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GlennLover
02-23-2009, 04:20 PM
Does anyone know if there is a story behind Disco Strangler? It is the only Eagles song that I can't stand. Is it a "serious" song or more like Teenage Jail?

Freypower
02-23-2009, 07:12 PM
I think The Disco Stranger is very serious indeed. Like most people at the time I imagine that Don in particular was annoyed by the prevalence of the disco lifestyle and how it appeared to have taken over the way people behaved. He is commenting here more on the lifestyle than the style of music. One of the reasons why it is such a stripped down 'rock' song would appear to be in reaction to the sudsy strings and drum machines that clogged many disco era songs. The music may be a slight nod to the punk/new wave movement as if to say 'the Eagles can do songs like this too'. I applaud it. I like it when the Eagles rock out. If they do too many ballads (do you hear me, Mr Frey) it can get a bit wearying.

sodascouts
02-23-2009, 07:27 PM
Disco Stranger: the worst Eagles song ever recorded.

I would rather listen to a 10-CD Best of Disco set than listen to Disco Strangler once - and I don't even like disco.

But I know not all share my loathing of this song! And hey, no band is perfect. They all gotta have one stinker.

GlennLover
02-23-2009, 11:21 PM
I agree, Soda. It sounds to me like they are doing 2 completely different songs & are playing them at the same time.

sodascouts
11-14-2012, 07:05 PM
The lyrics don't make much sense to me. I get that the person in the song is an attention whore and the black comedy of it, but it seems poorly executed.

TimothyBFan
11-15-2012, 11:21 AM
Disco Stranger: the worst Eagles song ever recorded.

I would rather listen to a 10-CD Best of Disco set than listen to Disco Strangler once - and I don't even like disco.

But I know not all share my loathing of this song! And hey, no band is perfect. They all gotta have one stinker.

:hilarious: This was just funny and probably still holds true even now for you.

I've made myself pretty clear that I'm one of those who actually LIKES this song. As far as what it's about, I agree it's more about the Disco lifestyle than anything. I will have to ask the expert and biggest fan of this song, my husband, what his take is on it. :hilarious:

Topkat
11-15-2012, 11:33 AM
I think The Disco Stranger is very serious indeed. Like most people at the time I imagine that Don in particular was annoyed by the prevalence of the disco lifestyle and how it appeared to have taken over the way people behaved. He is commenting here more on the lifestyle than the style of music. One of the reasons why it is such a stripped down 'rock' song would appear to be in reaction to the sudsy strings and drum machines that clogged many disco era songs. The music may be a slight nod to the punk/new wave movement as if to say 'the Eagles can do songs like this too'. I applaud it. I like it when the Eagles rock out. If they do too many ballads (do you hear me, Mr Frey) it can get a bit wearying.

FP, I'm curious to know why this about the way people behaved? and why that would annoy Don??? Do to think the Eagles or the rock world was any better??? I sure don't. They had organized sex parties, took all kinds of drugs! It was no different.

Prettymaid
11-15-2012, 11:48 PM
I agree, Soda. It sounds to me like they are doing 2 completely different songs & are playing them at the same time.

I agree with this comment. The only time it sounds like they might start to gel is the 'slip into the arms' part, but then it just goes all wonky again. I like the music better than the vocal though. If they omitted Don's vocal it might not be half bad!

As far as the lyrics, I don't get it. Is there really a "strangler" out there?

EaglesKiwi
11-16-2012, 05:16 AM
I'd like to be able to comment on this one, but just haven't been able to listen to it all the way through more than once. I have tried. :woah:

TimothyBFan
11-16-2012, 09:27 AM
I'd like to be able to comment on this one, but just haven't been able to listen to it all the way through more than once. I have tried. :woah:

Oh, come on---it isn't that bad, is it? :lol: Too funny!


but then it just goes all wonky again

I had to look up wonky. :lol: Had not heard that before.

won·ky/ˈwäNGkē/

Adjective:

Crooked; off-center; askew.
(of a thing) Unsteady; shaky: "sitting on wonky stools".

Now I get it!!!

chaim
11-16-2012, 10:09 AM
I believe Don (Felder) says in his book that the song was their way of mocking the disco music/scene. Personally I think the song is a mess and the vocal melody is the worst Don Henley has ever sung. It can't even be called a melody. The "Look at me, just look at me, I'm beautiful, I'm beautiful, I'm somebody" part is the worst. It's terrible rhythmically and just drags. The irony is that there were a lot fo great disco songs, but their "disco" song was beyond horrible. A parody should be at least listenable.

