Jacob Brackman
Encyclopedia
Jacob Brackman is an American
journalist
, writer
, and musical lyricist
.
After graduating from Harvard University
in 1965, he went to work for Newsweek
as a journalist. He remained there for six months and was then hired by The New Yorker
. He subsequently worked as a film critic at Esquire magazine from 1969 until 1972.
He met Carly Simon
in 1968 when they were both working as counselors at a summer camp in the Berkshires. The two became close friends. Most of Simon's albums include one or two songs co-written with Brackman; typically, Simon writes the music and Brackman writes the lyrics. Among the dozens of songs they have written together are the top ten hits, "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be
" (1971) and "Haven't Got Time for the Pain" (1974), both of which were sung by Simon.
The lyrics to the Broadway musical King of Hearts
were also written by Brackman, and so, too, were the screenplays for The King of Marvin Gardens
(1972) and Times Square
(1980). He has also collaborated musically with James Taylor
, Steve Winwood
, Dr. John
, Fred Astaire
and Dionne Warwick
. He was the executive producer for the acclaimed Terrence Malick
film, Days of Heaven
(1978).
He married the now-deceased Mindy Jostyn, and co-authored the lyrics on her CDs.
Jacob Brackman has been an influence to many other artists, including Welsh rock group the Manic Street Preachers
. See article on 'Times Square' for more.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and musical lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
.
After graduating from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1965, he went to work for Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as a journalist. He remained there for six months and was then hired by The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
. He subsequently worked as a film critic at Esquire magazine from 1969 until 1972.
He met Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
in 1968 when they were both working as counselors at a summer camp in the Berkshires. The two became close friends. Most of Simon's albums include one or two songs co-written with Brackman; typically, Simon writes the music and Brackman writes the lyrics. Among the dozens of songs they have written together are the top ten hits, "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be
That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be
"That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" is a 1971 single written by Carly Simon and Jacob Brackman and performed by Simon, released from her self-titled debut album...
" (1971) and "Haven't Got Time for the Pain" (1974), both of which were sung by Simon.
The lyrics to the Broadway musical King of Hearts
King of Hearts (musical)
King of Hearts is a 1978 musical with a book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Jacob Brackman, and music by Peter Link, orchestrated by Bill Brohn. It is based on the 1966 anti-war cult film of the same name....
were also written by Brackman, and so, too, were the screenplays for The King of Marvin Gardens
The King of Marvin Gardens
The King of Marvin Gardens is a 1972 American drama film. It stars Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn and Scatman Crothers. It is one of several collaborations between Nicholson and director Bob Rafelson. The majority of the film is set in a wintry Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the plot...
(1972) and Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
(1980). He has also collaborated musically with James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
, Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
, Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
. He was the executive producer for the acclaimed Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
film, Days of Heaven
Days of Heaven
Days of Heaven is a 1978 American romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the story of two poor lovers, Bill and Abby, as they travel to the Texas Panhandle to harvest...
(1978).
He married the now-deceased Mindy Jostyn, and co-authored the lyrics on her CDs.
Jacob Brackman has been an influence to many other artists, including Welsh rock group the Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
. See article on 'Times Square' for more.
External links
- The Critic On Stage
- Mindy Jostyn obituary (DEAD LINK)