Originally Posted by
sodascouts
So, moving on, then.
I've always wondered how much one has to contribute to get a songwriting credit, and who makes these decisions.
For instance, we know Joe helped work out guitar parts on "Hotel California", but he doesn't get a songwriting credit. Is it a mutual decision perhaps, between everyone involved?
Then, there's also an issue of name order. Who decides which name goes first on the written credits? Obviously Felder wasn't consulted when his name was kicked out of the front spot of "Hotel California" for the Hell Freezes Over credits, and the fact that he was no longer listed first upset him.
While some may argue that's a petty concern, it obviously means something to songwriters. Look at the big outcry from John Lennon's camp when Paul McCartney listed his name before Lennon's on some songs on one of his albums a few years ago. Yoko Ono even consulted a lawyer about whether or not she could sue to stop him from doing so.
It's a point of pride, perhaps, to have one's name listed first, even if everyone still gets the same amount of money. Thus, I think it'd safe to assume a statement was being made there when Felder's name was moved. Arguably Glenn and Henley were trying to "take him down a peg." Certainly that's how he perceived it.