I can't keep up with what's been going on
I think my heart must just be slowing down
Among the human beings in their designer jeans
Am I the only one who hears the screams
And the strangled cries of lawyers in love

God sends his spaceships to America, the beautiful
They land at six o'clock and there we are, the dutiful
Eating from TV trays, tuned into to Happy Days
Waiting for World War III while Jesus slaves
To the mating calls of lawyers in love

Last night I watched the news from Washington, the capitol
The Russians escaped while we weren't watching them, like Russians will
Now we've got all this room, we've even got the moon
And I hear the U.S.S.R. will be open soon
As vacation land for lawyers in love


Lyrics submitted by szulc

Lawyers In Love song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

18 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    My Interpretation

    The statements here are pretty direct and in almost every line: This song identifies America as a consumer society in which people pursue material possessions that do not create actual happiness. "Lawyers" seem to be called out simply as one of the higher paid occupations. This song came out at the same time the word "yuppie" was used to identify the kind of individual the song portrays as concerned with designer jeans and television.

    The Russian/WW3 idea plays up the Cold War tension that was particularly heightened in the early 80s and thinks the conflict through: Even if America triumphs over the Soviets, it has an empty culture that will only spread further (even to the Moon).

    The critique of consumer culture is not original, but putting it in the context of a possible Cold War victory was nicely prophetic.

    rikdad101@yahoo.comon January 27, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Partly. Lawyers in Love is such a perfect title that it could really stand alone. Love is such a spontaneous thing with no rules or guidelines. The ideas of Lawyers partaking in love and getting married is so strange. How could two people that milk other perople for money and have no emotions fall in love.

    Tmo2199on May 07, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I heard Jackson do this song live in Belgium in 1982 a year before the album was released. By way of introduction, he said "this song is about ........ (long pause) ..... this song is about the United States right now". I've never really worked out what the title "Lawyers In Love" really means, but with the lines "I hear the USSR will be open soon/as vacation land to lawyers in love", Jackson seemed to envisage Russia being taken over by the worst aspects of American culture .... and a few years later, it happened. Mikhail Gorbachev championed the changes, but while many people in the former Soviet Union despise him for it, the proponents of new right economics in the west loved him for it.

    detailrichon October 18, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I have tried to figure this out over and over. I kept thinking that it must have been a theme song to some t.v. series about lawyers, but I know that's wrong. After reading these reviews, I am still perplexed. Still, it is a catchy little tune.

    bjd841on June 14, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    People fall in love but it often ends with someone taking someone to court, e.g., divorce. Thus you have lawyers in love. But it's not just divorce, it's about the pain in people's lives, their relationships and their striving. And when things fail, those who love each other, or ought to, end up resorting to harshness and fighting, the kind you need lawyers for.

    Grabboon December 30, 2016   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    JB taking a swipe at apathy and American obsession with TV?

    Still one of those songs that make you think.

    TinyTimon December 21, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Jackson actually said this has nothing to do with Lawyers...or love.

    nic-ckon October 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's not a clearly understood song,but it's got alotta nostalgia and glasnost. ;)

    redshiftdazzleron December 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I was surprised this song became the hit it did. I suppose it is the strength of Jackson Browne's musicality. Definitely a political song meant to make the public think. Being a lawyer it is one of my favorites. This is me <a href="url">attyjeraldsilvia.com/</a>

    Attorneyjson June 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I think the song is about James Carville and Mary Matelin. 2 people from opposite sides of the political spectrum who truly are lawyers in love. They are the metaphor of our consumerism and toys and burying our head in the sand, while our world is deteriorating. It is great that one can not label this song as favoring one political side over the other.

    HotTampaon March 03, 2014   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms. “Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.