The Eagles’ legacy music is enormous. With unforgettable classics and a foolproof work ethic.
The Eagles story begins when Glen Frey (singer, guitarist, and songwriter) and his friend Don Henley (drummer and singer) join the band that accompanied Linda Rondstand on the recording of their album “Silk Purse.” After two years of collaborating with this band, both decide to leave it to create their own group. We look back at the 10 Of The Most Timeless Eagles Songs:
TAKE IT EASY
The single that started it all for the Eagles was written mostly by a friend of theirs, the great Jackson Browne. Frey added some lines that changed the meaning of the song and the result was a great introduction to the mix of country and rock that would make them world-famous.
PEACEFUL EASY FEELING
Of the early Eagles songs, this is one of the most associated with Frey. Their 1972 debut album sums up the laid-back vibe of the band’s early days. Frey sounds like a folk singer, influenced by many nights of acoustic shows at the Los Angeles Troubadour.
TEQUILA SUNRISE
From the album “Desperado”, the band’s performance on “Tequila Sunrise” is magnificent, with every precise chord in place and a vibrato that lifts out of melancholy. The voice of Frey here becomes a trademark for the band in its first stage.
OUT OF CONTROL
On “Out Of Control”, we find one of Frey’s strongest renditions. Amid the old western concept that flooded “Desperado”, this rocker cut was like an oasis in the middle of an ocean of calmer and more acoustic songs.
ALREADY GONE
For their third album, “On The Border,” the Eagles decided to put more rock quotas in their formula. Less kindness and more fierceness, from producer Bill Szymczyk. The band allowed themselves to stretch their legs a bit more and liberated on this classic louder guitar track, welcoming a new era.
JAMES DEAN
With the help of their friends and collaborators Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther, The Eagles composed a rock-laden tribute to 1950s movie star James Dean. A high-revving, high-speed portrait of one of the first rebels in the counterculture revolution.
LYIN’ EYES
Los Angeles’ predatory culture was heavily reflected in this Eagles classic. And they got inspiration just by seeing a beautiful girl around with a tycoon. And all with some of the best vocal harmonies achieved by the band in their career, in the company of eternal acoustic guitars.
AFTER THE THRILL IS GONE
In 1975, the Eagles records were divided between Glenn Frey’s songs and Don Henley’s songs, with very little room for the rest of the band. And with Frey leaving more vocal prominence to Henley, one of the few songs sung by him on “One Of These Nights” was this, a great ballad somewhat underrated within the band’s catalog.
NEW KID IN TOWN
Glenn Frey only sings one of the songs on “Hotel California” in a leading way, and it is the giant “New Kid In Town.” Written by Don Henley and J.D. Souther, with lyrics that talk about how quickly love can fade, we can interpret it as the way to interpret success and fame as something temporary. It was the first single from the album that on its own already had a true milestone for the band.
HEARTACHE TONIGHT
This track from the album “The Long Run” is apparently about winners and losers at a summer game. But in hindsight, the poignant lyrics Frey sings strongly hints at the problems the Eagles were having as they closed their 70s, which led to a 14-year hiatus. Anyway, an indispensable classic.