Song vs. Song (stolen from a podcast I watch) Bob Seger "Against The Wind" vs. Jackson Browne "Running On Empty"

[Entre_Perpetuo]

The only podcast I listen to is pitting these two heartland rock singer songwriter hits against each there for their next episode. What would you choose?

[blueschica]

Jackson is the man!  I went with Running On Empty.  I like it more, and the lyrics capture a certain kind of road boredom that I used to feel when we moved for the like 8th time in 10 years or something like that (my husband the chemistry teacher used to do research summers and semesters in other states.)   I love Bob Seger; grew up with Ramblin' Gamblin' Man and Beautiful Loser; but Against the Wind didn't grab me like some of his other work. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by blueschica

[dream & vapour]

'Running on Empty', as David Lindley's playing is golden.

[Tinwoodsman]

Well, I'm not traveling eight miles a minute. I AM drifting,still ... more in the proverbial sense shared in the Jackson Browne masterpiece. It actually resmbled the end of my teenage years to the point in time where I settled down and started playing House.

 

I am fond of both songs ... absolute Classics with many tangents connecting my experiences, up to now.

 

Thanks for sharing this!

[zepphead]

Jackson Browne for me ... i have been listening to his music all the way from the early '70s. A master songwriter.

[bluefox4000]

i love both but Jackson gets it here.  Iconic 70's song.

 

Mick

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

13 hours ago, dream & vapour said:

'Running on Empty', as David Lindley's playing is golden.

 

[invisible airwave]

RIP Sidney Lumet and River Phoenix.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Wow Seger is getting ripped apart here, dang!

 

I for one am all for Jackson Browne in this matchup. I don't mind Seger in small doses, but Against The Wind along with Night Moves and Hollywood Nights get a lot of overplay on radio stations I've frequently listened to in my life, and there's only so much of his very long winded storytelling about getting old and learning lessons over the same 3 or 4 chord vamp I can take.

[J2112YYZ]

What the hell? I'm the only one to vote for Seger? Do I have to listen to Running On Empty again? I certainly don't remember it being as good or classic as Against The Wind.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Just now, J2112YYZ said:

What the hell? I'm the only one to vote for Seger? Do I have to listen to Running On Empty again? I certainly don't remember it being as good or classic as Against The Wind.

I would recommend it!

[J2112YYZ]

6 minutes ago, Entre_Perpetuo said:

I would recommend it!

 

I just listened to it again. Good song but it doesn't even come close to Against The Wind. Don't know what everyone else is hearing that I'm not?

[Entre_Perpetuo]

5 minutes ago, J2112YYZ said:

 

I just listened to it again. Good song but it doesn't even come close to Against The Wind. Don't know what everyone else is hearing that I'm not?

A drummer with a pulse for one.

 

Sorry this Seger song does not do much for me.

[bluefox4000]

55 minutes ago, J2112YYZ said:

What the hell? I'm the only one to vote for Seger? Do I have to listen to Running On Empty again? I certainly don't remember it being as good or classic as Against The Wind.

 

i prefer most seger to Browne honestly.  he just picked the one Jackson song that beats seger for me.

 

i love both guys but i generally prefer Seger.

 

Mick

[Turbine Freight]

Jackson wins this one easily.

[goose]

On 10/13/2022 at 9:58 PM, bluefox4000 said:

 

i prefer most seger to Browne honestly.  he just picked the one Jackson song that beats seger for me.

 

i love both guys but i generally prefer Seger.

 

Mick

I always put Running on Empty in the context of its album, which is a stone cold classic.  I couldn't tell you a thing about what album Against The Wind is from.  That swayed my vote

[bluefox4000]

9 hours ago, goose said:

I always put Running on Empty in the context of its album, which is a stone cold classic.  I couldn't tell you a thing about what album Against The Wind is from.  That swayed my vote

 

 

Against the wind is from..........Against the Wind, lol

 

Mick

[TheAccountant]

My initial reaction was that my choice would be not to make a choice.  Its that close between these 2 great songs.  I love both songs.  After a bit of thought though I picked Against the Wind by the slimmest of margins.  It comes down to the line "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then"

 

The line (for me) is the best line bob Seger ever wrote.  Yes, he had to be talked into including it in the song.  He wrote it and was not thrilled by it.  But he wrote it and its there.  As I get older it means more and more to me.

 

Running on Empty is a stone cold classic though and I have no problem with it winning the poll (but by such a wide margin????).

[BigMontanaSKY]

IMO it comes down to personal preference.

 

I LOVE Bob Seger for sentimental reasons.

 

Just not a Browne fan, ehhhh