The 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
11 facts about this song
Song Origin"The Pretender" is a song by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in his 1976 album of the same name.
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Lyrics & ThemesThe song is a commentary on the disillusionment and underlying hope of the American dream.
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Album PerformanceThe Pretender album peaked at number 5 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart in the year of its launch.
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Personal Life InfluenceMany believe that the album and specifically "The Pretender" was heavily influenced by the tragic death of Browne's first wife, Phyllis Major, who committed suicide earlier in the year the album was released.
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CollaborationsThe album features meaningful collaborations, including harmonies by David Crosby and Graham Nash on the title track, "The Pretender".
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Iconic ProducerThe album was produced by esteemed industry figure Jon Landau, who is also known for his work with Bruce Springsteen.
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Critical ResponseThe song "The Pretender" has been described as both a masterpiece of songwriting and as an uncomfortable summary of the mass empty lifestyle, showing Browne's ability to touch upon raw, emotional themes within his music.
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LegacyThe song "The Pretender" and its encompassing album remain among Browne's most popular and enduring works, solidifying his reputation as a major influence during the 1970s California rock scene.
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CoversVarious artists have covered "The Pretender," including a heart-touching rendition by the late Glen Campbell on his 2008 album "Meet Glen Campbell".
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RecognitionIn 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Pretender album on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, indicating the lasting impact of the song and its parent album.
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Release FormatInterestingly, the song "The Pretender" was never released as a single. It gained popularity through radio airplay and as part of the overall album.
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Citation
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"The Pretender Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/4735661/Jackson+Browne/The+Pretender>.
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