1983 was a great year for music. Of course there were other great years - lots and lots of them, especially the ones during my formative years. The early '80s though was something special. Jackson Browne was someone who had quite a few songs I liked but it wasn't until he released
Lawyers in Love that I decided to put some cash on the table (The Fast Tmes soundtrack doesn't count). There was something hilariously goofy and awesome about the title track and it didn't matter where I was (or am, as I discovered when the song came on) if the song came on I had to wait patiently for my cue to sing along.
Last night I watched the news from Washington, the capitol (that would be me)
The Russians escaped while we weren't watching them, like Russians will (still me, but with gusto)
The Tarzan falsetto is still out of my range, but there are times I still give it a shot. The dog doesn't like it.
Anyway, the song is still one of those guilty pleasures, but this album got a lot of play back in the day, and several songs were mainstays on my abundant collection of mix tapes. Not all the songs hit me in the feels, but when they did, boy they hit hard. "Cut it Away" is brilliant. you'd think that after forty years I'd be able to consistently count in the drums when Russ Kinkel hits the snare twice during the intro when I'm playing air drums on the steering wheel - but, you'd be wrong. It's actually a little embarrassing, but I figure one day I'll figure it out. Honestly it's not that hard, but it's part of how I listen to the song. Kind of the same thing as me playing along with The Fixx's "Deeper and Deeper" but that's another story.
I know "Tender is the Night" was a moderate hit, but wasn't a song I got into the first time around. With the benefit of a little space the song has definitely grown on me, but is still the runt of the litter. "Knock on Any Door" sees Jackson more or less borrowing from "Somebody' Baby" - although the more I listen to it the less it sounds like the Fast Times hit. Funny that. It's a song that has some great playing, but the echo / call and response as he sings the chorus was irritating then, and still doesn't feel right.
However, all is forgiven as the last two songs on the album are near perfect '80s pop. "Say It Isn't True" is a time capsule that reflects all of the Day After fears people were carrying around as we waited for someone to drop the big one. Even the cheesy voice over doesn't spoil the song (although I do wish it wasn't there). I was reading up on the album and I didn't know "For a Rocker" was released as a single. I never heard it on the radio. Which still amazes me, as this was indeed single material. This straight ahead rocker is one of my favourite Jackson Browne songs ever.
I'm gonna tell you something I found out
Whatever you think your life is about
Whatever life may hold in store
Things will happen that you won't be ready for
For me the secret sauce that enhanced all of the songs was Rick Vito who played guitar on the album. The guy has serious chops and the way he serviced the songs was nothing short of spectacular - and his lead phrasing is so tasteful. What a monster. Greg Ladanyi produced the album with Jackson Browne and it is a great sounding record. It wouldn't take long after getting this for me to go back and pick up a few more albums, and the last album I'd buy was 1993's
I'm Alive, which had some fine songs.
It's too bad it was so short, with only eight songs and under forty minutes. Oh well, can't have everything. This was where I started, and Lawyers in Love will always feel special.
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