 Late For The Sky (1974) [ larger cover art ] |
Share this song
Tweet this song
Wikipedia search
Musicbrainz DB;){kind=link}
Keep a fire burning in your eye
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
I don't remember losing track of you
You were always dancing in and out of view
I must've thought you'd always be around
Always keeping things real by playing the clown
Now you're nowhere to be found
I don't know what happens when people die
Can't seem to grasp it as hard as I try
It's like a song I can hear playing right in my ear
But I can't sing
I can't help listening
I can't help feeling stupid standing 'round
Crying is they ease you down
'Cause I know that you'd rather we were dancing
Dancing our sorrow away
(Right on Dancing)
No matter what fate chooses to play
(There's nothing you can do about it anyway)
Just do the steps that you've been shown
By everyone you've ever known
Until the dance becomes your very own
No matter how close to yours
Another's steps have grown
In the end there is one dance you'll do alone
Keep a fire for the human race
Let your prayers go drifting into space
You never know what will be coming down
Perhaps a better world is drawing near
Just as easily it could all disappear
Along with whatever meaning you might have found
Don't let the uncertainty turn you around
(The world keeps turning around and around)
Go on and make a joyful sound
Into a dancer you have grown
From a seed somebody else has thrown
Go on ahead and throw some seeds of your own
And somewhere between the time you arrive
And the time you go
May lie a reason you were alive
That you'll never know
| nagsheadlocal (North Carolina, the new New Jersey) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 11:54 steeler wrote: When I listen to these songs, there always are lines that make me stop and pause. And remember. And contemplate what may have been or what might be. I know just what you mean, brother (or sister, as the case may be). "And while the future's there for anyone to change, still you know it seems It would be easier sometimes to change the past." |
| nagsheadlocal (North Carolina, the new New Jersey) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 11:53 Oh, man, sitting around the old student ghetto with friends, listening to Jackson Browne, passing the buds and suds. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for this album, not only for the excellent music but for the memories. |
| steeler (Perched on the precipice of the cauldron of truth) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 11:50 Late for the Sky: Jackson's masterpiece. Each song represents a journey into the depths of one's soul. When I listen to these songs, there always are lines that make me stop and pause. And remember. And contemplate what may have been or, possibly, what might be. |
| winotron (Phoenix, AZ) | Posted: Mar 27, 2013 - 09:05 AndyJ wrote: Jackson Browne and Neil Young... I've never seen them together...Both were overplayed, and have a whiny nasal sound...Browne is a bit less...But their music has a "I need to write a hit" quality...Like watching losers at poker or baseball swinging for fences every time... I'd rather hear some "Younger Brother" or "Lindi Ortega" or anybody under 50... Jackson Browne I can see... But do you honestly believe that Neil Young was trying to write a hit every time? That seems like one of the last things on his mind. |
| DJ_BellsEye | Posted: Feb 23, 2013 - 14:53 JB has an amazing number of great songs. A great American artist. He just keeps growing on me, getting better with time. |
| AndyJ (Oregon) | Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 14:13 Jackson Browne and Neil Young... I've never seen them together...Both were overplayed, and have a whiny nasal sound...Browne is a bit less...But their music has a "I need to write a hit" quality...Like watching losers at poker or baseball swinging for fences every time... I'd rather hear some "Younger Brother" or "Lindi Ortega" or anybody under 50... |
| Darlington (Columbia, South Carolina) | Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 14:10 Been on a HUGE Jackson Browne kick this year. |
| ploba (the other coast and hang a left) | Posted: Oct 17, 2012 - 04:39 exactly! Bill you are on a roll today! Antigone wrote: Another song I wish I could rate "10" more than once. |
| Kokoloco53 (Southeastern Arizona) | Posted: Sep 15, 2012 - 15:26 "Perhaps a better world is drawing near, just as easily it could all dissapear". This should mean something to every man, and woman I think, it's called hope but also gaurd your happiness how you can, enjoy each day. K? Okay. Class dismissed. |
