Jackson Browne (album)

Last updated

Jackson Browne
Jacksonbrownedebut.jpg
Studio album by
Jackson Browne
ReleasedJanuary 1972
Recorded1971
StudioCrystal Sound, Hollywood
Genre Rock, folk rock
Length40:55
Label Asylum
Producer Richard Sanford Orshoff
Jackson Browne chronology
Jackson Browne
(1972)		 For Everyman
(1973)

Jackson Browne (also known, mistakenly, as Saturate Before Using) is the debut album of American singer Jackson Browne, released in 1972. It peaked on the Billboard 200 chart at number 53. [1] Two singles were released with "Doctor, My Eyes", which peaked at number 8 on the Pop Singles chart, and "Rock Me on the Water", which reached number 48. [2]

Contents

History

Browne had found minor success as a songwriter but had not yet obtained his own recording contract. After he sent a demo of "Jamaica Say You Will" to David Geffen in early 1970, Geffen began looking for a record deal for Browne. Geffen ended up founding his own label, Asylum Records, and signed Browne. [3]

The album was certified as a Gold record in 1976 and Platinum in 1997 by the RIAA. [4]

Title confusion

The album is often mistakenly called Saturate Before Using, because the words appear on the album cover, which was designed to look like a water bag that would require saturation in water in order to cool its contents by evaporation. For this very reason, Asylum Records executives suggested to no avail that the words be removed from the album cover and nearly rejected the cover art outright. However, the initial pressings not only included the text, but the cover carried a burlap-like feel to further the water bag theme.

The confusion over the title returned when the album was converted to CD format, when the words appeared on the spine of the jewel case as the album title. [5]

Browne told the story of the cover's creation and spoke of the title's confusion in an interview with the album designer Gary Burden for his 2002 DVD Under The Covers: "I remember being on the phone with Gary... talking about what the album cover should be, and I happened to be in a room that had a water bag on the wall. It was just one of the things that I collected driving around on trips and stuff. And I was looking at this bag as he was saying 'what do you think it ought to be?' I was thinking, 'well, it could be a water bag.' ... it said 'saturate before using' on the front ... 'You know, Gary, on mine, it says this on the back.' And you said, well, so?' And 'if you put it on the front, people are going to think that's the title.' And you said, 'don't be ridiculous. Who would think that was the title?' I said, 'Yeah, you're right.' So, not only does everyone think that's the title of that album, but my record company thinks that's the title of the album." [6]

Reception

Professional ratings
Retrospective reviews
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [7]
Christgau's Record Guide B [8]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg[ citation needed ]
The Great Rock Discography 8/10[ citation needed ]
MusicHound Rock 2/5[ citation needed ]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Jackson Browne received positive reviews from most critics. In his review for Allmusic William Ruhlmann praised the album as "An auspicious debut that doesn't sound like a debut" and "the album has long since come to seem a timeless collection of reflective ballads touching on still-difficult subjects...and all with an amazingly eloquent sense of language. Jackson Browne's greater triumph is that, having perfectly expressed its times, it transcended them as well." [7] Rolling Stone rated the album 6 of 10 stars and stated "Browne's debut lays the groundwork for future heart-and-soul excavations. 'Doctor My Eyes,' an early hit single, communicates the subdued, subtle power of his half-spoken melodies, while 'Rock Me on the Water' and 'Song for Adam' foreshadow the free-ranging contemplation to come." [9]

The original 1972 review in Rolling Stone stated "Jackson Browne's sensibility is romantic in the best sense of the term: his songs are capable of generating a highly charged, compelling atmosphere throughout, and--just as important--of sustaining that pitch in the listener's mind long after they've ended." [10] Ed Kelleher wrote in Circus in 1972: "Though others have done him justice, Browne is his own best interpreter. He just eases back and lets the song come. He has the soul of a poet and the stance of a troubadour. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he has not fallen victim to the trap of over-production--the record has been crafted with care and purity." [11]

Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B grade, however, and was ambivalent about the whole album, writing, "The voice is pleasant, present, and unpretentious, and when I listen assiduously I perceive lyrics crafted with as much intelligence and human decency as any reasonable person could expect. Unfortunately, only critical responsibility induces me to listen assiduously. It's not just the blandness of the music, but of the ideas as well, each reinforcing the other." [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jackson Browne.

