The original lineup underrated?

[chaim]

Am I the only one on the planet who feels that the original Eagles doesn't get the recognition it deserves? This post was inspired by the Taylor/Joe discussion in the other thread.

When Felder was let go, there were (and still are) an awful lot of people who insisted they're nothing without him. There also seems to be people who feel the same away about Joe/Eagles.

But when you look at their first Greatest Hits album, which sold a copy or two, I think the original lineup did just fine too:

Take It Easy (original lineup)
Witchy Woman (original lineup)
Lyin' Eyes (original lineup, with Felder probably strumming an acoustic with Glenn)
Already Gone (original lineup, with Felder playing some long notes on top of Glenn's solo)
Desperado (original lineup)
One Of These Nights (Felder was important in arranging this one. He has made this very clear. Although I still say that Glenn did the harmony guitars. Felder also plays a nice solo.)
Tequila Sunrise (original lineup)
Take It To The Limit (I don't know who played what here, but certainly Felder didn't make it what it is)
Peaceful Easy Feeling (original lineup)
Best Of My Love (original lineup)

Felder says in his book that Randy and Bernie deserved to be honored for this album as much as Glenn, Don and himself. I think he was being a bit kind to himself. Randy and Bernie are a much bigger part of this album than him! Of course one could say that Felder (and later Joe) joining the band made people buy this album!

I understand that Don F and Joe were great additions - especially live - when they joined, but it seems to me that today a lot of people have forgotten that there even was an Eagles before them. Even Glenn's ICTYW solo is Don's today. So it seems that the history of the Eagles has been distorted slightly in people's minds. How many people even know who Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon are?

And a lot of those who do remember the original lineup seem to remember what they lacked before Felder joined, and not what was already there.

I'm biased, of course, as I'm a big Randy/Bernie fan, and Desperado is my favorite Eagles album...