Favorite Don Henley Lyrics

[sodascouts]

As I was reading the "Don in the Press" thread and saw the mention of "My Thanksgiving," I remembered a line from that song which I thought was genius. I was going to add it to a thread on favorite lyrics that I thought we had in the forum, but I couldn't find it! So I'm starting one.

These are some favorites that I find especially intelligent, witty, or evocative.

"Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge."
- My Thanksgiving

"Turn us all into Methuselah -- But where are we gonna park?"
- Building the Perfect Beast

"It’s plain to see Miss Liberty has not yet come of age
But, she loves to feed the animals
As long as they’re locked up in the cage"
- Workin' It

"You took my breath away
Now I want it back
Ah, you should’ve killed me,
You always looked so good in black"
- You Don't Know Me At All

"After I'm gone, there are some things that I know I will miss:
The taste of your mouth; the smell of the perfume on your wrist"
- Lilah

"I fall asleep with colors flying over sand and foam"
- Long Way Home

Just a few off the top of my head!

[DonFan]

Great idea for a new thread, Soda! You have listed several of my favorites already--I am working on a list and I will add mine later.

It is funny that you listed that "Miss Liberty" line from "Workin' It" though--I HATE that line.

[TimothyBFan]

The one that stands out the most for me is the WHOLE song of End Of The Innocence. That is just so poignant to me. Especially...

"O' beautiful, for spacious skies
But now those skies are threatening
They're beating plowshares into swords
For this tired old man that we elected king
Armchair warriors often fail
And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales"

How old is this song and it can still apply to the way this whole country has been pretty much feeling for awhile now again.

[Prettymaid]

Although more superficial, the chorus of Boys of Summer has always had an impact on me.

But I can see you - your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby.

It's the visual I get when I hear these lyrics - it's so keen! It's like I can see the action!

(The song Night Moves by Bob Seger has the same visual impact on me, and I'm sure there are others!)

[sodascouts]

It is funny that you listed that "Miss Liberty" line from "Workin' It" though--I HATE that line.

I don't like the lines that come right after it, but I think the part I quoted is clever. JMHO!

[Brooke]

Well, the whole song The Heart of the Matter just gets me everytime. When I first found out Don sang it and wrote it (with JD's help) I just thought to myself, how brilliant is this man?! How does anyone put these thoughts down on paper and make them make sense?

At a particular point in my life these words hit me hard:

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down
You know, they hurt your pride
You'd better put it all behind you, baby
Cause life goes on
You keep carrying that anger
It'll eat you up inside, baby

This one came right up for me. I'll have to think on the rest!

[DonFan]

I always thought this line from Gimme What You Got was clever and so true:

"A man with a briefcase can steal more money
Than any man with a gun."

And almost all of New York Minute is so poignant:

"And in these days when darkness falls early
And people rush home to the ones they love
You better take a fool's advice and take care of your own
One day they're here, next day they're gone."

And later, these lines really establish a sense of place when he sings:
"The leaves were falling around me, the groaning city in the gathering dark."

[DonFan]

Well, the whole song The Heart of the Matter just gets me everytime. When I first found out Don sang it and wrote it (with JD's help) I just thought to myself, how brilliant is this man?! How does anyone put these thoughts down on paper and make them make sense? At a particular point in my life these words hit me hard:

There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down
You know, they hurt your pride
You'd better put it all behind you, baby
Cause life goes on
You keep carrying that anger
It'll eat you up inside, baby

I completely agree, Brooke. I can think of several points in my life that those particular words have hit me hard, too.

[Maleah]

Oh my gosh I don't even know where to begin! lol! Great topic!

First of all, I know I've mentioned over and over again how much The Heart of the Matter means to me. I have no doubt that if I were to ever hear it live I would cry. The entire song just touches me but these lines in particular....

"....I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again..."

Even after 13 years, that sums up how I feel about my Mom's death. I know for most people it's a guy/girl relationship song, but other than the first verse that's what I relate it too. It means a lot to me

Also the part where he changes it up and goes

"I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinking about forgiveness, forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore"

The part about the flesh getting weak and the ashes scattering...so poetic and takes on a Biblical turn for me. Just an amazing song


Anyway! I'll move on from that, I swear. Here are some more from me -

I Will Not Go Quietly -
"I’m brave enough to be crazy
I’m strong enough to be weak
I see all these heroes with feet of clay
Whose mighty ships have sprung a leak"

New York Minute -
"What the head makes cloudy
The heart makes very clear
The days were so much brighter
In the time when she was here"

Again, takes on a personal meaning for me. Also I LOVE the verse quoted earlier "And in these days........" Soooooo GOOD!

Boys of Summer -
"Out on the road today
I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back.
You can never look back."
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but"

To me that verse makes the entire song! Especially the underlined words

Goodbye To A River -
"If heaven’s torrent can wash clean
The arrogance that lies unseen"

My Thanksgiving -
"Now the trouble with you and me, my friend
Is the trouble with this nation
Too many blessings, too little appreciation"

Some of my favorite Don lyrics and SO true!

[Fan_For_Life]

The Garden Of Allah~

It was pretty big year for predators
The marketplace was on a roll
And the land of opportunity
Spawned a whole new breed of men without souls
This year notoriety got all confused with fame
And the devil is downhearted babe, cause
Theres nothing left for him to claim

He said its just like home
Its so low-down I cant stand it
I guess my work around here has all been done

And the fruit is rotten, the serpents eyes shine
As he wraps around the vine,
In the garden of allah

Goodbye To A River~

Lakes and levees, dams and locks, they put that river in a box
It was running wild and men must have control
We live our lives in starts and fits; we lose our wonder bit by bit
We condescend and in the end we lose our very souls

I make a church out of words as the years dull my senses
And I try to hold on to the world that I knew
I struggle to cross generational fences
And the beauty that still remains; I can touch it through you