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Celebration of "On the Border"
On the Border was released this day in Eagles history (March 22, 1974). I thought it would be fun to pay tribute to it. I've set the board's default style to the On the Border style for the week and in this thread, we can post our thoughts on it, our favorites songs from it, or anything else we'd like to talk about regarding the album.
I think this is a great album. With the exceptions of "You Never Cry Like a Lover" and the title track, I love every song on it. It's such a shame that they don't play any song from this album in concert anymore. "Already Gone" ROCKS live, and "Best of My Love" was their first #1 hit as well as a favorite of mine (and many others).
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Best of My Love is still my favorite Eagles song.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I love every song from this album,
especially I like Already Gone, Best of My Love! :thumbsup:
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Great idea, Soda!
I love On The Border. I listen to it a lot in the car - it's a good cruising album. To me, it's got a very youthful vibe, with songs like On The Border, James Dean and Already Gone, interjected with some more introspective, slower stuff like Ol' 55 and You Never Cry Like A Lover. I'm a fan of the latter, but I do tend to feel that something more could have been made of it. Don's vocals don't shine through as much as usual... Perhaps this was intentional, I don't know. Either way, I enjoy the song. Good Day In Hell is a great rocker, and when you get to Best Of My Love, it's like things have stepped up a notch. It's got a more tender, mature feel from the rest of the album - kind of a taste of what was to come. I know many people cite it as their favourite Eagles song, and it's definitely high up on my list. I also like Midnight Flyer. It reminds me of Kirshner and the guys having fun!
One more shallow reason for appreciating the album - the guys look fantastic in the artwork! (See top of page for proof.) Gotta love the funky little mushrooms on Don's shirt.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Love the celebration and love the board style. Since this is officially "On the Border" week on The Border, I'm going to try to post a thought each day instead of putting everything I want to say about the album in to one post. So my thought for today ...
This is when the band brought in a fifth Eagle to move toward more rock-oriented songs. The "late addition" of Don Felder's mean guitar gave the band a harder sound. Felder only played on a few tracks on this album, so his full impact wasn't felt until the band's next album.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
..beautiful job with the board Soda........loved that album...and I shall listen to it today...:bye:
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Great Album, there is not a song on there I don't like
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I love the new default Soda! Once again well done. As for the Album, definitely on of their better ones. I love the title track, but my favourite has to be 'Already Gone'. Its a brilliant driving song and especially suits when you are driving away from somewhere you don't want to be!
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Sounds like I'm pretty much with the everyone else here. I really do like every song on this album but my faves are the title track, Already Gone and my all time favorite Eagles song, Best Of My Love. I wish they would put at least one of those into the set list.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I absolutely adore this album but I might emulate Dreamer and post different thoughts about it all week.
Regarding Best Of My Love it was a huge favourite of mine when I first heard it but now I think it has a rather repetititve melody and the harmonies are somewhat over-produced. It has some very insightful lyrics particularly towards the end, but there is no way I could call it one of my favourite Eagles songs these days. If I listen to the album as a whole it seems tacked on to the end. I know how much many people love the song. While I admire it, as I say, I no longer love it.
I think it is tragic that Already Gone has been dropped, somewhat 'kitschy' though it is in parts. It is hugely exhilarating. I find the song very hard to write about. Its appeal for me is perhaps too obvious for me to explain.
The problem with You Never Cry Like A Lover is again that it is over-produced - you can see why they switched to Szymczyk. I don't find the lyrics as sexist as others do. I am not a fan of such lines as 'you can't get loose when there's too much light' which to me ranks down there with 'foolin' with my baby on the telephone'. As a portrait of .... frigidity..... what other word is there? it works reasonably well.
More later.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I have to strongly disagree with you on Best Of My Love. I feel it is the strongest song on OTB. The melody and the harmony are so beautiful.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
EL, I appreciate that you 'strongly disagree' with me about the song. However I have as much right to express my opinion on it as you do. I know that in some quarters it is heresy to state that Best Of My Love is not perfect, but I am afraid this is the way I feel about it. I did state that I was aware how many people love the song. On this board everybody should feel free to occasionally express opinions which diverge from the majority.
As to where it rates, I didn't mention that, but it would be about halfway down for me.
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I was just disagreeing with yours. It's cool we don't see eye to eye on the same things. Life would be pretty boring if we all liked the same things.
