Tag Archives: Eagles

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Song of the Day #2,988: ‘One Of These Nights’ – Eagles

eagles_one_of_these_nightsIn 1975, the Eagles released One Of These Nights, their fourth album in as many years. Continuing a trend that started with their second album, Don Henley and Glenn Frey dominated the songwriting on this record, and Henley moved to the forefront as the band’s de facto lead singer.

Founding member Bernie Leadon wasn’t thrilled with the band’s musical direction and quit after touring with this album. Despite the disagreements that bubbled up during the recording, One Of These Nights became the Eagles’ most successful release yet, reaching #1 on the Billboard chart.

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Song of the Day #2,977: ‘Best Of My Love’ – Eagles

eagles_best_of_my_love1975 saw the release of the Eagles’ third studio album in three years. The band’s goal with On the Border was to shed the country-folk sound of their first two releases in favor of a harder rock vibe.

Producer Glyn Johns, who had helmed the band’s first two albums, was relieved of his duties after cutting just a couple of tracks. He was replaced by the world’s highest-scoring Scrabble word, Bill Szymczyk. Szymczyk had produced two Joe Walsh albums, of which the Eagles were fans (foreshadowing!).

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Song of the Day #2,976: ‘Desperado’ – Eagles

eagles_desperadoA year after their successful debut album, the Eagles released the concept album Desperado, intent on being taken more seriously as artists.

Initially conceived as an album about anti-heroes, the album turned the Wild West into a metaphor for the rock music industry and society as a whole. Or at least that was the idea. Even the band members admit that the concept was half-baked. As Don Henley put it, “The metaphor was probably a little bullshit. We were in L.A. staying up all night, smoking dope, living the California life, and I suppose we thought it was as radical as cowboys in the old West.”

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Song of the Day #2,975: ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ – Eagles

eaglesAfter spending more than a month in 1980, I’m jumping back in time a bit and diving into one of the 70s’ most successful bands.

My default stance for years has been that I hate the Eagles. It’s a stance I’ve adopted in part as a tribute to Jeff ‘The Dude’ Lebowski, who was memorably thrown out of a cab for declaring “I hate the fucking Eagles, man.”

It’s also due to my strong dislike for the song ‘Hotel California’ and its weird Jamaican guitar orgy vibe.

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