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Ive always been a dreamer

06-23-2009, 11:46 AM

On this day in 1992 Glenn's Strange Weather was released.

This is my all time favorite Eagles solo album. There are simply no weak songs on it, IMHO. For any of you who have not ever heard it, I would encourage you to give it a listen. It is Glenn at his finest. I've got to run some errands this afternoon so I think this will be the featured album of the day in my car's CD player. :-)

Happy Birthday Strange Weather!!!

Koala

06-23-2009, 12:27 PM

This is my favorite Glenn Frey album, I love every song from the album!
To celebrate the day, I had listen the CD on the way to work and again at home!

TimothyBFan

06-23-2009, 12:29 PM

Of course I, like everyone (I assume), loves POMPOY. Others that stick out to me are Love In The 21st Century, Brave New World and I really like I've Got Mine. Not my fave album of his but still a really outstanding one I think.

Anxious to get others take on this album.

sodascouts

06-23-2009, 03:51 PM

Definitely my favorite of his. I like every song on it. My favorites are POMPOY, River of Dreams, and Brave New World. The first two are very melodic, romantic, and uplifting both lyrically and musically. Brave New World is exciting, like a novel. More thoughts when I have more time!

Prettymaid

06-23-2009, 06:11 PM

This is off topic, but does anyone know why Itunes doesn't carry any of Glenn's albums? They have Don's and Joe's (none of Timothy's)... what's up with that?

Freypower

06-23-2009, 11:37 PM

The last time I looked for Glenn on iTunes you could get the Masters Collection. Sadly, I think most of his work is no longer available commercially and so it was never made available to iTunes.

I have a great deal to say about Strange Weather because as with Dreamer, it is my absolute favourite solo album by ANY Eagle. However, I will save that for tomorrow when I have a long time to think about it.

Brooke

06-24-2009, 10:07 AM

In honor, I'm listening to Strange Weather today at work. I have the office to myself today! :yay:

Of course as with most of you, my favorite track is POMPOY. I also really love I've Got Mine and River of Dreams.

Here's the track listing. I will rate it later.

1. Silent Spring [instrumental prelude] (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/silentspring.htm)
2. Long Hot Summer (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/longhotsummer.htm)
3. Strange Weather (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/strangeweather.htm)
4. Agua Tranquilla [instrumental] (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/aquatranquilla.htm)
5. Love in the 21st Century (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/loveinthe21stcentury.htm)
6. He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan] (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/hetookadvantage.htm)
7. River of Dreams (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/riverofdreams.htm)
8. I've Got Mine (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/ivegotmine.htm)
9. Rising Sun [instrumental] (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/risingsun.htm)
10.Brave New World (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/bravenewworld.htm)
11.Delicious (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/delicious.htm)
12.A Walk in the Dark (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/walkinthedark.htm)
13.Before the Ship Goes Down (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/beforetheshipgoesdown.htm)
14.Big Life (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/biglife.htm)
15.Part of Me, Part of You (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/strangeweather/partofmepartofyou.htm)

He was quite ambitious putting 15 songs on it!

Mrs Frey

06-24-2009, 11:30 AM

This is probably my second favourite Glenn :heart: album, after "No Fun Aloud". The album is on my mp3 player (along with all Glenn's :heart: other solo albums), so I listen to the songs constantly, albeit along with other unrelated songs.

My favourite song of Glenn's :heart: hands down is "Love In The 21st Century", which features on this album. I love the rocking rhythm, the lyrics are clever, and Glenn's :heart: vocal is superb. I especially love the guitar parts and solo at the end. His version in "Live In Dublin" rocks even harder.

Other highlights for me are "Part Of Me, Part Of You" (just a beautiful lyric and powerfully sung), "A Walk In The Dark" (:sigh:), "He Took Advantage" (a great piece of blues) and "Brave New World", on which I love his overdubbed harmonies - it sounds fantastic. I just close my eyes when listening to it on my earphones, and absorb Glenn's :heart: voice on it. Wow.

sodascouts

06-24-2009, 04:47 PM

OK, some thoughts on the songs.

Silent Spring
Beautiful instrumental that would become a part of the Eagles set for a long time as a prelude to Tequila Sunrise. I think this song, along with a couple others, were the products of Glenn's scoring his episode of Expedition Earth and really liking it. He has a talent for writing expressive instrumentals that accomplish more emotionally without words than some songs with lyrics ever achieve. This would later be evident in I Dreamed There Was No War on Long Road Out of Eden.

Long Hot Summer
Man, I'm in Houston, Texas as I'm writing this, and they're having record-breaking high temperatures. Let's just say I can relate. He really effectively conveys that oppressive feeling of the heat, and the connection to a broader theme of breaking emotionally under strain works well. I believe Glenn has said this was inspired by global warming, which adds an extra thematic element.

Strange Weather
The use of a storm to describe dark emotions could have been trite, but Glenn pulls it off by adding an extra layer of uncertainty to it. That's the heart of the song: trepidation, insecurity, a mix of despair and hope. My favorite part is that way the vocal grows more empathic at the end: "I remember how it used to be, and it can be that way again." Makes me believe it. I have noticed that the majority of Glenn's songs do seem to have a positive or hopeful message, and it's one of the things I love about his work.

Agua Tranquila
Another instrumental that, judging from the name, was probably inspired by his trip down the river. I really enjoy it.

Love in the 21st Century
You know, with the proliferation of internet dating, this rings true more than ever, doesn't it? An upbeat tune that belies the darker lyrics of desperate, lonely people turning to false, faceless "love" that's shallow and meaningless. I think the contrast between the tune and the lyrics demonstrates how any excitement the people are getting from this kind of "love" is also only on the surface. As the lyrics make a mockery of the brightness of the tune, they also make a mockery of the use of the word "love" to describe anything that's going on here.

He Took Advantage (Blues for Ronald Reagan)
I love the tune of this, especially the key change at the end. I find the lyrics intriguing, as they seem to imply that the singer believed in Ronald Reagan and feels betrayed. True of Glenn and Jack Tempchin? Surprising but possible. Of course they could simply be speaking for the majority of America and not themselves, but it feels personal to me. Interesting.

River of Dreams
Ah, River of Dreams. Beautiful and brilliant from start to finish. Such lovely word pictures in the lyrics, and a great build to the chorus which gives the impression of the expansiveness of their dream home "way up in the mountains high." The instrumental beginning also really leads well into the song and is a nice touch, although I understand why it was cropped off for the single version. The basis for this tune also appears in the Expedition Earth soundtrack. That trip and experience really seemed to affect him greatly, as I said before. The romantic lyrics are absolutely lovely. Lines such as "If I could, I'd lift you up on angel's wings"; "People don't run out of dreams, people just run out of time" - really have an emotional effect. My favorite part, though, is the last chorus:

And we'll have stars to wish on every single night
We'll build a fire and make love by candlelight
We'll do our moondance 'til we get it right
What woman isn't going to sigh at that? The song is one of my absolute favorites of Glenn's work.

I've Got Mine
This song is also one that really works. Some people gave him a hard time about writing a song about the plight of the poor when he's rich - but just because he has money doesn't mean he's ignorant of people struggling without it. Indeed, it conveys an anger that many people with money do act oblivious; this song is one of his ways to combat that. Even the discussions he had with interviewers about whether or not he was "allowed" to write about the feelings of the poor raised awareness about the issue. As for the tune, it's surprisingly catchy in a dark way, especially the tag line: "I've got mine." Some of Glenn's thoughts on it:

"I'll be the first person to tell you that it's a lot easier to think about the world's problems when you've got money in the bank, can put food on the table and you're not worried about where your next paycheck is comin' from. [...] It just became apparent to me that, although I know a lot of people who are committed to many charitable causes, there are also really a lot of people out there who are committed more to running their personal empires and don't really care enough about other people." (Los Angeles Times 1992)

"People thought I was hypocritical for writing a song about the haves & have nots. Hey - it's just a song." (San Diego 1992)

"Rich people don't give a damn. Nine out of ten don't care - and it bugs the shit out of us. [...] It's amazing how the world is such a wonderful place once you get your first million." (Washington DC 1993)
Rising Sun
I think this is my favorite of his instrumentals, and I don't know why. I just love it - perhaps in part because it leads very well to another favorite:

Brave New World
In my opinion, this song is VERY underrated. I think it's terrific. That melody of the verse has an urgency, a dark anticipation to it, and again a great build to the chorus. I love the shift from that dark anticipation to the reassurance and hope of the chorus. It's a melodic shift that matches the mood of the lyrics in an original and interesting way. This is a sophisticated song and I don't get why it doesn't receive more attention. My favorite part: when he adds that extra "you're my girl" to the chorus. Those kind of nuances always appeal to me.

Delicious
The only song that I occasionally skip simply because it has that falsetto which doesn't do justice to Glenn's voice, but that he utilizes every now again. Hot images, though. That's some extended metaphor there that screams SEX, especially "Sweet juices running down your fingertips
It's nothing like the taste of your sweet lips." Dang. The fact that it's for Taylor... well, I try not to think about that because then I feel icky for finding it hot.

A Walk in the Dark
No such qualms here. Wow, these lyrics sound like they're out of a romance novel... the risque kind. And that sexy vocal... NICE.

Before the Ship Goes Down
I think I read somewhere, or perhaps heard in an interview, that the "get the most out of life because you're not going to live forever" mentality was inspired by his health problems in the late eighties, that would unfortunately recur with a vengeance during the Hell Freezes Over tour. Regardless of whether he said it then, he explicitly tied the experience to his positive attitude in a conversation at Pebble Beach. He said something like he had a lot to appreciate in his life - a lovely wife, kids, success, recovery from two colon surgeries - and you gotta enjoy your life while you can and not let a couple bad golf shots get you down. ;) The fact that the vocal and the tune are so upbeat despite the apparent imminent death of the guy in the song - and the people all around him - tells you all you need to know right there. Carpe diem!

