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View Full Version : Joe doing Desperado (and Henley not liking it!)



WalshFan88
06-15-2016, 11:44 PM
I don't get the hate for Joe's 80s version of Desperado with Sam Kenison. Nice electric lead accompaniment too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGNXAge0LhE

I mean, Glenn sang it solo, why not Joe. Yes I know Glenn wrote some of it, but I thought and think Joe's versions of both Desperado and LITFL are every bit as good in their own way. It rubs me wrong to think of DH getting pissy over Joe doing Desperado. I thought this was a good version in Joe's own little way. Certainly not worth being snarky over.

I think it's as good as Glenn's version of Desperado. Glenn's is smoother of course and more like the record but I think Joe's version has a charm to it to this day when he does it. Yes the 80s one is rough around the edges, yes it features Joe's more ragged voice, and yes it's not perfect but that's EXACTLY why I love it. It's NOT perfect. He even forgets and changes some of the words. But I think it's FAR better than people give it credit for. Again, it just makes me mad that Henley would get mad at Joe. Joe DID NOT ruin that song or do it any kind of disservice. It's cool in it's own way. Heck it's better than most others singing it in bars or tribute bands lol. At least, to me. I realize I'm in the minority. That's ok though.

I realize going in this is a polarizing topic. Let's be civil. :D

Annoying Twit
06-16-2016, 09:56 AM
Where is the interview or other source where Don H was angry or annoyed about this?

MortSahlFan
06-16-2016, 10:31 AM
I think it's awful...

GlennLover
06-16-2016, 11:37 AM
I remember seeing that video a few years ago and not liking it at all. Hearing it now, I don't mind it. I think the fact that Joe's condition was pre rehab made it hard for me to watch & listen. I still find it disturbing to watch.

Funk 50
06-16-2016, 11:53 AM
I actually prefer Glenn's version of Desperado but Joe definitely identifies with the sentiments of the song.

When Joe was in Ringo's 1989 All Starr band, he would open the 2nd act, alone at the piano singing Desperado. Ringo would have each star perform 2 or 3 of their own hits with Ringo providing about a 3rd of the set list. Joe also led the band through Life In The Fast Lane and Rocky Mountain Way.

I suppose Henley thought Joe should stick to his own songs, he sang them during Eagles concerts. Joe wasn't even in the Eagles when they recorded Desperado plus, at the time, Joe's had only spent about 5 years as an Eagle and the Eagles had been split, acrimoniously, for almost twice as long.

Also, in the mid eighties, there was a radio broadcast of one of Joe's concerts, during which, Joe played the intro to Desperado, to rapturous applause before pausing and then singing just the first word in a silly voice. Joe chuckled and then launched into one of his own songs. It got a big laugh but I don't think Henley would have been laughing.
On every other occasion, even when drunk, Walsh has performed Desperado, with the respect and gravitas it deserves but you can't, un-hear, the joke version once you've heard it.

Joe actually performed Desperado during his MTV Unplugged show but it's never been broadcast. I wonder if it failed to get Henley's approval although it wouldn't strictly be needed. :|

SoaringRockyMountainWay
06-16-2016, 01:34 PM
I think it's cool! It would be better if he sang the right words though.

NightMistBlue
06-16-2016, 01:35 PM
I thought this was a good version in Joe's own little way.

Me too! Nice job, Joe. I didn't know Sam Kinison could play guitar.

NOLA
06-16-2016, 01:46 PM
Considering the timeframe, it could've been worse...a lot worse. I can also understand Don's displeasure at the song, if that was the case. For starters, Joe butchered the lyrics. Did he really ask for help at one point in the song?

shunlvswx
06-16-2016, 02:05 PM
I found the article Soda posted a few years ago about Don not happy with Joe singing Life In The Fast Lane. I couldn't find anything about Desperado.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19890827&id=hrMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2783,5685304&hl=en

NightMistBlue
06-16-2016, 03:10 PM
Oh my. He really denigrated Joe's contribution to the song, "he wrote the little guitar riff in the introduction." Hmph. Mr. Henley knew very well that the riff is on the chorus(es) as well, and is integral to the whole sound and effect of the song.

Funk 50
06-16-2016, 03:19 PM
I found the article Soda posted a few years ago about Don not happy with Joe singing Life In The Fast Lane. I couldn't find anything about Desperado.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?n...,5685304&hl=en (https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19890827&id=hrMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2783,5685304&hl=en)

Thank you very much shunlvswx for reaquainting us with Henley's words. He can go on as much as he likes about all the stuff he contributed to Life in The Fast lane but in my opinion, the lyrics and delivery come third behind Joe's killer guitar riff and Glenn's title and concept.

