Thursday, May 15, 2008

21. Jackson Browne - The Pretender

Found on: The Pretender (1976)
Picked by: SB, JG, EV

To me The Pretender is about growing up. Specifically it's about those who abandoned the hippie dream of the '60s to answer the siren call of financial security. The name itself - The Pretender - almost seems to be a condemnation, inferring that the ideals of free love and anti-commercialism were never fully embraced by those who left them behind. The song conveys a definite sense of sadness and regret about this, but at the same time there's an affection for the more conventional life of job, home and family, as shown in the fine lyrical details of everyday life.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Is your name for real Paul Allen or is this a reference to American psycho. Your description of the song fit's Patrick Batman's style of explanation to it entirety.

Paul V. Allen said...

My real name is Paul Allen, but I'll still choose to take your comment as a compliment!