The Birds of St. Marks

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"The Birds of St. Marks" is a hit for Jackson Browne. The song was originally written in 1970, but was not recorded until he made his 2005 album Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1. The song depicts a queen who is in possession of a castle; she seems depressed and is singing of dying.

The song was inspired by singer Nico. During a stint in New York City before his own solo career, Jackson Browne played guitar in Nico's backing band. They were also lovers for a short time. One interpretation of the song is that Nico is the queen, trapped within the manipulations of her "manager", Andy Warhol, and unable to be free to follow her own muse.

In addition to the Solo Acoustic performance, Jackson also played the song, although on piano, as part of the "Going Home" video. He occasionally plays it in concert where it is a favorite of hard-core fans.

The song was also featured in the 2007 movie Reign Over Me starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.