Joe changes the lyrics andarrangement of Desperado to give his solo performance a more personal relevance. After performing it with the Eagles for many decades, he's quite aware what the official lyrics are.

I'm not keen on Joe's duet with Sam Kinniston. I don't like anything with unneccesary widdly guitar played all over it. :|

shunlvswx
06-16-2016, 03:23 PM
Luckily("that we know of"), Don and Joe are on good terms and I don't think Don don't mind Joe having Life IN The Fast Lane in his set and don't mind Joe singing Desperado. Joe still plays Life in The Fast Lane in his solo show.

Funk 50
06-16-2016, 03:32 PM
and sang Desperado solo in New Zealand last year;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5t1zV6YegM

lovely :smile:

Brooke
06-16-2016, 04:46 PM
I hadn't heard Joe's version of Desperado. I didn't mind it. I think he did ok. Kinda funny he had to ask what the next line was, but he covered himself fine.

WalshFan88
06-17-2016, 09:31 AM
I'm not keen on Joe's duet with Sam Kinniston. I don't like anything with unneccesary widdly guitar played all over it. :|

That's one of the reasons I like it lol. Give it more of an electric bluesy vibe. It's charm for me is in it's imperfections and how it's just them goofing off.

WalshFan88
06-17-2016, 09:32 AM
I can't remember where I heard it but I thought I remember reading somewhere (probably here) that Henley was mad he played Desperado on that show. I do think they are fine now.

shunlvswx
06-17-2016, 09:43 AM
I think you're right, Austin. I remembered reading that too. I was trying to find that article that said. The only I found was about Life In the Fast Lane.

sodascouts
06-17-2016, 12:21 PM
I took down all of my articles several years ago and I have no idea where I read it now (or heard it - it may have been audio), but yes, Don expressed disapproval that Joe did "Desperado."

And frankly... Joe's version makes me cringe. I hate the (deliberate?) changes he makes to the lyrics, I hate the way he seems to stumble over it, asking for help either as a joke or as a testament to how bad off he was at the time. There's "imperfect" and then there's being so imperfect it's like a half-a$$ed "What the hell, I'll just muddle through, people are gonna applaud anyway" version. There's a better version recorded for Ringo Starr's All-Starr band (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6t3SfijhaM), but keep in mind that if Don didn't go to Joe's concerts, the Howard Stern version may have been the only version he heard (if he heard it at all - he might just have heard about it). Even the better one doesn't do much for me, though. I don't think his voice is suited to the song.

I've always attributed the low quality of Joe's "Desperado" on Howard Stern to his state at the time. I think he wanted to do a better job, but it was a struggle at that point for him to even get through his own songs. I have a bootleg of an early 90s concert that I've only watched once because Joe is heartbreaking in it - visibly impaired, botching lyrics left and right, stumbling through song intros.... Thank God he cleaned up.

Now, if I were Don, I wouldn't have been happy about it either... but I also would have said to myself "Well, Joe can play what he wants" and kept quiet about it.

I'm glad there are those of you that enjoy it, though. More power to you! :)

NightMistBlue
06-17-2016, 02:23 PM
I'm a longtime Doors and Zeppelin fan, it doesn't phase me when someone performs while "visibly impaired" :) Of course, it's better if they're not.

shunlvswx
06-17-2016, 03:01 PM
I tried watching the video. I couldn't finished. It was just hard to watch Joe and then Sam Kenison playing electric guitar on an acoustic guitar like song(He wasn't bad. I didn't know he played guitar. He's good) didn't help. Its not bad. I think its just the electric guitar turned me off. It was just weird.

Now I've heard Joe sing Desperado sober and its not bad. I remembered people talking about Joe singing Take It To The Limit and thought the song wasn't right for him, but I think it was IABAD who said its not the execution or quantity of the performance. It was the thought that counts. But I know these two cases are very different.

Today. Don probably doesn't care what Joe plays in his set. I don't think Joe stopped having LITFL in his setlist. Heck if Don is not happy with other people (or even members) singing songs they weren't part of or sing on, Don F would be getting rid of half his setlist.

I do want to say this. Joe did a good job playing Desperado. I always love seeing him playing the piano or organ.

sodascouts
06-17-2016, 06:06 PM
I remembered people talking about Joe singing Take It To The Limit and thought the song wasn't right for him, but I think it was IABD who said its not execution or quantity of the performance. It was the thought that counts.
Agreed. Joe is recognizing that it's not just "business as usual" when he dedicates that song to Glenn and performs it in his memory. I appreciate that.


