Lives in the Balance

Last updated

Lives in the Balance
Jackson Browne - Lives in the Balance.jpg
Studio album by
Jackson Browne
ReleasedFebruary 18, 1986
RecordedLate summer to late fall 1985
Studio
Genre Rock
Length39:15
Label Asylum
Producer Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne chronology
Lawyers in Love
(1983)		Lives in the Balance
(1986)		 World in Motion
(1989)

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. [1] The album reached number 2 in Sweden. [2]

Contents

History

Lives in the Balance was the first album by Browne where overtly political and socially critical songs dominated (three of which were about president Ronald Reagan), although it also included one of his best remembered songs about relationships, the tragic "In the Shape of a Heart", inspired by his relationship with his first wife. The radio play garnered by "For America" and "In the Shape of a Heart", and the use of "Lives in the Balance" in the show Miami Vice , gained him many new fans who later went back and discovered Browne's earlier works.

The lesser commercial success of the album, according to a Rolling Stone November 1989 article, hardly mattered to Browne: "I like this album as much as any I've ever done," Browne said. "And there's a certain comfort, a security that I have, talking about something that I feel this strongly about. And whether or not an album succeeds wildly or not, that's intact." [1]

The album was certified as a gold record in 1986 by the RIAA. [3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Robert Christgau B [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Rolling Stone Record GuideStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Critical press focused on the political direction of Lives in the Balance. Music critic William Rulhmann wrote retrospectively "...if Browne sounded more involved in his music than he had in some time, the specificity of its approach inevitably limited its appeal and its long-term significance." [4]

Critic Robert Christgau also commented in a similar vein: "The difference is that Browne shouldn't be doing this... he's a pop star who's stretching his audience and endangering his market share merely by making such a statement in 1986. And he's thought hard getting here—not only does his way with words render these lyrics somewhat deeper than Holly Near's, but his moralistic put-downs have that edge of righteous anger nobody's yet found the formula for." [5] The Rolling Stone Record Guide wrote that "the title track is a cutting slice of social observation, but the remainder of the album is muddled. For the first time, Browne seems unsure of himself." [7]

However, the original 1986 Rolling Stone review by Jimmy Guterman praised the album over-all in part because of Browne's "new-found ability to link the personal to the political," which "breathes life" into the songs and "prevents them from becoming too didactic. Browne's not just writing about the headlines; he's trying to tell the stories of the people they affect." [8]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Browne except where noted. [9]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."For America" 5:13
2."Soldier of Plenty" 4:37
3."In the Shape of a Heart" 5:41
4."Candy"Greg Copeland, Wally Stocker 4:12
5."Lawless Avenues"Browne, Jorge Calderón 5:40
6."Lives in the Balance" 4:18
7."Till I Go Down" 4:19
8."Black and White" 5:15

Personnel

The list of contributors is as follows. [10]

Production

Charts

Album – Billboard (United States)

YearChartPosition
1986The Billboard 20023

Singles – Billboard (United States)

YearSingleChartPosition
1986"For America"Mainstream Rock Tracks3
1986"For America"The Billboard Hot 10030
1986"In the Shape of a Heart"Adult Contemporary10
1986"In the Shape of a Heart"Mainstream Rock Tracks15
1986"In the Shape of a Heart"The Billboard Hot 10070
1986"Lives in the Balance"Mainstream Rock Tracks33

See also

Related Research Articles

<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>Warren Zevon</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon is the second studio album by American musician Warren Zevon. This album was recorded in 1975 and released on May 18, 1976, by Asylum Records. A remastered version of the album with bonus tracks was released in 2008 by Rhino Records.

<i>Excitable Boy</i> 1978 studio album by Warren Zevon

Excitable Boy is the third studio album by American musician Warren Zevon. The album was released on January 18, 1978, by Asylum Records. It includes the single "Werewolves of London", which reached No. 21 and remained in the American Top 40 for six weeks. The album brought Zevon to commercial attention and remains the best-selling album of his career, having been certified platinum by the RIAA and reaching the top ten on the US Billboard 200. A remastered and expanded edition was released in 2007.

<i>Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Warren Zevon

Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon is a compilation album by American musician Warren Zevon, released in 2002.

<i>Dad Loves His Work</i> 1981 studio album by James Taylor

Dad Loves His Work is the tenth studio album by James Taylor, released in 1981. The album includes the duet with JD Souther titled "Her Town Too", which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The album was certified Platinum in the United States. It was his first album without any covers.