| ziakut (The Windy City) | Posted: May 16, 2012 - 09:56 I know this tune means something to somebody...but I find this dull for Jackson Browne. |
| Antigone (A house, in a Virginian Valley) | Posted: May 16, 2012 - 09:56 Another song I wish I could rate "10" more than once. |
| On_The_Beach (The Blue Planet) | Posted: Apr 10, 2012 - 23:58 Stingray wrote: Since I read that he liked to beat his girlfriends in the face, I cannot hear voice and lyrics of the guy the same way, any longer! You already tried this bait several times, troll. Time to come up with some fresh material. |
| martinc (Ottawa Canada) | Posted: Apr 10, 2012 - 14:07 Cynaera wrote: I would count it THE high point of my life to be sitting in an audience watching Jackson Browne perform with no accompaniment but his guitars and his piano. Well, I guess the only other high point would be walking on the moon. You would have loved when he played here years ago to mark the signing of the land line treaty. Three artists of the bill each played about an hour and did a few tunes together. Artist were Bruce Cockburn, Jan Arden and Jackson Browne. |
| JrzyTmata | Posted: Jan 10, 2012 - 11:28 JrzyTmata wrote: don't believe everything you read in the tabloids The Non-Incident Here is a statement made by Lt. John Miehle of the Santa Monica Police Department in November 1992: "The Santa Monica Police Department went to the house where Jackson Browne lives regarding a possible disturbance. We resolved the situation in about five minutes. There was never any assault. There are no charges pending and no prosecution sought by or intended by the District Attorney. It is this department's intention that no citizen, regardless of who she is, suffer any kind of abuse, whether it be domestic violence or any other kind of assault. But in this case, absolutely no assault occurred. Our investigators tell us nothing happened. Nobody has even alleged that Daryl Hannah was even touched. If they had, we'd be investigating. We're not hiding anything. The press is trying to make more out of this than there really is, and it's unfair, not just to Browne, but to us. We did our job, and repeat, no crime occurred here. This whole thing is ridiculous." bump for Stingray, since he doesn't seem to backscroll through the comments. |
| Stingray (NWO reloaded) | Posted: Jan 10, 2012 - 11:26 <thoroughly discredited BS deleted by admin> |
| Moak (Reading, PA) | Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 10:13 Homage  |
| BKardon (Louisville, CO) | Posted: Dec 09, 2011 - 16:01 Cynaera wrote: I would count it THE high point of my life to be sitting in an audience watching Jackson Browne perform with no accompaniment but his guitars and his piano. Well, I guess the only other high point would be walking on the moon. Do you have his live acoustic discs? They are pretty much exactly as you described. Can't remember if this one is on there but it's chock full of great tunes. |
| ChicoCyclist (Chico, CA) | Posted: Dec 05, 2011 - 15:07 peter_james_bond wrote: I believe you are referring to Chris Brown, not Jackson Browne. I believe that he was referring to the "incident" between Jackson Browne and Daryl Hannah. Browne called the police because of Hannah's behavior one night, she accused him of getting physical, the police investigated and did not arrest anyone. No charges were pressed and I believe that Daryl Hannah has since recanted her accusations. |
| handwaver | Posted: Dec 05, 2011 - 15:02 Tired old sound - boring piano & percussion is particularly repetitive and lame |
| marmelock (Frankfurt, Germany, Home of the EAGLES!) | Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 23:48 Jacksons best album ever! |
| nigelr (Coffs Harbour, Australia) | Posted: Nov 04, 2011 - 00:07 Pretty timeless, eh? Personell? |
| Cynaera (In a hammock under my own vine and fig tree.) | Posted: Oct 07, 2011 - 11:53 I would count it THE high point of my life to be sitting in an audience watching Jackson Browne perform with no accompaniment but his guitars and his piano. Well, I guess the only other high point would be walking on the moon. |
| ch83575 | Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 10:30 elliotgoettelman wrote: his voice and words can find the feelings that i didn't know were in my soul..........and let them out. Sounds messy... but I think I know what you are getting at. I like him too. |
