1980 Folk-Rock Song, Written By Jackson Browne, Among ‘Greatest Rock Song Lyrics of All Time’

Folk-rock icon Jackson Browne began his career as a songwriter for other artists, but once he became a singer himself, he brought his poetic words to life in a way that music fans can never forget.

As one of the most highly praised singer-songwriters to come out of the 1970s era, Browne has plenty of great tracks in his discography, but one song released in 1980 has been spotlighted as having some of the best rock lyrics of all time.

Browne released the song “That Girl Could Sing” on his album Hold Out in 1980, and the track was a major success. Telling the story of a woman who was there for him when he needed a friend but wouldn’t be anything more, the beautiful lyrics stand out even decades later.

In a Forbes article about the “Greatest Rock Song Lyrics Of All Time,” out of all of Browne’s songs, “The Girl Could Sing” was picked as the best lyrical creation. The lyrics, “She coulda turned out to be almost anyone, almost anyone/ With the possible exception of who I wanted her to be,” were highlighted as the high point of the song.

Talking about the strength of the song, the Forbes writer said, “The best songwriting is universal and in writing a personal story, Browne shares a feeling of longing and emptiness that everyone in their life has felt at some point.”

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The track also includes the illustrative lines, “Running into the midnight/ With her clothes whipping in the wind/ Reaching into the heart of the darkness/ For the tenderness within.” It’s an especially descriptive moment that really makes an impact on the listener.

Fans long wondered who Browne wrote the song about, with guesses including Laura Nyro, Linda Ronstadt, and his occasional backup singer Valerie Carter. While Browne kept it a mystery for a long time, he finally confirmed that he wrote “That Girl Could Sing” about Carter after she died in 2017.

Browne reportedly revealed the truth at a Winnipeg concert, telling fans, “It’s a song I wrote about her, there was a time that I was just crazy about her.”

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