The Very Best of Jackson Browne

The Very Best of Jackson Browne
Greatest hits album by Jackson Browne
Released	March 16, 2004
Recorded	Disc 1: 1972-1977 Disc 2: 1977-2002
Genre	Rock
Length	Disc 1: 77:30 Disc 2: 78:16
Label	Rhino/Elektra
Producer	various
Jackson Browne chronology
The Naked Ride Home (2002) The Very Best of Jackson Browne (2004) Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1 (2005)

The Very Best of Jackson Browne is a double-disc compilation album by Jackson Browne, released on March 16, 2004 by Rhino Entertainment and Elektra Records in celebration of Browne's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a day earlier. It reached number 46 on The Billboard 200.

History

1997's earlier Browne collection, The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne, while competent, had been missing many essential songs by the singer-songwriter, such as "Rock Me on the Water" and "The Load Out"/"Stay". Thus, The Very Best of Jackson Browne is seen by many as the more complete of the two.

Disc 1 encompasses the material from Jackson Browne's early career (1972–1977) and Disc 2 contains the material from his later years (1977–2002).

The album was certified as a Gold record in 2006 by the RIAA.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Uncut

Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the release, writing "the collection does contain the great majority of Browne's best and best-known material in an attractive, engaging fashion... and for listeners who want a comprehensive overview without purchasing individual albums, this suits the bill nicely."

Nigel Williamson of Uncut wrote "Browne's default mode has always been delicious melancholy, as this double-CD collection proves once again... for a one-stop career retrospective, this is hard to beat."

Track listing

Disc one

1. "Doctor My Eyes" – 3:20 (from the album Jackson Browne)
2. "Jamaica Say You Will" – 3:24 (from the album Jackson Browne)
3. "Rock Me on the Water" – 4:13 (from the album Jackson Browne)
4. "Take It Easy" – 3:41 (from the album For Everyman)
5. "These Days" – 4:39 (from the album For Everyman)
6. "Redneck Friend" – 4:01 (from the album For Everyman)
7. "For Everyman" – 5:58 (from the album For Everyman)
8. "For a Dancer" – 4:45 (from the album Late for the Sky)
9. "Fountain of Sorrow" – 6:51 (from the album Late for the Sky)
10. "Late for the Sky" – 5:36 (from the album Late for the Sky)
11. "Before the Deluge" – 6:21 (from the album Late for the Sky)
12. "Your Bright Baby Blues" – 6:03 (from the album The Pretender)
13. "The Pretender" – 5:52 (from the album The Pretender)
14. "Here Come Those Tears Again" – 3:37 (from the album The Pretender)
15. "The Load-Out" – 5:35 (from the album Running on Empty)
16. "Stay" – 3:24 (from the album Running on Empty)

Disc two

1. "Running on Empty" – 4:59 (from the album Running on Empty)
2. "You Love the Thunder" – 3:55 (from the album Running on Empty)
3. "Boulevard" – 3:21 (from the album Hold Out)
4. "Somebody's Baby" – 4:24 (from the soundtrack to Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
5. "Tender Is the Night" – 4:53 (from the album Lawyers in Love)
6. "Lawyers in Love" – 4:20 (from the album Lawyers in Love)
7. "In the Shape of a Heart" – 5:47 (from the album Lives in the Balance)
8. "Lawless Avenues" – 5:39 (from the album Lives in the Balance)
9. "Lives in the Balance" – 4:15 (from the album Lives in the Balance)
10. "I Am a Patriot" – 4:05 (from the album World in Motion)
11. "Sky Blue and Black" – 6:05 (from the album I'm Alive)
12. "I'm Alive" – 5:10 (from the album I'm Alive)
13. "The Barricades of Heaven" – 5:40 (from the album Looking East)
14. "Looking East" – 4:56 (from the album Looking East)
15. "The Naked Ride Home" – 5:58 (from the album The Naked Ride Home)
16. "The Night Inside Me" – 4:39 (from the album The Naked Ride Home)

Production

Compilation produced by Jackson Browne.

Original recordings produced by:

• Jackson Browne
• Glenn Frey
• Richard Sanford Orshoff
• Al Schmitt
• Jon Landau
• Greg Ladanyi
• Scott Thurston
• Kevin McCormick

Chart positions

Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
2004	The Billboard 200	46