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Thread: Eagles songwriting

  1. #31
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    Default Re: Eagles songwriting

    Quote Originally Posted by UndertheWire View Post
    Next up for a quick summary is Joe Walsh. I'm hoping all the Walsh fans will step up.

    Within the Eagles:
    Pretty Maids All in a Row (with Joe Vitale)
    Life in the Fast Lane (with Henley-Frey)
    In the City (with Barry de Vorzan)
    The Sad Cafe (with Henley, Frey and Souther)
    Last Good Time in Town (with JD Souther)

    and of course, the Eagles played quite a few of Joe's songs from his James Gang, Barnstorm and solo careers.

    My impression is that Joe has written a lot. Lyrically, the funny ones are most memorable. With others, it's the music and riffs that I think of.

    Quote Originally Posted by thelastresort View Post
    As much as I love the more mainstream and perhaps slightly less serious items in Joe's discography, I genuinely wish he'd stuck at the album Barnstorm sound a little more. At age 24 he penned the likes of Birdcall Morning, One and One and the superb Midnight Visitor singlehandedly and the whole album has some wonderful moments: Giant Bohemoth is an absolute monster () and I love the use of Morse Code and flute (hats of to Mr. Vitale for that), and the harmonica at the end of Comin' Down kills me every time I hear it. Add to that Turn to Stone and you've got pretty much the perfect album. Whilst TTS was probably a heads up of that was to come in later years I just wish he'd explored the vast array of styles he portrayed here instead of heading into more generic rock and roll so soon. As I said I love Rocky Mountain Way, Life's Been Good and the more delicate likes of Help Me Thru the Night, but I still always wonder what might have been had he stuck on the Barnstorm road...
    Hotel California is one of the biggest selling albums of all time. I don't think Barnstorm even made the charts when it was initially released but I've probably listened to Barnstorm a guesstimate of 20 or so more times for every time I've listened to the Eagles masterpiece. As it wasn't instantly as successful as The James Gang, Joe went in a more crowd pleasing direction. I'm still hoping for a serious revaluation of his Barnstorm album. It's probably my favourite album. The other Barnstorm album, The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get is stellar too.

    Walsh made his name as a guitarist but he has some pedigree as a songwriter. One of his earliest recordings, Collage, from the first, late sixties, James Gang album was covered impressively by Hedge And Donna, complete unknowns but I got to hear it in England, and Prince Charles's favourite group at the time, UK vocal harmony group, The Three Degrees.

    Since the internet increased it's accessibility it's now been covered many times. Golden Earring have done a version.
    Collage is a lovely Dm song but Joe's very rarely performed it live.

    Being a highly regarded early seventies rock guitarist has led to Joe's, guitar lick songs becoming something that both amateur and professional rock bands are going to play. Funk #49 and Rocky Mountain Way have been covered hundreds of times, notably Van Halen, Ozzy Osborne and Michael Bolton off the top of my head. I think Glenn said one of his early Detroit bands played Funk #49 in their garage.

    Unlike Felder, Joe's informed and literate enough to write articulate and engaging lyrics. Comparing mankind with the musicians on the sinking Titanic, playing obliviously as a catastrophe is going on around them, is quite an analogy. (The Band Played On from Analog Man).

  2. #32
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    Default Re: Eagles songwriting

    Quote Originally Posted by Funk 50 View Post
    Being a highly regarded early seventies rock guitarist has led to Joe's, guitar lick songs becoming something that both amateur and professional rock bands are going to play. Funk #49 and Rocky Mountain Way have been covered hundreds of times, notably Van Halen, Ozzy Osborne and Michael Bolton off the top of my head. I think Glenn said one of his early Detroit bands played Funk #49 in their garage.

    Unlike Felder, Joe's informed and literate enough to write articulate and engaging lyrics. Comparing mankind with the musicians on the sinking Titanic, playing obliviously as a catastrophe is going on around them, is quite an analogy. (The Band Played On from Analog Man).

    Everybody thinks of Walsh as being the ultimate "guitar hero," and that isn't even a close descriptor at all. He has also crafted some rather mellow, poppy(sometimes novelty), psychedelic tunes, in addition to composing songs like "All Night Long," "Funk 49," "Life's Been Good," "Rocky Mountain Way," "The Bomber," "Turn to Stone" and "Walk Away." In fact, much to my surprise when I was listening to his LP's some time back, most of his music leans towards the former camp.

    His song-writing skills have also matured considerably since his Eagles days in the late 70's("Rivers of the Hidden Funk," "Rockets," "Space Age Whiz Kids," "Rosewood Bitters," "Songs for a Dying Planet," etc).
    All carrot, no stick.

    "He's just another power junkie, just another silk scarf monkey. You'd know it if you saw his stuff. The man just isn't big enough."--Glenn Frey/Don Henley

    "You think you know me, but you haven't got a clue."--John Lennon/Paul McCartney


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