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"Best of My Love" and "Ol 55" are two songs I would LOVE to see the Eagles add to their set. In my dream, Glenn asked me which song I would love to hear that they weren't doing, and without hesitation, I told him, "Ol' 55". If I could choose another, it would definitely be "Best of My Love"!:thumbsup:
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
1. Best Of My Love - 5
2. Already Gone - 3
3. Is It True - 3
4. My Man - 3
5. Ol' '55 - 3
6. Midnight Flyer - 2 (down a point for its awful, awful production)
7. On The Border - 2 I dig the Temptations bridge
8. James Dean - 2
9. Good Day In Hell - 2
10. You Never Cry Like A Lover - 1
key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 - yikes
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Okay - I used SS's scale to rank the songs on the album in the order that I like them and how much I like them. As you can see, I like this album a LOT!
1. Already Gone - 5
2. Best Of My Love - 5
3. Good Day In Hell - 5
4. James Dean - 5
5. My Man - 5
6. On The Border - 4
7. Ol' '55 - 4
8. Midnight Flyer - 4
9. You Never Cry Like A Lover - 3
10. Is It True - 3
key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 - yikes
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Ok--I really like this idea so let's give it a try myself...
1. Already Gone - 5+
2. Best Of My Love - 5++
3. Good Day In Hell - 4
4. James Dean - 5
5. My Man - 4
6. On The Border - 5
7. Ol' '55 - 4
8. Midnight Flyer - 5
9. You Never Cry Like A Lover - 3
10. Is It True - 3
key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 - yikes
I guess I kinda like it a bit also! ;)
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I only just heard about the 'meh' thing recently.
1. Good Day In Hell - 5
2. Ol' 55 - 5
3. Already Gone - 5
4. James Dean - 5
5. My Man - 4
6. On The Border - 4
7. Best Of My Love - 3
8. You Never Cry Like A Lover - 2
9. Is It True - 2
10. Midnight Flyer - 2 bordering on 1
key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 - yikes
I know a lot of people love Midnight Flyer but it is far too bluegrass for me. I think Is It True has a thoughtful lyric which can be overlooked, but the structure of the song isn't enough to make it 'good'. My Man, while I am very fond of it, can be a bit cloying.
The outstanding track on this album for me is Good Day In Hell, the single most underrated song of the band's entire career. It rocks. I like the jaded cynicism of it. The vocals and the guitar work are superb.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Freypower
I know a lot of people love Midnight Flyer but it is far too bluegrass for me. I think Is It True has a thoughtful lyric which can be overlooked, but the structure of the song isn't enough to make it 'good'. My Man, while I am very fond of it, can be a bit cloying.
The outstanding track on this album for me is Good Day In Hell, the single most underrated song of the band's entire career. It rocks. I like the jaded cynicism of it. The vocals and the guitar work are superb.
Your opinions are an amusing "photo negative" of mine! I dig the bluegrass of Midnight Flyer, the pop structure of Is It True, and the pathos of My Man. The cynicism of Good Day In Hell is exactly what ruins this otherwise "good song" for me(and most latter-day Eagles songs as well, for that matter). I think Midnight Flyer sounds way, way too slick, though. They really missed Glyn Johns on that one.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I saw this thread on here the other day but my time was limited so i didn't get the chance to post here till now. But since then, i've listened to the whole album, which is something I haven't done in a long time. I usually have my ipod shuffling a mixture of Eagles and solo songs. When I first got into the Eagles, Best of My Love was near the top of my list but now Already Gone, James Dean, and Ol 55 are right up there with it. I still adore Don's voice in BOML but after going back and listening to the whole album, I think that all of the songs on the album are great and they each have their own strengths about them.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
On The Border is one of my favorite cds. I listen to this cd at least once a week.
My favorite songs:
Already Gone~ A fun song right from the start. I wish they would include this in every setlist. One of my all time favorite songs.
You Never Cry Like A Lover~ I like this song. I usually repeat this two or three times when I'm listening to the cd. The melody and lyrics are incredible. I love how Glenn uses his voice, throughout the whole song. And how it plays off Don's voice. Unless I'm driving I listen to this one with my eyes closed.
Midnight Flyer~ This is about the only Eagles song I skip over. A little too "country-fried" for me.
My Man~ another one of my all time favorites. Soothing southern rock vibe. Same vibe I get when I hear Skynrd's Curtis Low or Tesla's Song and Emotion.
One more then I have to go, and will finish later.
On The Border~ Don brings out the funk for this one. Makes me want to put some shades on and sit on the porch. Don't ask me why it just does. A little comical too. I love the change in tempo about half way into the song.