Heck if Don is not happy with other person (or even members) singing songs they weren't part of or sing on, Don F would be getting rid of half his setlist.

It's not like Don H can force Felder to stop playing Eagles songs, and I doubt Felder concerns himself with whether or not Don H is pleased with his choices. I speculate that Don H is scornful of Felder's setlist (especially the songs Felder plays which were recorded before he joined the band), but I'm sure Don H doesn't let it keep him up at night, lol.

WalshFan88
06-17-2016, 07:03 PM
I tried watching the video. I couldn't finished. It was just hard to watch Joe and then Sam Kenison playing electric guitar on an acoustic guitar like song(He wasn't bad. I didn't know he played guitar. He's good) didn't help. Its not bad. I think its just the electric guitar turned me off. It was just weird.

Now I've heard Joe sing Desperado sober and its not bad. I remembered people talking about Joe singing Take It To The Limit and thought the song wasn't right for him, but I think it was IABD who said its not execution or quantity of the performance. It was the thought that counts. But I know these two cases are very different.

Today. Don probably doesn't care what Joe plays in his set. I don't think Joe stopped having LITFL in his setlist. Heck if Don is not happy with other person (or even members) singing songs they weren't part of or sing on, Don F would be getting rid of half his setlist.

I do want to say this. Joe did a good job playing Desperado. I always love seeing playing the piano or organ.

TBH, I think Joe's version of TITTL was VERY good and I thought not only was the thought great but his version ranks right up there with Glenn's. Randy's is still my favorite, of course, it's the original. Just like Desperado. But I appreciate the variations on them, including Glenn's version of Desperado and TITTL.

I guess I don't mind the electric on it, but I'm biased. If I had it my way all electric songs should stay electric and all acoustic songs should go to electric, lol. But I'm definitely biased, I'm more of a loud rock guy and I like electric guitars.

I guess some people don't like Joe's rougher voice on softer songs like Desperado or TITTL but I think they rank right up there with everyone else. It brings a different flair to it. And in the case of TITTL, it's very touching and it shows how much he liked Glenn and that it really affected him. It's a wonderful tribute and shame on anyone who poo-poo's it just because it's not the original or that his voice in their opinion isn't a good fit. TBH, I felt the same about Glenn singing but I adjusted to it and liked it a lot. YMMV. The original though is something special.

Thanks everyone. Obviously some like it, some won't but to me it was a lighthearted thing as the Eagles were always such big perfectionists and so formal (especially in the second half of the band) and it's nice to change it up. Its good to hear it done that way and I think it's a breath of fresh air at times.

shunlvswx
06-17-2016, 07:27 PM
To tell the truth. I love hearing Joe sing ballads. He can be a softy when he can when he sings ballads. People will always remember Joe more for his rocking and edgy uptempo songs then his ballads.

Austin. I love electric guitar driven songs too, it was just weird with Desperado since this song is more a piano driven song throughout the song. Don't get me wrong. Sam did a great job on the electric guitar. It just wasn't right with this song.

Freypower
06-17-2016, 08:05 PM
TBH, I think Joe's version of TITTL was VERY good and I thought not only was the thought great but his version ranks right up there with Glenn's. Randy's is still my favorite, of course, it's the original. Just like Desperado. But I appreciate the variations on them, including Glenn's version of Desperado and TITTL.

I guess I don't mind the electric on it, but I'm biased. If I had it my way all electric songs should stay electric and all acoustic songs should go to electric, lol. But I'm definitely biased, I'm more of a loud rock guy and I like electric guitars.

I guess some people don't like Joe's rougher voice on softer songs like Desperado or TITTL but I think they rank right up there with everyone else. It brings a different flair to it. And in the case of TITTL, it's very touching and it shows how much he liked Glenn and that it really affected him. It's a wonderful tribute and shame on anyone who poo-poo's it just because it's not the original or that his voice in their opinion isn't a good fit. TBH, I felt the same about Glenn singing but I adjusted to it and liked it a lot. YMMV. The original though is something special.

Thanks everyone. Obviously some like it, some won't but to me it was a lighthearted thing as the Eagles were always such big perfectionists and so formal (especially in the second half of the band) and it's nice to change it up. Its good to hear it done that way and I think it's a breath of fresh air at times.


From what I heard of Joe's TITTL the backing singers sang most of it. So saying it's up there with Glenn's version....

WalshFan88
06-17-2016, 09:01 PM
From what I heard of Joe's TITTL the backing singers sang most of it. So saying it's up there with Glenn's version....

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

Sure sounds like Joe's voice to me. lol :headscratch::shrug: He gives the second verse to a guy but he does sing most of it and it was great.

