Jackson Browne – These Days

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Well I've been out walking
I don't do that much talking these days
These days,
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
For you
And all the times I had the chance to

And I had a lover
It's so hard to risk another these days
These days,
Now if I seem to be afraid
To live the life I have made in song
Well it's just that I've been losing so long

I'll keep on moving
Things are bound to be improving these days
These days,
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

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Lyrics submitted by hourafterdark

Track duration: 04:45

"These Days" as written by Jackson Browne

Lyrics © Jackson Browne/Swallow Turn Music/Night Kitchen Music/Open Window Music, Universal Music Publishing Group

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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:It's just about depression, isn't it?
    Flag ugotstahwonderon April 23, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hoyden...Mates of State sound like junior high school band camp rejects. The slightly different lyrics are the actual lyrics, Jackson tossed out one verse on his recording.
    Flag muzeecalon December 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i believe the threat of the veitnam war contributed to this song. At age 16 to look back at your life with the thought of being killed and not coming back home can be thought provoking
    Flag herbtarlickon February 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think that this song is about heartbreak.. at whatever age
    but heartbreak that he has brought on himself.
    "these days i seem to think a lot about the things that i forgot to do for you, and all the times i had a chance to"
    that's regret.it's the feeling you have after things have ended with someone and you just look back and see things with such clarity all the possibility things had at the time.

    when he talks about risking another i'm not sure if he's afraid for himself to put himself out there or worried because he's afraid to make the same mistakes again and hurt someone else.
    Flag ch831on December 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about his girlfriend who jumped outt he window
    Flag austyncastellion November 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Seeing as the song was on the "Saturate Before Using" album in 1972, when Darryl Hannah was 12 years old, and was written in 1965 when she was 5, and he most definitely hadn't even met her, it is impossible for the song to have anything to do with her.

    It is quite a mature song of regret and accepting blame for one's actions for such a young writer (as he was at the time). Always been one of my favorites.
    Flag mmagliaroon May 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Unless he met Daryll Hannah at 16 (which I highly doubt) then it isn't about her.
    Flag aic22on January 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:after rereading that it kind of sounds like i am bashing the song, but really it is one of my favourites.
    Flag brittanyclimbstreeson December 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:he said that it was written at sixteen in an interview. as we were all sixteen once, we all can attest to the fact that sixteen year olds can be a little over dramatic. i picture the situation being this: it is after his first real heartbreak, and he is scared. he doesn't want it to happen again, and really who can blame him? my first major heartbreak happened at sixteen, and i remember saying i would never get involved in all of that ever again, and i think that it is commonplace for the teenage years in general. those times are full of firsts, and everyone gets scared and worried. sure some of the lines are quite lovely, but by no means does all of this mean that it is too profound for a sixteen year old to write.
    Flag brittanyclimbstreeson December 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'd like to know if there is concrete proof that this song was written at 16. Many artists DO LIE about stuff, lol. The point of view is from a man who knows loss and failure, several, in fact, to the extent that he is unwilling to be hurt again. That's not a 16 yo pov even for a profound artist. The most interesting part aside from its very direct and profound expression of pain in the first four stanzas is the very last stanza which expresses extreme caution (counting out the quarter tones to ten) and a high degree of observation (sitting on cornerstones to see both ways). In the song he mentions that he fails to live out the life he makes in song; he projects as an artist more than he is willing to give as a man. Absolutely heartbreaking to realize how hopelessly fearful a person exists. But he allows that things might improve, perhaps when he forgets his failures. Maybe then he can risk love again. I'd say the lyrics were written some time after a major breakup. They clearly describe a man with emotional baggage.
    Flag jamiescryinon July 15, 2007   Link
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