Is the King of Hollywood the strangest, coolest song or what?

[YoungEaglesFan]

No problem. It's just how I feel. I don't know, perhaps this was the wrong thread to talk about it, but there it is.

I get your comments about how you don’t like a song about that. It’s what I would call an icky song. I don’t like the feeling of it

[chaim]

I get your comments about how you don’t like a song about that. It’s what I would call an icky song. I don’t like the feeling of it

I realize now that it may have seemed that because I don't care for the lyrics I didn't want the song to go on the compilation this thread is about. This wasn't what I meant. It's a great song and I would include it in a personal Eagles compilation. Me "ranting" about the lyrics had nothing to do with the compilation.

[UndertheWire]

Discussion of King of Hollywood took another thread off track but it did get me thinking about the lyrics more than I have done before.

I already knew that it was about producer Robert Evans and his use of the casting couch. I also know that Don dated actresses and that he and Glenn would presumably have heard all about this seedy side of Hollywood from them. The song is sympathetic of the actresses and critical of the producer and that's fine.

But then Toni (chaim) commented that he finds it hard to take the finger-pointing from Don. I see his point and on some of Don's songs, I feel the same, but not with this one. I think it's partly that there's no ambiguity: producers demanding sexual favours from actresses (or actors) is wrong, regardless of what the person writing about may have done themselves. Whereas when Don writes about the media, politics, the environment etc, it's less clear cut and we may question the qualification and motives of the writer.

Where the song falls short is that they appear to despise the producer more for his impotence than for his abuse of power. It's written with the arrogance of youngish men who think that women want them for themselves rather than as a means of furthering their ambition. I wonder how their views changed as they became older and less desirable.*

I'll add that there is a big difference between the producer/actress and rockstar/groupie scenario and it's not about respect, it's whether the sex is a means to an end or the end itself. Of course, under-age groupies is a different discussion.

*I've heard Glenn give an introduction to Lyin' Eyes where he said he now had experience of both male perspectives. Clearly he was concious that he'd become "a rich, old guy".

[Pippinwhite]

@UTW: Interesting take on this. I'd say KOH is actually one of the more enlightened songs taking on this issue, particularly for the times. And while there certainly is the vibe of "We're young and virile," there's also the underlying current (IMHO) of despising him because of his massive ego, him using these girls, and obviously demanding their respect for his "stuff," even though he's clearly lacking in that department.

It's a creepy little song and I'm glad for the guitar parts. They remind me this is an Eagles song and the slime can be washed off. LOLOL.

[shunlvswx]

I was trying to go back and see if I've comment on this post. I didn't.

I actually like King Of Hollywood now. It is kinda strange, but I like melody.

[YoungEaglesFan]

Discussion of King of Hollywood took another thread off track but it did get me thinking about the lyrics more than I have done before.

I already knew that it was about producer Robert Evans and his use of the casting couch. I also know that Don dated actresses and that he and Glenn would presumably have heard all about this seedy side of Hollywood from them. The song is sympathetic of the actresses and critical of the producer and that's fine.

But then Toni (chaim) commented that he finds it hard to take the finger-pointing from Don. I see his point and on some of Don's songs, I feel the same, but not with this one. I think it's partly that there's no ambiguity: producers demanding sexual favours from actresses (or actors) is wrong, regardless of what the person writing about may have done themselves. Whereas when Don writes about the media, politics, the environment etc, it's less clear cut and we may question the qualification and motives of the writer.

Where the song falls short is that they appear to despise the producer more for his impotence than for his abuse of power. It's written with the arrogance of youngish men who think that women want them for themselves rather than as a means of furthering their ambition. I wonder how their views changed as they became older and less desirable.*

I'll add that there is a big difference between the producer/actress and rockstar/groupie scenario and it's not about respect, it's whether the sex is a means to an end or the end itself. Of course, under-age groupies is a different discussion.

*I've heard Glenn give an introduction to Lyin' Eyes where he said he now had experience of both male perspectives. Clearly he was concious that he'd become "a rich, old guy".

I’d like to say that your mention as sex as an means to itself is exactly my feeling. I was in a time rush and without much thought used respect. That was a bad word for numerous reasons. You summed up how i felt on it well

[YoungEaglesFan]

I never cared for how long the intro to the song is and the lyrics to the song. There is definitely some upside to the song but I felt it was incomplete in senses

[EagleInKansas]

KOH is one of my favorite Eagles songs. I think, musically especially, it is vastly underrated. The bass-line is absolutely killer, especially following the line "After while, everything got lost." It's right up there with Hotel California in a musical sense for me, though not on the same level as HC either lyrically or thematically.

[chaim]

The word "groupie" was a mistake on my part. The recent examples I was thinking of (cases that happened long after KOH was written) were cases where the women weren't groupies. Someone mentioned (forgot already who and it's not important IMO) that KOH is relevant again, and I guess that's what I reacted to. One producer has been accused of abuse, but even more musicians have been accused recently. Apparently one musician put his genital in the girl's mouth against her will. So I guess I was thinking more about the current "relevance" than the song itself. Still don't care for the finger-pointing though.

[sodascouts]

I moved the off-topic posts from the other thread to this one.