Pretender
Jackson Browne
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I'm going to rent myself a house In the shade of the freeway Gonna pack my lunch in the morning And go to work each day And when the evening rolls around I'll go on home and lay my body down And when the morning light comes streaming in I'll get up and do it again Amen. Say it again Amen. I want to know what became of the changes We waited for love to bring Were they only the fitful dreams Of some greater awakening? I've been aware of the time going by They say in the end it's the wink of an eye When the morning light comes streaming in You'll get up and do it again Amen. Caught between the longing for love And the struggle for the legal tender Where the sirens sing and the church bells ring And the junk man pounds his fender. Where the veterans dream of the fight Fast asleep at the traffic light And the children solemnly wait For the ice cream vendor Out into the cool of the evening Strolls the Pretender He knows that all his hopes and dreams Begin and end there Ah the laughter of the lovers As they run through the night Leaving nothing for the others But to choose off and fight And tear at the world with all their might While the ships bearing their dreams Sail out of sight I'm gonna find myself a girl Who can show me what laughter means And we'll fill in the missing colors In each other's paint-by-number dreams And then we'll put our dark glasses on And we'll make love until our strength is gone And when the morning light comes streaming in We'll get up and do it again Get it up again I'm gonna be a happy idiot And struggle for the legal tender Where the ads take aim and lay their claim To the heart and the soul of the spender And believe in whatever may lie In those things that money can buy Thought true love could have been a contender Are you there? Say a prayer for the Pretender. Who started out so young and strong Only to surrender. Say a prayer for the pretender Are you there for the pretender? Say a prayer for the pretender Are you there for the pretender? Are you prepared for the pretender?
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Written by: Jackson Browne
Lyrics © FLAT TOWN MUSIC CO., A DIV. OF SWALLOW PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Release Year"Pretender" by Jackson Browne is a song from the album "The Pretender" which was released in 1976.
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Studio ProductionThe recording and production of the song and the album was done at the legendary Sound Factory Studio in Los Angeles.
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ProducerThe album "The Pretender" was produced by Jon Landau who is notably known for his long-term work with Bruce Springsteen.
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Album Position"The Pretender" is the title track and is the last song featured on the album.
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ThemeThe song delves into existential themes, with Jackson Browne reflecting on the disillusionment and loss he felt after the death of his first wife.
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Chart PerformanceThe album "The Pretender" reached the number five position on the Billboard Pop Albums chart in 1976, making it a major success.
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MusiciansThe recording involved some notable artists like David Lindley, Russ Kunkel, Craig Doerge and Leland Sklar.
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Cover VersionsThe song "The Pretender" was covered by various artists like Shawn Colvin, Katey Sagal, and Pat McGee Band.
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Popular CultureOver the years, "The Pretender" has been used in various TV series soundtracks such as "The Simpsons" and films like "No Looking Back".
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LegacyThe song, as well as the album, has been hailed for its profound lyrics and emotional depth, which have resonated with audiences for decades. Many musicians and critics consider it a classic in the singer-songwriter genre.
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Citation
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"Pretender Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/18980239/Jackson+Browne/Pretender>.
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