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I'm Alive Lyrics
It's been a long time since I watched these lights alone
I look around my life tonight and you are gone
I might have done something to keep you if I'd known
How unhappy you had become
While I was dreaming of you
With my heart in your hands
And I was following though
With my beautiful plans
Yeah now I'm rolling down this canyon drive
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'cause those dreams are dead
And I'm alive
I want to go where I will never hear your name
I want to lose my sorrow and be free again
And I know I've been insane
When I think of places I could have been
But I was dreaming of you
With my heart in your hands
And I was following through
With my beautiful plans
Standing here by the highway side
Watching these trucks blow by
Inches from my face
Yeah thinking 'bout the time I've wasted
And the pleasure we once tasted
Looking up and down this road
I've been here before
Can't be here no more
Yeah now I'm rolling down California five
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'cause those dreams are dead
And I'm alive
Hey look at the way I believed in you
And loved you all these years
Now you can fill a swimming pool with all my salty tears
If you'd have told me what was in your heart
Instead of all your lies
I thought that it would kill me
But I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
I look around my life tonight and you are gone
I might have done something to keep you if I'd known
How unhappy you had become
With my heart in your hands
And I was following though
With my beautiful plans
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'cause those dreams are dead
And I'm alive
I want to lose my sorrow and be free again
And I know I've been insane
When I think of places I could have been
With my heart in your hands
And I was following through
With my beautiful plans
Watching these trucks blow by
Inches from my face
Yeah thinking 'bout the time I've wasted
And the pleasure we once tasted
Looking up and down this road
I've been here before
Can't be here no more
With your laughter in my head
I'm gonna have to block it out somehow to survive
'cause those dreams are dead
And I'm alive
And loved you all these years
Now you can fill a swimming pool with all my salty tears
If you'd have told me what was in your heart
Instead of all your lies
I thought that it would kill me
But I'm alive
Yeah, I'm alive
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The cover of the "I'm Alive" album says it all ... Jackson has his head just above water. Rather than suggesting "everything's great", he's actually saying, "well, I've survived" ... and I believe it may be related to the demise of his relationship with Darryl Hannah.
Yup, spot-on!
Yup, spot-on!
I'm Alive and go naff off.
The entire album,"I'm Alive" which I read as a song cycle after the classical form, with it's story of love, doubt, anger, rejection, acceptance and peace followed by some irony, is a great work of art. He starts us on this journey with the title track as if to say, it's been hell, but I've made it through, now here's the deal. He relates the story of falling into and out of love, in a a serious relationship, with such clarity.
I had to get to midlife with 20+ years of my own relationship ending to understand all the nuances JB so acutely describes here. As we used to say, it's a sack of reds. But there is healing to be found, and what wonders come from someone else's expressional gifts.
"I'm Alive" was writtern by Jackson Browne after his wife committed suicide. It was not a break up in the traditional since. "Those dreams are dead.." died with her. He needs to go some place were friends and family will not be constant reminders of her. He was very upset by this unfortunate event but what came of it was truly a great song called "I'm alive". The opening verse he expresses he wished had know how unhappy she was for he would have done something to keep her from taking her life. Check out the history of Mr Browne and his first wife and when this song came out it is easy to find on the web.
Great point of view. Great song.
Great point of view. Great song.
Not sure it was related to Phyllis Major's suicide, perhaps so, but certainly a lot had to do with his recent break-up with Daryl Hannah.
Not sure it was related to Phyllis Major's suicide, perhaps so, but certainly a lot had to do with his recent break-up with Daryl Hannah.
@OTTAWASENATOR Like ishepstone previously, I\'m not sure I\'m Alive comes from that terrible situation. I thought it was from the DH break-up.
@OTTAWASENATOR Like ishepstone previously, I\'m not sure I\'m Alive comes from that terrible situation. I thought it was from the DH break-up.
@OTTAWASENATOR I cannot find any mention anywhere of "I'm Alive" being inspired or related to Phyllis Major's suicide, and since the song came out 17 years after that tragedy, I find it hard to believe.
@OTTAWASENATOR I cannot find any mention anywhere of "I'm Alive" being inspired or related to Phyllis Major's suicide, and since the song came out 17 years after that tragedy, I find it hard to believe.
I don't think of this as a "break-up" song at all. He's going to go somewhere where he won't hear her name. The last verse is particularly bold, talking about the time and tears he wasted on her and turning to face his torment, saying "Baby you lied". The lyrics are from somebody who is post-breakup, has finally got their head together, and is ready to head back out into the world. It is a very positive, uplifting song, really. For someone in the midst of a break-up, this song gives them hope that there is life and love on the other side.
jackson browne is like don henley in that he can convey in the simplest forms what it feels like to be human and lose the person you are in love with, the person you ache for and you know that the love of your life was just an illusion.......
jackson browne is like don henley in that he can convey in the simplest forms what it feels like to be human and lose the person you are in love with, the person you ache for and you know that the love of your life was just an illusion.......
best breakup song - as expressed from the hurtin' side - ever.
Yeah, tough break up here, however there is a transistion during the song from I'm just taking this one day at a time and it really hurts "I'm Alive" to I thought it would kill me but it didn't and "I'm Alive."
Sometimes we have no other choice but to just go on and take the next day as it comes. But things get better and there is hope. Though there may be a few scars, time will heal the wounds of a broken relationship and we will find ourselves "Alive" in another one.
"I was dreaming of you/with my heart in your hands"- gives me chills. This is a great song- the heartbreak is genuine-yet it's really about trying to find yourself and your own idenity again after the demise of a relationship-and holding on to the knowledge that there are still good things ahead while not really being over the heartbreak. Maybe also that when we are thrown great hurts and dissapointments-we have a choice to move on-even when even the simplest things like driving down the highway can evoke hurtful memories.
Best love album ever. My favorite Jackson Browme as well. Great continuity from song to song.