Side One

  1. "Jamaica Say You Will" – 3:23
  2. "A Child in These Hills" – 3:57
  3. "Song for Adam" – 5:22
  4. "Doctor, My Eyes" – 3:11
  5. "From Silver Lake" – 3:49

Side Two

  1. "Something Fine" – 3:47
  2. "Under the Falling Sky" – 4:08
  3. "Looking into You" – 4:20
  4. "Rock Me on the Water" – 4:13
  5. "My Opening Farewell" – 4:45

Personnel

Production notes:

Charts

Album - Billboard (United States) [1]

YearChartPosition
1972Pop Albums53

Singles - Billboard (United States) [2]

YearSingleChartPosition
1972"Doctor My Eyes"Pop Singles8
1972"Rock Me on the Water"Pop Singles48

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson Browne</span> American singer, songwriter and political activist (born 1948)

Clyde Jackson Browne is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States.

<i>The Pretender</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Jackson Browne

The Pretender is the fourth album by the American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1976. It peaked at No. 5 on Billboard's album chart. The singles from the album were "Here Come Those Tears Again", which reached No. 23, and "The Pretender", which peaked at No. 58.

<i>Desperado</i> (Eagles album) 1973 studio album by The Eagles

Desperado is the second studio album by the American band the Eagles. It was released on April 17, 1973, by Asylum Records. The album was produced by Glyn Johns and was recorded at Island Studios in London, England. The songs on Desperado are based on the themes of the Old West. The band members are featured on the album's cover dressed like an outlaw gang; Desperado remains the only Eagles album where the band members appear on the front cover.

<i>Sweet Baby James</i> 1970 studio album by James Taylor

Sweet Baby James is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor, released on February 1, 1970, by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Eagles</i> (album) 1972 studio album by the Eagles

Eagles is the debut studio album by American rock band the Eagles. The album was recorded at London's Olympic Studios with producer Glyn Johns and released on June 1, 1972. The album was an immediate success for the young band, reaching No. 22 on the charts and going platinum. Three singles were released from the album, each reaching the Top 40: "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman", and "Peaceful Easy Feeling". The band, starting with this album, played a major role in popularizing the country rock sound.

<i>On the Border</i> 1974 studio album by the Eagles

On the Border is the third studio album by American rock band the Eagles, released on March 22, 1974. Apart from two songs produced by Glyn Johns, it was produced by Bill Szymczyk because the group wanted a more rock‑oriented sound instead of the country-rock feel of the first two albums. It is the first Eagles album to feature guitarist Don Felder. On the Border reached number 17 on the Billboard album chart and has sold two million copies.

<i>For Everyman</i> 1973 studio album by Jackson Browne

For Everyman is the second album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1973. The album peaked at number 43 on the Billboard 200 chart and the single "Redneck Friend" reached number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2012, the album was ranked number 450 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

<i>Lawyers in Love</i> 1983 studio album by Jackson Browne

Lawyers in Love is the seventh album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1983 by Asylum Records. It was Browne's fourth straight Top 10 album and stayed on the charts for 33 weeks, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. Out of eight tracks, four were released as singles. The title song reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was accompanied by one of Browne's first music videos released on MTV.

<i>Lives in the Balance</i> 1986 studio album by Jackson Browne

Lives in the Balance is the eighth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1986. It reached number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart. The title track as well as "For America" and "In the Shape of a Heart" were released as singles. The album was ranked number 88 on Rolling Stone's list of the best 100 albums of the 1980s. The album reached number 2 in Sweden.

<i>World in Motion</i> (Jackson Browne album) 1989 studio album by Jackson Browne

World in Motion is the ninth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1989. It peaked at number 45 on The Billboard 200 and was Browne's first album to obtain neither gold nor platinum status. The album took three years to complete and makes statements about nuclear disarmament and the "secret" government that brought forth Oliver North and the Iran-Contra scandal.

