The Pretender (Jackson Browne song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Pretender


Cover size =
Border =
Caption =
Artist = Jackson Browne
Album = The Pretender
A-side =
B-side =
Released = Start date|1976|11|10
Format =
Recorded = 1975 - early 1976
Genre = Rock
Length = 5:52
Label = Asylum/Elektra
Writer = Jackson Browne
Producer = Jon Landau
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Last single = "Here Come Those Tears Again"
(1976)
This single = "The Pretender"
(1976)
Next single = "Running on Empty"
(1977)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = The Pretender
Type = single
prev_track = "Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate"
prev_no = 7
this_track = "The Pretender"
track_no = 8

"The Pretender" is a song by American rock performer, Jackson Browne and featured on his 1976 album "The Pretender".

History

"The Pretender" was composed in a number of locations; Los Angeles, within a rented store-front in North Hollywood and a "tacky" hotel in Hawaii being two of them. Browne is quoted to have claimed that the song was almost complete before he had discovered the defining opening piano-riff. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhp96VWLEqA YouTube - Jackson Browne The Pretender ] ]

In answering the question of "Who is 'The Pretender'?," Browne said - "...it's not me exactly, although sometimes people applaud for me at the moment in the song as if I am, but in truth there is a bit of the Pretender in me, but it's anybody that's sort of lost sight of some of their dreams...and is going through the emotions of trying to make a stab at a certain way of life that he sees other people succeeding at..." [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhp96VWLEqA YouTube - Jackson Browne The Pretender ] ]

Piano is in the forefront, played by Craig Doerge. Drums are played by Jeff Porcaro, bass by Leland Sklar, acoustic guitar and electric guitar are played by Fred Tackett, harmonies performed by David Crosby and Graham Nash and the string section was arranged by David Campbell.

"The Pretender" was not a hit single, only placing to number 58 on the U.S. pop singles chart in 1977.Fact|date=January 2008 However, it gained substantial progressive rock radio and album-oriented rock airplay, and has since become a staple on many classic rock formats.

References