For Everyman

Jackson Browne wrote this song in response to CS&N's Wooden Ships. Wooden Ships is about a group of people who leave this world on ships and sail away to a better place. After hearing the song, Jackson asked "What about everyone else" and wrote For Everyman. I remember listeniong to this song after Bush won the election in 2004. It hit home so perfectly. I felt like leaving for someplace else - Canada perhaps. After hearing the song, I realized I wasn't the only one with these fealings, and that if I stayed here I could take a stand and perhaps make things better.

Oh the warmth of this record when it was released...Jackson was very popular to us in Austin that year....he played old municipal auditorium with Bonnie Raitt opening either that year or ther'abouts....I remember "Stay" was a huge number that night.. Anyway, part of the song is just an expression of the times....Jackson made us want to get on the road...head out, see what else was out there. That freedom and desire to move...well, moved us. My wife and I left not too long after that moving in the later seventies from Austin to Colorado, and I have to admit Jackson was partly responsibility for my wanting to move...you know like get moving....so "everybody I talk to is ready to leave, at the light of the morning.." I sort of took part of that to mean " what are you waiting for" "who are you waiting for?" And mostly I wanted to say here that Jackson was just simply, at least in part........ just expressing the zeitgeist of the times. What are you waiting for...make it on your own.....

Understanding that this song was not written for the following reason I have nonetheless considered an alternate meaning for the song which fits surprisingly well. Everyman = Jesus

Everybody I talk to is ready to leave With the light of the morning They've seen the end coming down long enough to believe That they've heard their last warning Standing alone Each has his own ticket in his hand And as the evening descends I sit thinking 'bout Everyman

Everybody is waiting for the end to come (Judgment Day) and this guy is waiting for Jesus.

Seems like I've always been looking for some other place To get it together Where with a few of my friends I could give up the race And maybe find something better But all my fine dreams Well thought out schemes to gain the motherland Have all eventually come down to waiting for Everyman

 He knows he's made mistakes in his life by living only for himself and he realizes that each mistake has only drawn him further toward Jesus.

Waiting here for Everyman-- Make it on your own if you think you can If you see somewhere to go I understand Waiting here for Everyman-- Don't ask me if he'll show -- baby I don't know

 Everyone is looking to do everything on their own thinking they can do it good enough and the speaker, while not totally positive that Jesus exists, still waits for him faithfully and with hope.

Make it on your own if you think you can Somewhere later on you'll have to take a stand Then you're going to need a hand

 People will try to do things themselves but the speaker knows that when Judgment Day does come only the intercession of Jesus on behalf of the faithful will save anyone.

Everybody's just waiting to hear from the one Who can give them the answers And lead them back to that place in the warmth of the sun Where sweet childhood still dances Who'll come along And hold out that strong and gentle father's hand? Long ago I heard someone say something 'bout Everyman

 People want answers that cannot come in this life even though they've been offered the hand of the Father by the Son in an ancient book that is rarely read or believed anymore though a few faithful do still accept it.

I'm not trying to tell you that I've seen the plan Turn and walk away if you think I am-- But don't think too badly of one who's left holding sand He's just another dreamer, dreaming 'bout Everyman

 The speaker knows he doesn't know everthing and is okay with people not believing him, even allows them to walk away, but also understands that the faithful will be made fun of and wants people to understand that they're just trying to find some way to go on in life even if their waiting never turns into anything substantial.

Like I said, not the original intent of the song but an interesting perspective to consider.

Makes me think of College and leaving home after. Reminds me something my Father might play for me as I venture out into the world.

"Make it on your own if you think you can.. If you see somewhere to go I'll understand."

Also, about meeting and solidifying a relationship. Always looking over the horizon, looking for the 'one' in another place, possibly out of state, country?

Everyone, Everyman, seems to want to find another place to get it all together. Out of town, the better we are at the chance of meeting something vast and different.

Great song, sucks being a 19 year old going to parties and hearing rap now. Wheres Mellencamp, Springsteen? Wheres the good stuff!

How 'bout that! wearydreamer's interpretation is what mine has always been.

I have always heard it to mean that people go through life expecting Jesus to extend his hand and save everybody, when in fact Jesus has told us to go through life helping each other. In other words, God helps mankind THROUGH us, and we are his agents. We shouldn't be sitting around waiting for somebody else to do it. WE have to do it. I always think of that quotation from the Bible: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me"

I am not religious - not in the least. But this has always been the way I hear the song.

Good comments from everyone. I always thought this song referred to the medieval play "The Summoning of Everyman". In the play, God calls Everyman to heaven and Everyman tries to bring someone (a human attribute) with him to vouch for him. He asks Friendship, Family, Material Goods to go with him but they won't. The only one who will accompany him is Good Deeds.
Not all of the lyrics seem to relate but there some do, such as needing a hand and trying to get back to the father.
Truly a beautiful song, somewhat sad but hopeful (like a lot of Browne's wonderful songs)

I think JB intends to make the sentiment in "wooden ships" seem worthy but idealistic. The song starts off "Everybody is ready to leave" and goes on to say "with a few of my friends / maybe find something better", and finishes with "long ago I heard someone say something about Everyman"

Almost as if it's a great notion to pack up and sail off but as the song progesses it becomes an unlikely ideal and then merely a dream that would never work as it would require everyman to make it happen.

A wonderful song (one of many by JB) by an artist of extraordinary talent.

My lyric correction was wrong. It is 'father's hand'.

Should you retreat to an elitist escape, or should you hold out for things to improve for everyone?

Pretty sure he was thinking about FDR here.