Freypower
11-16-2012, 05:36 PM
But I don't think the music of TDS is intended to sound like disco & I don't think the song is a parody. It is a criticism.

GlennLover
11-16-2012, 08:38 PM
But I don't think the music of TDS is intended to sound like disco & I don't think the song is a parody. It is a criticism.

I agree. :-)

Topkat
11-17-2012, 09:07 AM
I believe it is critical of the disco era, but the song itself is just horrible all the way around, no matter how you look at it. :scowl: Probably one of the Eagles worst songs EVER

Ive always been a dreamer
11-17-2012, 10:42 PM
Well I'm one that likes The Disco Strangler okay. Even though I agree it is probably the worst song in the Eagles catalog, it doesn't make my ears bleed. I think the lyrics are clever and up to Eagles standards.

Freypower
11-18-2012, 05:43 PM
In my opinion it is not 'worse' than I Wish You Peace or Visions, and I commend them for doing something a bit edgier.

chaim
11-19-2012, 07:38 AM
But I don't think the music of TDS is intended to sound like disco & I don't think the song is a parody. It is a criticism.

You're right. I was wrong. But in my opinion criticism doesn't get through very effectively when the song that criticises is much more unlistenable than what it criticises.

Topkat
11-19-2012, 09:03 AM
You're right. I was wrong. But in my opinion criticism doesn't get through very effectively when the song that criticises is much more unlistenable than what it criticises.

This song is worse than disco to me & I can't stand disco!

TimothyBFan
11-19-2012, 09:14 AM
http://www.easyfreesmileys.com/smileys/free-sad-smileys-759.gif (http://www.easyfreesmileys.com/skype-emoticons.html) You guys are really starting to upset me with all the DS hate. :hilarious:

Prettymaid
11-19-2012, 09:16 AM
I don't hate it Willie...I just think its wonky. ;-)

Ive always been a dreamer
11-19-2012, 11:25 AM
As I said, I don't hate it either Willie, and even though it's one of my least favorite Eagles songs, I don't skip it when it comes on. And FP, JMHO, but I definitely like I Wish You Peace and Visions more than The Disco Strangler, Earlybird, Take the Devil, and Teenage Jail.

sodascouts
11-19-2012, 11:55 AM
in my opinion criticism doesn't get through very effectively when the song that criticises is much more unlistenable than what it criticises.

Seriously! They make disco look good with this song. Ah, the irony! (Sorry Willie!)

I actually find "I Wish You Peace" to be a sweet, inoffensive song and don't get the hate. At least it has a sense of melody and rhythm.

Freypower
11-19-2012, 04:15 PM
Everybody's opinions are different & valid. I don't see any rhythm in IWYP. It plods along monotonously until it finally ends. It may be inoffensive but it bores me to tears, which TDS doesn't. I'm never going to say that TDS is a masterpiece but I maintain that it should be commended for sounding different. There are some of Don's solo tracks that are a bit like this song regarding lack of melody (which for me are inferior to TDS). My only criticism of it is that there are no backing vocals which may have made it a bit more varied.

Dreamer, I will take Take The Devil, a song I really rather like, over IWYP & Visions any day. Earlybird too, just. As for all the 'hate' of IWYP I've been the only person to really express dislike for the song.

TW
01-22-2016, 08:07 PM
hehe i actually like this song

chaim
01-23-2016, 04:33 AM
Ah, this thread has been resurrected. I listened to some tracks on The Long Run a couple of days ago, and this was one of them. Although it does sound like Don H and Tim are not entirely sure what to do as a rhythm section, I don't think the backing track is that bad. But the vocal melody..." It sounds like they were in a hurry and didn't have the time to come up with anything good. It just draaaaaaaags. The "chorus" is very good IMO, including the melody. I've always like that part.

sad-cafe
01-23-2016, 04:48 PM
sadcafe?

Really

Nash71
01-23-2016, 06:55 PM
sadcafe?

Really

Fixed now, sorry for that.

sodascouts
01-23-2016, 07:34 PM
Welcome, Nash.

sad-cafe
01-23-2016, 09:21 PM
Fixed now, sorry for that.


thank you


Welcome

SilverAcidRayne
01-23-2016, 10:05 PM
this is a great song... I would blast it on occasion

AlreadyGone95
01-23-2016, 10:25 PM
Welcome, Nash.

The Disco Strangler definitely isn't one of my favorite Eagles songs.

sad-cafe
01-23-2016, 11:15 PM
I like it

but then again, there are very few Eagles songs I don't like

OntheBorder74
01-26-2016, 09:57 AM
I agree its a bad song and their worst, the only redeemable quality is that hard rock chord where he sings the title aside form that its horrible as a reviewer said it lacked any humour or musicality also being a moderate fan of disco this is a bit of an overblown generalisation, disco had many different variations and styles and if you look at the hits the short lived genre had it was well worth it and they all sounded different.