Freypower
06-17-2016, 09:26 PM
Alright then. They sang most of it after the first verse.

There seems to be some idea that because Glenn's vocals were 'smooth' they were somehow less 'real' than vocals like this where mistakes are made in the lyrics or in the case of Desperado are sung while under the influence. Glenn was smooth, yes. But he meant & felt what he sang. Now I know that in the case of TITTL the thought was most important, but that isn't going to make me agree that Joe & his band sang it to Glenn's standards.

WalshFan88
06-17-2016, 10:33 PM
Alright then. They sang most of it after the first verse.

There seems to be some idea that because Glenn's vocals were 'smooth' they were somehow less 'real' than vocals like this where mistakes are made in the lyrics or in the case of Desperado are sung while under the influence. Glenn was smooth, yes. But he meant & felt what he sang. Now I know that in the case of TITTL the thought was most important, but that isn't going to make me agree that Joe & his band sang it to Glenn's standards.

Not at all FP. Never did I say it was more real or that I even thought that. I PREFER the original versions of all of these songs we are talking about. But I'm also free to enjoy other takes on the same songs, including Glenn's versions.

I'm saying it's DIFFERENT, not more real/better/etc. Which is the charm for me.

Heck, my favorite singer of all time has a smooth voice. I have nothing against smooth voices or performances. None in the least. For that matter, it'd be cool to hear a harder edged voiced song redone with a smoother singer. It's all good.

I'm just saying it's a nice change of pace. It's nice hearing the same song sung with different styles of voices be it raspy, smooth, harsh, gravelly, whatever.

Eagles7
06-18-2016, 03:20 AM
Glenn did Desparado at the piano on Letterman some years ago and it was great.

Personally, TITTL is so Randy I don't think anybody else can do it justice. I didn't care for Glen's version and I wasn't really keen in Joe's either. Felder's base player did it when I saw him in May..it was actually pretty good, but I'd like to retire that song unless Randy is singing. It's just too personal!

Funk 50
06-18-2016, 06:42 AM
The Eagles did retire Take It To The Limit when Randy left the band, even though it was the highlight of an Eagles concert. It was a disappointment that Randy didn't return for Hell Freezes Over to sing it once again.

It was still great when they brought it back, with a more subdued arrangement, with Glenn on lead vocals, for the new millennium.

Don's "MC" version of Life In The Fast Lane and mariachi trombones version of Hotel California shows he wasn't as precious about his music after HFO as he was before it. I think he's said recently that he doesn't even remember complaining about Joe singing Eagles tunes in the 80s / early 90s.

I wonder if Don attended one of those Ringo Starr shows, when Joe sang Desperado. I'm sure Ringo is one of Don's idols. It was Ringo's first tour since The Beatles stopped touring in the mid 60s afaik.

UndertheWire
06-20-2016, 10:55 AM
It seems that Joe performed Life in the Fast Lane on tv in 1989 and maybe that's what prompted Henley's complaint about Joe performing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GjjSFDrh7c

Also interesting that Joe is backed by Jack Mack and the Heart Attack, although I'm assuming Max Carl had moved on.

NightMistBlue
06-20-2016, 11:48 AM
Oh snap, it's blocked in the U.S.

Thank you for your scholarship though, UtW :thud:

UndertheWire
06-20-2016, 12:30 PM
That's a nuisance. It's described as the "Late Show" and from 1989, so around the time Henley complained.

Possibly the problem was that the host said "We wanted to have you come on and do one of the all-time great Joe Walsh tunes... I want hear you sing Life in the Fast Lane." Then Joe says something to Dick Clark(?) that sounds like "Has anyone ever said, "I'll give it a 92, I like the lyrics.'" Then, "I love the beat but I don't like the lyrics." Although I'm not sure I got that exactly right, Joe was clearly showing a disrespect for the lyrics and that would annoy Henley and probably Glenn, too.

EagleLady
06-20-2016, 01:07 PM
That's a nuisance. It's described as the "Late Show" and from 1989, so around the time Henley complained.

Possibly the problem was that the host said "We wanted to have you come on and do one of the all-time great Joe Walsh tunes... I want hear you sing Life in the Fast Lane." Then Joe says something to Dick Clark(?) that sounds like "Has anyone ever said, "I'll give it a 92, I like the lyrics.'" Then, "I love the beat but I don't like the lyrics." Although I'm not sure I got that exactly right, Joe was clearly showing a disrespect for the lyrics and that would annoy Henley and probably Glenn, too.

You have to remember though Joe was in a downward spiral during that time and he most likely had no intention of disrespect