<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>Building the Perfect Beast</i> 1984 studio album by Don Henley

Building the Perfect Beast is the second solo studio album by American rock singer Don Henley, released on November 19, 1984, by Geffen Records. A commercial and critical success, it is generally regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of Henley's solo work.

<i>The End of the Innocence</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Don Henley

The End of the Innocence is the third solo studio album by Don Henley, the co-lead vocalist and drummer for the Eagles. The album was released in 1989, on Geffen Records, and was his last release on that label. It was also his last solo album before reforming the Eagles and it would be eleven years before he released another solo project, 2000's Inside Job.

<i>The Glow</i> (Bonnie Raitt album) 1979 studio album by Bonnie Raitt

The Glow is the seventh album by the American musician Bonnie Raitt, released in 1979. It was one of the first albums to be recorded and mixed digitally.

<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>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>Im Alive</i> (Jackson Browne album) 1993 studio album by Jackson Browne

I'm Alive is the tenth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1993. The title track, "I'm Alive", reached No. 18 on the Album Rock Tracks chart and No. 28 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Other singles released from the album were "Everywhere I Go" and "Sky Blue and Black".

<i>Looking East</i> 1996 studio album by Jackson Browne

Looking East is the eleventh album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1996. It peaked at number 36 on The Billboard 200.

<i>The Naked Ride Home</i> 2002 studio album by Jackson Browne

The Naked Ride Home is the twelfth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 2002. It peaked at number 36 on The Billboard 200 chart. The single "The Night Inside Me" reached number 25 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

<i>Running on Empty</i> (album) 1977 live album / studio album by Jackson Browne

Running on Empty is the fifth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. Featuring songs themed around life on the road, the entire album was recorded on tour, either live on stage, or in locations associated with touring, such as backstage, on tour buses, or in hotel rooms. Released in 1977, the album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart in 1978 and stayed on the charts for 65 weeks. The single for the title track, "Running on Empty", peaked at No. 11 and the follow-up single, "The Load-Out"/"Stay", reached No. 20 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.

<i>We Ran</i> 1998 studio album by Linda Ronstadt

We Ran is a 1998 rock album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. The disc featured back-up from three members of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. It spent two weeks on the Billboard albums chart, peaking at #160.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawyers in Love (song)</span> 1983 single by Jackson Browne

"Lawyers in Love" is the first single and title track of Jackson Browne's 1983 album of the same name, Lawyers in Love. Though not as successful as Browne's previous single "Somebody's Baby", nonetheless at #13 it became Browne's fourth-highest peaking hit on the Hot 100 as well as his final top 20 hit on the American pop charts, while in Canada peaking on RPM at #13. Browne wrote most of the songs on the album, including the title track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lives in the Balance (song)</span> 1986 single by Jackson Browne

"Lives in the Balance" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, the title track of his 1986 album, Lives in the Balance. A live version is also found on Browne's Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1. The song is written in the key of G minor with a rate of 138 BPMs. The song has a dark theme and lyrically it is about, “A country lying to its people and war.”

<i>Standing in the Breach</i> 2014 studio album by Jackson Browne

Standing in the Breach is the fourteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne. It was released on October 7, 2014, by Inside Recordings and was his first album of new material in six years.

<i>Wild Heart of the Young</i> 1982 studio album by Karla Bonoff

Wild Heart of the Young is the third album by singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff. The album includes Bonoff's only Top 40 hit, "Personally", which peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard singles chart. It was not written by Bonoff.

References

  1. 1 2 Rolling Stone. 100 Best Albums of the Eighties: #88 Jackson Browne – Lives in the Balance. November 16, 1989.
  2. ↑ Swedishcharts.com. Lives in the Balance
  3. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum award. Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 20, 2010
  4. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Lives in the Balance > Review". AllMusic . Retrieved July 13, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Lives in the Balance > Review". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  7. 1 2 Coleman, Mark. "Lives in the Balance > Review". Rolling Stone .[ dead link ]
  8. ↑ Guterman, Jimmy. Rolling Stone, Review of Lives in the Balance. April 10, 1986. Accessed July 13, 2012.
  9. ↑ Lives in the Balance, overview at AllMusic at AllMusic . Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  10. ↑ Lives in the Balance, credits at AllMusic at AllMusic . Retrieved May 6, 2013.
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.