It seems the Eagles like many others were saying it's club groove sound would become tiresome and monotonous though you could say that about most club dance tracks but there dosen't seem to be much point to doing a scathing parody of another genre, because I guess the aim to make the song sound bad as its criticising that said genre.

Again like half the tracks of The Long Run its odd these songs made the final cut when they were such sticklers for quality probably should have democratised the music a bit more like the debut to hear some Tim and Joe songs that would have been fresher. Also felt they should have let Joe and Don F guide the band's music more, let them jam out some music then add some meaningful lyrics to it.

UndertheWire
01-26-2016, 10:37 AM
I've never understood why they were so against disco. For me it was a lot more enjoyable than the punk movement (although these days I can get nostalgic about The Sex Pistols).


Again like half the tracks of The Long Run its odd these songs made the final cut when they were such sticklers for quality probably should have democratised the music a bit more like the debut to hear some Tim and Joe songs that would have been fresher. Also felt they should have let Joe and Don F guide the band's music more, let them jam out some music then add some meaningful lyrics to it.
Like you, I'm surprised they allowed so much inferior material on the album. Supposedly, there were several tracks recorded which were just awaiting lyrics but Henley/Frey were struggling with those. For a Joe song, they had to rerecord something he'd done solo so I assume this means he had nothing else that they liked. And Felder came up with the "music" for The Disco Strangler.

Nash71
01-26-2016, 11:15 AM
Hi folks, thank you for the welcome ;-)

I like this song, the guitar riff and the funky bass is great. I can understand some people not liking it though...

WS82Classics
09-12-2016, 11:23 AM
Hmm. Interesting. I must be one of the only people on this site who really likes this song.

Those searing guitar riffs and knife-edge lyrics really do it for me. This one and 'Greeks' are far superior songs to the abominable "Teenage Jail."

thelastresort
09-12-2016, 12:40 PM
The Disco Strangler is absolutely godawful drivel. I genuinely do not have one good thing to say of it. By a mile the worst song in the Eagles catalogue.

Annoying Twit
09-12-2016, 05:01 PM
I wouldn't go that far, but The Disco Strangler is not exactly a song to write home about :) In the battle of the least impressive songs on TLR, I prefer "Those Shoes".

thelastresort
09-12-2016, 05:12 PM
I think there are three tiers of songs on The Long Run.

Strong - Heartache Tonight, ICTYW, Sad Cafe
Good - The Long Run, In the City, King of Hollywood, Those Shoes
Filler, but bearable - TGDWNF, Teenage Jail
Should be taken into the desert and nuked from orbit - Disco Strangler

I really like Those Shoes: dark and edgy lyrics (I suppose the same could be said for the likes of ICTYW, Sad Cafe and KOH, very downtrodden and dark but very well-written), the superb rhythm section (one of Don's finest moments on the drums, I'd be amazed if he managed to play them and sing lead without Vitale's help live back in the day; and another great example of TBS's very decent contributions to the album), and, of course, talkbox :D

thelastresort
09-12-2016, 05:14 PM
I will say, I have been slightly bemused by Don's habit in later Eagles years of abandoning drumming duties as much as possible, but I don't fault him at all for doing so when they played Those Shoes during HOTE. I would love to see how they did it back on The Long Run tour. Makes One of These Nights look like a walk in the park!

Freypower
09-12-2016, 06:49 PM
I have always liked TDS except for the inexcusable lack of harmony/backing vocals. It's like 'yes, I get it. Henley is now THE LEAD SINGER of this band'. I never accepted that. I much prefer it to the overrated title track, the appeal of which has escaped me for decades.

Parts of the second verse reflect what is good about it & what is bad about it.

'He's the crimson in your face du jour'- huh? Let's throw in some French to confuse the poor listener. Is this a reference to makeup? Do these people put on different 'faces' every day? There is one line in a later song which I find almost as clumsy as this, which is 'he's the darling of the chic' from WITW.

'He's the melody without a cure' - great line. Sums up why the lifestyle & the music were according to Henley so damaging to those who followed it.

'And Rome is burning, but that's alright' - would have been a great line in a song about wlder cultural issues but seems to have been thrown in to make the song sound more 'serious'. The world is going to hell while these disco fans get wasted at nightclubs, it says. But it just sounds gratuitous. The idea had already been implied by the 'he's the fiddler in your darkest night' line.