Big Life
Glenn pulls a Joe Walsh here and basically writes a song designed to make you laugh. With lines like "We'll find some peace, just you, my staff and I" and a great comedic delivery... how can you not? Not to mention those cheesy pick up lines! What a hoot. Catchy too! His thoughts on it:

"You know, I’ve heard two phrases that have really stuck with me. One is, 'Money is seldom accompanied by taste.' If you were to go into ten homes in Beverly Hills, I swear to God, nine of them would be horribly decorated, and you’d wonder, 'What a waste of money.' And the other one is that 'Money never cared who it hung out with' – which is also true. So I just started thinking... I’ve run into some people who I think give money a bad name. [Laughs] And so I just imagined this sort of obnoxious guy who was sort of a combination of Donald Trump and Ted Turner and George Steinbrenner and other media-type people who would be getting onto an MGM Grand flight from New York to LA and immediately, everybody in the plane hears what this guy’s talking about. You know, he’s 'just been with Stallone, and I’m skiing in Aspen with Jack and Cher, and I own a baseball team, and by the way do you want to get into the movies, and what’s your name, and I’m going out to Hollywood, maybe you wanna come with me, we’ll just go in my limousine, we’re having a big party....'

I’ve seen this thing play out so often, and I just decided to take a crack at writing this song called, 'Big Life.' And so, I wrote this tune, and basically it’s this sort of braggadocious, obnoxious guy who gets on this airplane and is trying to impress this girl with this long list of why he’s cool.... all his money and his accomplishments and his investments and stuff. Actually, 'Big Life' – the phrase 'Big Life' – it’s funny, I’ve come to work.... my life has gotten more complicated in the last fifteen years. Life does get more complicated. I would just come into work sometimes and go [Huge sigh.] Like that. And Elliot would say, 'What’s wrong?' And I’d go, 'Nothing, just Big Life Syndrome.' You know, I’ve got a big life. So I’ve just been keepin’ that phrase. So that’s how that song came about." (Strange Weather Promo Interview 1992)
Part of Me, Part of You
The big finish - and what a finish it is. This is the kind of song that can change your mood, that can lift you up... the best kind of song, in other words. The sweeping melody that brings you along with it as it rises - "Until we find the bridge across forever - until this grand illusion brings us home"; "Whatever time may take away, it cannot change the way we feel today." Just a couple examples of a song that is moving throughout. And his vocal... what can I say but WOW? It has such power, packs such an emotional impact. Well done, Glenn, well done. Another absolute favorite of his entire catalog. Indeed, this and River of Dreams are some of my favorites by ANY artist.

Ain't It Love
I have to give a special mention to Ain't It Love, a special track added to the Japanese version of the album and which he played live for them (lucky Japanese!) A straightforward celebration that the genuineness of Glenn's vocal along with the upbeat melody really sell. The instrumentation works very well too - bright horns and those little sparkly chime sounds sprinkled throughout. I love it! If you haven't heard it yet, you can download the rarity here (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/aintitlove.mp3).

To sum up: Strange Weather is the most consistently strong album of any Eagle, I believe, and a brilliant work in total. Kudos to Glenn.

sodascouts

06-24-2009, 04:54 PM

Just realized that some people may not be familiar with Glenn's appearance on Expedition Earth. Read more about it here:

http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/expeditionearth.htm

Glennsallnighter

06-24-2009, 07:15 PM

This is off topic, but does anyone know why Itunes doesn't carry any of Glenn's albums? They have Don's and Joe's (none of Timothy's)... what's up with that?

legalsounds.com a lesser known legal music downloading site have Solo Collection and Live in Dublin available. They cost 9 cents per track.

Prettymaid

06-24-2009, 07:36 PM

Thank you, GA! :thumbsup:

Freypower

06-24-2009, 07:44 PM

Soda, that is excellent. I am not sure I can add to what you have said.

NB: You have listed one of the instrumentals as 'Agua Tranquila' which is of course what it should be called (the adjective should agree with the noun). However on the CD case it is listed as 'Agua Tranquillo'. Regarding this and the other instrumentals, they all appear to be variations on a theme to some extent. My favourite is Rising Sun - in that last chord you hear the whole mystery of the Orient (Glenn has expressed his appreciation of Japanese culture).

Long Hot Summer - perfect, eerie opening which sets the tone for the album in its opening line, 'Lord I ain't ever seen weather like this'. Both the environmental themes and the sense of dislocation and 'not belonging' are expressed perfectly here. This really is unlike anything he's ever done before (like the rest of the album).

Strange Weather - fantastic evocation of a relationship under stress. The jazzy piano is something new. He has not done anything as close to jazz musically as this song. It's good to sing along with too, although it's so sad, but as Soda said he still thinks 'it can be that way again' so he's sending a message of hope.

Love In The 21st Century - some of the most acerbic lyrics this team has written. He referred to the 'loneliness industry' and, bless him, quoted Eleanor Rigby, perhaps the greatest song ever written about alienation. And yet there is a lot of dark humour in the protagonist's situation here (I don't know her/she don't know me/she's my video date/she's my destiny'). Just the juxtaposition of a banal term like 'video date' with the all-encompassing 'destiny' sums it up. Great slide guitar and sung superbly. He does some of the best singing of his career on this album.

He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan) - I am not sure about Soda's hypothesis that Frey and Tempchin started out feeling postive about Reagan given that Glenn has always been a Democrat, to my knowledge. But the way he makes Reagan a cheating lover, as opposed to the 'tired old man we elected king' in EOTI, gives the song a different perspective. I love Glenn when he's bluesy and I love this vocal, the way it rises and falls, and as Soda does, I love that key change.

River Of Dreams - a deeply felt personal experience which has to be heard to be believed. Incredibly moving. The sax just adds to the mood of life changing and exhilaration.

I've Got Mine - some political commentary! The surprises never end on this album! Again he juxtaposes the imagery of the rich man drinking champagne with the poor guy on the sidewalk. He makes you really feel the injustice of the situation.

Brave New World - Glenn quotes Shakespeare and Aldous Huxley! If this isn't about the war in Bosnia, that is what I think about when I hear it. Beautiful sweeping melody, with great urgency. I particularly like the way he sings 'everything that we worked for/they took from our hands'. Again he's used more 'weather' imagery here too.

Delicious - ahem. This is quirky, it is audacious (love that abrupt ending)! and it is hot, as Soda said. OOHEE. No further comment.

A Walk In The Dark - and then comes THIS just when you think you can't take any more excitement. This is intimate, sensual, everything I could wish for. The chord change before 'this is the way I want to dance with you' is stunning. The way he sings the line 'follow the road in your heart' - the way he pronounces the last T - oh yes. This song means far too much to me to describe in any further detail.

Before The Ship Goes Down - here he takes a dark and ironic look at more lighthearted earlier songs like Partytown and turns it into a celebration of mortality. To quote him 'Let's have the Dom Perignon'!

Big Life - Soda summed this up very well indeed. I think it is interesting the way it mentions several places that have loomed large in Glenn's own life - Aspen, LA, Hawaii (we'll find some peace/just you, my staff and I)! Not to mention the 'getting into the movies' part which is somewhat more ironic. I love the way it follows the trajectory of the man's career and yet 'he's still the boss', or so he thinks despite evidence to the contrary.

Part Of Me, Part Of You - the highlight of his entire solo career, one of the most uplifiting, transcendent, joyous pieces of music by anyone at any time. I am grateful for its existence and he sings the absolute shit out of it (I can't mince words here).

I think I did better there than I thought I would. :rockguitar:

Mrs Frey

06-25-2009, 07:06 AM

Wow, Soda and FP, those are very impressive reviews from both of you. I can't add anything to it. :applause: :applause:

FP, I just wanted to say that, after reading your review of "A Walk In The Dark", I realised just how naughty you are! :shock: :wink:

Glennsallnighter

06-25-2009, 07:37 AM

I really cannot add to either Soda's or FP's reviews. Girls they are stunning. For my own part I would say that Strange Weather is probably Glenn :heart:'s finest solo work. It combines Intstrumentals with vocals, ballads with social commentary and fun with the more serious sides of life, and to have 15 tracks of such quality on 1 album in indeed an achievement. I have to say I dither between it and and Soul Searchin' as my 'Favourite' album of Glenn :heart:'s (Hell its like trying to pick a favourite kid or something).

In terms of favourite songs on it I would have to go with POMPOY - Its a sheer 'feel good' song, and no matter how often I hear it I still grin from ear to ear.
I also love 'Brave New World'. My heart always does a little flip on 'Remember you will always be my girl......' Yeah, I can wish I suppose....
River of Dreams - melting......
'A Walk in the Dark'......he could seduce me with that song anytime......:inlove:
And finally both instrumentals sre a joy to listen and relax to.......

I picked this up for a fiver on eBay last year

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t236/Irisheaglesfan/SignedSW.gif

Ive always been a dreamer

06-25-2009, 12:43 PM

Nice job Soda and FP. There's nothing much I can add. As I said before, I really don't think there are any weak tracks on the Strange Weather album, so I'll do the same thing I did for No Fun Aloud. I have to divide them up into "I absolutely love the song" or "I like the song a whole lot". So...

"I absolutely love the song"

Silent Spring [instrumental prelude]
Long Hot Summer
Aqua Tranquillo [instrumental]
Love in the 21st Century
He Took Advantage
River of Dreams
I've Got Mine
Brave New World
Before the Ship Goes Down
Big Life (Probably one of the most underrated songs on the album. I think it is a great, clever satirical commentary. Glenn's acting abilities are really showcased here with his masterful delivery.)
Part of Me, Part of You

[B]"I like the song a whole lot"

Strange Weather

Rising Sun [instrumental] (This song is such a perfect prelude to Brave New World that I think part of the song is missing if I don't hear it.)

