Hypotnetical 1982 Eagles Album

[Freypower]

If the band had resolved their differences and hadn't split up, what do you think an album released around 1982 would sound like? This was the year of Glenn and Don's first solo albums (There Goes The Neighbourhood was released in 1981).

I've compiled a fantasy album of solo tracks which may have made a good Eagles album. I thought 'Dirty Laundry' would be a good title. Now remember this was still the age of vinyl so there would only have been ten tracks, but I've cheated for the sake of this exercise and given them twelve (because I didn't want to leave certain tracks out). I'm interested in what the rest of you would have chosen.

1. Dirty Laundry (Henley)
2. The One You Love (Frey)
3. A Life Of Illusion (Walsh)
4. So Much In Love (Schmit)
5. Lilah (Henley)
6. She Can't Let Go (Frey)

1. Long Way Home (Henley)
2. You Never Know (Walsh)
3. Never Surrender (Felder)
4. That Girl (Frey)
5. I Can't Stand Still (Henley)
6. Don't Give Up (Frey)

Yes, I know. Where's Talking To The Moon? Well, I think it's too personal a song to have been on an Eagles album. And as for Nobody's Business, I'm fantasising that the situation which led to its existence didn't occur.

And I know Never Surrender is really in the realms of fantasy but I'm imagining some sanity returned and Felder was given a chance to contribute.

Tim fans please feel free to include something more appropriate. Unfortunately So Much In Love is the only song of his I know from this era.

[scottside]

Freypower, that's a great list, but I would've switched out "Don't Give Up" for "Partytown." Glenn's songs are too ballad heavy and "Don't Give Up" (while upbeat) isn't one of the best NFA songs, IMHO. I like what you did with the rest of the songs. For Timothy I would've included something from PLAYING IT COOL. There are a number of great songs on that album and some are rockers too!

[thelongrun]

If the band had resolved their differences and hadn't split up, what do you think an album released around 1982 would sound like? This was the year of Glenn and Don's first solo albums (There Goes The Neighbourhood was released in 1981).

I've compiled a fantasy album of solo tracks which may have made a good Eagles album. I thought 'Dirty Laundry' would be a good title. Now remember this was still the age of vinyl so there would only have been ten tracks, but I've cheated for the sake of this exercise and given them twelve (because I didn't want to leave certain tracks out). I'm interested in what the rest of you would have chosen.

1. Dirty Laundry (Henley)
2. The One You Love (Frey)
3. A Life Of Illusion (Walsh)
4. So Much In Love (Schmit)
5. Lilah (Henley)
6. She Can't Let Go (Frey)

1. Long Way Home (Henley)
2. You Never Know (Walsh)
3. Never Surrender (Felder)
4. That Girl (Frey)
5. I Can't Stand Still (Henley)
6. Don't Give Up (Frey)

Yes, I know. Where's Talking To The Moon? Well, I think it's too personal a song to have been on an Eagles album. And as for Nobody's Business, I'm fantasising that the situation which led to its existence didn't occur.

And I know Never Surrender is really in the realms of fantasy but I'm imagining some sanity returned and Felder was given a chance to contribute.

Tim fans please feel free to include something more appropriate. Unfortunately So Much In Love is the only song of his I know from this era.

Nice, only you missed I found somebody

[Freypower]

Glenn's songs are always ballad heavy....

You look at NFA and you will see there isn't a lot of uptempo stuff on it. After Glenn introduced them to horns, perhaps I Found Somebody may have worked. I am not the greatest fan of Don't Give Up (I prefer All Those Lies) but I've tried to steer away from the 'negative' songs. Yet I've given Joe You Never Know. I think this would have worked and been a surprise to many Joe fans.

Apologies for the misspelling of the topic title - it should be HYPOTHETICAL, of course.

[thelongrun]

All those lies: Great great work VERY underrated IMO, I love that one.

[sodascouts]

Great topic. I am going to have to give this one some thought!

[Freypower]

We were talking in chat about some possible new discussions and I mentioned that I had raised this topic several years ago. I was wondering if any of our newer members might wish to contribute. I am sure the Tim fans could come up with something more than just So Much In Love. I tried to be as scrupulously fair as I could. As far as my own list goes, I wouldn't change it except that I might have All Those Lies instead of Don't Give Up.

[Koala]

That is an interesting topic, but hard to answer, only 12 songs! I had in my first list 15 Songs,

ok here is my fantasy album :

1. Don´t Give Up(Frey)
2. Dirty Laundry (Henley)
3. The One You Love (Frey)
4. So Much In Love (Schmit)
5. A Life of Illusion (Walsh)
6. Lilah (Henley)

1. I Can´t Stand Still (Henley)
2. Tell Me What you Dream (Schmit)
3. She Can´t Let Go (Frey)
4. Things (Walsh)
5. Long Way Home (Henley)
6. All Those Lies (Frey)

[sodascouts]

OK- here's mine. I would go with the pattern the Eagles had established of no Felder songs, one Tim song, and one Joe song. I would be called Dirty Laundry after their first single, whch turned out to be the highest charting song on here (even though, as I explain later, I think including that song is kind of cheating - but what are you gonna do? Circumstances make "cheating" inevitable).

1. Dirty Laundry
2. All Those Lies
3. You Better Hang Up
4. Things
5. The One You Love
6. Talking to the Moon

1. Sea Cruise
2. Playin' It Cool
3. Partytown
4. I Can't Stand Still
5. That Girl
6. Long Way Home

I didn't always include what I liked if I didn't think it would be as much of an Eagles song as others. For instance, while "Playin' It Cool" isn't the strongest track on Tim's album, it was co-written by JD Souther, which makes it closer to an Eagles song than his other material.

As far as including my favorites - "Talking to the Moon" was also co-written by Souther. In Glenn's case, "That Girl" was co-written by Seger. "All Those Lies" includes a reference to Azoff. I can hear "The One You Love" being re-arranged to feature more of an Eagles sound with additional harmonies.

Timothy sings harmony on "I Can't Stand Still," "You Better Hang Up," and "Long Way Home," giving them an Eagles sound. Same for Joe's "Things" - it has Timothy on harmony, making it sound more Eagle-ly, although I think "Life of Illusion" is a stronger song. Since "Sea Cruise" was included in Eagles live sets, I included it although it's not a favorite. "Partytown" seems in the spirit of some of the earlier Eagles work.

One thing FP noted, though, that is essential - she didn't include "Nobody's Business" because she hoped that if the Eagles had gotten together, the situation wouldnt have happened. Really - especially in the case of Don, whose songs are so driven by what's happening in his life - several of these songs would arguably not have been written if the Eagles had not broken up. "Dirty Laundry" is one of them, as it is closely related to the theme of "Nobody's Business," I think - plus it was written with "Glenn songwriting partner replacement" Danny Kortchmar. However, I included it anyway because the Eagles have currently made it their own, and you never know - maybe the news would have inspired it anyway!

[amusefilms]

This is a fun list. My question is, how different do you think the songs would sound with the others playing on them? I'm guessing (just guessing) that Glenn's would sound very different (with Henley giving his two cents) and I think Henley's songs would have a lot more guitar (and a lot less keyboards)...