Question in "Try and Love Again"

[AEW21]

I have to say, I think "Try and Love Again" is my favorite Eagles song. Before I ever really had a sense of who the Eagles were and what they stood for musical history, I recall hearing it as a "deep cut" on the local classic rock station, and it was one of the first songs I bought off Rhapsody as a kid, before iTunes. For YEARS, it was the only Eagles' song I owned on my iPod. The structure of it just blows me away. I just love Randy's passion when signing it, and all the harmonies are so lush.

So two questions---one, did they ever perform it live, during Randy years? (If so, any existing performances to watch/hear, besides Randy's solo version of it in YT?)

Number two, during the main verses, is it Don or is it Glenn doing harmony with Randy? I always thought Don, but now I'm not so sure, the more I hear the guys singing other songs together...? And at the end (okay, so it was three questions!!) the "Gonna try, gonna try, gonna try..."--is that Randy and Don, or just Don and Glenn?

[Ive always been a dreamer]

AEW - I don't believe the band ever played the song live, and the liner notes do not list the backup vocalists on the song. I have no idea who is singing the backup harmonies, but it sounds like to me that it is a blend of both Don and Glenn's voices. There are parts where it definitely sounds like more than one back vocalist, but I'm guessing there are probably at least two vocalists on all of the harmony parts.

And for what it's worth, I love the song too and think it is very underrated.

[sodascouts]

This is the only song off Hotel California they've never done live, presumably because of Randy's reluctance to be front and center and his subsequent exit from the band.

I'm not sure who's doing backing vocals. I suspect Dreamer might be right.

[Freypower]

The backing part on the word 'oh' before the chorus sounds very much like Glenn, or at least his voice is higher in the mix. The rest of it would be both Don & Glenn.

[AEW21]

Thanks for all input, y'all. It does sound like a Don/Glenn blend signing underneath Randy. it is a fairly intricate song to sing live, I suppose, but golly, I wish they wold have attempted it at least once. ;). The ending would be spellbinding to see performed live on stage, all those layers of voices...and more great guitar interplay 'tween Joe and Felder. Maybe it was a song easier to perfect in studio using technical tomfoolery versus bring able to replicate live....?

I always thought perhaps it was a song they sorta hated, seeing how little it's ever mentioned. But they did use it fairly conspicuously in the doc, and Glenn was musical supervisor/director for it, wasn't he?

I think Randy did go on and sing it in his solo shows in the 80s, though the key does sound dropped in the YT audio version.

[Freypower]

Randy was on the verge of leaving the band when the song was released. Perhaps it was suggested that they include in the HC tour setlist & he outright refused. He left not long afterwards.

[scottside]

I have seen "Try And Love Again" live in March of 1977 at two different shows at The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. This was right after HOTEL CALIFORNIA released and probably before Randy was ready to leave the band. I didn't see the Eagles again until 1980 and by then he was gone. What I can remember about it is that I was disappointed that Glenn didn't play lead guitar live as he did on the studio recording, instead playing the acoustic while I believe it was Felder who did the lead and Joe reprised his electric guitar part that he played on vinyl.

[sodascouts]

Wow - I stand corrected! They must have dropped it fairly quickly. You're very fortunate you got to hear it! Thanks for the info.

[AEW21]

I have seen "Try And Love Again" live in March of 1977 at two different shows at The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. This was right after HOTEL CALIFORNIA released and probably before Randy was ready to leave the band. I didn't see the Eagles again until 1980 and by then he was gone. What I can remember about it is that I was disappointed that Glenn didn't play lead guitar live as he did on the studio recording, instead playing the acoustic while I believe it was Felder who did the lead and Joe reprised his electric guitar part that he played on vinyl.

Thank you so much for sharing this info--happy to know the song saw the light of day live a few times before they yanked it. I sort of thought it might have appeared a few times in the initial HC tour--must have proved to be too taxing to do live for some reason...?

And wow! To Glenn doing lead guitar on it--love the guitar on it. There seems to be a few songs over years that Glenn played lead on record, that Felder then subsequently did live on tour. Must have been for ease of transitions on stage, involving equipment and guitar-swapping and song line-up and such.

Thanks again for these tidbits!

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

One of my favorite songs and Glenn's solo is one of his very best, just exquisite. Shocked to hear that they did do it live, would love to hear a boot of that!