Delicious (Although I'm usually in agreement with Soda about Glenn's falsettos, this one is an exception. It works well in this song for me because I think of it as his 'daddy' voice talking to Taylor. The lyrics can definitely be interpreted as sugary sweet or hot and sexy here. Where I object to the falsetto is when a song is blatantly sexy such as Let's Go Home - I'd just rather hear a guy ask me to go home in a low, masculine, sexy voice. :lol:)

A Walk in the Dark

Brooke

06-25-2009, 01:39 PM

sodascouts

06-25-2009, 04:36 PM

Part Of Me, Part Of You - the highlight of his entire solo career, one of the most uplifiting, transcendent, joyous pieces of music by anyone at any time. I am grateful for its existence and he sings the absolute shit out of it (I can't mince words here).

I think I did better there than I thought I would. :rockguitar:
You certainly did. What a fantastic analysis! As for your statement that he "sings the absolute shit out of it" - I try to avoid cussing but sometimes it's understandable. ;)

His voice is absolutely amazing on POMPOY, so strong, so vibrant, so full of heart. It is one of the best examples of the vocal power that makes him the favorite of many Eagles fans, myself included. Textured, rich, evocative, so drenched in emotion that it draws you to the song like a magnet - we all want to experience that powerful feeling as much as he does. Thanks to his talent, we can.

Magnificent.

Freypower

06-25-2009, 06:56 PM

Thanks to people who liked the reviews. In my case, I wanted to try very hard. MF, I am glad you thought I was 'naughty' regarding AWITD. I had to think about what I wrote for that song. I could possibly have written a page about it and about every other song on this album.

TimothyBFan

06-26-2009, 08:18 AM

Ok, I've come to the conclusion that I don't really listen to songs, any songs, well enough. Soda and Fp, you guys are good! I've learned more from you two that I could never get from just the song itself! I find myself needing to go home, put the cd in, print out a copy of your analysis' and close my eyes and try to take it all in!

I give! :thumbsup:

I know what you mean---I'm feeling a wee bit inadequate when it comes to my review. :hilarious: I need to start listening and dissecting the songs a little more and see if I get more out of it. I've always just loved music but never thought about it any further than that--I need to pay more attention perhaps.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-26-2009, 11:45 AM

Brooke and Willie, not everybody likes to dissect and analyze songs. Some people do just like to enjoy the music without thinking about the song too hard. And there certainly ain't nothing wrong with that, IMHO. I'm probably somewhere in between. When I first hear a song, I tend to decide if I like it first based on the music and melody. Then, after I hear it awhile, I usually then will listen closer to the lyrics. I often love simple, straightforward lyrics that you don't have to think too much about. But then, I am also intrigued by the more complex lyrics that are ambiguous or open to the listener's interpretation. That's when my analytical side kicks in. That what's so great about it - there ain't no right or wrong way! :wink:

Brooke

06-26-2009, 01:13 PM

Well, I do believe Soda and Freypower should try writing reviews of songs or cds for pay. Or fun, possibly, in their case. I'm sure there is a market for this talent. Now, maybe they could only do it for artists they like, but have either of you thought of it? Seriously!

My daughter actually did a bit of this a while back and was quite good, imo. She didn't get it from me! :lol:

Freypower

06-26-2009, 06:32 PM

Brooke, thank you so much for saying that, but if you go back and re-read what I wrote about No Fun Aloud and The Allnighter, I think I barely scratched the surface with those. I felt I needed to make a special effort for Strange Weather, partly because I believe it sadly never received the attention it deserved. In my case I'm not trained in writing about the music itself - I can throw in the occasional 'good chord change' but that's about it.

Dreamer is correct - sometimes it's better just to enjoy it!

Brooke

06-27-2009, 09:35 AM

Well, you guys do an exceptional job with this. I really enjoy reading them and it makes the music all the more enjoyable when I listen and remember some of your thoughts about it. Carry on!

:thumbsup:

Koala

06-27-2009, 01:05 PM

I agree with you, I really enjoy to read the reviews, thanks for that!

sodascouts

06-27-2009, 01:27 PM

sodascouts

06-27-2009, 01:39 PM

Also, let's not forget the videos from this! Here's the streaming ones:

Part of Me, Part of You

I've Got Mine

The guy who posted "Love in the 21st Century" on YouTube disabled embedding so you'll have to click on the title in the top bar above the video itself to see it. Honestly, since he got this from my site, it kind of disappoints me that he's disabled embedding.

Love in the 21st Century

You gotta stream this one using another site:

River of Dreams (http://web.piczo.com/zone/item/AswogwATiygAAAAZqKiJxHgo)

Of course, if you want to download them instead of stream them, they're all here:

http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/videoindex.htm

EagleLady

06-27-2009, 01:48 PM

Good Grief, his hair in the Love In The 21st Century video looks like Vanilla Ice :hilarious:

sodascouts

06-27-2009, 01:51 PM

Honestly when we do Glenn's video Survivor I think that one will be the first to go. Let's just say the video isn't as good as the song.

EagleLady

06-27-2009, 01:53 PM

That video makes EIDN look good, and that's hard to do :hilarious:

Ive always been a dreamer

06-27-2009, 01:54 PM

Aw, you guys are sweet! I didn't do the song-by-song review for the other albums, but I figured the album that I felt was the most brilliant of Glenn's solo career deserved the kind of time it takes to write these up.

Not that the others didn't. And with this kind of positive response, I'll go back and do those too when I get a chance!

OMG - this is too funny! I was just sitting at the pc typing up a song-by-song review for The End of the Innocence album that also celebrated an anniversary this past week. I felt the same way - this album also deserves a that kind of extra time as well. I'm almost finished and will be posting it shortly. :-)

Ive always been a dreamer

06-23-2010, 08:27 PM

Today marks the 18th anniversary of what I believe is Glenn's best solo album - Strange Weather. Around these parts, I don’t think it’s any secret about how much I love this album. It is my very favorite of any of the Eagles’ solo albums. IMO, it is very strong from start to finish, and is Glenn’s only solo album where he tackles so much serious topical subject matter. Maybe it is Glenn confronting his mortality. In addition, the album has a perfect mix and variety of songs with regard to musical styles, tempo and subject matter. Even the placement order of the songs is masterful because it very effectively holds your interest for over 60 minutes and 15 tracks. It’s such a shame that this album didn’t achieve more recognition and promotion so more people were aware of it, and could experience its wonderful music. Unfortunately, there is so much great work out there that is never brought to the attention of the general public. While I know everyone may not love it as much as I do, I would encourage you to buy it. If you are even a casual fan of Glenn, then you won’t be sorry once you hear this. I’ve not done a thorough review of this album before, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I tried not to make this too repetitive, but it is a bit difficult to do. Anyway, here I go with the system I always use to rate the songs in the order that I love/like them …

I Love It (5)

Part of Me, Part of You (5+) – This song is masterful and flawless, IMHO. I’ll never understand why it was overlooked for an Academy Award nomination - but such is life. I love the way this wonderfully exhilarating song begins to play right at the end of that famous final scene of Thelma and Louise as the credits begin to roll. For me, this is the embodiment of a perfect song.

River of Dreams (5) – Wow! What a beautiful song! The music, the lyrics, the vocals, the melody, the cadence, the arrangement – all amazing! Talk about how lyrics can create certain imagery - Glenn and Jack Tempchin may as well have had a canvass and paint brush when they wrote this one.

I've Got Mine (5) – I love everything about this song, including the message. Again, Glenn’s word imagery in his song about “the haves and the have-nots” paints exactly the right mood, and the awesome music is the perfect complement. He manages to deliver a rather scathing admonishment about the greedy and compassion for the less fortunate all wrapped up into one.

Before the Ship Goes Down (5) – Okay – this may be getting repetitious, but I love everything about this rockin’ song, too. What a wonderful commentary on mortality here. Loving the way he plans to check out – all summed up perfectly in the final verse …

“If somebody told you this was your last night
Wouldn't you want somebody to treat you right
Throw you a party, take you for a ride downtown
And be with all your old friends
Before the ship goes down
Just love me one more time
Before the ship goes down”
He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan] (5) – The way Glenn uses his voice here allows him to deliver this scathing chastisement in a way that doesn’t come across as a rant. I love it when someone can tell someone off and they don’t even realize what hit ‘em. :lol: Glenn rarely does political commentary, but he made some excellent choices here, which get the song’s message across very effectively. Great “blues” music too.

Long Hot Summer (5) – One again, the amazing thing about this song is how the lyrics and music set the mood. By the time you finish listening to this one, you’re ready to shed a few layers cause you are feelin’ the heat. Another huge :thumbsup: in every way!!!

Big Life (5) – This is probably one of the most underrated songs on the album. I think it is an awesome, clever satirical commentary. Glenn's acting abilities are really showcased here with his masterful delivery. I’m normally not a fan of this ‘talking‘ (or in this case sometimes boisterous ‘shouting’) style, but in this case it works to actually enhance the song’s effectiveness.

Love in the 21st Century (5) – Again, this is an extremely clever song to me. I get the message and can really relate to it. Actually, the message is more applicable today than it was when the song was written almost 20 years ago i.e. “she’s my video date, she’s my destiny”. Wow – how prophetic! :wink: I love the music (it rocks) and the lyrics, especially this part of the last verse …

"I can't touch you and you can't touch me
It's love in the 21st Century
It's all imagination and fantasy
That's love in the 21st Century
You can get it by mail; you can get it by phone
You can get it late at night when you're all alone”
Brave New World (5) – Alrighty then – sure, it’s kind of the same old “love will keep us alive’ kind of theme, but this story is told with sophisticated lyrical imagery. The music is great and serves to extenuate the hopeful mood of the song. Yet another winner!

Silent Spring [instrumental prelude] (5) – This is a simply beautiful timeless piece of music. I love it’s placement on the album and I loved how they played it live to open the second set in the Farewell I Tour. This used to be my favorite musical composition by Glenn until I Dreamed There Was No War.

Agua Tranquillo [instrumental] (5) – Very beautiful composition. Again, I love the placement of the song between Strange Weather and Love In the 21st Century.

