Any boomer music stream, like Spotify, will eventually roll around to play Jackson Browne’s “These days”, a song he wrote at age 16 and made a hit in 1973 from his second album, For Everyman. Greg Allman had a big hand in the song’s arrangements.
Across the decades, it still weighs on the shoulders of retiring boomers like me. How true it was after retirement “I’ve been out walking, I don’t do that much talking, these days”. Then to the end comes the dagger to the heart: “Don’t confront me with my failures, I have not forgotten them”. Unfortunately for JB’s version, he fades out with some heavy rock rifts, not letting this sentiment rest. Tom Rush’s much gentler treatment is my preference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TjqOqy4MpM
So this song is as hard to avoid as something by Bob Seger. When it comes on I always retreat to that contemplative state. Even though I’ve finally escaped from the morose grip of this tune, “please don’t confront me with my failures” always stabs me to the heart. Thank you, Jackson, for always keeping me in touch with my feelings and remembering what is real.
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