| elliotgoettelman (sturgeon bay, wi) | Posted: Aug 01, 2011 - 14:48 his voice and words can find the feelings that i didn't know were in my soul..........and let them out. |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: May 30, 2011 - 14:15 This is still one of my favorite Jackson Browne songs, and one of my favorite Jackson Browne albums (I waffle between "Late For the Sky" and "The Pretender," with both of his acoustic works in a class apart from his work with a band.) I think I have most of this album on my MP3 player, and since tomorrow is promising to be warmer, I might actually get a long day of work, so I'm looking forward to hearing JB a lot.     |
| peter_james_bond (West Of The Burg) | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 10:30 Stingray wrote: Since I learned that BROWNE beats woman, I cannot buy into anything he sings any longer! I believe you are referring to Chris Brown, not Jackson Browne. |
| BigIslandBlues | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 10:28 Just saw Jackson at a solo acoustic show on Friday, March 25th. Just him, 17 acoustic guitars and an electric piano. He had no set list and basically just took requests from the audience. It was a great show. |
| On_The_Beach (Vancouver BC, Bud) | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 10:26 Just saw JB 2 nights ago in Vancouver. Solo acoustic; Great show. His voice still sounds excellent. |
| big_gare (Langley, Bee Cee, Canada) | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 10:25 Saw JB at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on Saturday night, March 26, 2011. Great solo performer. His interaction with the audience is quite wonderful. And his singing and guitar & Piano playing just seems to get better as he ages. Great show Jackson. :-) |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Feb 24, 2011 - 23:35 lemmoth wrote: I like to call Jackson Browne "Mr. Depression." It's a general tone to much of his popular work and of course when your biggest hit is called "Running on Empty".......... You need to listen to "Ready or Not." Or "I Hear Your Heart Beating." He has a very sly and fun sense of humor, and unless you listen closely, you might miss it. And BTW: Do you even KNOW what "Running On Empty" is about? Don't judge by titles - listen to the words. And BTW again, "Running on Empty" wasn't his biggest hit. And "For A Dancer" was written for his first wife, Phyllis, who committed suicide. (Do with that what you probably will.) Get your damned facts straight. And pull your head out of your assets. Yeah, I'm tired and running a fever. I'll probably delete this comment tomorrow, if I remember that I posted it.  And Stingray? There are no words for your ignorance, so I'll make one up: Ignopsychomisanthrope. There. A nice, big, juicy word for you to chew on for awhile. Maybe it'll give you time to consider thinking before you post. (I won't tell you the word I made up for myself to achieve the same result.) |
| mfcrowe (Chicago,, IL) | Posted: Jan 24, 2011 - 17:11 Perhaps his most introspective? Certainly one of his finest...can't help thinking of friends that are no longer here... And somewhere between the time you arrive and the time you go May lie a reason you were alive but you'll never know |
| On_The_Beach (Vancouver BC, Bud) | Posted: Dec 24, 2010 - 12:55 Randomax wrote: I just can't believe people think this any longer....as you point out, it was explained and expunged years ago! Stop it....he is amazing and unbelievably giving in concert! . . . Agreed. Sadly, the tabloid media never lets the truth get in the way of a juicy story. |
| Randomax (Wimberley, TX) | Posted: Dec 24, 2010 - 08:28 JrzyTmata wrote: don't believe everything you read in the tabloids The Non-Incident Here is a statement made by Lt. John Miehle of the Santa Monica Police Department in November 1992: "The Santa Monica Police Department went to the house where Jackson Browne lives regarding a possible disturbance. We resolved the situation in about five minutes. There was never any assault. There are no charges pending and no prosecution sought by or intended by the District Attorney. It is this department's intention that no citizen, regardless of who she is, suffer any kind of abuse, whether it be domestic violence or any other kind of assault. But in this case, absolutely no assault occurred. Our investigators tell us nothing happened. Nobody has even alleged that Daryl Hannah was even touched. If they had, we'd be investigating. We're not hiding anything. The press is trying to make more out of this than there really is, and it's unfair, not just to Browne, but to us. We did our job, and repeat, no crime occurred here. This whole thing is ridiculous." I just can't believe people think this any longer....as you point out, it was explained and expunged years ago! Stop it....he is amazing and unbelievably giving in concert! Besides, wasn't there ever a time when any one of us wanted to slap Ms. Hannah (SORRY - just some humor - didn't mean any disrespect!!)  |
