The Pretender (album)

The Pretender
Studio album by Jackson Browne
Released	November 1976
Recorded	1976
Studio	Sunset Sound (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Rock
Length	35:07
Label	Asylum
Producer	Jon Landau
Jackson Browne chronology
Late for the Sky (1974) The Pretender (1976) Running on Empty (1977)

The Pretender is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1976. It peaked at #5 on Billboard's album chart. The singles from the album were "Here Come Those Tears Again" which reached number 23 and "The Pretender" which peaked at number 58. It was ranked number 391 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

History

The Pretender was released after the suicide of Browne's first wife, Phyllis Major. The album features production by Jon Landau and a mixture of styles.

The Pretender was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1978, but did not win. In 2003, the album was ranked number 391 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll says "its sense of despair is derived in part from the suicide of his first wife, Phyllis, in 1976, two and a half years after the birth of their son, Ethan". The single "Here Come Those Tears Again" was credited as co-written with Nancy Farnsworth, Phyllis Major's mother.

The title track was featured in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus.

The album was certified as a Gold record in 1976 and Platinum in 1977 by the RIAA. It reached Multi-platinum in 1997 and 2006.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Robert Christgau	(B)
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

In his review for AllMusic William Ruhlmann was equivocal about the album, stating Browne "took a step back from the precipice so well defined on his first three albums, but doing so didn't seem to make him feel any better... The man who had delved so deeply into life's abyss on his earlier albums was in search of escape this time around."

In The Rolling Stone Album Guide, Marc Coleman wrote "...even when his songwriting is sharp, the mellowing trend in his music dulls the impact. Browne eerily predicts the rise of the yuppie on The Pretender's title track, only to have his point undercut by a creeping string section." Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B grade, but explained "This is an impressive record, but a lot of the time I hate it; my grade is an average, not a judgment." and "The shallowness of his kitschy doomsaying and sentimental sexism is well-known, but I'm disappointed as well in his depth of craft."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Browne except where noted.

Side 1

1. "The Fuse" – 5:50
2. "Your Bright Baby Blues" – 6:05
3. "Linda Paloma" – 4:06
4. "Here Come Those Tears Again" (Browne, Nancy Farnsworth) – 3:37

Side 2

1. "The Only Child" – 3:43
2. "Daddy's Tune" – 3:35
3. "Sleep's Dark and Silent Gate" – 2:37
4. "The Pretender" – 5:53

Personnel

Musicians

• Jackson Browne – vocals, acoustic guitar (1)
• Craig Doerge – piano (1, 6, 7, 8)
• Roy Bittan – piano (2)
• Bill Payne – organ (2), piano (4, 5)
• Michael Utley – organ (4)
• David Lindley – slide guitar (1, 6), violin (5)
• Lowell George – slide guitar (2), harmony vocals (2)
• Roberto Gutierrez – guitarron (3), violin (3), backing vocals (3)
• Luis Damian – acoustic guitar (3), backing vocals (3)
• Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar (4, 5, 7, 8), electric guitar (4, 7, 8), guitar left (6)
• John Hall – guitar (4), guitar solo (4)
• Albert Lee – electric guitar (5)
• Waddy Wachtel – guitar right (6)
• Leland Sklar – bass guitar (1, 6, 7, 8)
• Chuck Rainey – bass guitar (2, 5)
• Bob Glaub – bass guitar (4)
• Russ Kunkel – drums (1)
• Jim Gordon – drums (2, 4)
• Jeff Porcaro – drums (5-8)
• Gary Coleman – percussion (5)
• Arthur Gerst – harp (3), backing vocals (3), musical arrangements (3)
• Chuck Findley – trumpet (6)
• Richard Hyde – trombone (6)
• Jim Horn – saxophone (6), horn arrangements (6)
• Quitman Dennis – saxophone (6)
• David Campbell – string arrangements (7, 8)
• Rosemary Butler – harmony vocals (4)
• Bonnie Raitt – harmony vocals (4)
• Don Henley – harmony vocals (5)
• J. D. Souther – harmony vocals (5)
• David Crosby – harmony vocals (8)
• Graham Nash – harmony vocals (8)

Production

• Producer – Jon Landau
• Engineers – John Haeny (Tracks 1, 2 & 4-8); Greg Ladanyi (Track 3).
• Additional Recording – Mark Howlett
• Assistant Recording – Paul Black
• Mixing – Greg Ladanyi (Tracks 1-6 & 8); Val Garay (Track 7).
• Mix Assistant – Dennis Kirk (Tracks 1-6 & 8)
• Mixed at The Sound Factory (Hollywood, CA).
• Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Mastering Studios (Los Angeles, CA).
• Management – Mark Hammerman
• Art Direction and Design – Gary Burden
• Back Cover Photo – Jackson Browne
• Front Cover Photo – Tom Kelley
• Other Photography – Howard Burke, Peter Golden and Tony Lane.
• Liner Notes – Pablo Neruda and Kenneth Rexroth

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1976	Pop Albums	5

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1977	"Here Come Those Tears Again"	Pop Singles	23
1977	"The Pretender"	Pop Singles	58

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)	Silver	60,000^
United States (RIAA)	3× Platinum	3,000,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

External links

• Album online on Radio3Net a radio channel of Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company