Least favourite Eagles song?

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Least fav and this was hard. Due all there songs being great.

Sad cafe and get over it. Not a huge fan oe them two

I can agree about Sad Café, but I like Get Over It. Both songs, however, have given me lines I use pretty frequently...

"I don't know why fortune smiles on some, and lets the rest go free."

and

"I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass."

[WalshFan88]

I can agree about Sad Café, but I like Get Over It. Both songs, however, have given me lines I use pretty frequently...

"I don't know why fortune smiles on some, and lets the rest go free."

and

"I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass."

Probably my favorite one-two punch of any Eagles song - as Henley describes in the HFO behind the scenes video. I also love the lawyers line. I have nothing against lawyers but I find it funny regardless.

[Zanny Kingston]

This is such an interesting discussion! As a young teen in the 1970's I remember hearing Eagles songs on the radio, but it was the Hotel California Album, that really made the Eagles music embraced by more than just AM top 40 radio stations or even some more country music type stations.

I will give you an example: I remember so clearly when the HC album was released, that VOL was played only on our "alternative" rock FM radio station here in the Boston area, and that is where I also first heard "AG" and "JD",. On top 40 AM stations, you could hear HC and NKIT, TIE and other Eagles tunes all being played. The listening audiences who tuned into those two radio stations could almost be called polar opposite in music taste, I know, because I was the FM radio rock music listener while my best friend was strictly an AM top 40 girl. I really sat up and took notice of the Eagles at that time because the more rock type stuff appealed to me, and I would not have necessarily have known the Eagles were rockers had I only been listening to top 40 radio. I liked their music well enough but once I heard the songs that rocked, that was it for me!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

This surprises me, since Joe hadn't had any big hits at that point. I know they were opening for the likes of Elton John and The Beach Boys before One of These Nights had its string of hits, but Joe Walsh wasn't quite at that level of fame. Were these guitar festivals or something where Joe might have been a bigger draw? Was this something that happened often? Your statement implies it was a regular thing, and that would surprise me even more!

ITA with this.

And as I said before, I would agree that Hotel California was the pinnacle of the band's success. However, I do think some of the statements that have been made in this thread regarding Joe's contributions are debatable such as ...

"He really injected some life back into the band and made them what they are now...." and "Without him, I honestly doubt they would have ever reached the success that they did with him."

Now - I just love Joe, so I'm not trying to be disrespectful or downplay his role in the band, but I do believe those comments overstate his contributions. He absolutely was and always has been an important addition, but there is no way that I believe the band would not have been as successful without him. I also do not believe his contributions to the Hotel California song or album are what propelled the album to be the mega-success that it was. I think Joe himself said it best in the HOTE documentary that his biggest contribution to the band is what he lends to the live performances. There is no denying that the crowds love him, including me. But I also believe what the band members have often said ... when it's all said and done, despite everyone who ever contributed to the band, the main reason for the band's success is "the SONGS".

[VAisForEagleLovers]

But I also believe what the band members have often said ... when it's all said and done, despite everyone who ever contributed to the band, the main reason for the band's success is "the SONGS".

Oh, that is SO true. They are great live and Joe is a big part of that and they know it. But no one would really want to hear them live now if it weren't for the songs. Since they stayed out of the media and kept their handsome faces off albums covers, and tried to fly under the radar in general, it had to be about the songs.

Of course, the songs are more than the lyrics and melody. The guitars, the keyboards, the harmonies, the drums, the bass, the arrangements, all of them combine with the melody and lyrics to make some incredible songs. Our guys each had their talents and I agree that they'd have been very successful without Joe. However, the addition of Joe was huge. Not just in picking up a great guitar player and rock and roller, but the sheer media coverage, all of it good, just from the announcement helped propel them. For me, it was a dream come true. I remember the DJ's talking about it, and I remember being excited about it. Plus, it has to be said, Bernie was not happy in the band and that has a way of being felt on a lot of levels. So him leaving, given that, helped as well. (Keep in mind that I LOVE that he's on this tour and I hope that he stays.) Bernie is a great guitar player, but Joe has a different style and the band used that. Fortunately for everyone, our guys are extremely good at making the most out of the diverse talent they have, and in that market, at that time, it was very well received. The songs have stood the test of time and always will, but it took a lot of things coming together at the right time to make them iconic.

I look at it like this... When the Indianapolis Colts drafted Peyton Manning, they were known for their running game. It was a strong running game and won them a lot of games. They could have fit Peyton in as someone who would enhance it by being an option quarterback. Basically not screwing anything up. Instead, they took the best of both the running game and Peyton's talents and came up with something really, really good. They adapted and made themselves superstars.

