For Everyman
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Album Summary
Jackson Browne's second studio album, 'For Everyman,' was laid down in 1973 and released that October on Asylum Records — that beautiful label David Geffen built into a sanctuary for the Southern California singer-songwriter soul. Produced by Richard Orlandoby and Al Schmitt, this record brought in some of the finest company a young troubadour could ask for, with Don Henley and Glenn Frey of the Eagles lending their voices and spirits to the sessions. That was the magic of that Laurel Canyon world — everybody was in everybody else's corner, and you can feel that warmth and brotherhood pressed right into the grooves of this album.
Reception
- The album reached number 43 on the Billboard 200, a modest but real foothold for a young singer-songwriter still earning his place in the hearts of a wider audience.
- Critical reception was genuinely warm, with reviewers consistently praising Browne's lyrical depth and emotional honesty, even as some felt the record occupied a transitional space between promise and full artistic arrival.
- The title track drew particular notice from critics, who recognized in it a thoughtful generational statement — Browne planting his flag and speaking directly to the hopes and heartaches of his era.
Significance
- 'For Everyman' stands as one of the essential documents of the early 1970s California singer-songwriter movement, carrying the introspective, acoustic-leaning soul that made Asylum Records the spiritual home of a generation.
- The album deepened Browne's identity as a lyricist of rare seriousness, wrestling with idealism, loss, and the slow dimming of the late-1960s countercultural flame — making him one of the most honest chroniclers his generation produced.
- The collaborative spirit woven through the record — Eagles members and Laurel Canyon kindred spirits showing up to contribute — is a living testament to how tight and how powerful that particular musical community was in reshaping American rock music.
Tracklist
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A1 Take It Easy 138
3:39
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A2 Our Lady Of The Well 135
3:51
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A3 Colors Of The Sun 76
4:26
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A4 I Thought I Was A Child 121
3:43
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A5 These Days 138
4:41
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B1 Red Neck Friend 151
3:56
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B2 The Times You've Come 129
3:39
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B3 Ready Or Not 117
3:33
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B4 Sing My Songs To Me 89
3:25
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B5 For Everyman 91
6:20
Artist Details
Jackson Browne is one of those rare singer-songwriters who came up out of the sun-soaked Southern California scene in the early 1970s, crafting a deeply personal blend of folk, rock, and introspective Americana that just cut right through to the soul. He helped define the laid-back yet emotionally heavy West Coast sound alongside labelmates on Asylum Records, with timeless records like Late for the Sky and The Pretender that spoke to a generation wrestling with love, loss, and the fading idealism of the '60s. Beyond the music, Browne became a cultural touchstone for socially conscious artistry, weaving political activism into his career long before it was fashionable, cementing his place as one of the most authentic voices of his era.
