Profanity in Eagles Songs

[thelastresort]

I meant to ask, how many other Eagles / solo songs contains swearing / curse words? Can't think of any offhand. I suppose 'Say goodnight Dick' at the end of On the Border could be interpreted as one, but there's little else.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I meant to ask, how many other Eagles / solo songs contains swearing / curse words? Can't think of any offhand. I suppose 'Say goodnight Dick' at the end of On the Border could be interpreted as one, but there's little else.

I think that line, "Say goodnight, Dick." is a quote from a 70's show called Laugh In. Dan Rowan would say it to Dick Martin, and Dick always said 'goodnight Dick' instead of 'goodnight'.

Here in the States, most know that the term 'bloody' is an English one that means something, but no idea it's really a curse word. Some say it when they want to avoid cursing, actually.

[Freypower]

I meant to ask, how many other Eagles / solo songs contains swearing / curse words? Can't think of any offhand. I suppose 'Say goodnight Dick' at the end of On the Border could be interpreted as one, but there's little else.

They've been up & down that highway
Haven't seen a goddamn thing (LITFL)

Told everybody they could kiss my ass (Partytown)

You think that you're so smart
But you don't have a f*&@ing clue (Inside Job)

They say, “Aw look, they’ve grown accustomed to the smell
Now, people love that shit - (Working It) which also includes a 'kiss my ass'.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Personally, I can totally do without that first one on the list.

[shunlvswx]

Don't forget about Get over It.

You b*tch (I think I heard him say that) about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ass

and also All this b*tchin' and moanin' and pitchin'a fit

Glenn also said Timothy picked up an acoustic guitar.

[shunlvswx]

I forgot about Damn It, Rose as the other song with a cussing word in there.

[Freypower]

I don't find The Last Resort in the least bit unpalatable. I believe there was friction between Glenn and Don about subject matter in Eagles songs, if you want big sellers you can't have controversial lyrics or subject matter, at least you couldn't in the 70s.

Don has always been a a great lyricist, from Witchy Woman onwards, as his songs are instantly memorable, Glenn's songs are too, even during the 70s, without YouTube and all the lyric sites to learn from, people knew all the words to the Eagles songs because they were so well written.

These days some, certainly not all Don's songs seem to be an exercise in cramming in as many literary references as he can get away in a single tune. It sounds like he's agonized over his lyrics for months, which does have the effect of making them something to study rather than singalong with.

Since the Eagles are now big enough to survive, openly criticizing the President Of The United States and supporting the ostracized Dixie Chicks, who weren't, they are obviously allowed to be a lot more controversial and challenging in their subject matter, without it affecting their market value.

Until The Garden Of Allah there really was nothing but universal praise for Don's lyrical aptitude, so you can understand the other guys not being too critical about it, especially if it is going to cause avoidable friction.


I find the swearing and unpleasant language unfortunate.

The embarrassment of Joe's ILBT's at full blast after I'd just bought the album brand new.
It's not so bad in rockers like Joe's, It's Hard To Keep A Good Man Down and Band Played On but Damn It Rose, (some puffed up little fart), I suppose Don wants us to feel uncomfortable. Funnily enough, Bernie's, Vile And Profane Man opts for the less profane "break wind".

Best unintentional profanity, if you're English, is Glenn's wonderful Soul Searching "We gotta Search Our Souls"... I think that's how he spells it.

I do like Business As Usual. Is the last "soul sucking" actually "soul sucking world" as it proclaims in the lyrics?

We don't have any evidence that there was 'friction' over the lyrical content. The Last Resort was on their biggest selling album & as far as I know Glenn fully supported its inclusion. The fact that it was performed for the HFO reunion would suggest that. Also I disagree that you couldn't be controversial in the 70s if you wanted to sell a lot of records. Look at Alice Cooper, and he's probably a mild example.

I know what you are saying about that line in Soul Searchin' because I'm Australian, but as Glenn is American & he would never even have thought of it that way, I think it's unfair to even call it 'unintentional'. It's a coincidence.

'Puffed up little fart' is like 'snogging' an example of Don using what I at least consider an Anglicism.

It is 'soul sucking world' & is in my view the low point of that song.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Well, now I'm curious about this soul searching thing... I'm trying to figure out how 'search our souls' could be a bad thing?

I do want to mention regarding the word-best-left-unspoken in LITFL, it's never taken away from my enjoyment of the song. I love the song, it's easily my second favorite on the album.

After talking about Soul Searching and Life In The Fast Lane, I'll mention that I just noticed this thread is about the song LROOE and not the album... Hmmm, I think we've gotten WAY off topic, but it's been a good discussion.

[Freypower]

Well, now I'm curious about this soul searching thing... I'm trying to figure out how 'search our souls' could be a bad thing?

I do want to mention regarding the word-best-left-unspoken in LITFL, it's never taken away from my enjoyment of the song. I love the song, it's easily my second favorite on the album.

After talking about Soul Searching and Life In The Fast Lane, I'll mention that I just noticed this thread is about the song LROOE and not the album... Hmmm, I think we've gotten WAY off topic, but it's been a good discussion.

I'm sorry VA. Now I will have to explain it to you & I would rather not have to because as I said, it is a complete coincidence.

F50 is implying 'our souls' could sound like the British pronunciation of 'assholes' i.e. 'arseholes'.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Ah, I get it now. I guess if I'd have said the words with my fake Brit accent I may have figured it out! I come from an area of the US that tends to say 'are' instead of 'our', and it drives me crazy, so it shouldn't have been such a stretch for me.