Jackson Browne turns 71 today. Maybe more than any of the singer-songwriters that proliferated in the 1970's, Browne has had a lasting impact on many people. With a personal life messy and tragic it was the songs that made the difference. And what songs they were. He was playing professionally in his teens with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and others including Nico before signing with David Geffen's new label Asylum in 1971 and joining friends like Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Joni Mitchell and The Eagles in making LA the musical place to be. He could write love songs that would rip your heart out and also speak truth to power in ways so subtle that you barely be aware of it. He could also write straight-forward protest songs that would be like ripping off a band-aid as they addressed the social issues of the day. That became evident in many of his recordings of the 1980's where he took on the politics of Reagan head-on, always looking at it from the perspective of those forgotten by a society largely based on “how much” and “I got mine, screw you.” You don't have to agree with Browne's politics to be taken by the beauty of his songs. I've read that Glenn Frey learned how to write songs by listening to Browne labor over a passage for hours to hone it and get it that way he wanted it. If you want to do it, do it right. Genius with a large dollop of hard work. He hasnt put out an album since 2014's “Standing In The Breach”, spending most of his time these days on fundraising concerts for various causes. But we will always have the songs…a legacy that many hope for but few achieve.
Hard to believe that he wrote this song as a teenager
Just a bit of cynicism creeps in as Woodstock Nation realizes that not all of their hopes and dreams will come true
We laid down with monsters for awhile
“What I believe in my soul, is not what I see with my eyes, and we can't turn our backs this time”.
And, maybe my favorite Browne song. The day to day struggle of “everyman” trying to live a meaningful life. It's the little things.
I don't remember if I've included this “Playing For Change” take on the Dylan classic before but I listened to it yesterday and thought it was pretty good.
A couple of new movie trailers for you
Covers Of The Day
Even our military leaders know that the Commander in Chief is unfit for the job. Read it
here
Quotes Of The Day
“It's great that most Americans support impeachment. They understand we're living under the rule of a crime cult and they want it gone. Stats like that would normally make a party worry about the election. Why is the GOP so blase? Because the crime cult destroys free elections.”-Sarah Kendizor
“@realDonaldTrump’s strategy appears to be that if you lie enough times to enough people, they won’t know what to believe. This time, it’s not going to work.”-Mike Levin
“It’s as though the White House is unfamiliar with the difference between impeachment in the House and trial in the Senate. It’s also as though the White House is unfamiliar with the Constitution generally.”-Congressman Justin Amash
“Does the WH not realize that pulling Sondland’s testimony only adds to the impeachment push and screams like they’re hiding something?”-Sam Stein
“Trey Gowdy wasted 2 1/2 years and 8 million dollars of taxpayer money on the Benghazi farce. Guess the Trump team figures who better to defend them during a real scandal than the man who successfully fabricated a fake one.”-Adam Best
“Remember during all the Benghazi investigations when Obama blocked access to documents and refused to let Hillary testify? of course you don't. Obama handed over everything and Hillary sat for 11 hours straight, because they had nothing to hide and they aren't dipshit man-babies”-Jeff Tiedrich
“Trey Gowdy once said: “The notion that you can withhold information and documents from Congress no matter whether you are the party in power or not in power is wrong. Respect for the rule of law must mean something, irrespective of the vicissitudes of political cycles.”-Adam Bardella
“This “rope to hang themselves” bit is one of the most pernicious lies. Accountability is not being enforced and a criminal regime has run wild for nearly three years.In reality, the rope is hanging *other people*, innocent people, while officials fundraise off the corpses.”-Sarah Kendizor
“I’m honestly surprised that the White House letter wasn’t written in crayon on a McDonald’s placemat.”-Kevin Kruse
“The Trump administration's flat refusal to cooperate with congressional oversight is, itself, impeachable.The question now is whether Republicans in Congress will stand up for the institution they serve, or whether “constitutional conservatism” means whatever Trump wants.”-Ezra Klein
“At some point Congress is going to have to get some balls and start arresting these clowns who thumb their noses at them. #Sondland should be arrested and held in #ContemptofCongress start showcasing your Article I powers, House of Representatives. You have it–use it!”-Sophia Nelson
“The main problem with Democrats: reasonableness.I remember losing my mind over The Birther Lie, but Democrats shrugged. I remember losing my mind over Merrick Garland, but Democrats shrugged. Arrest. These. Thugs. The Era of Reasonableness is OVER. #ContemptOfCongress”-Greg Morelli
Kremlin-controlled #Russia's state TV is happy to use Ron Johnson's golden anti-American propaganda quote, with U.S. Senator Johnson explicitly telling @chucktodd that he doesn't trust the FBI or the CIA.