| Webfoot (Eugene, Oregon) | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 15:48 I'll just comment to move Stingray down. Great song. |
| JrzyTmata | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 15:43 Stingray wrote: Since I learned that BROWNE beats woman, I cannot buy into anything he sings any longer! don't believe everything you read in the tabloids The Non-Incident Here is a statement made by Lt. John Miehle of the Santa Monica Police Department in November 1992: "The Santa Monica Police Department went to the house where Jackson Browne lives regarding a possible disturbance. We resolved the situation in about five minutes. There was never any assault. There are no charges pending and no prosecution sought by or intended by the District Attorney. It is this department's intention that no citizen, regardless of who she is, suffer any kind of abuse, whether it be domestic violence or any other kind of assault. But in this case, absolutely no assault occurred. Our investigators tell us nothing happened. Nobody has even alleged that Daryl Hannah was even touched. If they had, we'd be investigating. We're not hiding anything. The press is trying to make more out of this than there really is, and it's unfair, not just to Browne, but to us. We did our job, and repeat, no crime occurred here. This whole thing is ridiculous." |
| Carl (The Summit City) | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 15:40 Stingray wrote: Since I learned that BROWNE beats woman, I cannot buy into anything he sings any longer! Disagree and would like for you to provide evidence or retract that assertion, which damages his reputation recklessly. Every account I can find exonerates Jackson; in fact, he seems to have taken the high road and not dragged Daryl through the trash media. |
| Tylersmyler | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 15:36 Wow Bill, how did you know it was raining here in Toronto? |
| Stingray (EUROPE) | Posted: Sep 20, 2010 - 06:19 Since I learned that BROWNE beats woman, I cannot buy into anything he sings any longer! |
| Papernapkin (Mountain View, CA) | Posted: Jul 18, 2010 - 07:29 lingchih wrote: He'd seen too many Yes album covers? Ha. Just say no to Yes. |
| donna_birichina (right where I should be) | Posted: Jun 16, 2010 - 10:34 This song and I were born in the same year. I hope I'm holding up better than it is. |
| jules44 (Sunny North Carolina) | Posted: Jun 16, 2010 - 10:32 A very bittersweet song...gives me chills every time I hear it. thanks Bill! |
| BKardon (Boulder, CO by way of State and Madison) | Posted: May 15, 2010 - 15:57 ice-9 wrote: toterola wrote: The best version I've heard is on "Solo Acoustic, Volume 1". The Solo Acoustic albums are fantastic. His songs sound great in a stripped down acoustic guitar/vocals/piano style. Highly recommended. |
| ice-9 | Posted: Apr 13, 2010 - 21:19 toterola wrote: I love this song. I have another excellent version of it on the "Western Wall" album with Emmylou and Linda Ronstadt. I can't listen to one without reaching for the other. Thanks for playing this, Bill. It fits my melancholy mood on a rainy Friday evening.  The best version I've heard is on "Solo Acoustic, Volume 1". The album really demonstrates the strength of good music, without the extra "production", something I think Jackson's studio albums always suffered a little from. There is an equally beautiful version out there somewhere on a tribute album to Nicolette Larson. |
| solrac (38th parallel) | Posted: Apr 13, 2010 - 21:17 i don't remember a bad song jackson has put out. request him for ever... |
| blueotis (Olympia, W@) | Posted: Feb 09, 2010 - 17:35 Thanks for this jewel Bill & Rebecca. |
| Grammarcop (Hey, I can see Canada from here!) | Posted: Jan 09, 2010 - 06:43 There's a very Sunday morning-like quality to Jackson Browne's voice. |
| lmic (Influential In All The Wrong Ways) | Posted: Nov 07, 2009 - 12:32 ...very Existentialist lyrics... |
| dctrpunda (the thin line of here) | Posted: Sep 05, 2009 - 11:32 one of my favs, used to follow it up with One more cup of Coffee to help satisfy the violin fix. |
| casey1024 (Connecticut) | Posted: Jun 02, 2009 - 11:09 Wow. Being a teenager feels so close, but it was so many years ago.... Love this album! |
Posted: |