jackson browne: "if i could be anywhere"

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Music)

Slide into the shimmering surface

between two worlds.

Standing at the center of time

as it uncurls.

Cutting through the veil of illusion.

Moving beyond past conclusions.

Wondering if all my doubt and confusion will clear.

If I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere right now,

I would want to be here.

Searching for the future

among the things we're throwing away.

Trying to see the world

through the junk we produce everyday.

They say nothing lasts forever,

but all the plastic ever made is still here.

And no amount of closing our eyes

will make it disappear.

If I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere in history,

I would want to be here.

The Romans, the Spanish

the British, the Dutch,

American exceptionalism, so out of touch.

The folly of empire repeating its course,

imposing its will

and ruling by force

on and on through time.

But the world can't take it very much longer.

We're not going to make it

unless we're smarter and stronger.

The world is going to shake itself free of our greed

somehow.

If I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere in time,

if I could be anywhere and change things,

it would have to be now.

They say nothing last forever,

but all the plastic ever made is still here.

And no amount of closing our eyes

will make it disappear.

And the world can't take it

very much longer.

We're not going to make it

unless we're smarter and stronger.

The world's gonna shake itself free of our greed

somehow.

And the world can't take it, that you can see.

If the oceans don't make it, neither will we.

The world's gonna shake itself all the way free

somehow.

If I could be anywhere,

if I could be anywhere in time,

if I could be anywhere and change the outcome,

it would have to be now.

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause)