I hoped someone wouldn' mention Hey Jude. It's so iconic for me that it's hard for me to realise that others may not feel the same way about it.
As for TITTL I'm sorry but I agree that the repetition of the chorus is overdone. The song seems to be such a sacred cow that I hesitate to say it.
Back to other Eagles songs that go on too long:
Bitter Creek (the doo doo doo stuff is completely unnecessary)
You Never Cry Like A Lover (it must be me. Again, unnecessary adlibs)
Ol '55 (yes! One sung mainly by Glenn! Too much repetition at the end)
Try & Love Again (the chorus is repeated far too often at the end)
Guilty Of The Crime (the end of this song sometimes sets my teeth on edge).
I love the Bitter Creek fadeout, the "doodoodoo" stuff. I love how the lead guitar becomes more and more prominent while the doodoo's continue.
As for Guilty Of The Crime, it's torture for me from the very first note.
I love 'Take me home' by Phil Collins - IMO he can sing it as much and as long as he likes (I also sing it sometimes on my way home from a night out )
As for the Eagles songs, I agree with TITTL - it goes on for too long at the end.
I don't mind You never cry like a lover - it's not as annoying as Guilty of the crime! That is torture for me to listen to, just like Good day in hell.
"The more I know, the less I understand...."
Don't crack up, bend your brain, see both sides, throw off your mental chains"
First of all, of the Eagles songs that have been mentioned here, I love most of them including NKIT, TITTL, and TALA. While they may be repetitive, for me, they are just right. The first Eagles song that comes to my mind when I think of too repetitive is Journey of the Sorcerer. I always said that instrumentals get boring for me if they go on too long without some variation and this song is a good example. I personally would like it a lot more if it were a couple of minutes shorter. As far as One Day At a Time, I somewhat agree with chaim said about the "background vocals ("ooooh, lalala" or something like that) went too far in the "nice, polished and utterly comfortable" direction for me". I like the guitar-driven Analog Man arrangement of the song much better without the lalala's.
And as far as Hey Jude - I agree the ending is very long and repetitive, but it is so catchy that it doesn't bother me in the least.
"People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016
Can you imagine the excitement, during the 60s, when the radio DJ introduces a brand new Beatles single. It's an instant classic, of course, then it doesn't end in under 3 minutes as expected, the singing goes on and on, longer than any record you've heard before. When it was over you wouldn't know when and how you'd hear it a second time.
That's how you engaged your fans when you're the most popular band in the world
I'm surprised to see that a lot of the Eagles songs that are mentioned as going on too long are the tracks that really let their harmony vocals soar.
The harmonies at the end of Take It To The Limit, Try And Love Again, Ol' 55 etc are my favourite parts of the songs. The Eagles soaring harmonies is a wonderful sound. I don't think they soar so high on the Long Road Out Of Eden album. The key change is my favourite part of New Kid In Town.
I agree with you Chaim. Love those harmonies!
I heard Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine by the 5th Dimension yesterday. That's one song that goes on too long. i like it, but the entire song is repetitious.
My favourite part ironically is the fade out on NKIT, the 'I don't want to Hear It' part etc.
Donovan Atlantis, half the song is talking that I skip then it repetes the same refrain for three more minutes its crazy, though it is inspired.
Same Dancers in the Same Old Shoes