“Somebody’s Baby” - Jackson Browne
(Words/music: Jackson Browne, available on Fast Times at Ridgemont High OST, Elektra 1982)

My dog Jack is named after Jackson Browne, somewhat in jest.  While brainstorming names for him, “Jackson” was suggested with the stipulation that his full name would be Jackson and he would colloquially be Jack.  I, of course, remarked that it was just like Jackson Browne, one of the more underrated songwriters of his era.  It stuck and three years later, Jackson is stealing my socks like there’s no tomorrow.

But back to that point about Jackson Browne being overlooked – he’s had a reasonable amount of commercial success and plenty of critical acclaim, but he doesn’t seem to be cannonized the same way as many of his peers.  It’s a shame because Browne’s written some of the finest songs of his era in a number of different styles.  He wrote one of my favorite classic rock radio ballads (“The Load Out”), Nico’s signature song (“These Days”), and even co-wrote my favorite (read: one of the few I enjoy) Eagles songs (“Take it Easy”).  In addition to many of his witty folk songs, Browne also composed “Somebody’s Baby,” one of my favorite pop songs.  The arrangement flows flawlessly from one part of the song into the next; while some songs load up the chorus and settle for verses that seem like afterthoughts, Browne interlaces the hook throughout the whole song.  Every bit of the song – the keyboard at the beginning, the tiny fills between lines, and the way Browne tosses off the details about this dream girl almost effortlessly – gets embedded in my brain for hours.  Like the best pop arrangements of the 60s, every note is necessary and useful and works toward the common goal.  It’s perhaps even a little too slick – without one single flawless line, it’s hard for the song to have a “calling card” - that one moment that makes it timeless.  Instead, it has to settle for being that song that you’ll hum for the rest of the night.  It’s this sort of understated genius that makes Browne a compelling musician and songwriter, even if you’ll rarely find yourself itching to put on one of his records.

More on Jackson Browne: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm