“For a Dancer” by Jackson Browne

"For a Dancer" comes from Late for the Sky, Jackson Browne's 1974 album, and it's one of those quiet, searching songs that make the record feel like a long night of thinking out loud. Browne wrote it alone and produced it with Al Schmitt, who also mixed it, and he sings lead and plays acoustic guitar and piano.

The secret weapon is David Lindley, who threads fiddle, slide and electric guitar through the song like a second voice, while Jai Winding adds piano and organ, Doug Haywood plays bass and sings harmony, and Larry Zack keeps the drums and percussion soft and steady. The result is spare and aching, more hymn than rock song.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.