I'm not so much saying Joe's input of talent to the Eagles is on the same scale as Peyton's to the Colts (tho Faulk was no small potatoes), but what I am comparing is the ability to 'draft up' and do something great with it. Not everyone can do that, in sports or music.

[WalshFan88]

I have to disagree Dreamer. I think his studio work with them was every bit as important as his live work. I mean ask anyone what the best guitar solo/part is in the history of rock n' roll and most will tell you "Hotel California". It's partly due to Felder and partly due to Walsh but Walsh coming up with that iconic outro really sealed the deal. And of course him starting off the idea for LITFL. LITFL really epitomizes the rock n' roll change of the band. Again the lyrics and imagery of HC are great, but the guitar work is equally awesome IMO.

Of course the song is the result of all parts and is the finished product and what's important, but I think the music itself and the other instruments is on par with the songwriting.

[UndertheWire]

The Eagles were under Irving Azoff's management when Greatest Hits was released - after OOTN & prior to HC. They went to Irving in 1974. So as far as I am aware Geffen had nothing to do with Greatest Hits; in fact there is a scene in HOTE when Irving dsiplays the GH platinum record.
https://eaglesonlinecentral.com/mana.../frontline.htm

It was a record company decision to put out a Greatest Hits and Geffen was head of the record company at that time. I've also seen something about the band not being that happy about it at the time (probably Eliot's book).

Here's [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9LqTtXHf8g"]Inventing David Geffen[/ame] and he talks about it around 43 minutes in.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Oh, that is SO true. They are great live and Joe is a big part of that and they know it. But no one would really want to hear them live now if it weren't for the songs. Since they stayed out of the media and kept their handsome faces off albums covers, and tried to fly under the radar in general, it had to be about the songs.

Of course, the songs are more than the lyrics and melody. The guitars, the keyboards, the harmonies, the drums, the bass, the arrangements, all of them combine with the melody and lyrics to make some incredible songs. Our guys each had their talents and I agree that they'd have been very successful without Joe. However, the addition of Joe was huge. Not just in picking up a great guitar player and rock and roller, but the sheer media coverage, all of it good, just from the announcement helped propel them. For me, it was a dream come true. I remember the DJ's talking about it, and I remember being excited about it. Plus, it has to be said, Bernie was not happy in the band and that has a way of being felt on a lot of levels. So him leaving, given that, helped as well. (Keep in mind that I LOVE that he's on this tour and I hope that he stays.) Bernie is a great guitar player, but Joe has a different style and the band used that. Fortunately for everyone, our guys are extremely good at making the most out of the diverse talent they have, and in that market, at that time, it was very well received. The songs have stood the test of time and always will, but it took a lot of things coming together at the right time to make them iconic.

I look at it like this... When the Indianapolis Colts drafted Peyton Manning, they were known for their running game. It was a strong running game and won them a lot of games. They could have fit Peyton in as someone who would enhance it by being an option quarterback. Basically not screwing anything up. Instead, they took the best of both the running game and Peyton's talents and came up with something really, really good. They adapted and made themselves superstars.

I'm not so much saying Joe's input of talent to the Eagles is on the same scale as Peyton's to the Colts (tho Faulk was no small potatoes), but what I am comparing is the ability to 'draft up' and do something great with it. Not everyone can do that, in sports or music.

ITA with your post, VA. I think most of us agree that Joe is a big reason for the level of success the band achieved, however, he is not the sole reason for it.

[WalshFan88]

Just wanted to stop in and say I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my comments regarding Joe. I'm of course biased and even I have trouble recognizing that. I've been feeling crappy all week and was in an argumentative mood and I'm very protective over Hotel California, as if it was my own child... I've had guys on guitar forums go nuts over how I ruthlessly defend it and the band for that matter and have been the subject of a lot of comments regarding it. Because hearing those solos saved my life I feel like I treat it like a family member or child.

In all honesty I don't think Joe is the only reason for the Eagles success or to say they were nothing without him but I do feel like his contributions brought them to a rock n' roll edge that completed the transformation from country-rock to a more mainstream rock sound with his playing on Hotel California (album) on the title track and LITFL along with Don Felder's but I know it was the sum of all parts. I didn't mean to sound like it was him and him only that made them great as even I don't believe that. I just am a big Joe fan and I really think he's underrated in general and I tend to get carried away.

[Brooke]

WF, no harm no foul! Everyone has a right to their own thoughts and opinions. Everyone is defensive of their own favorites too! No doubt about it, Joe had a huge impact on the band. What they would have done if he hadn't joined, we can only speculate!

Love your av, btw!