Charming Jackson on the Colbert Report

Jackson Browne totally charms me. I don't always agree with him politically, but I love his passion and dedication to his beliefs. This interview with Stephen Colbert is fabulous and you can see why so many people love him! Oh gosh, Jackson is so composed and trying so hard to get his points across, but that Colbert is running the show! So special to see Jackson in this genre.

********Be sure and watch both the interview and his performance. Scroll past the transcript for the second clip. You don't want to miss this stunning acoustic version of this song.********

Jackson Browne on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, Tuesday, September 23, 2008, ©2008 Comedy Central.



Transcript:

Stephen Colbert: A huge longtime fan, which makes it even harder to do what I have to do right now, which is tear you a new one, my friend. Now, you're suing John McCain, because he used "Running on Empty"? Tell me about it.

Jackson Browne: Yeah, well, he used my song in an attack ad, attacking Barack Obama, and he didn't —

Colbert: So??

Browne: — ask for it, nor would he have been given permission. He didn't get permission, he didn't pay for it.

Colbert: How do deny John McCain anything? Need I remind you who else denied him their song rights? The Việt Cộng! [laughter] The man gets anything he wants now.

Browne: Evidently.

Colbert: Yeah, evidently he does. So, what's your problem with McCain? You've got a few differences of opinion, I'm guessing. What are your concerns that he doesn't share?

Browne: Well, uh, besides copyright, besides honoring artists' rights to their property —

Colbert: Oh, it's "free" everything, "Free Love!", "Free Speech!" — but not free songs.

Browne: That's right.

Colbert: That's right. That's very selective with your freedom there, Jack!

[laughter]

Browne: Well, you know, I'm also pretty tight with my endorsements. I don't endorse anybody who comes along.

Colbert: You didn't endorse me when I ran for President, and I didn't even use one of your songs. I used Devo's "Whip It!" — and I got some trouble for that. Yeah, they were pretty mad at me, but I think it was a perfectly valid use for the song, because, you know, as the lyric says, "when a problem comes along, you must whip it!"

Browne: Yeah, one of the great rock lyrics of all time.

Colbert: So, you're no fan of nuclear energy, are you?

Browne: No.

Colbert: What are your problems with nuclear energy, other than the fact that there might be an accident or a meltdown or fallout from a terrorist attack? Other than those three, 'cause I've named them —

Browne: Other than that, it can't pay for itself. It needs government subsidies, which basically will result in a sort of socialized corporatism that the American people would pay for and Wall Street would profit from —

Colbert: They're getting used to paying for things that Wall Street profits from.

Browne: Exactly.

Colbert: So I think it might be easier in the future, to sell that idea.

Browne: The problem is, they still don't know what to do with all the waste. They act as if, "Oh, we're gonna work that out in the next little while," but it's been 50, 60 years now —

Colbert: Why don't we just spread the waste evenly from state to state? Or do you have something against mutants now?

Browne: Exactly.

Colbert: "Everybody should be accepted, except people with psychic power"?

Browne: That's it, that's it.

Colbert: You have a new album called Time the Conqueror.

Browne: Yes.

Colbert: Is it safe to assume that that is about a time-traveling conquistador?

Browne: Sort of, yeah, no, it's about that time is the one thing that will conquer all of us, and conquer —

Colbert: That's why we should stay in Iraq for 100 years, because that's the best way to conquer it, just throw as much time at it as we possibly can.

Browne: That's the other thing I really differ with McCain on, you know. He should not — we should be out of Iraq as fast as we can. We should be leaving —

Colbert: Whose side are you on in this war??

Browne: That's a very good question. I asked that —

Colbert: It's an excellent question.

Browne: I asked that question in my new album. I asked that question in "Drums of War," that's right: Who is the enemy? Who is the enemy?

Colbert: The "Blame America First" crowd.

Browne: No, who — [laughter] — no, no: who is the enemy who's trying to crush us? Who's the enemy of peace and justice? Who's the enemy of truth and freedom? Where are the courts when we need them? Why is impeachment "off the table"?

Colbert: Oh, just because it rhymes doesn't make it true, Jackson! It's not fair! I don't have a rhyming dictionary back here!

Browne: We'd better stop them, while we are able.

Colbert: Will you come back, and rhyme with a guitar?

Browne: Sure. Sure.

Colbert: Thank you, Jackson. Jackson Browne — he'll be right back.

____________________________________________________________________

In part two, he performs "Going Down to Cuba", a new song from Time the Conqueror. I love this song. Jackson is always so serious, so it's a real treat when his sense of humor comes thru. Lovely performance, and a favorite of mine. I think I love it more than the version on his new record.




Going Down to Cuba
(Jackson Browne)

I’m going to down to Cuba someday soon
Following that Caribbean moon
It’s been too long since I’ve been there
I’m going down there to see my friends
Down where the rhythm never ends
Where women wear gardenias in their hair

People will tell you it’s not easy
You’re not supposed to go, they say
They say that Cuba is the enemy
I’m going down there anyway

I’m going down to Cuba to see my friends
Down where the rhythm never ends
And no problem is too difficult to solve
Yeah times are tough down there it’s true
But you know they’re gonna make it through
They make such continuous use of the verb to resolve

They’ve got to deal with that embargo
Enough to drive any country insane
They might not know the freedoms you and I know
They do know what to do in a hurricane

Maybe I’ll go through Mexico
Old Jesse Helms don’t have to know
Anyway all the allies of the USA
Travel to Cuba everyday

I’m going down to Cuba to see my friends
Down where the rhythm never ends
Where by comparison my trouble will just unravel
I’m North American, you know
Don’t like to hear where I can’t go
Free people will insist on the freedom to travel

I’m gonna drink the ron añejo (no, no, a mojito)
And walk out on the malecón
In one hand a monte cristo
And in the other an ice cream cone

I’m going down to cuba with my band
We’re going to formulate a plan
By where we obtain that cultural permission
If I told you once I told you tres
It’ll put a smile on your face
to see a Chevrolet with a soviet transmission