I Really Like It (4)

Delicious (4) – Although I'm usually in agreement with Soda about Glenn's falsettos, this one is an exception. It works well in this song for me because I think of it as his 'daddy' voice talking to Taylor. The lyrics can definitely be interpreted as sugary sweet or hot and sexy here. Where I object to the falsetto is when a song is blatantly sexy such as Let's Go Home - I'd just rather hear a guy ask me to go home in a low, masculine, sexy voice. :lol:

A Walk in the Dark (4) – This song is beautiful as well, although I find that Glenn’s understated delivery, melody, and the slow tempo all combine to cause it to drag a little too much for me to rate it as one that I love. I realize the slow tempo is probably for effect, but I just think it makes the song a little less interesting. However, the lyrics are incredibly sexy – the line “surrender to the rapture, deep within” come to mind. The images conjured up with such lyrics call to mind that canvass and paintbrush analogy again.

Strange Weather (4) – Well, I guess it speaks volumes about the quality of this album that I think my least favorite is still a great song. I love how Glenn ties this ‘love’ song in with the concept of the album by using the weather references. The mixed messages of hope and despair also fit in very well thematically with the rest of the album. Although, I love the fact that Glenn experimented with so many different musical styles on the album, the jazz style here is not my favorite.

Rising Sun [instrumental] (4) – This song is such a perfect prelude to Brave New World that I think part of the song is missing if I don't hear it. I like it a whole lot, but don’t think it is quite as melodic as the other two instrumentals on the album.

key:
5 - I love it
4 - I really like it
3 - I like it
2 - meh
1 – yikes

Freypower

06-23-2010, 09:01 PM

Dreamer, that is perfect. I have hardly anything to add except that my list of favourites is slightly different from yours. I will think about this and write a review tomorrow (although I did one in another topic):

https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1780

sodascouts

06-23-2010, 09:10 PM

My review that I wrote in the thread FP linked to is pretty thorough and I don't want to repeat myself, but I will reiterate that this is indeed my favorite album of Glenn's.

The standout tracks for me are the magnificent and uplifting POMPOY, the melodic and romantic River of Dreams, and the dramatic, compelling urgency that is Brave New World. I realize the last one is not as popular with others as it is with me, but I always am drawn to the dramatic!

Another favorite that was sadly left off of all but the Japanese version: Ain't It Love. That one puts a huge smile on my fave every single time.

You can tell Glenn really poured himself into this one. It paid off big time. I just wish its commercial success had been commensurate with its quality.

Freypower

06-23-2010, 09:12 PM

He has not performed ONE SONG from this album since 2000 in Royal Oak when he did Before The Ship Goes Down. That is pretty sad. It's also indicative of his apparent reluctance to make another solo album, desperately as his fans wish he would.

sodascouts

06-23-2010, 09:29 PM

I agree that the album is a must-have for any Frey fan. It's out of print, but you can get it online from resellers on sites like Amazon - in fact, you can get it brand new there for as little as $4.15 plus shipping and handling!

Check out these for examples of awesomeness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShJyICHOXYM

I've Got Mine video
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/videos/ivegotmine.wmv)

(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/videos/Loveinthe21stCentury.mpg)Love in the 21st Century video
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/videos/Loveinthe21stCentury.wmv)

(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/videos/riverofdreams.mpg)River of Dreams video
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/videos/riverofdreams.wmv)

Koala

06-24-2010, 02:04 AM

♥Strange Weather♥ is definitely my favorite album from Glenn! It is no weak song on the album! I simple love this album!
Dreamer, like your review of this album, My rating would not be much different.

TimothyBFan

06-24-2010, 08:27 AM

Sorry to say I actually do not have this one but I apparently need to make it a priority from what all of you are saying!! Will have my eye on the lookout for this one!

Brooke

06-24-2010, 09:39 AM

Dreamer, what a fantastic review! I loved it and you are right on! :thumbsup:

I don't know what I could possibly add other than I love pretty much the whole darn thing. :nod:

Favorite song over all: POMPOY of course!

sodascouts

06-23-2011, 01:12 PM

Here comes another anniversary - Glenn's masterpieces (IMHO) - Strange Weather!

Happy 19th birthday, Strange Weather!

Freypower

06-23-2011, 07:22 PM

It's his masterpiece but I don't have any more to add to the passionate review I wrote earlier in the thread. I cling to this album, I suppose, for sustenance.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-23-2011, 11:52 PM

HAPPY 19TH ANNIVERSARY TO STRANGE WEATHER!!!

This is indeed Glenn's masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. As I have stated many times before - love it, love it, love it!!! Like Soda and Freypower, I have already done a song-by-song review in this thread, so I won't repeat myself other than to say to anyone who hasn't heard this album that I would encourage you to give it a listen - I'd love to hear others thoughts about it.

Windeagle

07-23-2011, 11:25 PM

I recently bought this CD used after reading about it in this thread. Until then, I didn't own any solo Frey. Back in the day, I was more into Eagles-type guitar rock and didn't care for Glenn's turn toward the R&B vibe.

I must have grown into it, because I was very pleased with what I heard on Strange Weather. I won't do the song-by-song review because others have already done it better than I can. Here are a few of my thoughts:

- Musically, I love pretty much everything on the album. I love how Glenn really knows how to set a mood with music. Blues, R&B, pop, instrumental - each style fits the mood of the song perfectly.

- For the most part, I think the lyrics are thoughtful and clever. Some of the phrasings occasionally feel a little awkward to me, like he was trying to fit too many syllables int a single line. It could be that I just need to listen more to learn the songs better.

- I LOVE how he tells us his thought processes in the liner notes. I found myself Googling "The Stand" and "Anne Rice" to understand the songs better.

- I actually know who Bill McKibben is! I'm a weather junkie and know a little about global warming, so "Long Hot Summer" is kinda special to me.

- Though it's not my favorite song, I think "Delicious" is adorable. As a parent, I can see how his inspiration was probably a sticky toddler putting her fingers in Daddy's mouth. It reminds me of my husband when our kids were small.

- The instrumentals, including the opening of "River of Dreams", are exquisite. I want a whole CD of Frey instrumentals.

That's all I have for now. Thank you all for introducing me to Strange Weather.

Koala

07-24-2011, 02:15 AM

I'm very late here but............. Happy anniversary Strange Weather!

This is the best solo album from Glenn!!!

Ive always been a dreamer

07-24-2011, 10:44 AM

Thanks Windeagle - In case you didn't pick it up in this thread, I absolutely love this album. :wink: So, as a fellow admirer, I really enjoyed reading your comments about it. For me, the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate it! :thumbsup:

sodascouts

07-24-2011, 05:15 PM

Thanks for the comments, Windeagle - it really is a great album! So glad you got it!

Freypower

07-24-2011, 07:25 PM

So are we going to have the 'ratings' thing as we did for Tell Me The Truth?

The instrumentals thing: I think Glenn has shown that he could do a whole soundtrack featuring just music. IDTWNW is another example of his skill in this area. I honestly believe that much as I love his voice I could listen to him just doing instrumentals (the Mark Knopfler thing applies here).

Windeagle

07-25-2011, 10:28 AM

Ooo... now I'm imagining what a Frey-Knopfler instrumental collaboration would sound like. I'm sure it would be like going to heaven.

Ive always been a dreamer

07-25-2011, 06:03 PM

So are we going to have the 'ratings' thing as we did for Tell Me The Truth?

FP - We'll have to see how it goes, but most likely we will. It'll probably be a while though because there are others to be done first. :)

Freypower

07-25-2011, 06:31 PM

Ooo... now I'm imagining what a Frey-Knopfler instrumental collaboration would sound like. I'm sure it would be like going to heaven.

If you are a fan of Mark Knopfler, welcome to my world. It's my belief that IDTWNW had to have been influenced by MK.

Freypower

07-25-2011, 06:41 PM

FP - We'll have to see how it goes, but most likely we will. It'll probably be a while though because there are others to be done first. :)

I'm not bothered, but if this was the next anniversary, isn't it next on the list? What criteria are you using?

Ive always been a dreamer

07-25-2011, 06:44 PM

No - Strange Weather just had an anniversary in June.

Freypower

07-25-2011, 07:12 PM

No - Strange Weather just had an anniversary in June.

So it did; I should have looked further back in the thread. :brickwall:

sodascouts

07-28-2011, 12:36 PM

We may not be doing it officially now, but I think it's pretty safe to say Part of Me, Part of You has a good chance of winning!

Ive always been a dreamer

07-29-2011, 10:03 AM

Wow - That guess is really showing your wild side, Soda. You are quite the little risk-taker, aren't you!
:lol: :lol:

whitcap

06-23-2012, 01:44 AM

Glenn's album "Strange Weather" was released 20 years ago today!

VAisForEagleLovers

06-23-2012, 01:57 AM

Wow. Seems like it was just a few years ago. Thanks for the reminder, WC!

GlennLover

06-23-2012, 01:07 PM

My (now) second favorite Glenn solo album! :nod:

Freypower

06-23-2012, 06:22 PM

So here's our chance to rate this album. Oh dear. I can do the first song but.... I've never done this before. If I rate the instrumentals last, it is no disrespect to them, I must emphasise that.

1. Part Of Me, Part Of You
2. A Walk In The Dark
3. River Of Dreams
4. Strange Weather
5. He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan)
6. Before The Ship Goes Down
7. Long Hot Summer
8. Love In the 21st Century
9. Brave New World
10. I've Got Mine
11. Delicious
12. Big Life
13. Rising Sun
14. Agua Tranquillo
15. Silent Spring

Despite this, I love every second of it.

Windeagle

06-24-2012, 12:51 PM

I've been waiting for this one to come around. It holds a special place with me because it was the first of many musical acquisitions I made based on recommendations from fellow Borderers.

I thoroughly enjoy Strange Weather and it holds a permanent place in my car stereo. Here's my ranked list and a few more comments after a year of happy listening:

1. Part Of Me, Part Of You - What can you say? This is classic. Great marriage of music, lyrics and message.

2. Long Hot Summer - It's bluesy and hot. "You can feel the temperature rise". Darn right you can! That talkbox guitar really does bring the heat right up from the sidewalk. The best part is I feel like an insider. I work for a non-profit that addresses global warming issues. This song came out 7 years before my organization was even around and is dedicated to Bill McKibben, a pioneer in the field.

