A few observations about Eagles shows.

[Topkat]

I wouldn't mind "Take It Easy" as the final song.
Every time I hear the first note of Desperado, I know I'm gonna be leaving soon, & I don't like that...
Take It Easy, is as good an ending as anything I can think of. Their first hit!

[EaglesFanatic]

I wouldn't mind "Take It Easy" as the final song.
Every time I hear the first note of Desperado, I know I'm gonna be leaving soon, & I don't like that...
Take It Easy, is as good an ending as anything I can think of. Their first hit!

Yep, me too! I've always thought Desperado was an odd choice for the final song for some reason (though that was one of the most memorable moments when I saw them live). Take It Easy would be a perfect wrap-up to a show... Either that, or Hotel California.

[EaglesKiwi]

Take It Easy seems like such a nice message to say goodbye with...

[sodascouts]

I'd like TIE as the closer, too.

With regard to the "same as recording" or "different interpretation" debate, I think the best place is the middle ground. Perform the song pretty much the same, with little twists or expansions. An example is the arrangement of Peaceful Easy Feeling for HFO (which, criminally, was left off of the DVD). IMHO, it is far better than an exact duplicate of the song as it was recorded.

When I go to hear Fleetwood Mac, I know that both Rhiannon and I'm So Afraid are going to blow their recorded counterparts out of the water. The songs aren't changed up fundamentally, but Stevie adds an entire end segment of extras to Rhiannon and Lindsey extends the guitar solos to monster-level. I can barely stand to listen to the originals anymore.

It has to be done right, though. They can't go too far. Don Henley did a magnificent slowed-down arrangement of End of the Innocence live which was very powerful, yet his "mambo" version of Hotel California and his "rap" version of LITFL both sucked hard-core. I think it's a matter of degree. By slowing down End of the Innocence and doing the beginning acapella, his voice rich with emotion, he really made the audience think about the words. By breaking out the mambo band for HC or doing LITFL as a rap, all he did was make the audience cringe.

Glenn's new arrangement of Smuggler's Blues is one that doesn't work, IMHO. I get that he's emphasizing the "blues" angle but this is a song that is supposed to rock hard and I miss the fire he used to display when he played that song. I assume the new version is easier to sing, but this is one of my favorite Glenn solo songs, and hearing it played with its fire doused is the only disappointment I experience at his solo shows - well, except for when he pulls out the Plaintiff joke, a pet peeve of mine, but he seems to have finally retired that!

So, to sum up, I say do small changes or expand the songs to make it more interesting, but don't change them radically.

[EaglesKiwi]

It has to be done right, though. They can't go too far. Don Henley did a magnificent slowed-down arrangement of End of the Innocence live which was very powerful, yet his "mambo" version of Hotel California and his "rap" version of LITFL both sucked hard-core. I think it's a matter of degree. By slowing down End of the Innocence and doing the beginning acapella, his voice rich with emotion, he really made the audience think about the words. By breaking out the mambo band for HC or doing LITFL as a rap, all he did was make the audience cringe.

If by "mambo version of HC" you mean the one on Inside Job Live (from 2005 in Dallas?), I have to say I quite liked it. And, given that it was a solo show rather than an Eagles performance, it was an appropriate time to try playing around with it. I wouldn't choose it over the orignal recording or HFO version to just listen to, but I did enjoy it as part of his solo concert.

[Topkat]

I don't want to see any drastic changes to the songs, just a little bit of an extended version, with some more guitar work thrown in there. It makes a live show less predictable & gives a little extra something to the songs.

I also hate when the audience sings along. This drives me nuts. I am paying big bucks to hear the Eagles sing, & I don't want to hear somebody singing next to me, who can't sing. This happens at a lot of other concerts & I try to tune people out, but it is so annoying. If the band changes up the song a little, maybe the dreaded singing will stop.

[sodascouts]

If by "mambo version of HC" you mean the one on Inside Job Live (from 2005 in Dallas?), I have to say I quite liked it. And, given that it was a solo show rather than an Eagles performance, it was an appropriate time to try playing around with it. I wouldn't choose it over the orignal recording or HFO version to just listen to, but I did enjoy it as part of his solo concert.

Well, Don must've liked it, too, so you're in good company.

ETA: Astonishingly, I found it on YouTube. Folks can watch it and judge for themselves - but hurry, it'll probably get taken down soon!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rv_KC-vIk[/ame]

Oh my, I had forgotten about Henley's monkey noises around 0:49, lol.

[Prettymaid]

When I go to hear Fleetwood Mac, I know that both Rhiannon and I'm So Afraid are going to blow their recorded counterparts out of the water. The songs aren't changed up fundamentally, but Stevie adds an entire end segment of extras to Rhiannon and Lindsey extends the guitar solos to monster-level. I can barely stand to listen to the originals anymore.

I know this is a debate for another thread, but since you brought it up here I just have to quickly disagree with your assessment of Rhiannon. Although I enjoy the extended version of Rhiannon, the original recorded version will always be my favorite. Every time I hear Stevie skip the high notes starting at "all your life" now I'm reminded that she just can't reach them anymore, and that bums me out because I liked it done with the high notes. And this is not the only song she has to change the melody to because She can't hit the notes anymore. I'm afraid I have to say that some of her songs lack the melody I enjoy because she lacks the range needed to sing them the way they were originally recorded.

Getting back on track, I agree with Soda that this youtube version of HC sucks.

[Henley Honey]

If by "mambo version of HC" you mean the one on Inside Job Live (from 2005 in Dallas?), I have to say I quite liked it. And, given that it was a solo show rather than an Eagles performance, it was an appropriate time to try playing around with it. I wouldn't choose it over the orignal recording or HFO version to just listen to, but I did enjoy it as part of his solo concert.

I like it too, EK. I think it goes back to what Glenn said at his NYU lecture. He and Don really liked the mexican/raggae sound on HC. They believe that multiple influences make a song more interesting.
The Inside Job version is a perfect example. I can see where it would not be for everyone, but it works for me!

[EaglesKiwi]

I like it too, EK. I think it goes back to what Glenn said at his NYU lecture. He and Don really liked the mexican/raggae sound on HC. They believe that multiple influences make a song more interesting.
The Inside Job version is a perfect example. I can see where it would not be for everyone, but it works for me!

I also have to say that it's not for every occasion. This was a solo concert - it would be way too extreme for an Eagles concert I think - and it's not really meant to be watched/played in isolation. But yeah, it's kind of cool to see some of the influences played up more. Which brings us back to - we can listen to the original recordings of a song any time, live performances are a chance to break away occasionally...