"The Pretender" was composed, according to Browne, in a number of locations; in Los Angeles, within a rented store-front in North Hollywood, and in a "tacky" hotel in Hawaii.

"[8] Far Out critic Tom Taylor rated it as the #81 most underrated song of the 1970s, calling it "an ineffably solid piece of songwriting, that shows off his ability to entwine melody and lyrics like he’s simply tying together his shoe laces.

He describes the song as "a tart portrait of society, but unlike, say, Billy Joel (whose simple folk are so often reduced to Davy-in-the-Navy caricatures) JB sees himself right in the middle of the crowd.

Compared to the "sweet, sticky erotica" one might recall Browne singing with Bonnie Raitt on 1973's "The Times You've Come," Carlin says "this ain’t it.

Not even close:" We're gonna put our dark glasses on And we'll make love until our strength is gone, And when the morning light comes streaming in We'll get up and do it again.

[10] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it as Browne's 4th greatest song, calling it "a nearly six-minute breakdown of one man's occasionally harsh, and almost always dishonest, survival instincts" as "'60s idealism had finally given way to mid-'70s cynicism.