint ♪ -♪ Solo deseos ♪ -♪ Only desire ♪ -♪ Que susuran al corazón ♪ -♪ That whispers to the heart ♪ -♪ Solo deseos ♪ -♪ Only desire ♪ -♪ Que susuran al corazón ♪ -♪ That whispers to the heart ♪ ♪ Solo deseos que susuran al corazón ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Intro to "These Days" plays ] [ Crowd cheering ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ 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 ♪ ♪ And all the time I had the chance to ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ And I've stopped my rambling ♪ ♪ I don't do that gambling these days ♪ ♪ These days ♪ ♪ These days I seem to think a lot ♪ ♪ How all the changes came about my ways ♪ ♪ And I wonder if I'll see ♪ ♪ Another highway ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ 'Cause I had a lover ♪ ♪ I don't think I'll risk another these days ♪ ♪ These days ♪ ♪ And if I seem to be afraid ♪ ♪ To live the life that I have made in song ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, it's just that I've been losing ♪ ♪ For so long ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I'll keep on moving ♪ ♪ Moving on ♪ ♪ Things are bound to be improving these days ♪ ♪ One of these days ♪ ♪ These days I sit on corner stones ♪ ♪ And count the time in quarter tones to ten ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't confront me with my failures ♪ ♪ I had not forgotten them ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

That was Val McCallum and Greg Leisz.

Would you please welcome my good friend Leslie Mendelson?

[ Cheers and applause ] We did this once before a couple years ago when we wrote the song.

It was for a movie that we were invited to write a song for.

We were each invited to write with the other, but we didn't know each other.

-He didn't know it.

[ Laughs ] I'm like, "Okay, I'll write with Jackson Browne."

[ Laughter ] "Sure."

-But... [ Laughter ] No, it was a really good choice, and so...

I mean, asked to write a duet and do a duet, I thought of all kinds of people that I knew that I would think, "Oh, maybe that's somebody I could write a song with," because I hadn't heard Leslie.

So it was just pure, beautiful blind luck that she turned out to be the writer that she is, and the singer.

[ Cheers and applause ] This is called "A Human Touch."

♪♪ -♪ You can call it a decision ♪ ♪ I say it's how we're made ♪ ♪ There's no point in shouting from your island ♪ ♪ Proclaiming only Jesus saves ♪ ♪ There will always be suffering ♪ ♪ And there will always be pain ♪ ♪ But because of it, there'll always be love ♪ ♪ And love, we know, it will remain ♪ ♪ Everybody gets lonely ♪ ♪ Feel like it's all too much ♪ ♪ Reaching out for some connections ♪ ♪ Or maybe just their own reflection ♪ ♪ Not everybody finds it ♪ ♪ Not like the two of us ♪ ♪ Sometimes all anybody needs ♪ ♪ Is a human touch ♪ ♪♪ -♪ Everybody wants a holiday ♪ ♪ Everybody wants to feel the sun ♪ ♪ Get outside and run around ♪ ♪ Live like they're forever young ♪ ♪ Everybody wants to be beautiful ♪ ♪ And live life their own way ♪ ♪ No one ever wants to let it go ♪ ♪ No matter what they do or say ♪ ♪ Everybody gets lonely ♪ ♪ Feel like it's all too much ♪ ♪ Reaching out for some connections ♪ ♪ Or maybe just their own reflection ♪ ♪ Not everybody finds it ♪ ♪ Not like the two of us ♪ ♪ Sometimes all anybody needs ♪ ♪ Is a human touch ♪ ♪ Sometimes all anybody needs ♪ ♪ Is a human touch ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Everybody gets lonely ♪ ♪ Feel like it's all too much ♪ ♪ Reaching out for some connections ♪ ♪ Or maybe just their own reflection ♪ ♪ Not everybody finds it ♪ ♪ Not like the two of us ♪ ♪ Sometimes all anybody needs ♪ ♪ Is a human touch ♪ ♪ Sometimes all anybody needs ♪ ♪ Is a human touch ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Leslie Mendelson.

Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause continues ] [ Intro to "Doctor My Eyes" plays ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes have seen the years ♪ ♪ And the slow parade of fears without crying ♪ ♪ Now I want to understand ♪ ♪ I have done all that I could ♪ ♪ To see the evil and the good without hiding ♪ ♪ You must help me if you can ♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes ♪ ♪ Tell me what is wrong ♪ ♪ Was I unwise ♪ ♪ To leave them open for so long?

♪ ♪♪ ♪ 'Cause I have wandered through this world ♪ ♪ And as each moment has unfurled ♪ ♪ I've been waiting to awaken from these dreams ♪ ♪ People go just where they will ♪ ♪ I never noticed them until I got this feeling ♪ ♪ That it's later than it seems ♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes ♪ ♪ Tell me what you see ♪ ♪ I hear their cries ♪ ♪ Just say if it's too late for me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes ♪ ♪ They cannot see the sky ♪ ♪ Is this the prize ♪ ♪ For having learned how not to cry?

♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Laughs ] Thanks.

[ Cheers and applause continues ] [ Intro to "Late for the Sky" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, the words had all been spoken ♪ ♪ And somehow the feeling still wasn't right ♪ ♪ And still we continued on through the night ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Tracing our steps from the beginning ♪ ♪ Till they vanished into the air ♪ ♪ Trying to understand how our lives had led us there ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Looking hard into your eyes ♪ ♪ There was nobody I'd ever known ♪ ♪ Such an empty surprise ♪ ♪ To feel so alone ♪ ♪ Now, for me, some words come easy ♪ ♪ But I know that they don't mean that much ♪ ♪ Compared with the things that are said when lovers touch ♪ ♪ You never knew what I loved in you ♪ ♪ I don't know what you loved in me ♪ ♪ Maybe the picture of somebody you were hoping I might be ♪ ♪ Awake again, I can't pretend ♪ ♪ And I know I'm alone and close to the end ♪ ♪ Of the feeling we've known ♪ ♪ How long have I been sleeping?

♪ ♪ How long have I been drifting alone through the night?

♪ ♪ How long have I been dreaming I could make it right ♪ ♪ If I closed my eyes and tried with all my might ♪ ♪ To be the the one you need?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Awake again, I can't pretend ♪ ♪ And I know I'm alone and close to the end ♪ ♪ Of the feeling we've known ♪ ♪ How long have I been sleeping?

♪ ♪ How long have I been drifting alone through the night?

♪ ♪ How long have I been running for that morning flight ♪ ♪ Through the whispered promises and the changing light ♪ ♪ Of the bed where we both lie ♪ ♪ Late for the sky?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] You guys, thank you so much for being such a great audience, for making us feel welcome here.

I want to thank ACL.

Austin City Limits, it's like Valhalla for us, getting to play here.

1, 2, 3.

[ Intro to "Take It Easy" plays ] ♪♪ You want to sing this?

♪♪ Sing it so Glenn Frey can hear you.

♪♪ ♪ Well, I'm a-running down the road ♪ ♪ Tryin' to loosen my load ♪ ♪ I've got seven women on my mind ♪ ♪ Four that wanna own me, two that wanna 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 make 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 ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm a-standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona ♪ ♪ 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 gotta know if your sweet love ♪ ♪ Is gonna save me ♪ ♪ We may lose, and we may win ♪ ♪ But we will never be here again ♪ ♪ Oh, open up, I'm climbin' in ♪ ♪ So 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 so 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 gotta know if your sweet love ♪ ♪ Is gonna save me ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ Come on, Austin.

Put your lips together.

-♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ -♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It is a dance we do in silence ♪ ♪ Far below this morning sun ♪ ♪ You in your life, me in mine ♪ ♪ We have begun ♪ ♪ Here we stand and without speaking ♪ ♪ Draw the water from the well ♪ ♪ And stare beyond the plains ♪ ♪ To where the mountains lie so still ♪ ♪ It's a long way that I have come ♪ ♪ Across the sand to find you here ♪ ♪ Among these people in the sun ♪ ♪ Where the families work the land ♪ ♪ As they have always done ♪ ♪ Oh, it's so far the other way my country's gone ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Across my home has grown the shadow ♪ ♪ Of a cruel and senseless hand ♪ ♪ Though in some strong hearts ♪ ♪ The love and truth remain ♪ ♪ And it has taken me this distance ♪ ♪ And a woman's smile to learn ♪ ♪ That my heart remains among them ♪ ♪ And to them, I must return ♪ ♪ It's a long way that I have come ♪ ♪ Across the sand to find you here ♪ ♪ Among your people in the sun ♪ ♪ Where your children will be born ♪ ♪ You'll watch them as they run ♪ ♪ Oh, it's so far the other way my life has gone ♪ ♪♪ ♪ If you look for me, Maria ♪ ♪ You will find me in the shade ♪ ♪ Wide awake or in a dream ♪ ♪ It's hard to tell ♪ ♪ If you come to me, Maria ♪ ♪ I will show you what I've made ♪ ♪ It's a picture for our lady of the well ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Crowd clapping rhythmically ] ♪♪ -[ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ -[ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Thank you, Austin.

Thank you so much.

[ Cheers and applause continues ] ♪♪ -♪ 'Cause I have wandered through this world ♪ ♪ And as each moment has unfurled ♪ ♪ I've been waiting to awaken from these dreams ♪ ♪ People go just where they will ♪ ♪ I never noticed them until I got this feeling ♪ ♪ That it's later than it seems ♪ ♪ Doctor, my eyes ♪ ♪ Tell me what you see ♪ ♪ I hear their cries ♪ ♪ Just say if it's too late for me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