"For Everyman" continues Jackson's fascination with the end of the world as we know it ("They've seen the end coming 'round long enough to believe they've heard their last warning"), and deals as well with the struggle of day to day existence--"But don't think too badly of one who's left holding sand/he's just another dreamer dreamin' 'bout everyman".

Other highlights: the moving, erotic duet with Bonnie Raitt, "The Times You've Come"; the rollicking "Redneck Friend", with an uncredited Elton John on the ivories; and the deeply tender "Thought I Was a Child"

Just lovely music. But nothing here could possibly prepare the listener for the monumental achievement of the following year--LATE FOR THE SKY is simply one of the ten greatest albums of all time--right up there, in my estimation, with BLONDE ON BLONDE, REVOLVER, PET SOUNDS, MOONDANCE, DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, BLUE RIVER, WARREN ZEVON, FOR THE ROSES and EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE.

The remainder of Jackson's recorded output pales--just a little--in comparison.


A Terrific, Definitive Early Dose of Jackson Browne's Music!   July 12, 2000
Barron Laycock (Temple, New Hampshire United States)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

This is an album for `everyman", the definitive statement by Jackson Browne of his disturbing and apocalyptic view of contemporary society, and his hopes and fears for its future. It is also a lovely, stirring, and evocative song cycle that illuminates Jackson Browne's unique vocal and instrumental arrangements, and sends one running for the door to buy more of the albums of the early "JB" variety. My personal favorites on this wonderful album are "Our Lady of the Well", a interesting and fetching suggestion of Browne's social and political concerns blended with a celebration of the common rural peasantry of Latin America, "Take It Easy" written with Glenn Frye of the Eagles and recorded by both Browne and the Eagles, "These Times You've Come" about an old pair of lovers who still see each other romantically after parting, and of course, the combination song cycle of "Sing My Songs" and "For Everyman", which like "The Deluge" on another album, sets out Browne's fear of a pending eco-disaster and apocalypse. Browne is still around, still creative, and still as socially and politically outspoken, but this is one of his best early albums, when he was one of the most talented and creative young folk-rock luminaries on the popular scene, a superstar a long time in the making. This is a `must-have' album for any real fan of Browne's music and for anyone just interested in top-shelf folk-rock music by one of the seventies and eighties greatest popular artists.


For Everyman - A Browne Classic!   June 17, 2000
Nancy I. Schafer (Swedesboro, NJ United States)
16 out of 17 found this review helpful

Before I met a man online in 1996, I had never listened to Jackson Browne. He loved his words and music. We sat for hours chatting online listening simultaneously with headphones to For Everyman. He once said about the song Our Lady of the Well; "that has to be the most beautiful 16 lines of verse I've ever heard." He was right. There is a verse that say's: "Oh it's so far the other way my life has gone." Very poignant words.

"These days I sit on corner stones, and count the time in quarter tones to ten, my friend. Don't confront me with my failures I had not forgotten them" (from "These Days"). I have quoted this verse on my pages within my websites countless times.

The guitar, piano and sage words of Jackson Browne make For Everyman his best album. All too often we shy away from an artists earlier work. To not hear For Everyman would truly be a loss. The Empire thanks RomDog for giving me the best music of my life - Jackson Browne. "Long ago I heard someone say something about Everyman."

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes Browne with 5 stars.


Jackson Browne's best   October 14, 2000
Randy Poer (Brownwood, TX)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

This has always been my favorite release by Jackson Browne, possibly because it was the first entire J.B. album that I listened to, but I believe it is because of the organization of the tracks. It begins with a familiar tune that everyone recalls from 70's radio,"Take It Easy", and blends into a series of introspective songs. The mellow mood is interupted in the middle with two songs,"Red Neck Friend" and "Ready or Not" which are considerably more upbeat. Some say these two songs don't really fit the mood of the album, but I find them refreshing from the somberness. The disc ends with two more easy to listen to songs,"Sing my Songs to Me" and the title track,"For Everyman"."Sing my Songs to Me" has been recorded by more artists than any other song I can think of which should say something about the song itself. This is in my opinion Browne's best and should be in anybody's collection if they like classic rock(not metal, disco, R&B, etc.). I consider this an "old faithful", something to listen to when nothing else is appealling.I have only three "old faithfuls".


Jackson Browne's best album   May 10, 2000
Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

With his second album, Jackson Browne hit his creative stride. There is not a bad song in the mix, but particularly strong are "Our Lady of the Well," "These Days," "Redneck Friend" and the lengthy title track. This is an album that you can listen to repeatedly but will never get stale. The first song, co-written with Eagle Glen Fry, became a big hit for that band, but Browne's version is better. Overall, one of the best American rock albums of the 1970s.