3. He Took Advantage - I've said it before. Glenn can play the blues as well as anyone out there. The guitar in this song kills me every time. It's raw and scathing! In my dream world, Glenn's next project would be to do with the blues what he did with classic love songs on After Hours. I doubt he ever would, but man, I'd be all over that project.

4. Strange Weather - I love listening to this album in the context of where Glenn was in his life when he wrote it. Newly married, first-time parent and survivor of some major health issues. Strange weather indeed. The fact that it was dedicated to his parents and some other couple (Cindy's or Jack's parents, perhaps?) makes me wonder if he was looking at some argument with Cindy and thinking, hey, our folks got through worse than this. Somehow we'll survive too. As a partner in a long-time marriage myself, I find the commitment expressed in this song incredibly inspiring.

5. Before the Ship Goes Down - More blues. I like it. Again, I often consider this song in the context of Glenn's life at the time.

6. Brave New World - Makes me want to go read Stephen King. I love the Springsteen-esque growls at the end. Don't you just love a guy who can both growl like that and sing tenderly too?

7. River of Dreams - The instrumental intro blows me away. I see a winter's night, the camera panning from a wide outdoor shot, snowy mountains in the background, to a warm window, a fire in the fireplace, glasses of wine on the coffee table, and the couple cuddling on the couch. How can he possibly paint such a picture in a few bars of music? This is why I love Glenn's instrumentals. He can DO that! Anyway, the rest of the song is pretty too. I love the music mostly. The lyrics are nice but the phrasing sometimes sounds a little rushed to me - too many syllables in too little time. I know some people like that, but it's never quite clicked with me.

8. A Walk in the Dark - My, this is a steamy song. I love the moodiness of it, and his imagery is gorgeous.

9. Silent Spring - Another beautiful instrumental. Sigh!

10. I've Got Mine - Glenn took a lot of heat for this song, but I don't get it. It's not like he was born with money. He worked his butt off to get what he has and I'm sure he remembers being on the other side. He gives back but because he's quiet about it, he gets knocked for commenting on it in a song. Leave the guy alone! It's a great song, and perhaps even more relevant today than it was when it was written.

11. Love In the 21st Century - Love the music, but the lyrics make me a little squeamish. There's some pretty hot guitar in this one. Go Glenn!

12. Rising Sun - Also a pretty instrumental. I can see the sun rising on the canyon walls.

13. Delicious - I've mentioned in a previous comment that, based on the dedication, I'll bet his inspiration for this song was a playful toddler Taylor sticking her popsicle-coated fingers in her daddy's mouth. It's clever and VERY mischievous how he took that theme and added enough innuendo to make people go "Oh!" If you think about it, he doesn't actually say anything off-color. He just makes you think he did. I'm not a fan of the falsetto, but maybe he used it to keep the song tongue-in-cheek. More great guitar in this song keeps it tolerable for me.

14. Agua Tranquillo - My least favorite of the instrumentals. It's ok, but not stellar.

15. Big Life - I'm not a big fan of this one. I get the humor and it's fun to see him poking at his former lifestyle, but the joke kind of gets old by the end and the music doesn't save this one.

Ok, that's a little long-winded, but like I said, I've had a year to think about it!

Ive always been a dreamer

06-24-2012, 02:15 PM

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY TO STRANGE WEATHER!!!

Wow - what a milestone. Hard to believe that it's been 20 years since Glenn's masterpiece was released. I'm a day late with my congratulations, but, that doesn't detract from the fact that this is one of my alltime favorite albums by anyone! I know, I've said it before, but I absolutely adore this album. WE, I loved reading your review, and I totally agree with you that Glenn should do a blues album. The fans of this album may differ a little in the order that we like the songs, but we seem to be on the same page about the overall excellence of the album. As always, I encourage anyone who hasn't heard this album to give it a listen.

I have already done a song-by-song review earlier in this thread, so I'll just repeat the order of my favorites here ...

1. Part of Me, Part of You
2. River of Dreams
3. I've Got Mine
4. Before the Ship Goes Down
5. He Took Advantage [Blues for Ronald Reagan]
6. Long Hot Summer
7. Big Life
8. Love in the 21st Century
9. Brave New World
10. Silent Spring
11. Agua Tranquillo
12. Delicious
13. A Walk in the Dark
14. Strange Weather
15. Rising Sun

GlennLover

06-24-2012, 02:16 PM

Thanks for your review, VA! I enjoyed reading your views on this album & I agree with a lot of them.:nod:

Have you seen the video of "River of Dreams" that co stars Cindy? :smitten:I was wondering because you said that it you cans see a winter scene when you listen to this & the video takes place in the summer. If you haven't seen it you're in for a treat. Glenn is always saying that if you write well enough people can take many meanings from it.

Oh, you were about the dedication on "Strange Weather". Linda & Gerry are Cindy's parents.

Windeagle

06-24-2012, 03:04 PM

GlennLover

06-25-2012, 01:22 PM

I got the winter image the first time I heard the song. I saw the video later and I absolutely adore it, but the winter image stuck in my mind.

Funny how our first images seem to stick, even though we see ths videos over & over. That has happened to me with a few songs too. :-)

UndertheWire

09-09-2013, 08:51 AM

Freypower

09-09-2013, 07:07 PM

I recently bought the CD and I'm gradually absorbing it. I like it a lot more than I expected.

Today's song was "A walk in the dark" which I like a lot but it seemed a little odd. It's a slow, moody song with an aching loneliness. At first, I thought it was someone in an established relationship trying to instill a little romance but that's overturned by the last line when it switches to third person: "He dreams of love, one night of love". So they're not lovers and he's only after one night. In the dark. In a park with noone around. Cold chill - a stalker? The CD booklet dedicates it to Anne Rice. Is this Anne Rice, writer of erotic vampire books? A vampire stalker?

Yes, it is that Anne Rice. I have never read any of her books & I therefore cannot comment on them.

With respect, I think you have overanalysed the shift to third person at the end. I don't think this overturns the rest of the lyric at all, although I have always wondered why it occurs. The song is exquisite. The lovers are so close to each other & the singing is so passionate during the 'this is the way I want to dance with you' part that I can't believe it could only be a one night stand.

I tend to think that 'he dreams of love/one night of love' just adds an extra dimension to the 'dreamy' experience. You can dream about yourself in third person. I wish I could explain it better than that.

sodascouts

09-09-2013, 09:56 PM

Hmmmm. I never thought about it that way.... interesting idea, UTW. I just assumed they were two people in a relationship but the dedication to Anne Rice and the switch to third person does add the possibility of an edge to it that I hadn't really considered before.

sodascouts

06-23-2014, 02:20 AM

Happy birthday to Strange Weather!

My favorite of Glenn's solo albums. I adore it!

shunlvswx

06-23-2014, 10:03 PM

Happy 22nd Birthday to Strange Weather.

UndertheWire

06-24-2014, 05:15 PM

Happy Birthday, Strange Weather. Considering that I hadn't heard of you for the first 21 years of your life, you've worked your way into mine - or at least the CD player in my car.

It's in my top 3 Glenn Frey albums but I struggle to narrow it down further. I think there are a few songs on NFA that I like better than any on these, but I can play all of Strange Weather without skipping a track. My favourites are:
Long Hot Summer
He Took Advantage of You (Blues for Ronald Reagan)
A Walk in the Dark

sodascouts

06-24-2014, 05:38 PM

"Part of Me, Part of You" is my favorite Glenn song of all-time. "River of Dreams" and "Brave New World" are my other two faves on the CD. Special mention to "Ain't It Love" - it's only on the Japanese version, but I adore it.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-29-2014, 02:05 PM

It looks like being late with these celebrations is the new normal for me, but I can't let this one slip by ...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY STRANGE WEATHER!!!

Many of you know how much I adore this album. It is not only my favorite Glenn solo album, it is my favorite of all Eagles solo albums - simply a superb piece of work IMHO!!! It'll definitely be playing in my CD player this week. The album is a sleeper, suffering from poor marketing and promotion when it was released. So, if we can play a small part in encouraging folks to give it a listen and in raising awareness, then I'm a happy camper. UTW, so glad you are enjoying it.

Glennhoney

06-29-2014, 06:08 PM

AlreadyGone95

06-15-2015, 02:34 AM

I got a chance to listen to this album in full tonight before bed. My thoughts on the songs:
Ratings: (I use in between numbers if I'm torn)
5 - love it
4-great
3-good
2 - meh
1- sucks

I didn't rate the short instrumentals number wise

Silent Springs- nice instrumental intro

Long Hot Summer 5, perfect song to describe summer here in Georgia. "Alot of Sweat and Misery"- my exact feelings right now. I don't have central A/C, and my bedroom is the hottest room in the house. Not comfortable in 95 F+ weather! I love the music, and the lyrics really hit home for me. Sometimes the heat makes me so agitated that I do want to kill someone! Possibly my favorite song on the album

Strange Weather 4.5 I love the beat, a great song to Follow Long Hot Summer. I love the chimes at the end

Agua Tranquillo cool Spanish instrumental, but a bit out of place, imo.

Love in the 21st Century - Note to anyone who has not heard this song, DO NOT make the mistake I made and watch the video first.... 5, I love it. Having watched several of my family members fail with the "online dating, thing, this song makes a whole lot of sense.This song has been stuck in my head since I watched my Live in Dublin dvd. The video really turned me off of the song at first.

He Took Advantage 4, I love the music, but since I wasn't around when Regan was president, the song doesn't mean much.

River of Dreams- 5, I'm not a romantic person, but this song gets me. I think that the video helps, seeing Glenn and Cindy being a regular couple with hopes, dreams, desires etc. I love the lines "People don't run out of dreams. People just run out of time"... so true! The intro is nice. It's not needed but, I do like it.

I've got Mine- 4.5, I know that some people see Glenn as a hypocrite in some ways for writing this song given how well off he is financially. I don't. Personally, I love the contrast of the poor people's line of thinking vs. a rich person's. I think that Glenn took a page out of Don's book for this one

Rising Sun my least favorite of the instrumentals

Brave New World- 4.5, sounds like my current struggle for independence and my own new world, though I'm by myself in my struggle. I need to find the strength to stand on my own.

Delicious- 3, I do not like the falsetto at all. He sounds like Michael Jackson, imo. The music is what saves this one. My least favorite song on the album, though

A Walk in the Dark 3.5, I love the atmosphere of this song, very r&b like, kind of ominous feel to it.

Before the Ship Goes Down- 4, I'd give it 4.5 if the tempo was a bit faster. That holds the song back, imo. I do like the "live today for tomorrow we might die" attitude. Live life to the fullest!

Big Life -3.5 I almost started singing Sympathy for the Devil because of the first verse! It's a fun comedic song, but nothing special. A definite contrast compared to most of the songs on this album!

POMPOY- 4.5, a choice for the album closer. Beautiful song

Overall, a great album, possibly my favorite of Glenn's solo albums. The worst song is still worthy of a "good" rating.

I'd write more, but it's 2:30 am, and I need sleep! :yawn::zzz:

Funk 50

06-15-2015, 02:54 PM

AlreadyGone95

06-15-2015, 03:44 PM

Thanks for sharing your thoughts AlreadyGone95.

Interesting that you feel a little disengaged by He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan). The Eagles are usually pretty universal. Living through the 80s, I was quite able to identify with He Took Advantage, despite being European. The two occasions, that I can recall, that I've felt a little excluded are; Joe's Anthology CD cover, where he's dressed in a stars and stripes suit, and Henley's, U.S. centric lyrics of Long Road Out Of Eden.

Your possibly, "favorite song on the album" Long Hot Summer was about the disenchantment and tensions of the Reagan/Bush era that culminated in the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, a couple of months after Strange Weather was released.

I think the lyrics to I've Got Mine are cringe-worthy. I don't know where Glenn gets the idea that poor people are morally less reprehensible than rich people. They're just the same but have less money/capital.

Well, I didn't live through the 80s, so I can't understand the sentiment behind the song much. In some ways, I can liken the song to Bush Jr, which is easier for me to identify with.

As for Long Hot Summer, it still rings true. With the Trayvon Martin shooting, Michael Brown shooting, the guy being choked to death in NYC for selling loose cigarettes etc. Most of those events took place in the summertime, and have brung alot of discontent even down here in Georgia, which makes an already hot summer even worse. Heck, even local events do that!

Imo, from my life experiences, less well off people tend to have their priorities more straight. Could Glenn have not been so straightforward with the song? Yes, but the straightforward-ness is part of why I like the song.

ETA: All in all, I'm glad that Glenn tackled some serious issues on this album.

VAisForEagleLovers

06-15-2015, 04:21 PM

I think the lyrics to I've Got Mine are cringe-worthy. I don't know where Glenn gets the idea that poor people are morally less reprehensible than rich people. They're just the same but have less money/capital.

F50, I'm surprised you came up with that. I've never given it much thought. I do know that many are taught to believe that the more you are given, more that is expected from you. "To whom much is given, much is expected." (Luke 12:48 ). Whether one studies the Bible or not, it's one of those concepts that has pervaded our culture. However, I do agree that there are reprehensible poor people (as well as in the group in between).

I imagine that when this was written, Glenn had more contact with the wealthy people, and I can just imagine the things he saw and heard. Of course, he also, towards the end of the song, admitted that he could do better himself. I imagine we all can.

ETA: I thought about this on the way home. I heard this stat recently, so it wasn't around when the song was written, but I imagine things weren't that different back then. I can't remember the exact percentage and the exact buckets, because my mind was so completely blown by the end of it. The 'poor' in the US donate a lot more, I can't remember the %, but it was over 5%. Wealthy people in this country average a whopping 1% donation to charity/helping others. Reading that blew everything that preceded it out of my mind. It's an average and of course there are wealthy people who donate a lot more, there are poor people who donate less, but it's an idea of the moral malnutrition Glenn sang about.

AlreadyGone95

06-15-2015, 06:11 PM

I want to expand on my earlier post now that I have more time to do so. Here's a personal anecdote my childhood:

I grew up in a very poor, rural area (still live here, actually). I went to the local public school. I was looked down upon my the more wealthier people around because of that. "She's white... why is she going to the poor "black" school?". I heard that so much. The school was 99% black. Truth be told, my parents couldn't afford to send me out of county for school. Even some of the kids and adults at my church did this. I would mention my school and it would be like I'd taken the Lord's name in vain.

The point that I'm trying to make is that because I went to public schools, some of the white people who know my family, treated us like we were inferior to them. I was one of the best students in my class, but my accomplishments didn't mean anything because my school was poor and subpar. They would stick their noses up at usm. My dad worked his butt off to support his family, and it wasn't good enough for those people. We were never in danger of starvation or homelessness(my parents inherited our land). My mom has several times "you want Kim to go to a better school? You pay for it cause I can't".

Now here's the catch. Those same people who couldn't stand the fact that I wasn't sent to "a good school", refused to do anything to help out the poor school. They thought "oh well, my daughter's going to a nice private school. That's what matters". Anytime we'd have a fundraiser for my school, no one cared, except for the parents whose kids went to my school. It was like 80% of the county completely turned their backs on us. Most of them complained " why the heck is some of my tax money(property tax) going to that school?" It never ceased to amaze me at how someone could complain about the school, but also complain about their taxes going to help the school. (Really, the taxes are what keeps the school running )

Money isn't the only charitable thing. You can donate your time, for example.
One time the elementary school decided to have a clothing drive to help the parents out who couldn't afford school uniforms(only the elementary school had uniforms, polos/khaki or navy shorts/pants). Again, it was almost failure. Very few people cared.

Ok, now on the flip side, most (not all) of the poorer people of the county gave whatever they could. If it wasn't money, it was time or clothing or school supplies (which were always needed).

Experiences like my schooling are what I based my above opinion on.
I hope that I made sense and that my point was pretty clear. I'm not feeling too well at the moment.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-15-2015, 10:47 PM

Glad you like this album, AG. I'm one that also happens to think even the weakest songs are really good - in other words, there ain't no weak ones, IMHO.u

With regard to I've Got Mine, I agree with with you and VA. I think it is a really good commentary on social injustice, which truly does exist, at least it does in this country. I think it's safe to say Glenn has been around a lot more rich people than I have, so I believe he's commenting on what he's observed in general. I am copying some comments he has previously made regarding the song from one of Soda's earlier posts in this thread ...

"I'll be the first person to tell you that it's a lot easier to think about the world's problems when you've got money in the bank, can put food on the table and you're not worried about where your next paycheck is comin' from. [...] It just became apparent to me that, although I know a lot of people who are committed to many charitable causes, there are also really a lot of people out there who are committed more to running their personal empires and don't really care enough about other people." (Los Angeles Times 1992)

"People thought I was hypocritical for writing a song about the haves & have nots. Hey - it's just a song." (San Diego 1992)

"Rich people don't give a damn. Nine out of ten don't care - and it bugs the shit out of us. [...] It's amazing how the world is such a wonderful place once you get your first million." (Washington DC 1993)

AlreadyGone95

06-16-2015, 11:59 AM

Thanks for posting those comments, Dreamer! I agree that Glenn has been around more rich people than we "commoners" ever will.

I came across an interview last night that Glenn did for the Chicago Tribune back in 1992. He was talking about being a counselor for the project where they took inner city kids and took them to Aspen for a week (I forget the name). He really sounded like he enjoyed doing it, giving back and helping others, particularly kids. (Here's the article in case anyone wants to read it ( http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-02-26/features/9201180550_1_grassroots-aspen-experience-strange-weather-eagle-lands)

I'm glad that Glenn went a little out there and didn't play it safe on this album. I wish that he would've done that more often!

VAisForEagleLovers

06-16-2015, 03:30 PM

One of my favorite quotes from Glenn is "God likes a quiet giver." Or something to that effect. While I like that our guys don't beat their chests with 'look how great I am' and tell the world how much they donate, I do like little articles like this that at least mention it. There's a difference between pontificating oneself and leading others by example. Don is another great example, while I'm sure he's donated a lot of money to Walden Woods, for the most part all we see is the time he puts into it, and using his time to encourage others to donate.

In my opinion people, rich or not, who don't take what they have for granted, or even worse, think they're entitled to it, are the ones who make sure they give something back. The ones who do take it for granted, or think it's something they're owed because of who they are, those are the ones who think "I've Got Mine"

AlreadyGone95

06-19-2015, 03:23 PM

VA, I agree with everything you said. (I would've responded sooner, but somehow I missed your post)m I love to hear about the guys donating their time and money to good and worthy causes. It makes me love that even more! The way Glenn goes about it, makes him seem so humble and thankful for the good fortune that has come his way(the same with Don).

I've had Long Hot Summer stuck in my head ever since I heard about the Charleston church shooting. It's made think about that song and all of the tensions in the states, which alway seem to escalate during the summer.

VAisForEagleLovers

06-23-2015, 07:52 AM

23 years ago today!!!

sodascouts

06-23-2015, 11:24 AM

A masterpiece! Time to give it another listen in honor of its birthday!

AlreadyGone95

06-23-2015, 11:49 AM

I've listened to the album a couple of times since I posted my initial thoughts. It's becoming a favorite very quickly. Here's my ranking list:

1. Long Hot Summer
2. Love in the 21st Century
3. River of Dreams
4. I've got Mine
5. POMPOY
6. Brave New World
7. Strange Weather
8. Silent Spring
9. Before the Ship Goes Down
10. He Took Advantage
11. A Walk in the Dark
13. Agua Tranquillo
14. Rising Sun
15. Delicious

I'll probably play it again later this afternoon.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-27-2015, 03:14 PM

To my beloved favorite solo album, a belated ...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO STRANGE WEATHER!!!

I haven't listened to it for a while, so I'm going to rectify that this week. :thumbsup:

Brooke

06-30-2015, 02:08 PM

I gave it a listen last week. All I can say is I just don't care for his songs in falsetto. He has a gorgeous voice normally, why do this? It's not just Glenn's falsetto, anyone's really. That's just me.

Favorites are Part of Me, Part of You, River of Dreams, and I've Got Mine.

AlreadyGone95

06-30-2015, 02:49 PM

I gave it a listen last week. All I can say is I just don't care for his songs in falsetto. He has a gorgeous voice normally, why do this? It's not just Glenn's falsetto, anyone's really. That's just me.

Brooke, I agree with you 100%. I don't like anyone singing in a falsetto voice.

UndertheWire

06-30-2015, 03:51 PM

My favourites

Long, Hot Summer
He Took Advantage of Her (Blues for Ronald Reagan)
A Walk in the Dark
Brave New World

I also like
Strange Weather (musically a bit predictable)
Part of Me, Part of You
When the Ship Goes Down
I've Got Mine

I'm less enthusiastic, but don't mind
Love in the 21st Century
Delicious
Big Life

The instrumentals are ok but I tend to view them more as extended intros to the songs that follow.

I don't mind the falsetto, but "True Love" is the only one of his falsetto songs that I love.

Freypower

06-30-2015, 07:14 PM

UndertheWire

07-01-2015, 07:04 AM

He doesn't sing True Love in falsetto. :?:
Which may explain why I like it! I could have sworn it was, at least in part, sung in falsetto, but maybe that's just the "oohs".

shunlvswx

06-23-2016, 10:06 AM

Happy 24th Birthday to Strange Weather.

This is my second favorite album of Glenn's.

My favorite songs:
1. River of Dreams(I just love the video of Glenn and Cindy having fun and great lyrics)
2. Part Of Me, Part of You
3. I've Got Mine
4. Brave New World
5. Strange Weather

AlreadyGone95

06-23-2016, 10:40 AM

Happy 24th anniversary to Strange Weather!

It's my favorite album of Glenn's. I love that he had so many serious songs on this album.

My favorites:
Long Hot Summer
I've Got Mine
Love in the 21st Century
Strange Weather
River of Dreams
Part of Me, Part of You

buffyfan145

06-23-2016, 11:09 AM

Happy 24th to "Strange Weather"!!! :D I love so many of the songs on this album too.

sodascouts

06-23-2016, 09:36 PM

This is my favorite Glenn Frey album. I think it's an absolute masterpiece. My favorite song of his, "Part of Me, Part of You" is on this album, and that song just speaks to my soul.

LuvTim

06-24-2016, 12:51 AM

Absolutely terrific album. :heart:

jane02

06-24-2016, 06:47 AM

This is my favorite Glenn Frey album. I think it's an absolute masterpiece. My favorite song of his, "Part of Me, Part of You" is on this album, and that song just speaks to my soul.
I agree - my favourite as well.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-26-2016, 02:33 PM

GlennLover

06-26-2016, 07:02 PM

chaim

07-02-2016, 01:30 PM

A stunning album. Although sometimes I like Glenn more musically than lyrically. Perhaps some of this stuff could have been better lyrically if Henley had been there to bring some "edge". (But perhaps I could also say that some of Henley's solo stuff could have been better musically if Glenn had been there.)

Musically this album is almost perfect. The only negative thing that comes to mind right now is that on the latter part of the album some of the rockier songs start to sound a bit similar. Having said that I don't know which one of the rock songs I would have left off the album.

Ive always been a dreamer

07-02-2016, 02:02 PM

Toni - I see your point here, but here's where I differ with you. I personally don't think the lyrics on these songs need any more of an 'edge'. To me, what I appreciate most about them is that are so cinematic without coming across as rants. They range from painting beautiful imagery to scathing chastisements and a lot of just about everything in between. There are too many adjectives to list to describe them, but I tried to emphasize that when I reviewed the album song-by-song earlier in this this thread. As I said, I appreciate the way Glenn manages, at times, to tell someone off and they don’t even realize what hit ‘em. :lol: I personally think he and Jack made some excellent choices here, which get his messages across very effectively. As much as I love Don, his lyrics can sometimes be harsh and his delivery heavy-handed, which can make him come across as 'preachy'. JMHO

sodascouts

07-03-2016, 09:05 PM

I have to agree with Dreamer here. A truly amazing album.

UndertheWire

07-04-2016, 05:37 AM

I think the lyrics on this are a lot stronger and more thoughtful than on Glenn's previous albums. He shows that he and Jack Temchin can write more than just love songs. Of course, critics were going to complain whatever they wrote. The other big difference with this album is that Glenn had more of a musical collaborator with Jay Oliver. For his first three albums, he wrote songs - lyrics and melody - with Jack Tempchin but the rest of the arrangement and music seems to have been Glenn with occasional input from musicians like Hawk Wolinski (who usually got a credit). Strange Weather has a different sound - lots of keyboards and synthesizers and that fits with Jay Oliver's strengths.

Annoying Twit

07-04-2016, 09:35 AM

I think this is a strong album overall, but it needed some more hits. True Love went to No. 13., notable that nothing here got into the top 40.

My favourite here is 'Before the Shop Goes Down'.

Freypower

07-04-2016, 06:21 PM

I think this is a strong album overall, but it needed some more hits. True Love went to No. 13., notable that nothing here got into the top 40.

My favourite here is 'Before the Shop Goes Down'.

It wasn't a success. But that doesn't matter. An album does not need to sell millions of copies to be great, and this is Glenn's finest hour. It wasn't Glenn's fault that it had 'no hits'.

UndertheWire

07-05-2016, 04:29 AM

Annoying Twit

07-05-2016, 09:03 AM

It wasn't a success. But that doesn't matter. An album does not need to sell millions of copies to be great, and this is Glenn's finest hour. It wasn't Glenn's fault that it had 'no hits'.

It may well be that the audience had moved on a bit. That happens. There are lots of older artists not making the charts who are releasing records equally as good as the ones that charted when they were of the moment.

Freypower

07-05-2016, 06:32 PM

I'd like to know why it wasn't a success, but assume it was a matter of timing and promotion. I know he went out on the road to promote it but the tour didn't sell well and he added Joe. He also appeared on tv shows. Part of the problem may have been image - his look was more cabaret than rock - and being in his forties in a business that valued youth.

He didn't add Joe to the SW tour. The Party of Two tour was done after the failure of South Of Sunset.

I also think it's a bit unfair to blame his image given that he started wearing suits as soon as he went solo.

But as for the acting (which I assume is what you mean by 'appeared on TV shows' did it help or hinder? Probably the latter. Perhaps that is another topic. I know at the time I was living through this, I wondered what purpose the acting served.

chaim

07-05-2016, 10:11 PM

When I wrote my comment about lyrics I was thinking of River Of Dreams. There are lyrics I love on this album, but on that one it goes to far in the "I would give you the sun from the sky" area IMO. I checked the songlist and there aren't more lyrics on the album like that. So I guess I was exaggerating.

I mentioned Henley, but there are some lyrics I love on this album that Henley would never write. Lines like "you know, you can talk to me". I love when someone says something like that in a song.

UndertheWire

07-06-2016, 03:37 AM

He didn't add Joe to the SW tour. The Party of Two tour was done after the failure of South Of Sunset.

I also think it's a bit unfair to blame his image given that he started wearing suits as soon as he went solo.

But as for the acting (which I assume is what you mean by 'appeared on TV shows' did it help or hinder? Probably the latter. Perhaps that is another topic. I know at the time I was living through this, I wondered what purpose the acting served.
There's a difference between his look in 1982-86 and 1992-93. The first was just a white suit, whereas in the 90s it was more like stage clothes.

By "TV appearances" I meant appearing as the musical guest on late night shows, which is a standard way of promoting music. I've seen clips, so I know he did this, though I couldn't tell you when.

Party of Two came before the failure of South of Sunset. Based on setlist.fm, he did a solo tour to promote Strange Weather from June to December 1992. In January 1993, he did the Superbowl tailgate party that led to his casting in South of Sunset. It's possible he filmed the pilot before embarking on the Party of Two tour which ran from March to July 1993. SoS was still filming early episodes when it was aired and failed in October 1993.

As for why he did SoS, according to interviews from the time, it gave him an opportunity to work in LA rather than being out on the road away from his family. No doubt, he liked the idea of being the lead of a TV show.

My evidence for the relative failure of the solo tour comes from two people. The first is David Spero who was Joe's manager and suggested that 1+1=3. He cites a show of Glenn's that wasn't selling well but after they added Joe, it sold out. The second is someone who opened for Glenn on the solo tour (I've forgotten his name and can't remember where I read it so if anyone can find it, I'd be delighted) and said about how they were having to switch to smaller halls. He said something about learning from Glenn because Glenn gave it everything even if the hall was half-empty.

I'm not trying to put Glenn down. It was the case of a good artist being unable to find a market. He knew from his experience with The Allnighter that TV could help (that album wasn't doing too well until it got a boost from Miami Vice and Beverley Hills Cop).

Funk 50

07-06-2016, 08:04 AM

I'd like to know why it wasn't a success, but assume it was a matter of timing and promotion. I know he went out on the road to promote it but the tour didn't sell well and he added Joe. He also appeared on tv shows. Part of the problem may have been image - his look was more cabaret than rock - and being in his forties in a business that valued youth.

After all the good will rock stars received for Band Aid and Live Aid in the mid eighties, the press were starting to turn on the rock superstars that seemed to do very well financially out of their globally publicised 80s charitable work.

Phil Collins was just awesome in the 80s, he couldn't put a foot wrong but by 1989 he was answering criticism for monster hit, Another Day In Paradise. How could he write a song about being homeless?

