Celebration of "Hotel California" Album!

[UndertheWire]

Felder sounds ok on the youtube VoL and he's also not bad on Those Shoes. I'd guess it's because they're primarily guitar pieces and the vocals are less important than on the ballads. However, if he'd sung lead on the recording, I wonder if VoL would have been relegated to the back lot, like Visions. Perhaps it needs Henley's vocals to tie it into the Eagles sound.

[luna65]

Thank you, moonlight74, that's very kind of you to say.

[Midnight Visitor]

Most things need Henley's voice! Songs that aren't even Eagles or Don solo songs NEED Henley's vocals. What an amazing soulful voice!

[MaryCalifornia]

Haha, good one MV, I agree! Don should record every song that's on my iPod! I want to hear him sing everything (even ICTYW) (Of course Timothy's will always be # 1, but I would like to hear it!). We should start a thread...songs on my iPod that Don Henley should sing

[The Thrill Is Never Gone]

Most things need Henley's voice! Songs that aren't even Eagles or Don solo songs NEED Henley's vocals. What an amazing soulful voice!

Don does have a wonderful voice. You are right, he could sing anything.

[Midnight Visitor]

I'd listen to him sing the telephone book or the dictionary! Whatever. It's a most impressive voice and stays good to this day.

[zeldabjr]

oh yes I agree Don's voice is very distinct, soulful...that's a good word for it...and I would love to hear him sing any song..Eagles or not...yes even ICTYW...would sound awesome!!

[moonlight74]

Digging down into jeans pocket I found .2 cents. Henley is a good singer but not a great singer. He has inflection, diction and most times he is staying in tune & in key. His is not a powerful or a strong voice - that is rare. This is why the Eagles 4/5 part harmony works so well. Together they balance each other and where one falters another fills in the tough spots.

We all know each of them have to re-arrange the songs they wish to sing into their own key, otherwise the results would make us weep.

A great singer is someone who has multiple octave ranges - the more the better. Case in point Roy Orbison - '5' octaves!
Do I think Meisner is the best singer on this album? Absolutely.

[MaryCalifornia]

oh yes I agree Don's voice is very distinct, soulful...that's a good word for it...and I would love to hear him sing any song..Eagles or not...yes even ICTYW...would sound awesome!!

Phew...I thought you would berate me for making the suggestion!

[luna65]

I think one of the ways in which they were so successful as a vocal group had to do with the distinctiveness of each of their voices. Voices you would recognize as soon as you heard them, as well as voices which blended together so beautifully.

I know ultimately they couldn't stand working with Glyn Johns but I do believe it's to his credit that as soon as he heard them singing harmonies he knew that would be the key to their identity.

I love Don's voice and I think it works best when he's singing his own lyrics because I think of him as a troubadour in the classic sense of telling stories with his songs; although he's done some great covers too.