Long Road Out of Eden

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I loved reading all the interpretations of this song. It's funny, but I was thinking of doing something like this for the song during the Long Road Out of Eden celebration week in September, but I just never got around to doing it. I hope the moral of this story isn't 'if you wait long enough to do something, someone else will do it for you', but that sure seems to be the case here.

[sodascouts]

Very interesting EK! If Don was referring to Christ appearing to Peter on the Appian Way as it is related in Catholic Apocrypha, perhaps Don believes there is hope we can still turn around and put things right, or at least accept consequences for past decisions and make the right choices in the future. In that interpretation, the ghost of Caesar is this song's version of the apparition of Christ, although Caesar is the example of what NOT to do rather than the example of perfection. Perhaps that is a deliberately ironic choice designed to imply that we currently idolize the wrong people.

[EaglesKiwi]

Don being deliberately ironic?

And yes, I can imagine him thinking we idolize the wrong people.

[Houston Debutante]

This thread has been a fascinating read. These interpretations are really interesting. Don amazes me with his skill writing lyrics that can give us food for thought like this.

[Freypower]

I am wary of assuming that the lyrics are entirely by Don because Glenn & Tim have writing credits. I would say that most of them are by him. It is his type of subject matter.

[Houston Debutante]

You're right, I just assumed he wrote the lyrics but that may not be true. Sorry.

[Panmei]

To my mind, Long Road out of Eden is brilliant, beautifully well written and spot-on about many aspects: from a critique of the current crisis (driven by oil and profit) that the world is in to the prevalent societal inequalities. But the most important message appears to be the futility of empire building.

[chaim]

This song still sounds fantastic. Probably always will. BUT, I'm glad that Glenn is a bit softer musically. I realize that some of his stuff may be a bit pie-in-the-sky, but if all the recent Eagles material was just Don ranting about how the world sucks, I would be rather bored!

[Freypower]

This song still sounds fantastic. Probably always will. BUT, I'm glad that Glenn is a bit softer musically. I realize that some of his stuff may be a bit pie-in-the-sky, but if all the recent Eagles material was just Don ranting about how the world sucks, I would be rather bored!

I know what you're saying here & the point about the two main Eagles songwriters is that their songs offer slightly different perspectives, just as Lennon & McCartney's did.

But on this album I was disappointed that yet again, with the exception of Somebody & How Long, Glenn sang the slow romantic ballads & Don sang the political stuff. As we said at the time, would it have been so wrong for them to swap places for just one song? Glenn can do political songs. Listen to Strange Weather.

[chaim]

I know what you're saying here & the point about the two main Eagles songwriters is that their songs offer slightly different perspectives, just as Lennon & McCartney's did.

But on this album I was disappointed that yet again, with the exception of Somebody & How Long, Glenn sang the slow romantic ballads & Don sang the political stuff. As we said at the time, would it have been so wrong for them to swap places for just one song? Glenn can do political songs. Listen to Strange Weather.

Doesn't bother me that Glenn doesn't sing political songs on that album, because I'm not interested in political songs, unless it's done like Randy Newman does it. (Not that he has many political songs). I don't care much for lyrics that are just concentrating on things that are bad and the singer sounds angry (including non-political songs like Busy Being Fabulous). There may be too many "the world you live in is bad" songs on that album to my taste.

When I listen to the LROOE album, I'm relieved to hear stuff like You're Not Alone or It's Your World Now amidst all the whining. It sounds so mature and serene. So personally I prefer the Glenn that comes across on that album to Don that comes across on that album, although I appreciate the edge in Don's work.

There are exceptions, of course. Don's Waiting In The Weeds is magnificent. And No More Walks In The Wood succeeds IMO in combining the angry and beautiful elements. It's not just whining. There's depth there.

Having said all that, there are moments in Don's ranting that I enjoy. I like the sarcastic middle bit in Frail Grasp On The Big Picture, although I know many people here hate it. And I do love most of the "angry" songs musically. To me it sounds like a big brother (Glenn) and a little brother (Don).

Not sure if I'll agree with myself tomorrow. We'll see...