<i>Crosby, Stills & Nash</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Crosby, Stills & Nash

Crosby, Stills & Nash is the debut studio album by the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN), released in 1969 by Atlantic Records. It is the only release by the band prior to adding Neil Young to their lineup. The album spawned two Top 40 singles, "Marrakesh Express" and "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", which peaked respectively at No. 28 during the week of August 23, 1969, and at No. 21 during the week of December 6, 1969, on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album itself peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It has been certified four times platinum by the RIAA for sales of 4,000,000.

<i>Turbulent Indigo</i> 1994 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Turbulent Indigo is the 15th album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in 1994, it won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album. John Milward, writing for Rolling Stone, wrote that it was Mitchell's "best album since the mid-'70s".

<i>Old Ways</i> 1985 studio album by Neil Young

Old Ways is the 14th studio album by Canadian-American musician and singer-songwriter Neil Young, released on August 12, 1985, on Geffen Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take It Easy</span> Single by The Eagles

"Take It Easy" is the debut single by the American rock band Eagles, written by Jackson Browne and Eagles band member Glenn Frey, who also provides lead vocals. It was released on May 1, 1972, and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 22, 1972. It was also the opening track of the band's eponymous debut album and has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums. It is listed as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

<i>Late for the Sky</i> 1974 studio album by Jackson Browne

Late for the Sky is the third studio album by American singer–songwriter Jackson Browne, released by Asylum Records on September 13, 1974. It peaked at number 14 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor, My Eyes</span> 1972 single by Jackson Browne

"Doctor, My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album Jackson Browne. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff coupled with lyrics about feeling world-weary, the song was a surprise hit, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1972, after debuting on the chart at number 80. Browne would not see the chart's Top 10 again until 1982's soundtrack hit "Somebody's Baby", although "Running on Empty" just missed the Top 10, reaching number 11. Billboard ranked "Doctor My Eyes" as the No. 92 song for 1972. In Canada, the song peaked at number four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock Me on the Water</span> 1972 single by Jackson Browne

"Rock Me on the Water" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released as the second single from his 1972 debut album, Jackson Browne, following the No. 7 success of Browne's debut single, "Doctor, My Eyes". Browne's version reached No. 48 on Billboard's September 23, 1972, Hot 100 chart, spending nine weeks on that chart after debuting at No. 73 on August 5, 1972. It was also released as a single in Canada, Germany and Japan, and as a promotional single in the United Kingdom.

"Jamaica Say You Will" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. It is the first song on his 1972 self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fountain of Sorrow</span> 1975 single by Jackson Browne

"Fountain of Sorrow" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. Released as the second single from his 1974 album Late for the Sky, at 6:42, it was the longest song on the album, and the longest song Browne had yet released. Two minutes were removed from the single release of "Fountain of Sorrow", but the song still failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100.

<i>Looking Into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne</i> 2014 compilation album by various artists

Looking Into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne is a tribute album to Jackson Browne that features various artists covering songs written by Browne. It was released on April 1, 2014 through Music Road Records and debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 8,000 copies in its first week.

References

  1. 1 2 Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne > Charts & Awards > Billboard Album at AllMusic . Retrieved October 21, 2004.
  2. 1 2 Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic . Retrieved October 21, 2004.
  3. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. Jamaica Say You Will - Jackson Browne > Song Review at AllMusic . Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  4. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum award. Retrieved July 20, 2010
  5. ↑ Saturate before reading | American Printer | March 2006 Archived December 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Burden, Gary & Diltz, Henry. Under The Covers DVD, Jackson Browne Audio Interview. Archived May 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine 2002.
  7. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. Jackson Browne at AllMusic . Retrieved November 22, 2004.
  8. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved February 22, 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  9. 1 2 Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Jackson Browne". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide . London: Fireside. pp.  112–113. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8. Abridged in "Jackson Browne > Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  10. ↑ Scoppa, Bud (March 2, 1972). "Jackson Browne Jackson Browne > Album Review". Rolling Stone . No. 103. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  11. ↑ Kelleher, Ed. Circus, Review of Jackson Browne, April 1972.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.