`How Long` by Jackson Browne Song Analysis

p Before you ask yourself why (Browne , How Long ' Lines 9-16

Ultimately , Browne does a good job of pointing out the political and social issues of the time , but fails to take a stance on what should be done about it . There is a vague notion that the government should stop spending money on missile defense systems and nuclear weapons in favor of spending on social issues , but he never implores his audience to take action . Instead , the audience can simply agree that yes , it is a problem and then go back to

their own lives without interruption or any change in action

Perhaps the one place where Browne 's work might be considered effective is in his final verse , when he discusses the need to think of the globe differently than the blue and white and green image seen from space (Browne , How Long . Finally , he asks how long until we have something to offer where the planet 's concerned ( Browne , How Long ' Lines 38-39 ) Though the song is generally accepted as an anti-military , pro-social reform ballad , these last lines may have been influenced by his relationship with environmental activist and actress Darryl Hannah and may allude to the idea that people need to take action with regard to the world 's environmental situation . In that way , it may have had some limited effect on public awareness about environmental issues . Realistically though , it appears that the only real effect of Browne 's work may have been on his career Reviewer David Marsh , well-known for his commentary on rock music , put it this way This is one time Jackson Browne did his words profound justice as a singer -- it 's simply a great piece of singing , stark , angry , pained and yet aching more than anything else with a love that...