Eagles' opinions on their own work

[AlreadyGone95]

On GFO, Soda created "Quoteable Frey", a page with various quotes that Glenn has said on different topics. If anyone is interested, here's the page for quotes about individual songs. Some of the quotes are opinions, and others are about writing the song.

Also, great idea for a thread, TLR.

[NightMistBlue]

The best concert he's attended, The Eagles at Wembley Arena during the Hotel California tour. One of the few occasions when Randy's Take It To The Limit was accompanied by a 40 piece string orchestra. Wish I Was There!

Oh my. The mere thought of that... Anybody heard tell of a bootleg?

[Funk 50]

The Eagles Live Album from 1981 has Take It To The Limit with the string chart.

I've listed a lot of comments, where the Eagles have been critical of their own music, I feel obliged to balance it up with some positives. I'm sure there are some but none come directly to mind. I'll have to give it some thought.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

F50, there likely isn't as many positives as saying something positive about your own work smacks of bragging, and they are reluctant to do that. They've never needed to, because their record sales speak for them! I'm sure there are some examples, but it will require thought.

[DJ]

I've heard that Long Road Out Of Eden originally had a slower tempo. I'd sure like to hear that! Maybe Glenn got them to speed it up a bit.

A regular intro from Joe "If I knew that I'd have to sing this song everyday for the rest of my life, I'd have written something else." I'm sure he's used it for both Rocky Mountain Way and Life's Been Good. Maybe Funk #49 too.

Classic Henley; "Sometimes I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than sing Desperado."

Oh but Mr. Henley everytime I hear the Desperado Reprise version I cry. It is soooo soulful and poignant!

[Jonny Come Lately]

I think with a band like the Eagles the negative opinions perhaps stand out more because they are very self-critical and have always been looking at ways to improve. I guess they sometimes know things about the recording process. For instance, looking back at Don Henley's comment about On The Border the song not being fully realised, it is difficult for us to know how he originally wanted it to turn out. I don't worry about this when I listen to the song although no doubt he would notice all the problems he thought they were with the end result.

Some bands are keen to talk up their own music, but the Eagles (and I would say Glenn in particular) are bit reluctant to do so. Even if they do praise their music they tend to seem a bit wary of coming across as boastful. I distinctly remember reading a quote from Glenn Frey about his excellent ICTYW guitar solo where he seems to think twice before explaining why it worked before than anything the more technically gifted Joe or Don Felder could come up with, and that's a song I believe he rates very highly. Likewise, if you look at the section of the liner notes from 2003's The Very Best Of covering The Last Resort, Glenn is full of praise for the song (describing it as Henley's opus) whereas Henley says 'lyrically it's not bad'. He does in fairness comment to some extent on its meaning but I suspect that he was simply reluctant to get overly excited about his own composition (There's a quote from him from about 1987 or so where he says the song is one of his favourites).

[NightMistBlue]

Well, we know that Glenn thinks his vocal is out of tune on "Peaceful, Easy Feeling." I assume he means the chorus, and perhaps the "woah -oh oh" near the end. What do ya'll think? The pitch may be *slightly* slack but I don't think it's actually out of tune.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Now I'm gonna have to listen to it at least three times and see! I will say it's a song I've always preferred live, and maybe this is why.

[Funk 50]

If you look at the section of the liner notes from 2003's The Very Best Of covering The Last Resort, Glenn is full of praise for the song (describing it as Henley's opus) whereas Henley says 'lyrically it's not bad'. He does in fairness comment to some extent on its meaning but I suspect that he was simply reluctant to get overly excited about his own composition (There's a quote from him from about 1987 or so where he says the song is one of his favourites).

I've only heard or more likely read, Henley's comment about the music not really going anywhere. I'm delighted to read that The Last Resort is one of his favourites.

When asked what are his solo favourites, Henley answers, without a pause, the same as everybody else. The Heart Of The Matter, Boys Of Summer and The End Of The Innocence were the ones he named from memory.

I've heard (or read) Glenn congratulating himself for the guitar solo in I Can't Tell You Why and rightly so, it is exceptional, adding that the bass players tend to opt for his guitar solos for their tracks. Randy's Try And Love Again immediate springs to mind.


Joe, feigning tears, "This song is so beautiful" when introducing Pretty Maids All In A Row during the HFO show. When he performs it live, Joe often says Over And Over is one of his favourite solo tunes.

The Shadow is one of Tim's favourites from his own catalogue.

There's a very amusing response from Glenn on one of the Soul Pole discs. I'm quoting from memory here, but after going off key singing New Kid In Town, Glenn blurts out the self critique, that may be good enough for The "Hoot" on a Monday Night but it's not going to get me in to no Rock'n'Roll, bullshit, Hall Of Fame.. or words to that effect....

[UndertheWire]

Glenn talking to Bob Costas about his favourite Eagles and solo songs back in 1992:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHPwHeTLLV0