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Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2009, 12:35 PM
Today In Eagles History says that this is the 21st anniversary of the release of Glenn's Soul Searchin' album. Although I don't consider this to be Glenn's best solo work, I still think it is a pretty good album. For me, the standouts on the album are the title track and True Love. I will rate the songs as I usually do, and as usual for me, I like all the songs. However, I think this album is a bit uneven, and there are actually some songs that I like but don't love.


So, the ones that I absolutely love are:

True Love (amazing vocals here)
Soul Searchin' (just plain love this song!)
Working Man (it rocks - although I love the slow version as well)


The ones that I like a whole lot are:

Can't Put Out the Fire (almost made my "absolutely love" list)
Livin' Right (fun and catchy and one that I bet is among Cindy's favorites)
I Did It For Your Love (The ballads on this album are very pretty, albeit a little bland for my taste. Overall, I just don't think they are as good as the ones on No Fun Aloud.)
Some Kind of Blue (see I Did It For Your Love comment)
It's Your Life (see I Did It For Your Love comment)


The ones that I like:

Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
Two Hearts (not one of his best, but not as bad as Soda is gonna say it is :wink: )

sodascouts
08-08-2009, 01:41 PM
I was just thinking about this in the car yesterday (knowing that the anniversary was coming up). I agree it's no Strange Weather, and that it's uneven, but it has some standout tracks. I'm going to go into more depth about my favorites in another post, but here's the breakdown for me:

My favorites:

I Did It for Your Love - so tragic, so emotively sung!

Some Kind of Blue - along the lines of the above. Poor heartbroken Glenn!

It's Your Life - pretty tune and lovely sentiment.

(More on these in the next post)


The ones I think are very good, but are not my favorites:

True Love - his vocal is very strong - he really belts it out - and I LOVE that full stop that revs back up at the end! I don't like it as much as the ballads because, while his vocal is very well-done, I don't get the same emotional power as I do from the ballads. I'll tell you what, though, the music is great, the vocal is great, there's nothing to dislike. It's just not my fave.

Soul Searchin' - Lovely instrumentation and arrangement, and I especially love the use of a choir. What a good idea - it makes the song go to the spiritual level. Such a great sentiment - "You know you can't change the world, but you can change yourself." My only quibble is the echoing back and forth part which I think goes on a bit too long and thus slows down the song somewhat, but I can understand why he chose to do it that way. It's not even a quibble so much as something that they might have done differently, but the way that he did it works as well... wonderful song.


Good, but not "very good"

Let's Pretend We're Still in Love - I think the tune is very catchy. I especially like the bridge. In fact, that bridge really shoots the song up for me. His vocal there has that feeling I love. It starts off a little slowly but it keeps getting better.

Livin' Right - A bright tune, good use of the horns. It just sounds like a commercial for a gym; no wonder it was used as one!

Workin' Man - This tune is not really bad but it doesn't have the beauty of my favorites nor the catchiness of the stronger tunes. I do appreciate the celebration of the working man sentiment. I find the mournful B-side version (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/WorkingManSlowVersion.mp3)much more effective, though - there's an obvious downside to being a working man as well.


Just OK:

Can't Put Out This Fire - the song overall has a bright tune, which is rather incongruous with the lyrics. However, even if the music is a bit peppy for the lyrics, it's catchy. I like the verses - they seem genuine to me, and I really like how he sings "You know breaking up is harder than it sounds / People leave but love still hangs around." So true! What brings this song down are its choruses. The central metaphor is trite lyrically and honestly the lyrics seem to describe a man who is sexually obsessed when his ex rather than in love! "Love is like a burnin' flame, keeps on getting higher / Every time I think of you, fills me with desire / And I can't put out this fire" - does that sound like "I miss you, baby" or "I miss having sex with you, baby"? Let's just say I don't get the same kind of heartbroken romantic angst as I do from listening to Some Kind of Blue.


Yikes!

Two Hearts - This song has the honor of being my least favorite - by far - of all of Glenn's solo work. The "melody" of the entire verse only has one note hit over and over with a couple notes thrown in at the beginning and end, then they take it up a bit and do it again. Seriously. I play piano at a third grade level, and I could go to a keyboard and bang that out in seconds. The choruses are better but can't save the song, and I don't like the way it ends either. The lyrics are tres lame as well, rhapsodizing about two teenagers running off to knock boots behind their parents' backs a la Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now." I love listening to Glenn sing so much that I can't say I HATE this song... I reserve that sentiment for songs far crappier. Still, I hit "skip" here every time. Did he owe the songwriters a favor?

sodascouts
08-09-2009, 01:03 AM
OK, more on my favorites! They all share a couple commonalities: lovely melody, emotion-laden vocal. But to get into more detail...

I Did It for Your Love
This is my favorite song on the album. It is evocative of those poetically tragic romantic figures, standing on the shore as the wind whips about them and the pouring rain drenches them, brooding, intense, a look of tortured anguish on their face as they long for their lost love - like Darcy after Lizzie rejected him in Pride and Prejudice, like Heathcliff on the moors in Wuthering Heights. A kind of Byronic hero, if you will. Similarly, Glenn's vocal conveys a sense of tragic longing. It has a poignant quality, torn between love and grief. The way he sings "Did everything just to make you smile - somehow I knew it was all worthwhile - 'cause I did it for your love." - it really makes you feel it. The sweeping instrumentation after that part which leads to the bridge gives the song an almost cinematic feeling - the tragic figure brought to life in music just as he is in the movies. Then, at the end of the song, that soft "I did it for your love" - wow. When this song is over, I just sigh.

Some Kind of Blue
This has a pretty melody and I like the use of the saxophone as well the subtle backing vocals (I also like that Timothy is on this track). However, as is often the case with these ballads, what I really love about the song is the vocal. It sounds so sincere and genuine. You really believe this guy is heartbroken. I especially like how he sings "It's out of my hands - you've made other plans - but I'm still in love with you, and I'm still some kind of blue." I also think the use of "some kind of blue" rather than just "I feel blue" is a nice twist that keeps it from being trite. Very effective conveyance of emotion, I believe.

It's Your Life
The sentiment is a rarity among love songs - the guy wants the best for the girl, even if it means she leaves him. He supports her no matter what. That's such a great message - REAL true, unselfish love. Warms my heart. So many great vocal moments: "I just want to say I believe in you"; "When you've had enough, I'll be there for you" - the entire segment from that moment which leads to that last statement: "God knows I love you, but I understand... it's your life." The arrangement - like the strategic addition of the harmonies in certain places for effect - definitely makes things more interesting. The song is kind of different in that you don't really have a chorus per se, just a thematic structural repetition in the melody. I think it works well. It's the last song on the album, and it leaves you with a good feeling.

You know, in order to write this up, I listened to the album a few times today - this morning before tutoring, in the car while I headed to a friend's house for a "movie night," and even now as I'm writing it. Soul Searchin' is not a weak album - it just suffers in comparison to his best work, I think.

Koala
08-09-2009, 02:56 AM
I like the album, but it is not my favorite album from Glenn, that's definitely Strange Weather!

My favorite songs from this album are True Love, Livin´ Right, Soul Searchin´and Some Kind of Blue!

Troubadour
08-09-2009, 05:25 PM
Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin'! I'm afraid I don't own this album, but I do love the title track, and Some Kind Of Blue and True Love are great, too. I must check out Two Hearts... ;)

Soda - your avatar is adorable. Such a cute moment! He looks like he needs a big hug in that video.

Glennsallnighter
08-09-2009, 05:44 PM
I'm going to break with the mould here because believe it or not, Soul Searchin is actually my favourite of Glenn :heart:'s solo albums, albeit with the narrowest of margins from 'Strange Weather'. Yes I know SW is probably musically superior and contains more tracks than SS but there is just something about SS that draws me to it and is often my album of choice if I'm looking for something to listen to say in the car.

My Absolute Favourites
Lets Pretend We're Still in Love - I love this one. Even though the lyrics are relatively simple and straihgtforward, the sentiment is strong and you can hear the pain of anyone who still wants that person in their life. His whispered 'We're still in love' at the end which never fails to send shives down my spine whenever I hear it says it all.

True Love
A catchy energetic song which really builds up in tempo. Its got a real 80's beat to it, particularly when you think he's finished only to hear it start up again. Great for driving.....

Some Kind of Blue
My first hearing of this song was actually watching the video 2 years ago when Soda posted it up on the site. I love it even though its a sad commentary on what could have been. Poor Glenn :heart: he looks and sings like he could do with a big hug.

Of course the other songs come in pretty close here and I'd find it hard to place them in any particular order. There's times I wonder too if the album in some way mirrors Glenn :heart:'s own life. Not chronologically, but I sometimes wonder where the depth of emotion on many of the tracks comes from. Of course I'm only surmising.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOUL SEARCHIN

sodascouts
08-09-2009, 05:48 PM
Some music!

True Love (Live Tokyo 1992)
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/TrueLoveTokyo92.mp3

Livin' Right (Live Tokyo 1992)
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/LivinRightTokyo92.mp3

Some Kind of Blue (Live Royal Oak 2000)
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/SomeKindofBlueRoyalOak2000.mp3

Glennsallnighter
08-09-2009, 05:52 PM
Cool Soda! I have them all but they are always worth another look. Thanks. :hug:

sodascouts
08-09-2009, 06:13 PM
Aren't they! I love the videos from this album! I should add that if you'd like to download them and not depend on YouTube, I've had them up for quite a while on my filmography. You can also find summaries and screenshots:

True Love (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/truelove.htm)
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/truelove.htm)
Livin' Right (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/livinright.htm)
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/livinright.htm)
Soul Searchin' (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/soulsearchin.htm)
(http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/soulsearchin.htm)
Some Kind of Blue (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/somekindofblue.htm)

sodascouts
08-09-2009, 06:46 PM
I'm going to break with the mould here because believe it or not, Soul Searchin is actually my favourite of Glenn :heart:'s solo albums, albeit with the narrowest of margins from 'Strange Weather'. Yes I know SW is probably musically superior and contains more tracks than SS but there is just something about SS that draws me to it and is often my album of choice if I'm looking for something to listen to say in the car.

Just goes to show you it's all subjective. Whatever touches your heart is what's "best"!

Freypower
08-09-2009, 07:34 PM
Well, this is one time where I don't really have that much to add to what Soda and Dreamer said. However, unlike GA I'm afraid I don't think many of these songs carry much emotional weight (this is my least favourite of Glenn's solo albums). I will try and make a few comments but as I say I don't think they will add much.

Livin' Right - the best part of this is watching him sing it without a guitar. I should not say that but such an occurrence is so rare you have to love it. I am very fond of this because I KNOW how personal it is, something I can't say about many of the other songs.

Some Kind Of Blue - this is pleasant but it tends to drift along a bit too much. In my opinion too much of the album is like this.

True Love - Perfect. I don't know what else to say. He 'stole' it from Al Green but it is one of his most passionate performances.

Can't Put Out This Fire - I love the percussion in this song, the vaguely 'Caribbean' feel it has. Because it's so enjoyable musically I tend to forgive the lyrics.

I Did It For Your Love - Well, Soda, the 'Byronic hero' idea never occurred to me! I see your point. Perhaps I could add my own favourite situation halfway through War & Peace where Pierre realises he loves Natasha but thinks his love will never be returned (ahem - I felt I had to match Soda there in some way). It grows on me more and more, I must say.

Let's Pretend We're Still In Love - very catchy, a nice singalong track, but at the end of the day it is hardly a 'great song'. I do like it, though.

Working Man - tries too hard to emulate Springsteen and its sentiments jar with the majority of the love songs on the album. I am with Soda in preferring the 'slow' version.

Soul Searchin' - his love of R&B and gospel music comes to the fore again. I love this track. It's beautifully sung.

Two Hearts - I have to agree with Soda here (BTW the songwriter is one of the backing musicians - Hawk Wolinski). This is one of my three least favourite Glenn songs and it does precisely nothing for me at all.

It's Your Life - again, it's pleasant but it is somewhat cliched, and I can't say that I am overwhelmed by it. I do like the way the music climaxes with that bit of sax at the end. Vocally it is very sincere but he had and would do better.

Koala
08-10-2009, 02:41 AM
I like to read your commentary to every song from the album! :)

sodascouts
08-10-2009, 10:01 AM
Thanks Koala! I wish I had time to do it for all the albums! In fact, due to the fact that the birthday of No Fun Aloud (https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1720) came around the end of the semester and I was hustling to get everything done, I didn't get a chance to do it for that album even though I love it. I will have to go back and do it sometime!

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2010, 11:56 AM
HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

On this day in 1988, Glenn released his third solo album.

I have not done a complete review of this album before, so I'll take a crack at it now. Here is my take on the Soul Searchin’ album. Although I don't consider this to be Glenn's best solo work, I find the songs to be pleasant and enjoyable. There are a few very good songs, but for me the real standouts on the album are the title track, True Love, and I Did It For Your Love. To me this album is a bit uneven, and there are some songs that I like but don't love. I think this pretty much sums up the whole album for me – better than average, but not exceptional. So here is my song-by-song rating in the order that I love/like them.


I Love It (5)

Soul Searchin’ (5) – This is a wonderful song mostly because of the vocals and the arrangement. I know some fans disagree, but I don’t find it too repetitive at all. The melody, music, and use of the gospel choir are all terrific. I just plain love the bridge, and I just plain love this song and it’s inspirational message!

True Love (5) – I love this song, too. Even though the lyrics are predictable, the delivery and vocals in this song are really exceptional. Al Green should be very appreciative of Glenn’s soulful tribute – he does justice to the Memphis blues style of music. The sax is just awesome as is all of the music in the song. The melody is also terrific, and I love the full stop and restart at the end.

I Did It For Your Love (5) – This is my favorite ballad on the album. Although I always liked this song, I never really loved it. I thought it was pleasant, but a tad bit bland. Then all of a sudden one day, for some unexplained reason, it touched something in me out of nowhere. The song just blew me away, and now I absolutely love it. It is very poignant and simply beautiful and I love the lines “I waited by the shore; just for one glimpse of you, nothing more.” I always thought the line “Somehow I knew you would understand” was meant as a wishful thinking thing since, obviously, she didn’t. The only problem with this song is that I want to know what he did! Since this song was apparently written for the movie “An American Murder”, I’m thinking what he did might not have been too good. Maybe if I actually watched the movie, I might be enlightened. :idea: :grin:

Working Man (5) – I’ve said before that I thought Working Man was a standout track, but I’m on the fence about that. I do enjoy the song a lot though mostly because I love Glenn’s vocals on it. BTW, it may just be me, but I think Glenn decided to rework this song a few years later and call it ‘Common Ground’ (which I like even better). They both have a lot of the same music and same theme although Common Ground is much more of a bluesy tune than a rocker. This song rocks - although I love Glenn’s alternate slow version as well.


I Really Like It (4)

Can’t Put Out This Fire (4) – Soda earlier described this song as “singy-songy” in one of her posts – I call it catchy. I also recall the past discussions about the lyrics being sexually obsessive, but I don’t see it that way. However, I can see how someone could think that. For some unexplained reason, I love the lines “Breaking up is harder than it sounds; people leave, but love still hangs around.” Maybe just because it’s so true and basically these lines sums up this rockin’ song for me! This almost made my "love" list.

Livin’ Right (4) – I also like Glenn’s anthem for fitness. It’s fun and catchy and another one of those songs that you just can’t help singing along with – especially the chorus. I love the bridge and the sax solo that follows. I guess Glenn had no idea what a life-changing experience this song really would turn out to be since he met the future Mrs. Frey while filming the song’s video. I bet is among Cindy's favorite songs. :wink:

It’s Your Life (4) – IMO, the ballads on the album are not Glenn’s strongest with the exception of the aforementioned I Did It For Your Love. However, this tune is just very pretty. The music is superb and the delivery of those heartfelt lyrics make this song slightly better than average to me.


I Like It (3)

Some Kind of Blue (3) – As is many times the case, I find that a song that may be most people’s favorite is among my least favorites. I just don’t see anything exceptional about this song, although I keep thinking I must be missing something because I know a lot of people love it. I just find the song somewhat bland and mundane even though the delivery is beautiful and Tim’s background harmonies are impressive.

Let’s Pretend We’re Still In Love (3) – It’s pleasant so I don’t skip it, but I think this one is just an ordinary, average song. I’m not crazy about the somewhat monotomous melody in the verses, although I do like the bridge.

Two Hearts (3) – I agree it’s not his best work although I don’t find it quite as annoying as some of you. I don’t skip it, but I’m glad to know that Glenn did not write this. I’d love to know why he chose to record it (not one of his best, but not as bad as Soda thinks it is). However, with its uninspiring repetitious melody, it does rank up there as one of my least favorites of Glenn’s solo songs.




key:

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

EaglesFanatic
08-08-2010, 12:40 PM
Happy Birthday "Soul Searchin"! I haven't listened to the whole album yet, but from what I heard, Soul Searchin and Living Right are my favorites. Here's to celebrate the occasion:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1zzos_glenn-frey-living-right_music

sodascouts
08-08-2010, 03:33 PM
Happy birthday to Soul Searchin'!

Great review, Dreamer! I completely agree about the moving "I Did It for Your Love." It's also one of the three standout tracks on the album for me, although the two other songs in my top three aren't the same as yours. I just ignore the fact that the song was written for An American Murder (Season of Fear is its title outside of the U.S.) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094643/#comment) I imagine his misdeed is less horrible than being a psycho killer. The lyrics imply that what he did was love her too desperately, but it was still "worthwhile" even though she rejected him.

However, here's what Glenn says about it in the liner notes:
"A straight ahead love song for a murder mystery seemed pretty twisted to me. After all, what is murder but love gone wrong."
Mmmkay.

Now that I think about it, I guess the lyrics could be perceived as kind of stalker-ish... no, no, I'm not gonna go there - I want to keep liking the song! lol

Moving on... I too am relieved that Glenn didn't write the sucky "Two Hearts"! As for why he recorded it, again, here's what Glenn has to say about it:
"A cool little tune written by my friend, Hawk Wolinski. It features great synthesizer work by Robbie Buchanan and a rare (as opposed to well done) guitar solo by yours truly."
Even Glenn's guitar work can't save the song, I'm afraid, although it's not because the guitarwork wasn't well done... it's the song itself that blows. Gotta love his modesty though - in truth, Glenn can rock the kasbah on the guitar if he chooses, as he has demonstrated live.

As for Hawk Wolinkski, Glenn had had a long musical relationship with him. Wolinksi co-produced and helped arrange songs on Soul Searchin', had played on Glenn's records, and was in his backing band for tours. Wolinkski had also previously co-written three earlier songs: "Living in Darkness", "Somebody Else," and "Flip City." Glenn even thanks Wolkinski for his "time and music" in The Allnighter's liner notes and calls him a "keyboard wizard" in The Solo Collection's liner notes. (If you guys are wondering how I know all this, I typed up the liner notes for GFO (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/)). He would later co-write "Long Hot Summer" on Strange Weather. Interestingly, he also wrote music for An American Murder, although not "I Did It for Your Love." Wonder if he got Glenn involved or vice-versa? Obviously, Glenn respected him a great deal.

About the "Livin' Right" video - I don't really like Glenn's "jock" look but the video itself is hilarious. My favorite part is when the old lady runs past him during the "before" part of the video. It also makes me chuckle that the song starts with the strains of "You Belong to the City" - it's like the Allnighter period partied him out!

Freypower
08-08-2010, 07:07 PM
Well, there you are. I have tried and tried to warm to the Livin' Right video and I can't. The True Love video, on the other hand....

This is still my least favourite album, even though its release came right after the 1988 Australian visit. Re-reading what I wrote before I smiled when I saw my comments about I Did It For Your Love.

I'm not sure about Working Man and Common Ground having the same theme, though, Dreamer. Working Man tells a fairly specific story while Common Ground is far more universal in its content.

chaim
08-13-2010, 06:38 PM
I find this album interesting, because it has some songs I find totally forgettable and some songs that are probably among my all-time favourite songs.
The ones I absolutely adore:
I DID IT FOR YOUR LOVE: (Beautiful. The most spine tingling moment: "But you won't be around". In the "The leaves will soon be turning" bit Glenn uses the same trick he used in the "wo--o-o-o-oo, another love has come and gone" bit in "Wasted time"; a sudden A-flat major chord in a song that is in C major. Nothing unusual in this "bVI chord", but it appears in a rather similar manner in both songs; to bring a sudden change.)
IT'S YOUR LIFE: I love what it says. There are not that many songs in any genre (not in pop or nor classical) that come to mind in which the narrator thinks of the other person's needs as well. One other song that comes to mind is "Never been in love before" by Robert Lamm on Chicago's 8th album.
SOUL SEARCHING: Gorgeus musically.
TWO HEARTS: Great musically.

Freypower
08-13-2010, 06:43 PM
Chaim, what a fascinating comparison between I Did It For Your Love and Wasted Time. I absolutely love sudden chord changes. I don't know if it qualifies but there is a similar moment in A Walk In The Dark when he sings 'this is the way I want to dance with you'. He seems to be very good at this.

sodascouts
08-13-2010, 09:21 PM
Yes, very interesting comparison, chaim! That change does seem quite effective.

chaim
08-14-2010, 02:25 AM
Chaim, what a fascinating comparison between I Did It For Your Love and Wasted Time. I absolutely love sudden chord changes. I don't know if it qualifies but there is a similar moment in A Walk In The Dark when he sings 'this is the way I want to dance with you'. He seems to be very good at this.

There were a couple of errors in my comment; one fatal one. "Usual" should have been "UNusual". I changed it...
I remember someone bringing up that "Walk in the dark" bit at some point. It might have been you. I just listened to the song. What a great song! I've always liked it. It really SOUNDS like you're in the park in the dark. The chords in that bit you mentioned are the same as in the first verse, and the first chord, basically F sharp minor (one, sometimes two notes added), is the first chord also in the chorus (on the word "Let's). The second chord is in the chorus too (during the words "dark" and "park"). But here in the verse the bass stays on the F sharp when the chord changes, so it has a different feeling. So those chords have been heard many times already in the song (intro, first firse, chorus), but I agree that STILL Glenn manages to make it magical sounding, like the chord appeared for the first time!

Ive always been a dreamer
08-14-2010, 11:01 AM
Very interesting, chaim. Unfortunately, I am totally lost on this kind of stuff. The only thing I know about music is what my ears tell me. I envy folks like you that know this stuff cause I can't tell one chord from the other. :thumbsup:


I'm not sure about Working Man and Common Ground having the same theme, though, Dreamer. Working Man tells a fairly specific story while Common Ground is far more universal in its content.

FP, guess I wasn't very clear on this. I simply meant that the two songs have a similar theme, not exactly the same theme. Their "common man" theme just remind me of each other, that's all.

chaim
08-14-2010, 11:10 AM
Very interesting, chaim. Unfortunately, I am totally lost on this kind of stuff. The only thing I know about music is what my ears tell me. I envy folks like you that know this stuff cause I can't tell one chord from the other. :thumbsup:



FP, guess I wasn't very clear on this. I simply meant that the two songs have a similar theme, not exactly the same theme. Their "common man" theme just remind me of each other, that's all.

I actually often feel a bit stupid when I write about chords in forums, because not everyone is going to know what I'm talking about! But there's nothing fancy there really. It seems that everyone who plays guitar or piano in the pop world has an obsession with chords and how they make them feel! :hilarious:

Freypower
08-15-2010, 07:35 PM
I also think it was interesting that you said that Two Hearts is 'great musically' because you may have noticed it isn't a favourite of many of us. I think its lyric is too slight.

Dreamer, I can see that 'common man' thread in WM and CG now. Glenn Springsteen! :thumbsup:

chaim
08-15-2010, 10:28 PM
I also think it was interesting that you said that Two Hearts is 'great musically' because you may have noticed it isn't a favourite of many of us. I think its lyric is too slight.


I've never really paid attention to the lyrics in this song, but I've always enjoyed it musically, both the verse and the chorus. I also love the three or four chords before the guitar solo starts (if I remember correctly). I seem to remember there are some ascending chords there. Really catchy.

Added MUCH later:

Perhaps the word "great" was a bit too off-the-cuff when I mentioned "Two hearts". I've always thought that it's a catchy and lovely little pop tune, in which I enjoy the "teen sound". I find Sodascouts' comment about the verse melody interesting, because I had never even realized how simple the verse melody is! I guess when I'm totally "into it", enjoying the "groove" and the vocal performance, a simple melody works for me. Often a one- or two-line melody works when the chords keep changing underneath, like in "I am the walrus" by the Beatles. In the "Two hearts" verse the chords hardly change, so it must be the "groove" and Glenn's vocal performance that does it for me there.

chaim
08-15-2010, 10:34 PM
I hadn't read the previous comments thoroughly before I wrote my own. I just noticed that Sodascouts had already described perfectly how I feel about "It's your life". :nod: Especially the lyric.

sodascouts
08-08-2011, 01:09 AM
Happy birthday to Glenn's third album, Soul Searchin', released on this day in 1988!

Here's one of the album's singles, "True Love":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pz2vR7wMuIU

Love the full stop, then "rev it up" moment on this song at 3:25.

That also happens to be the moment the girl in the video lives a female Frey fan fantasy! lol

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2011, 10:13 AM
HAPPY 23rd ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

Okay, we tried this a few weeks ago on the anniversary of Timothy’s Tell Me the Truth album, so I thought we’d try it again since today we celebrate the anniversary of the release of Glenn’s Soul Searchin’ album.

Again, I’ll review how this will work. This isn’t exactly a game, but more like a poll I guess with no other purpose than to be an exercise of fun. I’m going to list all the songs on the album and ask folks to rank them in the order that they like the songs from favorite to least favorite. I’ll give folks a week to post their list in this thread, and then I’ll calculate the results so you can see how close your list is to the combined results.

I’ll calculate the lists like this. If there are 10 songs on the album, I’ll assign a point value of 10 points to the song that each person lists in 1st place, 9 points for the 2nd place song, and so on until the last place song gets 1 point as follows:

Song 1 – 10 points
Song 2 – 9 points
Song 3 – 8 points
Song 4 – 7 points
Song 5 – 6 points
Song 6 – 5 points
Song 7 – 4 points
Song 8 – 3 points
Song 9 – 2 points
Song 10 – 1 point

For example, Person A puts the song ‘ABC’ in 3rd place so it gets 8 points; Person B puts ‘ABC’ in 5th place so it gets 6 points; and Person C puts ‘ABC’ in 6th place so it gets 5 points. So all total, the song ‘ABC’ gets 19 points. Then, Person A puts the song ‘XYZ’ in 1st place so it gets 10 points; Person B puts ‘XYZ’ in 4th place so it gets 7 points; and Person C puts ‘XYZ’ in 2nd place so it gets 9 points. So all total, the song ‘XYZ’ gets 26 points. Of course, if the album has 12 songs, then Song 1 receives 12 points.

After I calculate the combined scores from everyone’s list, I’ll post the list in the order of which songs had the highest points to the lowest. You will be able to see how close your list comes to the “master” list. If others post a list after a week, I’ll update it with their scores. So here we go – the songs for the Soul Searchin’ album are as follows:

Livin' Right
Some Kind Of Blue
True Love
Can't Put Out This Fire
I Did It For Your Love
Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
Working Man
Soul Searchin'
Two Hearts
It's Your Life

Now, list these songs in the order of your most favorite to least favorite.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2011, 10:17 AM
Okay - I’ll start this off. Here is my list:

1. Soul Searchin’
2. True Love
3. I Did It For Your Love
4. Working Man
5. Can’t Put Out the Fire
6. Livin’ Right
7. It’s Your Life
8. Some Kind of Blue
9. Let’s Pretend We’re Still in Love
10. Two Hearts

whitcap
08-08-2011, 04:27 PM
Here's my list:

1. Soul Searchin’
2. Some Kind of Blue
3. Can’t Put Out This Fire
4. Let’s Pretend We’re Still in Love
5. Working Man
6. True Love
7. Livin’ Right
8. It’s Your Life
9. I Did It for Your Love
10. Two Hearts

Freypower
08-08-2011, 05:38 PM
My least favourite Glenn album, though I like it a lot more than I used to. I have never thought about ranking the tracks before; here goes:

1. True Love
2. Soul Searchin'
3. I Did It For Your Love
4. Some Kind Of Blue
5. Can't Put Out This Fire
6. Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
7. Livin' Right
8. Working Man
9. It's Your Life
10. Two Hearts

Quick observations; the slow version of Working Man is much better than the fast version which for some reason seems out of place on this album. Livin' Right used to be a lot higher up in my esteem. I still like it a lot but for some reason I don't want to rank it as highly right now. Also, if I had been asked this years ago, I Did It For Your Love would not have been this high. That song is growing & growing in depth as the years pass. As for It's Your Life; it may be a pleasant ballad with a positive message, but it has never done much for me. This ranking of it is possibly harsh but there you are.

Prettymaid
08-08-2011, 10:12 PM
I just spent the last couple hours reading the Glenn Frey Music Video Survior thread.

https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1929

I remembered that FP and I enjoyed the True Love video more than most. I still don't own any of Glenn's solo albums, but I really enjoyed that game.

Koala
08-09-2011, 01:28 AM
Here's my list:


1. Soul Searchin’
2. True Love
3.Some Kind of Blue
4.Working Man
5. I Did It For Your Love
6. Can’t Put Out the Fire
7. Livin’ Right
8. It’s Your Life
9. Two Hearts
10. Let’s Pretend We’re Still in Love

Brooke
08-09-2011, 09:50 AM
I went to listen to this album yesterday and it's the only one of his not on my ipod! :rolleyes:

I haven't had time to put it on there yet, but I definitely will.

sodascouts
08-12-2011, 03:45 PM
My list:

1. I Did It for Your Love
2. It's Your Life
3. Some Kind of Blue
4. True Love
5. Soul Searchin'
6. Working Man
6. Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
7. Livin' Right
9. Can't Put Out This Fire
10. Two Hearts

Ive always been a dreamer
08-14-2011, 12:04 PM
Just thought I'd post an update here. Our experimental poll has Soul Searchin' currently in the lead. True Love is currently in 2nd place. Some Kind of Blue and I Did It For Your Love are battling it out for 3rd place with SKOB currently ahead by 1 point.

GlennLover
08-14-2011, 02:24 PM
I found this very hard to do. Other than True Love & Soul Searchin' being my top favorites & Two Hearts being my least favorite, the rest of the songs are interchangeable for me. On any given day the middle seven songs on my list might be in a completely different order, depending on my mood.

1. True Love
2. Soul Searchin'
3. Working Man
4. Livin' Right
5. Can't Put Out This Fire
6. I Did It For Your Love
7. It's Your Life
8. Some Kind of Blue (I think the video spoils this song for me)
9. Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
10.Two Hearts

Ive always been a dreamer
08-15-2011, 07:47 PM
Okay - I'll go ahead and post the results of our poll for the Soul Searchin' album. Although, this is only a small sampling, as I've said before, I'm betting the outcome wouldn't be drastically different even if we had 100 fans voting. So, here's the way the votes went ...

1. Soul Searchin' - 54 points
2. True Love - 50 points
3. I Did It For Your Love - 39 points
4. Some Kind of Blue - 38 points
5. Working Man - 36 points
6. Can't Put Out the Fire - 33 points
7. Livin' Right - 27 points
8. It's Your Life - 25 points
9. Let's Pretend We're Still in Love - 21 points
10. Two Hearts - 7 points

So congratulations to our top vote-getter, Soul Searchin'!!!

Thanks to those who participated. As I said earlier, if anyone else wants to still post their list, it's not too late. Go right ahead - I'll update the standings if this happens.

Freypower
08-16-2011, 08:10 PM
I was thinking about this. I think it's interesting that one of Glenn's most outright 'personal' songs, Livin' Right, doesn't appears to have aged all that well given these results. Perhaps it's just a bit 'gung ho' and hard to relate to; I'm not sure. As opposed to another 'personal' song, River of Dreams, which I think would be near the top if we do this for the Strange Weather album.

I was also thinking about why LPWSIL (I think that is the first time I've ever used the acronym) doesn't rate highly. I quite like the song but it's a fairly ordinary lyric. Once again it has a superb bridge ('if I could have you back') but the rest of it plods along a bit.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-16-2011, 09:59 PM
Well - I couldn't believe how close my list was to the final results. The order that I ranked the songs is exactly the order they finished except that you have to knock Some Kind of Blue down about 4 notches. I'm not surprised about that though. I know that I don't rate that song as highly as most people. I like it well enough, but it's a bit bland for my taste. And FP, as far as LPWSIL - I like it although I don't think much stands out about the song - to me, it's rather ordinary.

sodascouts
08-16-2011, 10:46 PM
I was thinking about this. I think it's interesting that one of Glenn's most outright 'personal' songs, Livin' Right, doesn't appears to have aged all that well given these results. Perhaps it's just a bit 'gung ho' and hard to relate to; I'm not sure. As opposed to another 'personal' song, River of Dreams, which I think would be near the top if we do this for the Strange Weather album.

I was also thinking about why LPWSIL (I think that is the first time I've ever used the acronym) doesn't rate highly. I quite like the song but it's a fairly ordinary lyric. Once again it has a superb bridge ('if I could have you back') but the rest of it plods along a bit.

The problem with Livin' Right is that most people don't salivate over the idea of getting up at the crack of dawn to jog. The song's lyrics just remind them that they're lazy and out of shape, which in turn makes them perceive Glenn as the obnoxious friend who's always drinking health shakes and saying things like "Do you know how many grams of fat are in that cheeseburger you're eating?" ;)

I agree with your assessment of LPWSIL - great bridge, pedestrian verses.

Freypower
08-16-2011, 10:58 PM
With Livin' Right I suppose it depends on whether you think he's 'lecturing' people and therefore sounds 'obnoxious'. You could say that in the lines 'you're never gonna make it/stayin' on the road you're on' he might be doing that but I think for the majority of the song he's talking about his own situation. This is very different from some Henley songs I could name where he DOES point the finger at people & tell them what they're doing is wrong (The Genie, Shangri-La, Frail Grasp, etc etc). I relate to Glenn's situation in Livin' Right far better than I do to those songs even though I am overweight & unfit. Perhaps I tend to see the lyrics in a broader sense of taking charge :wink: of your life rather than just literally about getting fit.

sodascouts
08-16-2011, 11:05 PM
You're right, FP, it can definitely be applied to the broader notion of making any positive lifestyle change.

I think the video for this song, as funny as it is, affects my attitude toward the song. There's nothing subtle about the message of that video!

(If you haven't seen it, you can find it here (http://www.glennfreyonline.com/solo/moviestv/livinright.htm).)

I actually like the video, though. Not only do we get to see a bit more of Glenn's bod than usual (a definite plus for female fans), it's got some really funny gags in it. My personal favorite is when he's getting passed by the old lady as he tries to run around the track. However, there's one moment when he's on a machine where he looks almost crazy-eyed in his fitness fervor!

http://www.glennfreyonline.com/images/livinright35.jpg

Luckily, shortly after this moment, a guitar appears in his hands and all is well. ;)

BTW, how about that "nightmare" sequence where Glenn is "bullied" by a bunch of sexy women in leotards? Poor Sugar. lol One of them, of course, turned out to be the future Mrs. Frey!

Freypower
08-16-2011, 11:18 PM
There you go: think of the Dublin version of the song, where you get to see him dancing around with no guitar, and not the cheesy video, and you get a better idea of what the song is about!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/ozeagle/Dublin/LivinRight17.jpg

Brooke
08-17-2011, 10:14 AM
Wow, you guys can analyze songs so well! I can't even begin to discuss them with you. When I listen to music, I don't really pay that much attention to it as far as what it all means. I can tell you which songs I like or don't like, but that's pretty much as far as I can go with it. Which reminds me, I haven't even done that here!

I got this out to listen to it and it had been so long I didn't even remember some of the songs! I'm sorry Glenn! :shock:

1. True Love
2. Soul Searchin'
3. Some Kind of Blue
4. Working Man
5. I Did It For Your Love
6. Can't Put Out This Fire
7. It's Your Life
8. Livin' Right
9. Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
10.Two Hearts

Ive always been a dreamer
08-17-2011, 05:48 PM
Okay - I'm updating the results with Brooke's list. The only thing that changed with her votes is that Some Kind of Blue slipped back into 3rd place by 1 point over I Did lt For Your Love. :mad: So, here's the way it is now ...

1. Soul Searchin' - 63 points
2. True Love - 60 points
3. Some Kind of Blue - 46 points
4. I Did It For Your Love - 45 points
5. Working Man - 43 points
6. Can't Put Out the Fire - 38 points
7. Livin' Right - 30 points
8. It's Your Life - 29 points
9. Let's Pretend We're Still in Love - 23 points
10. Two Hearts - 8 points

Again, this is ongoing and there is no end, so anyone who wants to add your list, feel free to do so.

Glennsallnighter
08-17-2011, 06:54 PM
Ok, for good measure my results would be

1. True Love
2. Lets Pretend We're Still In Love
3. Some Kind of Blue
4. Can't Put Out This Fire
5. Soul Searchin'
6. Two Hearts
7. I Did It For Your Love
8. It Your Life
9. Workin Man
10 Livin Right

I know its a bit different from many of the others, and really with the exception of my favourite (TL) and my least favourite (LR) there's very little between the middle 8. I could do this again tomorrow, (or next week :thumbsup:) and have them in a different order!

sodascouts
08-08-2012, 01:37 AM
The time is comin' to celebrate Soul Searchin'! It was released 24 years ago today!

To start the party - here's the full version of the video for True Love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufTf6fs2NCc

"Chucky ain't here, man!"

Windeagle
08-08-2012, 10:01 AM
Hey, a celebration! I bought Soul Searchin' earlier this year in an effort to build up my Frey solo collection. To be honest, I didn't expect to like it that much, but I was pleasantly surprised. While the songs are not something I would have liked in my 20's when the record was released, they grab me now. Only the last 4 are ones I'm not thrilled with. Here are my songs in order, with a few thoughts attached:

1. Lets Pretend We're Still In Love - Talk about silly love songs, but I mean that in a good way. It's adorable and upbeat and makes me smile whenever I hear it.

2. Some Kind of Blue - The lyrics and delivery sound so heartfelt. You just want to give him a hug!

3. True Love - I didn't care for this one when it came out as a single, but it's grown on me recently. Can't help swinging in my seat as I'm driving along listening.

4. Can't Put Out This Fire - This is another one that makes me unable to sit still while listening. Interesting rhythms here.

5. Soul Searchin' - The song runs about a full minute too long, but before that, I love singing along to it and the message moves me.

6. It's Your Life - This one drags a little, but I love the lyrics. It breaks my heart. I'd love to hear a straight acoustic version of it. I bet it would be beautiful.

7. Two Hearts - Not bad, but not my favorite.

8. I Did It For Your Love - It was written for a movie and it sounds it. Enh.

9. Workin Man - It's Glenn doing Bruce Springsteen. Not bad, but Bruce does Bruce better.

10 Livin Right - Ah... no. I will admit that it helped motivate me to start doing the treadmill this spring, but beyond that, I'm not a fan of it.

Tiffanny Twisted
08-08-2012, 09:19 PM
Oh to be that young blonde gal.

glenn just melts my heart when he looks like that

Ive always been a dreamer
08-09-2012, 09:50 PM
HAPPY 24TH ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

Sorry to be a day late on this, but didn't have much time on the board yesterday.

WE - First of all, we've missed ya around here. Thanks for the review. It was a great read and I'm glad you were pleasantly surprised with this album. It's my third favorite of Glenn's solo albums - right about the middle of the pack for me. But I definitely like most of the songs on it.

It's funny to me what you had to say about I Did It For My Love because I used to feel pretty much the same way as you. I've told this story on the board before, including earlier in this thread - I used to like the song okay, but then one day I was listening to it and there was this sudden transformation that overcame me - and, yes, in a good way. :grin: I absolutely adore this song now. It's poignant beauty makes it one of my favorite Glenn solo songs.

sodascouts
08-08-2013, 01:01 AM
SOUL SEARCHIN' TURNS 25 TODAY!!!

Wow, hard to believe, but this is the 25th anniversary of the release of Glenn's third solo album, Soul Searchin'. To celebrate, here's a song from it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufTf6fs2NCc

Feel free to post your thoughts!

Freypower
08-08-2013, 01:39 AM
I love that video, or at least I loved it before I knew what would happen in the Route 66 & Shadow Of Your Smile videos. It still works for me.

I just re-read this thread & it is a pleasure to finally be able to say this is no longer my least favourite album (that dubious honour is now with The Allnighter).

sodascouts
08-08-2013, 02:10 AM
I'm afraid I don't understand your post, FP. Why would "Route 66" and "Shadow of Your Smile" make you no longer love the "True Love" video? Why is it a "pleasure" to say you now like The Allnighter less?

:confused:

Houston Baby
08-08-2013, 06:21 AM
HAPPY 25 SOUL SEARCHIN'

It may not be my favorite Glenn album, but I still love it! For me it is like seeing the "evolution" of Glenn. :inlove:

Outlawman13
08-08-2013, 07:23 AM
Happy anniversary to such an amazing album. I love all of these songs! They are all so brilliant!

GlennLover
08-08-2013, 12:03 PM
I recently bought a vinyl copy of SS. I must play it today in honour of it's anniversary! :singer:

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2013, 03:52 PM
HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

This album is still in the middle of the pack in terms of ranking Glenn's solo albums. Even though it has a couple of weaker songs, overall, it's a pretty darn good album, IMHO.

Freypower
08-08-2013, 05:29 PM
I'm afraid I don't understand your post, FP. Why would "Route 66" and "Shadow of Your Smile" make you no longer love the "True Love" video? Why is it a "pleasure" to say you now like The Allnighter less?

:confused:

As is often the case these days I did not express myself clearly enough. I hardly posted anything yesterday & I thought I probably shouldn't have posted that.

It was not a pleasure to say I like The Allnighter less. It was a pleasure to say I appreciate Soul Searchin' more.

I consider the AH videos to be more sophisticated & mature versions of the True Love video which I did say still works for me.

glenneaglesfan
08-08-2013, 05:42 PM
Congratulations to Soul Searchin'!

This album played a huge part in my life several years ago, when things were starting to get a bit sticky between husband and me. I had a lot of consolation at the time from "It's Your Life".

Probably ranks no. 2 after Strange Weather for me!

sodascouts
08-09-2013, 01:00 AM
So lovely that it helped you in a time of trouble, GEF. That's the hallmark of good music.

GlennLover
08-09-2013, 09:55 AM
That's wonderful, GEF!

Outlawman13
08-09-2013, 01:41 PM
That's way too cool Kate. I love It's Your Life too. Love it!!!

sodascouts
08-08-2014, 01:13 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOUL SEARCHIN'!

Glenn's third solo album turns 26 today.

shunlvswx
08-08-2014, 07:27 AM
Happy 26th Birthday, Soul Searchin'

Soda. What video is your avatar from?

UndertheWire
08-08-2014, 09:28 AM
I'm doing my homework. The CD is in the car and I've listened to about half of it this morning. Overall, it's a bit too "pop" for my tastes. Too much sugar.

I was thinking of the timeline for this album. I read that Glenn and Jack Tempchin were working on songs for it when Glenn was filming "Let's Get Harry" in Mexico (1985). Then Glenn toured in Japan (1986), got divorced (1986?), got hospitalised (when was the benefit where he sent a message from his hospital bed?), cleaned up and got fit and maybe did a few other things.

"Working Man" was written for "Let's Get Harry" so that has to be one of the earlier ones (85/86) . "Livin' Right" is a late entry and I'd guess "Soul Searchin' comes after the divorce. Then there are three break-up songs, "Baby let's have another go" (LPWSIL), "I can't believe it's over" (CPOTF) and "It's over and I'm sad" (SKOB).

Brooke
08-08-2014, 10:26 AM
Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin'!

I'll try to get time to play it in the next few days!

UndertheWire
08-08-2014, 01:54 PM
I guess "It's Your Life" is another break-up song and then if you go to the Japanese CD, there's yet another with "It's Cold in Here", so that's 4/5 out of 10/11 songs. They may not be strictly autobiographical, but it seems that Glenn and Jack were exlploring a theme.

Love it:

True Love - it manages to lodge itself in my brain. It may be simple, but it just works and it cheers me up.

It's Cold in Here - is that allowed? I can't help it, I just like Glenn in this jokey, macho man role. "Dinner reservations at the Quiche Lorraine" is my favourite line because it paints a picture of this beer-swigging lout in a rather precious faux-french restaurant.

Like it:

Soul Searchin'
Two Hearts
Some Kind of Love - particularly the percussion

Don't Mind:

Livin' Right - I tend to think of this as more of a novelty record. That must come from watching the video.
Working Man - I prefer the slower version, though
It's Your Life
Can't Put Out This Fire - bit of a mismatch between the music and the lyrics

Not keen:

I Did It For Your Love - rather slow and plodding and I don't like the percussion.

Don't Like:

Let's Pretend We're Still in Love

Freypower
08-08-2014, 07:33 PM
Happy 26th Birthday, Soul Searchin'

Soda. What video is your avatar from?

I'm sure Soda won't mind if I tell you it's Some Kind Of Blue. I actually SAW Glenn sing this song at Niagara Falls in 2011. It was amazing to see something so rare. Those two nights were just full of surprises.

I was very hard on this album for many years because as UTW says I found a lot of it very lightweight. But there are some songs which have grown in stature & deepened with time; Working Man & I Did It For Your Love, and It's Your Life to a lesser extent, but I still think that song 'tries too hard'.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2014, 09:07 PM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

And UTW, I enjoyed reading your impressions of the album. For me, this is definitely not my favorite of Glenn's solo albums, and while it is a bit uneven, I still rate it above average. And re: I Did It for Your Love, I used to think it was just okay, but then one day out of nowhere, I suddenly had an epiphany. Here's what I wrote about it earlier in this thread ...


I Did It for Your Love -This is my favorite ballad on the album. Although I always liked this song, I never really loved it. I thought it was pleasant, but a tad bit bland. Then all of a sudden one day, for some unexplained reason, it touched something in me out of nowhere. The song just blew me away, and now I absolutely love it. It is very poignant and simply beautiful and I love the lines “I waited by the shore; just for one glimpse of you, nothing more.” I always thought the line “Somehow I knew you would understand” was meant as a wishful thinking thing since, obviously, she didn’t. The only problem with this song is that I want to know what he did! Since this song was apparently written for the movie “An American Murder”, I’m thinking what he did might not have been too good. Maybe if I actually watched the movie, I might be enlightened. :idea: :grin:

Funk 50
12-26-2014, 07:34 AM
I just happened to be glancing at the inner sleeve of Soul Searching and I noticed that Glenn plays the majority of the instruments. On True Love and Working Man he's even credited as the drummer.

I've never seen Glenn play the drums. I think maybe he just programmed a drum machine.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-26-2014, 01:12 PM
I imagine that is possible. However, since I know absolutely nothing about these things, maybe some of our skilled musicians can answer this for me. Is it customary to give credit to an artist for drumming on a recording if a drum machine is used exclusively?

UndertheWire
12-26-2014, 01:41 PM
On "No Fun Aloud", there are two tracks where they used a Linn drum machine and neither track has a credit for drums.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-27-2014, 12:29 AM
Thanks for checking that out UTW. Maybe he did actually play drums on the Soul Searchin' tracks then.

Funk 50
12-28-2014, 08:22 AM
Besides True Love and Working Man ("originally written for the ill-fated feature film "Let's Get Harry") in-which Glenn plays drums, there is a third track, Some Kind Of Blue, where both Glenn and John Robinson, share the Drums credits.

Glenn's paragraph under the title reads;


I always wanted to do a song with no snare drum, just hand claps and finger snaps. As soon as I wrote the drum program, the song came in and wrote itself.

To complicate matters further, Glenn also gives himself a percussion credit 0n the song.

Freypower
12-28-2014, 06:21 PM
The key words there are 'drum program'. This implies that he didn't actually sit at a drum kit.

Ive always been a dreamer
12-29-2014, 01:58 AM
The reference to writing the drum program is a comment in the liner notes for SKOB. However, he is also listed for drums in the song credits. I assumed that he did actually play the drums, particularly since he doesn't credit himself for the drum machines on No Fun Aloud. He did most of the instrumentation in lot of his solo songs.

chaim
12-30-2014, 07:19 AM
I agree that it should read "drum programming" if he didn't actually play a kit. I don't think he did, and even some of his bass credits could refer to a keyboard bass.

I listened to this album a few days ago after a long break. I have mixed feelings about it. There are tracks that are up there with anything Eagles has done. I Did It For Your Love is amazing - one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard in my life - and I'll never understand why there's never been any fuss about it. The title track and It's Your Life are amazing too. Then there are songs that are ok, but nothing special, like True Love.

I noticed something interesting about this album now that I listened to it again. There are songs that I don't care for when I think about them, but when I actually listen to them, there are some really lovely moments (CPOTF & LPWSIL). Jack's dull guitar "riff" in CPOTF had been used many times before (see ELO's "So Fine" for example). But when it gets to the pre-chorus, it's lovely! LPWSIL has a very common/dull chord hook, but it has lovely moments, too. The ending is BEAUTIFUL. I think this song should be a bit slower.

Livin' Right works, because it's a bit humorous lyrically. I still love Two Hearts, which most people around here hate.

Perhaps the production on this album is more dull and flat than the song material. There could be more "punch" on the drums and stuff. A rocker like Working Man could do with more "punch" and more organic sound.

Also, Glenn's lead guitar playing could be more imaginative, like it was on the Eagles stuff - especially Too Many Hands! His leads on his solo material tend to be very safe and too comfortable and smooth rhythmically. Check out the first few phrases in the Two Hearts solo. Hard to believe it's the same guy who played some very interesting things on the Eagles albums - especially from Eagles to One Of These Nights. There were a lot of not-so-obvious note choices back then. I feel that as a lead guitar player he got a bit lazy at some point - in terms of constructing a solo and searching for something interesting.

Incidentally, it's very Glenn to throw in an extra phrase after sentences in his songs. Usually it's "me and you"8-)

Just remember you will always be my girl - you're my girl

I still keep dreamin' 'bout me and you - me and you

You're part of me and I am part of you - part of you

I'm feeling things I swear I've never felt before - yes I am, baby

But now I realize this world was made for two - like me and you

Tonight, they're gonna do what must be done - what must be done

UndertheWire
12-30-2014, 10:50 AM
Glenn plays bass. I've seen it mentioned by Glenn, Timothy and Jack Tempchin. He even had a "signature" bass guitar.

Glenn has also said that he uses a drum machine at the start and then usually replaces it later with real drums. I haven't seen him mention playing the drums himself, though.

chaim
12-30-2014, 10:53 AM
Glenn plays bass. I've seen it mentioned by Glenn, Timothy and Jack Tempchin. He even had a "signature" bass guitar.

Glenn has also said that he uses a drum machine at the start and then usually replaces it later with real drums. I haven't seen him mention playing the drums himself, though.

It's just that some of those bass parts sound like a keyboard to me (Working Man, and perhaps True Love). But of course it can be a combination of both. But then again, at the moment I listen to music with an exceptionally poor "sound system", so I can "hear" something that isn't even there.:-(

UndertheWire
12-30-2014, 11:09 AM
You may be right. I'm not listening closely.

chaim
12-30-2014, 11:12 AM
You may be right. I'm not listening closely.

I'm not either, but when Working Man starts, a very mechanic sounding bass seems to jump out of my "speakers". Funnily enough I don't remember paying attention to possible synth basses or possible drums machines when I listened to this album in my teens.

VAisForEagleLovers
12-30-2014, 11:12 AM
Didn't he say that when he had the opportunity back in Detroit to tour with Seger he was going to be the bass player?

chaim
12-30-2014, 11:16 AM
Didn't he say that when he had the opportunity back in Detroit to tour with Seger he was going to be the bass player?

Very possible. I'm not saying that Glenn can't play bass. Most guitarists can play it to some degree. But some of the bass parts on Soul Searchin' don't sound like a real bass to my ears. I'm not bashing Glenn at all. If some of those bass parts are in fact a keyboard, the reason is not that he couldn't play them with a real bass. The reason was that he wanted a certain sound.

The simple bass part in KISS's "Somewhere between heaven and hell" is obviously a keyboard, although it's Gene's song and he's a great rock bass player.

VAisForEagleLovers
12-30-2014, 11:18 AM
I'm not either, but when Working Man starts, a very mechanic sounding bass seems to jump out of my "speakers". Funnily enough I don't remember paying attention to possible synth basses or possible drums machines when I listened to this album in my teens.

Unfortunately, synthetic everything was very popular back then. A lot of artists did it. It eventually led to today's propensity to create 'music' with a computer.

chaim
12-30-2014, 11:20 AM
Unfortunately, synthetic everything was very popular back then. A lot of artists did it. It eventually led to today's propensity to create 'music' with a computer.

Yeah. And I actually dig synthetic sounds if the song was written with a synthetic sound in mind. But a song like Working Man would work better IMO with a raw rock band sound (see Out Of Control:rockguitar:)

EDIT:

It is possible, of course, that if some songs were "really organic" and raw productionwise, they would sound out of place on the album.

Funk 50
12-30-2014, 12:25 PM
I still love Two Hearts, which most people around here hate.

Hey Hey! Somebody else loves Two Hearts!

... er I love Somebody Else too since I mentioned it.

The 3 Soul Searching tracks I've heard on the radio are the single, True Love, the title track, Soul Searching, during a Frey interview to promote the Strange Weather album release and Two Hearts, totally out of the blue :razz: because it's great I suppose.

I like many tracks on the album with the reservations others have pointed out. I thought it was retreading the same ground Glenn had covered on his previous two albums. I remember thinking at the time, when Glenn releases his next solo album, I'll be able to compile a top ten of Frey songs with "love" in the title. Strange Weather scuppered it.

Actually, with After Hours the list is complete.

01 - Lovers Moon
02 - The One You Love
03 - I Did It For Your Love
04 - The Look Of Love
05 - True Love
06 - Love in the 21st Century
07 - Let's Pretend We're Still In Love
08 - New Love
09 - I Got Love
10 - Ain't It Love

:thumbsup:

chaim
12-30-2014, 12:32 PM
Ha! How about a collection of songs where Glenn sings "you and me" or "me and you"?:laugh:

Freypower
12-30-2014, 05:34 PM
I agree that it should read "drum programming" if he didn't actually play a kit. I don't think he did, and even some of his bass credits could refer to a keyboard bass.

I listened to this album a few days ago after a long break. I have mixed feelings about it. There are tracks that are up there with anything Eagles has done. I Did It For Your Love is amazing - one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard in my life - and I'll never understand why there's never been any fuss about it. The title track and It's Your Life are amazing too. Then there are songs that are ok, but nothing special, like True Love.

I noticed something interesting about this album now that I listened to it again. There are songs that I don't care for when I think about them, but when I actually listen to them, there are some really lovely moments (CPOTF & LPWSIL). Jack's dull guitar "riff" in CPOTF had been used many times before (see ELO's "So Fine" for example). But when it gets to the pre-chorus, it's lovely! LPWSIL has a very common/dull chord hook, but it has lovely moments, too. The ending is BEAUTIFUL. I think this song should be a bit slower.

Livin' Right works, because it's a bit humorous lyrically. I still love Two Hearts, which most people around here hate.

Perhaps the production on this album is more dull and flat than the song material. There could be more "punch" on the drums and stuff. A rocker like Working Man could do with more "punch" and more organic sound.

Also, Glenn's lead guitar playing could be more imaginative, like it was on the Eagles stuff - especially Too Many Hands! His leads on his solo material tend to be very safe and too comfortable and smooth rhythmically. Check out the first few phrases in the Two Hearts solo. Hard to believe it's the same guy who played some very interesting things on the Eagles albums - especially from Eagles to One Of These Nights. There were a lot of not-so-obvious note choices back then. I feel that as a lead guitar player he got a bit lazy at some point - in terms of constructing a solo and searching for something interesting.

Incidentally, it's very Glenn to throw in an extra phrase after sentences in his songs. Usually it's "me and you"8-)

Just remember you will always be my girl - you're my girl

I still keep dreamin' 'bout me and you - me and you

You're part of me and I am part of you - part of you

I'm feeling things I swear I've never felt before - yes I am, baby

But now I realize this world was made for two - like me and you

Tonight, they're gonna do what must be done - what must be done

You make some interesting points. CPOTF & So Fine? Interesting!

I'm not a great fan of the end of LPWSIL, though you might think I'd swoon with him whispering 'we're still in love'. I don't know why but it seems out of place to me.

The throwing in an extra phrase - thanks for listing them! They all work, excpet I've never liked 'like me & you' in True Love. You want to say, 'yeah, we know who you mean, Glenn'. The one in LPWSTIL is a bit unnecessary as well, I feel.

Regarding It's Your Life I have never taken to it because I feel it's over-produced. You are right about IDIFYL though - what a sleeper that song is.

sodascouts
01-05-2015, 01:13 AM
Catching up on this thread... interesting reading! I'd never given to much thought to what was "real" and what wasn't, but I'm going to have to go back and give a closer listen.

VAisForEagleLovers
08-08-2015, 12:55 PM
27 years ago today!!

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2015, 02:49 PM
HAPPY 27TH ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

Here's the album's back cover with poor Sugar doing some soul searchin ...

http://glennfreyonline.com/images/soulsearchinback.jpg

Also, I usually really enjoy the liner notes from Glenn's solo albums - a lot of his personality comes out. Here's a link to the ones from this album that Soda transcribed for those who may not have seen them already ...

http://glennfreyonline.com/solo/soulsearchin/linernotes.htm

UndertheWire
08-08-2015, 03:21 PM
The liner notes and the bit he wrote for the Selected Works box set, give me hope for his memoirs. They could be fun.

Happy Birthday to "Soul Searchin'". At 27, you're just a young 'un.

AlreadyGone95
08-08-2015, 05:12 PM
Happy anniversary Soul Searchin'

If today wasn't such a busy day, I'd do a song by song ranking. I think that I'd rank Soul Searchin 3rd on my list of Glenn's solo albums. My favorites are: Soul Searchin, True Love, Working Man, and Living Right. (Mostly because of the fantastic Live in Dublin version)

sodascouts
08-08-2015, 05:58 PM
Happy anniversary to Soul Searchin'!

Yeah, I love his liner notes and he does look like he's doing some intense thinking in that photo, lol.

shunlvswx
08-08-2016, 11:44 AM
Happy 28th Birthday to Soul Searchin'. A few songs I like on this album.

WS82Classics
08-08-2016, 06:47 PM
Amongst his studio output, IMO, this one is definitely a cut below his other studio records. Many very under-rated songs to be heard on here("Some Kind of Blue"), but of all his albums, this is the one that maybe caves the most to the production standards of its day.

Definitely several cuts above the GFLive album, though.

FreyFollower
08-08-2016, 10:18 PM
Happy Anniversary to "Soul Searchin' "!!!!
I love this album! Very emotive singing and some beautiful lyrics.
While some production is dated; there are timeless, heartfelt songs included.
Favorites: It's Your Life--the sentiment of the song just kills me! And the way he delivers lines like "If you want my love--oh darling, take my hand.."
Some Kind of Blue--a heartbreaking song sung with great feeling.
Soul Searchin'--a great motivational song of introspection-"You can't change this world, but you can change yourself".
I can't believe it's been 28 years!

AlreadyGone95
08-09-2016, 10:54 AM
Happy 28th anniversary to Soul Searchin'!

It's definitely not my favorite of Glenn's solo albums, but it's not a bad album. I love the photo of Glenn on the back cover. In fact, I have an 8x10 poster of it on my bedroom wall.
http://i1283.photobucket.com/albums/a552/kim_dixon2/Mobile%20Uploads/1455044132682_zpssk2o6ttb.jpg (http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/kim_dixon2/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1455044132682_zpssk2o6ttb.jpg.html)

UndertheWire
08-09-2016, 11:58 AM
I like that you appear to be using the poster to cover up crayon marks.

I realise I need to copy this album to more devices as I don't listen to it very often.

sodascouts
08-09-2016, 07:03 PM
Happy anniversary to Soul Searchin'! I especially love the ballads on this album.

buffyfan145
08-09-2016, 08:25 PM
Happy Anniversary to "Soul Searchin"!!! :D Love "True Love" and the title track.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-09-2016, 10:35 PM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

I would rank this as my third favorite of Glenn's solo albums. My favorites are Soul Searchin', True Love, I Did It for Your Love, and Working Man. It's not on the album, but I also love the slow version of Working Man.

UndertheWire
11-08-2016, 06:57 AM
Recently, "It's Your Life" keep turning up in the shuffle". The arrangement is a bit overblown but I love the lyrics which are about letting go.


It's Your Life
written: G. Frey and S. Thoma

It's your life; do what you've got to do
It's your dream, and sometimes dreams come true
I just want to say I believe in you

It's your heart that tells you right from wrong
If you leave too soon, or if you stay too long
If it's meant to be, only time will tell
If you have to leave, then I'll say farewell

It's your life; do what you've got to do
If it's here with me, or with someone new
I know it's hard, but it's up to you
It's your life

It's your life; do what you've got to do
It's your dream; you've got to see it through
When the road gets rough and you're feeling blue
When you've had enough, I'll be there for you

It's your life; you do the best you can
If you want my love, oh darlin', take my hand
God knows I love you, but I understand
It's your life
It's your life




Of course, it's impossible to tell how much of the song is Steve Thoma's and how much Glenn. In an interview, one of Glenn's former band members talks about Glenn inviting the band members to bring him their songs and they would work on them together, so this might be one. Unusually, Jack Tempchin doesn't get a credit.



From Steve Thoma's Linkedin page:


As a musician, songwriter, and producer, Mr. Thoma has recorded & toured with Fleetwood Mac, Glenn Frey, Bruce Willis, Doc Severinsen, Dave Mason, Andy Gibb, Traffic, Tom Jones, and many others. He has composed & produced music for all of the major film studios, television networks, ad agencies, and record companies.

shunlvswx
08-08-2017, 09:38 AM
Happy 29th Birthday to Soul Searchin'.

FreyFollower
08-08-2017, 11:23 PM
Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin' !!! Personally, I really enjoy this album; some songs more than others (see last year, above). The 80's arrangements are not my taste, but hey--- they remind me of my 20's! Would have loved to have heard updated versions.:sad:

Delilah
08-09-2017, 10:01 AM
Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin!

The songs I like are the title track, "True Love", "Two Hearts" and "It's Cold in Here."

Two of the three released singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100: "Living Right" peaked at #90 and "True Love" at #13. "True Love" is Glenn's last (solo) Top 40 hit.

For those who haven't heard the background of "I Did It for Your Love," Glenn discusses it here.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7iZW0HlgEuw

groupie2686
08-09-2017, 10:36 AM
I just got this album a few months ago. Great album...in my opinion, "True Love" is Glenn's best solo song. Love the title track too.

sodascouts
08-11-2017, 05:55 PM
I lean towards the ballads on this one - "It's Your Life" and "I Did It for Your Love" are standout tracks. However, "True Love" is where Glenn really shows his stuff vocally, and I love the arrangement as well.

A belated happy birthday to it!

Glennsallnighter
08-20-2017, 04:25 PM
I find it very hard to find a favourite GF solo album, because musically they are so diverse. Sometimes too it depends on my mood which one I'd like most to listen to. I think SS is a very strong album and I love all the tracks on it but I think my favourite one has to be 'I Did it For Your Love'. Just something about it. I listened to it over and over again after he passed away

shunlvswx
08-08-2019, 09:30 AM
Happy 31st Birthday to Soul Searchin'.

FreyFollower
08-08-2019, 11:32 AM
"You know you can't change this world, but you can change yourself.." Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin' ! Love it!

sodascouts
08-08-2019, 01:03 PM
"You know you can't change this world, but you can change yourself.." Happy Birthday, Soul Searchin' ! Love it!


What a great line! My fave songs on that album are the ballads, although "True Love" also knocks it out of the park.

Glennsallnighter
08-08-2019, 01:12 PM
Happy Birthday to Soul Searchin. I love all the songs on it, my favourite is 'I Did It For Your Love'

I really don't think there is a weak song on this album

sodascouts
08-08-2019, 01:26 PM
Happy Birthday to Soul Searchin. I love all the songs on it, my favourite is 'I Did It For Your Love'

I really don't think there is a weak song on this album

That's my favorite Soul Searchin' song, too!

But I must admit, the album also contains my least favorite song of Glenn Frey's: "Two Hearts." Ugh. I can count on one hand the songs of his I don't like, and that's at the bottom of the pile (IMHO obviously).

Glennsallnighter
08-08-2019, 06:11 PM
I've been walking at night over the summer in an effort to 'Live Right' and tonight I went for a longer than normal walk. I covered 4.5 km in 50 minutes as I listened to the entire Soul Searchin album as I walked. I must admit I still love being in my pink bubble with Glenn :heart:

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2019, 06:28 PM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!


II must admit I still love being in my pink bubble with Glenn :heart:

Ain't it the truth, GA!

I love this album, too. My top 3 favorites are True Love, Soul Searchin', and I Did It for Your Love. I've told this story before, but I used to be fairly neutral about IDIFYL. Then, out of the blue, one day while listening to it, it struck a chord with me for some unexplained reason. Now, I absolutely adore it. I like all the songs on the album, but my least favorites are Let's Pretend Were Still in Love and Two Hearts.

CAinOH
08-08-2019, 08:45 PM
If you have access to the CD "Glenn Frey With the Eagles & Without" (I got it from my local library), it's a radio interview in support of "Soul Searchin'" with just Glenn talking. Really good interview.

(Uhm, and if anyone really wants to hear it, let me know. I might be able to do something about it.)

Here's the listing on Amazon:
https://smile.amazon.com/Eagles-Without-Glenn-Frey/dp/B01M1EZWML/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=glenn+frey+with+the+eagles+and +without&qid=1565311384&s=gateway&sr=8-2

chaim
08-09-2019, 01:50 AM
IDIFYL should be better known. It's absolutely fantastic. IYL is amazing. I love the title track as well.

groupie2686
08-09-2019, 12:35 PM
Happy anniversary to Soul Searchin'! I love the title track and True Love. Two Hearts is the worst on the album and perhaps of all of Glenn's solo work, imo, it sounds to me like it belongs on the soundtrack to a bad 80s movie.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-08-2020, 11:44 AM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SOUL SEARCHIN'!!!

While not my favorite of Glenn's solo albums, I still love it. My personal favorites are the title track, True Love, the rockin' Working Man, and the gorgeous I Did It for Your Love. I always loved the the first three from the first time I heard them. However, for a long time, I thought I Did It for Your Love was somewhat bland. But then, one day I had an epiphany. Out of nowhere, I was listening to the song and suddenly out of nowhere I absolutely fell in love with the song. Go figure!

As for Working Man, for those of you that may not know it - Glenn recorded an alternate version of the song in a slow tempo, which I also adore. Soda has it on GFO so take a listen a see what you think ...

http://www.glennfreyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/WorkingManSlowVersion.mp3

shunlvswx
08-08-2020, 09:27 PM
Happy 32nd Birthday to Soul Searchin'.

I love I Did It For Your Love. Beautiful song.

I hear a lot of the songs from this album on Pandora.

FreyFollower
08-08-2020, 10:02 PM
Love this album!

groupie2686
08-09-2020, 11:59 AM
I love this album! Love True Love and the title track. And I Did It For Your Love grew on me over time too!

New Kid In Town
08-09-2020, 12:51 PM
I love this album too !
I think his best were probably Strange Weather and The Allnighter.