8-)
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Love reading everyone's thoughts on this album. Another thing that made this such a transitional album for the band, besides bringing in Felder, was that they started recording the album in London with Glyn Johns producing it (as they had with Eagles and Desperado), but ended up leaving London in frustration. They came back to the states, hired Bill Szymczyk to finish production on the remainder of the album, and he has been the band in some capacity ever since.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Coincidentally, Best of My Love came up recently in an interview Willie found of Don from the Deminski & Doyle show. In it, he says that's the song that he is most dissatisfied with and would like to redo. Yet, it was their first number 1 hit and is much beloved. I found that very interesting!
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
This is a great idea for a thread, Soda, and I love the default theme for The Border. :applause:
Second to "Long Road Out Of Eden", "On The Border" is my favourite Eagles album.
"Already Gone", "Best Of My Love", the title track, "Good Day In Hell" and "James Dean" are among my favourite Eagles recordings. I also love "Ol' 55". I also enjoy "Midnight Flyer" very much. Glenn's :heart: slide guitar work on that song, as well as Randy's bass work, are top class.
The lyrics "and then you'll have to eat your lunch all by yourself" from "Already Gone" still brings a smile to my face whenever I hear it sung :lol:.
I've always wondered who the lead guitarist was on "You Never Cry Like A Lover" - the playing sounds so George Harrisonesque, which to me, as a Beatles fan, is very interesting. Sadly, there is no credit in the liner notes.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fan_For_Life
On The Border is one of my favorite cds. I listen to this cd at least once a week.
My favorite songs:
Already Gone~ A fun song right from the start. I wish they would include this in every setlist. One of my all time favorite songs.
You Never Cry Like A Lover~ I like this song. I usually repeat this two or three times when I'm listening to the cd. The melody and lyrics are incredible. I love how Glenn uses his voice, throughout the whole song. And how it plays off Don's voice. Unless I'm driving I listen to this one with my eyes closed.
Midnight Flyer~ This is about the only Eagles song I skip over. A little too "country-fried" for me.
My Man~ another one of my all time favorites. Soothing southern rock vibe. Same vibe I get when I hear Skynrd's Curtis Low or Tesla's Song and Emotion.
One more then I have to go, and will finish later.
On The Border~ Don brings out the funk for this one. Makes me want to put some shades on and sit on the porch. Don't ask me why it just does. A little comical too. I love the change in tempo about half way into the song.
8-)
In You Never Cry Like A Lover, where do you hear Glenn? The predominant harmony voices that I hear are Bernie and Randy in this song. I can barely hear Glenn in it at all. I'm thinking of the 'try a little harder' and 'I was hopin' you were the one' parts. Glenn may be there, but he is not prominent. The 'cry like a lover' harmony part near the end again to me sounds like Randy, not Glenn.
MF, I think it is Bernie playing lead on this song. If the whole song had been at this tempo it may have worked better.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Freypower
In You Never Cry Like A Lover, where do you hear Glenn? The predominant harmony voices that I hear are Bernie and Randy in this song. I can barely hear Glenn in it at all. I'm thinking of the 'try a little harder' and 'I was hopin' you were the one' parts. Glenn may be there, but he is not prominent. The 'cry like a lover' harmony part near the end again to me sounds like Randy, not Glenn.
Either way I like the song.
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Me too, FFL. I find the song very enjoyable, even if it's not one of my favorites. I know some of you think the lyrics are sexist, but I don't really see it that way. For me, the lyrics just reflect unfulfilled love for both the man and the woman. I don't believe the band ever played this live, did they?
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Well it's not a song that I tend to listen to a lot, although I DO like it, but I must say that Don's vocals on it are quite gorgeous :D
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ive always been a dreamer
I know some of you think the lyrics are sexist, but I don't really see it that way. For me, the lyrics just reflect unfulfilled love for both the man and the woman. I don't believe the band ever played this live, did they?
Really? Sexist huh? I don't believe I had ever heard that before. I agree with you, I always just figured it was a man telling the woman that she had "lost that lovin' feelin'". Hmm- Interesting.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
can't comment as of when the Border came out ( was only 3 at the time ) think it is underrated in many peoples eyes
Cheers Gary
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First of all, great idea to celebrate the albums anniversaries! I love all the board styles and it's fun to use different ones.
