Call It A Loan

Album: Hold Out (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • If you're not ready to give your heart, you can always loan it out.

    Jackson Browne claims he made up the story about a guy who is flummoxed in love and not ready to commit, but admits there are parallels with his personal life. Browne had been dating an Australian model named Lynne Sweeney off and on since they met in 1977. By 1980, when he recorded the Hold Out album, he was at a crossroads in the relationship and wondering if he should marry her (he did - they were married from 1981-1983).

    In a 1997 Mojo interview, Browne explained: "This is about not being able to pay up, stealing someone else's heart and not being able to go on with the theft – not knowing the complete cost, and wanting to call it a loan until you grow enough to pay for it."
  • Most of Browne's songs are solo compositions, but he wrote this one with David Lindley, who played guitar on the album and came up with the guitar melody. Lindley was one of the backing musicians who crafted the singer-songwriter sound coming out of southern California in the '70s. He also played on albums by Linda Ronstadt, Graham Nash and Warren Zevon.

Comments: 1

  • Lynne from Orange Co. Ca.Jackson, please tell the truth about calling it a loan. Time to pay up on that debt. (I wouldn’t have said you owe me anything….Marina Del Ray was a growth experience !!!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."