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Song of the Day #2,993: ‘How Long’ – Eagles

eagles_long_raod_out_edenThe Eagles waited 28 years after The Long Run to release another studio album. In between they broke up, reunited, had one founding member (Don Felder) leave the band for good, released a popular live album (1994’s 10-million selling Hell Freezes Over) and made a fortune touring on their classic hits.

2007’s Long Road Out of Eden, almost certainly the band’s final original album considering the death of Glenn Frey earlier this year, is a double album that tries to recapture the sound and spirit of the band’s early work. It reached #1 on the charts and sold more than 3 million copies, ensuring that the band didn’t have a commercial miss in its entire career.

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Song of the Day #2,992: ‘The Long Run’ – Eagles

eagles_the_long_runAfter releasing two of the best-selling albums in history, the Eagles took a few years off before recording a follow-up. The Long Run, released late in 1979, produced three hit singles and went 7X platinum in the United States yet was still viewed as a disappointment by most critics.

Those hits — the title track, ‘Heartache Tonight’ and ‘I Can’t Tell You Why’ — all reached Billboard’s top ten, with ‘Heartache Tonight’ (featuring Glenn Frey on lead vocals) hitting the top spot.

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Song of the Day #2,991: ‘Promenade’ – U2

u2_unforgettable_fireWell, here’s a somber opportunity for the old “Is today’s Random iTunes selection appropriate for the occasion?” game. Today is the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

So let’s spin the wheel and see what the Random iTunes Fairy comes up with to acknowledge the milestone.

OK. A deep cut on U2’s fourth studio album, The Unforgettable Fire. Could be better, could be worse.

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Song of the Day #2,990: ‘Will Never Marry’ – Morrissey

bona_drag‘Will Never Marry’ is a Morrissey track culled from Bona Drag, a collection of hits and b-sides from his early solo career. This track was initially released as a b-side of ‘Everyday is Like Sunday,’ one of Morrissey’s biggest hits.

This is a typically melancholy Morrissey sentiment with moody music to match. I love it.

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Song of the Day #2,989: ‘The Last Resort’ – Eagles

eagles_hotel_californiaThe Eagles continued their album-per-year streak, releasing the ever-popular Hotel California in 1976. But earlier in the year, the band (or, more appropriately, their record label) put out a greatest hits collection comprised of ten songs from their first four albums.

That album went on to sell more copies than any other release in U.S. history, until finally being surpassed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller — not in the 80s but in 2009 after Jackson’s death. Not bad for ten soft country rock songs. Based on my generally positive response to those first four albums, it seems maybe I should jump on the bandwagon and grab the greatest hits myself.

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