I went back all the way to January 2007 when we 'Ranked the 6 studio albums' thread. I can't believe it's been that long ago! Here's what I wrote about OTB back then:
#3-On the Border. I love 6 of the 10 songs on this one. You Never Cry like a Lover and Midnight Flyer I don't care for and My Man and On the Border are just ok. Two favorites here, Already Gone (rocks) and Best Of My Love (Don's soulful voice).
It looks like these two songs are pretty much eveyone's favorites still. But how in the world did I skip over Good Day In Hell? I absolutely love it and would so love for them to do it in concert. (I know-it ain't ever gonna happen.) Maybe because I hadn't seen it on one of the old boots yet. Glenn rocks out on it! :nod: I'm also very disappointed that they dropped AG from their set list. It's still up there as one of my all time favorites and so is BOML.
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Just a couple of comments about the songs I haven't mentioned yet:
Ol'55: I love this. I love the whole atmosphere of it. A while ago we had a discussion on whether it might actually be about a dying man as opposed to a man who's just left his lover's house in his car. I love Glenn's piano and vocals and the way Don sings the bridge.
James Dean: Slightly corny perhaps but somehow it works. My favourite part is 'so hungry and so lean', not only because it is a Shakespearean reference but I don't necessarily think it's only about James Dean if you get my drift.
On The Border: Scarlet Sun made an excellent comment on how she likes the Temptations bridge. Spot on. When they all take the vocal parts in that section it's like the Temptations' socially conscious songs like Ball Of Confusion. It works very well (although my favourite is the 'and we wanna know' part. DOH). I think it captures the Nixon era very well. They haven't really done anything else like it, although perhaps Business As Usual harks back to it (as does Inside Job).
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Freypower
On The Border: Scarlet Sun made an excellent comment on how she likes the Temptations bridge. Spot on. When they all take the vocal parts in that section it's like the Temptations' socially conscious songs like Ball Of Confusion. It works very well
Randy - Eddie Kendricks
Bernie - Melvin Franklin
Glenn - Paul Williams
Don - Dennis Edwards
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Our post yesterday got me to wondering which of the tracks on the album the band has performed live. I think it may be as follows, but anyone feel free to correct this if you know of something different.
Performed live:
Already Gone
Midnight Flyer
James Dean
Ol' 55
Good Day In Hell
The Best Of My Love
Never performed live:
You Never Cry Like a Lover
My Man
On the Border
Is It True?
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
And isn't funny that the title song has never been performed live especially since it does get quite abit of radio play?
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According to my live show collection, you're right about which songs have been performed live, Dreamer. Oh, how I'd love to hear Best of My Love or Ol' 55 in person! Perhaps they skipped the title track because they couldn't reproduce its sound effectively live. It remains the only Eagles title track to never be played in concert. However, I have no explanation as to why they never performed Bernie's masterpiece, My Man.
Regarding the sexism in You Never Cry Like a Lover - perhaps I've just read too much feminist literature, lol, but I chafe at how the guy in the song blames EVERYTHING on the woman and her lack of sexual response to him. I've got news for this guy. If a woman isn't enjoying sex with you, perhaps YOU'RE the one that needs to "try a little harder." To me, it sound like a typical sexist male response when things don't go right in the bedroom.
That said, it has good points. I love the broken down carousel metaphor, and while I don't appreciate the lyrics, I do like the way the song picks up energy at the "Try a little harder part." Unfortunately, that energy dissipates as soon as we get back to the verse. My favorite part is the repeated "I was hoping you were the one..." where we get a little insight into the stark bitterness of the rest of the song. However, that bitterness - which yes, comes off in a sexist way to me - leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and the plodding nature of the verses and spiritless ending drags the song down on a musical level as well.
JMHO!
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sodascouts
However, I have no explanation as to why they never performed Bernie's masterpiece, My Man.
I hope they did, and we just don't know about it yet
Quote:
Originally Posted by
sodascouts
Regarding the sexism in You Never Cry Like a Lover
there's at least one on every album, and these are the tracks that score a "1" on my scale
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
I've never thought of sexism when hearing You Never Cry Like A Lover. I hear a man who may have been trying hard and the woman not responding in a positive way to his approaches. Possibly the man senses a love gone sour or something like that. And is pleading one last time and explaining his point of view.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
There's no argument about what you say here, but Soda's point is that the narrator blames the entire situation on the woman. At least in Best Of My Love he tries to see the situation from both sides.
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Re: "On the Border" Anniversary Appreciation Thread
There's no doubt the song can be taken from that perspective.
My perspective is maybe she is to blame in this particular relationship.