From Silver Lake

(album: Jackson Browne - 1972)

Did you see our brother
He was here the other day
But he only came to say that he was leaving
Did you see his lady
She was looking where he'd gone
But she wasn't letting on that she was grieving

She's bound to go
Perhaps she'll find him waiting for his boat in some city far away
She's bound to go

Lately I remember afternoons of smoke and wine
There was nothing we could find but peace and pleasure
And with a smile he told me
That he wanted just to be on his way across the sea no man can measure

He won't be back,
And the sun may find him sleeping in the dust of some ruin far away
He won't be back

Early today as I watched while the skyline was shaking
I heard a rumbling
Early today the mechanical city was waking
And I ran out stumbling, mumbling
Out through the laughter of children and dogs

Did you see our brother
He was here the other day
But he only came to say that he can't breathe here
Did you see his lady
She was reaching for his hand
Just as if to tell her man that she can't either

They're bound to go
And the sun may find me running after them, seeing something far away
We won't be back

.....Someone who had been away
.....Suddenly came back today
.....And I allowed him home today into my mind
.....For a moment face to face
.....Evil packed upon the place
.....Long ago he meant to stay out there this time
.....Oh, what do you know
.....The love that I've been feeling
.....The past is healing so slow
.....By tomorrow, gone from sorrow.