A year or two later, Glenn's firsts Strange Weather single, I've Got Mine hits the same territory. Back catalogs are becoming more interesting than new material, MTV has turned the music industry into a visual medium.

Strange Weather came out at a bad time. It's an album I enjoyed listening to though.

Freypower

07-06-2016, 06:12 PM

There's a difference between his look in 1982-86 and 1992-93. The first was just a white suit, whereas in the 90s it was more like stage clothes.

By "TV appearances" I meant appearing as the musical guest on late night shows, which is a standard way of promoting music. I've seen clips, so I know he did this, though I couldn't tell you when.

Party of Two came before the failure of South of Sunset. Based on setlist.fm, he did a solo tour to promote Strange Weather from June to December 1992. In January 1993, he did the Superbowl tailgate party that led to his casting in South of Sunset. It's possible he filmed the pilot before embarking on the Party of Two tour which ran from March to July 1993. SoS was still filming early episodes when it was aired and failed in October 1993.

As for why he did SoS, according to interviews from the time, it gave him an opportunity to work in LA rather than being out on the road away from his family. No doubt, he liked the idea of being the lead of a TV show.

My evidence for the relative failure of the solo tour comes from two people. The first is David Spero who was Joe's manager and suggested that 1+1=3. He cites a show of Glenn's that wasn't selling well but after they added Joe, it sold out. The second is someone who opened for Glenn on the solo tour (I've forgotten his name and can't remember where I read it so if anyone can find it, I'd be delighted) and said about how they were having to switch to smaller halls. He said something about learning from Glenn because Glenn gave it everything even if the hall was half-empty.

I'm not trying to put Glenn down. It was the case of a good artist being unable to find a market. He knew from his experience with The Allnighter that TV could help (that album wasn't doing too well until it got a boost from Miami Vice and Beverley Hills Cop).

I don't understand this. They were suits. :confused: The suits he was wearing then were far easier on the eye than the awful pink & pale blue things he wore on the Eagles 2001 tour.

I saw those TV appearances. Henley did the same thing. They worked for him, but not for Glenn.

I didn't disagree on the failure of the SW tour, but I wasn't aware that SOS was still being filmed after POT started. I thought he had heard POT was cancelled & then thought 'right, I'd better go back on the road, and I'll take Joe this time - because Joe needs help'.

sodascouts

07-10-2016, 01:43 PM

Strange Weather does contain more thoughtful lyrics and contains some of his highest quality material (my personal favorite is "Part of Me, Part of You") but I was a teenager when it was released and I never heard a song from it on the radio. Instead, I heard bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Glenn was no longer part of the mainstream sound. As a solo act, he didn't get played on the classic rock stations either, something which helped new albums from acts like Genesis sell. It's no reflection on him. Even Don Henley never had a hit after 1989.

shunlvswx

06-23-2017, 11:51 AM

Happy 25th Birthday to Strange Weather. My favorite album by Glenn.

sodascouts

06-28-2017, 10:05 AM

His masterpiece. I wish I'd been a fan back then - I only heard it for the first time more than a decade after its release. I would've loved to have seen it live when it was brand new.

Funk 50

06-30-2017, 02:08 PM

I've always loved the Strange Weather album with the short in-between track, instrumentals and the songs with extended intros and outtros.

It became clear in the 80s that one of the points of friction between Glenn and Don, in the Eagles, was the subject matter of songs. Henley wanted to be more political, Glenn resisted it. Strange Weather was when Glenn started to express a social conscious. It was great to hear He Took Advantage (Blues For Ronald Reagan) after he'd earlier released Better In The USA.

A couple of years later, Glenn and Don co-wrote out Get Over It and it looked like a new dawn for the song writing team but just as it had been since Hotel California, if Henley co-wrote a song, Henley expected to be lead singer (With What Do I Do With My Heart and Do Something being the honorable exceptions). Glenn left the preaching to Don and kept the issues in his songs focused on a personal level.

I think Glenn got the balance just about right in Strange Weather.

UndertheWire

06-30-2017, 02:36 PM

This is OT, but following on to Funk's comment above, I believe "What Do I Do With My Heart" is the only joint credit where Glenn is listed first. I believe that's making the point that it was primarily Glenn's song.

Back to Strange Weather, I like the album a lot, but there isn't one track that jumps out at me the way that happens on Glenn's other albums.

sodascouts

06-30-2017, 04:18 PM

Really? I think "Part of Me, Part of You" is one of, if not THE, best solo songs he ever wrote.

UndertheWire

07-02-2017, 06:43 AM

Really? I think "Part of Me, Part of You" is one of, if not THE, best solo songs he ever wrote.
There are at least four songs on the album that I like better - Long Hot Summer, Brave New World, A Walk in the Dar, He Took Advantage of You. My preference is based on the music rather than the words, as I agree that that the lyrics of Part of Me, Part of You are amongst his best.

Ive always been a dreamer

07-08-2017, 01:19 PM

Happy belated anniversary to my favorite Eagles solo album.

Back to Strange Weather, I like the album a lot, but there isn't one track that jumps out at me the way that happens on Glenn's other albums.

There isn't one track that necessarily jumps out at me either, UTW, but that's because they are all outstanding, IMHO. There are some songs that I like a little more than others, but, for me, there's not a bad one on the entire album - superb quality from start to finish! :applause:

chaim

10-08-2017, 01:26 PM

One of us must correct this at some point (I'm too lazy right now). He sure played more on the album than "acoustic guitar". :-? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Weather_(Glenn_Frey_album)

UndertheWire

10-08-2017, 02:17 PM

From the liner notes (courtesy of sodascouts):

All instruments played and programmed by Glenn Frey and Jay Oliver.
Horns: The Heart Attack Horns
Baritone Sax: Greg Smith
Tenor Sax: Bill Bergman
Trumpet: John Berry
Trumpet: Roy Wiegand
Arranged by Greg Smith and Glenn Frey
Sax solo on "River of Dreams": Al Garth
Sax solo on "I've Got Mine": Chris Mostert
Additional percussion: Lenny Castro
Additional keyboards: Robby Kilgore
Additional programming: Mike Harlow
Background vocalists: Glenn Frey, Rosemary Butler, Valerie Carter and Robert Martin
Band Credits for "Part of Me, Part of You":
Drums: Kenny Aronoff
Bass; J erry Scheff
Guitar: Mark Goldenberg
Organ: Ben Tench
Piano: Scott Thurston
Acoustic Guitar: Glenn Frey
Additional Keyboards: Jay Oliver

The specific credit for accoustic guitar was for one song.

New Kid In Town

10-08-2017, 06:30 PM

UTW - Thanks - I was looking for my cd. I thought Glenn played all the instruments on the album. I remember being surprised that he played drums and some of the other instruments I never knew or saw him play.

chaim

10-08-2017, 10:26 PM

From the liner notes (courtesy of sodascouts):

The specific credit for accoustic guitar was for one song.

Yeah, I think that credit was for POMPOY. But on Wikipedia it says that all he played on the whole album was acoustic guitar. As far as I know he played all the guitars except perhaps some on POMPOY. He played all the guitar solos on the album, but according to Wikipedia he only played acoustic. I will add at least electric guitar at some point, but he must have played some bass and keyboards too. However, when I added "harmony guitars" for Glenn to his OOTN (the song) credit on Wikipedia, someone took it away immediately. It's even mentioned in one of the Eagles books.

sodascouts

10-10-2017, 10:16 PM

Ugh, this is why I tell my students not to use Wikipedia as a reference. Some self-appointed expert is "correcting" incorrectly.

sodascouts

06-23-2018, 02:16 PM

Happy birthday to Strange Weather!

It turns 26 today!

Glenn's masterpiece!

FreyFollower

06-24-2018, 11:39 AM

Love "Strange Weather"! Personal favorites are "River of Dreams" and "Part of Me, Part of You". Gorgeous!
Happy 26th!

Pippinwhite

06-25-2018, 09:49 AM

I love "A Walk in the Dark". Sigh.....
:smitten:

shunlvswx

06-25-2018, 09:51 AM

Happy Belated 26 Birthday to Strange Weather.

Ive always been a dreamer

07-01-2018, 05:05 PM

Well - I'm a little late to the party, but ...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO STRANGE WEATHER!!!

As I have proclaimed many times throughout this thread, I adore this brilliant album! I happen to think it is the best solo album released by any of the band members - so strong from start to finish. Just wish more people were aware of it.

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

I was browsing through this thread earlier today and my comment that I made when I did a song-by-song review of the album caught my attention:

Before the Ship Goes Down (5) – Okay – this may be getting repetitious, but I love everything about this rockin’ song, too. What a wonderful commentary on mortality here. Loving the way he plans to check out – all summed up perfectly in the final verse …

“If somebody told you this was your last night
Wouldn't you want somebody to treat you right
Throw you a party, take you for a ride downtown
And be with all your old friends
Before the ship goes down
Just love me one more time
Before the ship goes down”

Wow! Those comments brought tears to my eyes knowing that Glenn's wishes were not to be. So very sad! :cry:

New Kid In Town

07-01-2018, 11:19 PM

I love this album too, and think it was Glenn's best of them all. It is too bad it never got the publicity and recognition it deserved.

sodascouts

07-03-2018, 12:36 PM

Wow! Those comments brought tears to my eyes knowing that Glenn's wishes were not to be. So very sad! :cry:

At least he went out on top in terms of his accomplishments.... the Eagles had just finished a critically acclaimed world tour that touched upon their entire history. He was able to close that book "before the ship [went] down." Small comfort but a comfort nonetheless.

Ive always been a dreamer

06-23-2019, 12:20 PM

HAPPY 27TH ANNIVERSARY TO STRANGE WEATHER!!!

As I've said over and over, this is my favorite of all Eagles solo albums ever ... Just BRILLIANT from start to finish, IMHO.

sodascouts

06-25-2019, 12:04 PM

This album is really incredible. It holds my favorite song of Glenn's, and one that always moves me emotionally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmolOw2WUCg