[Freypower]

I have seen "Try And Love Again" live in March of 1977 at two different shows at The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. This was right after HOTEL CALIFORNIA released and probably before Randy was ready to leave the band. I didn't see the Eagles again until 1980 and by then he was gone. What I can remember about it is that I was disappointed that Glenn didn't play lead guitar live as he did on the studio recording, instead playing the acoustic while I believe it was Felder who did the lead and Joe reprised his electric guitar part that he played on vinyl.

Thank you for letting us know that scottside. However it does not surprise me at all that Glenn didn't play lead live. Once again he proved that he wasn't the egomaniac that some believe he was/is.

[Freypower]

Thank you so much for sharing this info--happy to know the song saw the light of day live a few times before they yanked it. I sort of thought it might have appeared a few times in the initial HC tour--must have proved to be too taxing to do live for some reason...?

And wow! To Glenn doing lead guitar on it--love the guitar on it. There seems to be a few songs over years that Glenn played lead on record, that Felder then subsequently did live on tour. Must have been for ease of transitions on stage, involving equipment and guitar-swapping and song line-up and such.

Thanks again for these tidbits!

I stand by my original theory that Randy probably didn't want to do it & so it was dropped. I am not sure what is so complex about it.

As far as I am aware, but I may be wrong, the only songs Glenn played lead & Felder then played lead live were TALA & ICTYW. Glenn did not play lead very often. Once he had Walsh & Felder in the band he felt he didn't need to. Just as 'I sang less in the 70s. That was intentional; we had Don Henley'. My opinion of this is well known.

[Prettymaid]

I stand by my original theory that Randy probably didn't want to do it & so it was dropped. I am not sure what is so complex about it.

Look out FP, your snarkiness is showing again. What is so wrong with someone being curious about why a song was played a couple of times and dropped? Even you admit that yours is just a theory. Geesh.

[Freypower]

Look out FP, your snarkiness is showing again. What is so wrong with someone being curious about why a song was played a couple of times and dropped? Even you admit that yours is just a theory. Geesh.

I'm sorry; I meant I was not sure what is so complex about the song, not the question. AEW said she thought it must have been too taxing to do live & I couldn't see why. It just has layered guitar parts.

[AEW21]

Don't worry, I took no offense, either way.;)


I guess I just meant it seems like a very dense song, musically, both vocally and insturment-wise. Lot of layering all-around. If it was too much of a pain to coordinate on-stage and do to the standard they have, I can see them thinking it not worth hassle. And you're probably right, FP, if Randy was already balking at singing TITTL, he perhaps wasn't in any mood to tackle T&LA either--- shame, because they're both beautiful showcases for his extraordinary range.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Thanks Scottside for letting us know that the band did perform the song at least a few times - I'm glad to know that it isn't the only song on the HC album that was never done live. How I would have loved to see that Hotel California tour.

[GlennLover]

Thanks, scottside! I love these little bits of history about the band! :)

[chaim]

So Glenn gave that solo away too? This makes me wonder...Don F "had to use" a double-neck guitar so that he could play both the 12-string acoustic part and the harmony guitar part live (talking about Hotel California). Why didn't Glenn just play that 12-string acoustic part (with a capo on the 7th fret) live? Instead Glenn played a 6-string acoustic part with a capo on the 2nd fret; a guitar part that isn't even in the record, except maybe in the choruses. If Glenn had played that main 12-string acoustic part live, it could've been heard throughout the song, and it would've even been an acoustic, like on the record.
This is slightly off-topic, but I just don't get why Don didn't give that part (the Hotel 12-string) for Glenn to play when they did it live - or why Glenn didn't ask if he could play it. Don using a double-neck electric instead is about the same as Glenn having a guitar with him while sitting at the keyboard and playing the ICTYW solos when the time came.

[Freypower]

So Glenn gave that solo away too? This makes me wonder...Don F "had to use" a double-neck guitar so that he could play both the 12-string acoustic part and the harmony guitar part live (talking about Hotel California). Why didn't Glenn just play that 12-string acoustic part (with a capo on the 7th fret) live? Instead Glenn played a 6-string acoustic part with a capo on the 2nd fret; a guitar part that isn't even in the record, except maybe in the choruses. If Glenn had played that main 12-string acoustic part live, it could've been heard throughout the song, and it would've even been an acoustic, like on the record.
This is slightly off-topic, but I just don't get why Don didn't give that part for Glenn to play when they did it live (or why Glenn chose not to play it). Don using a double-neck electric instead is about the same as Glenn having a guitar with him while sitting at the keyboard and playing the ICTYW solos when the time came.

It would have been Glenn's decision, not Felder's. As if Felder would say 'hey man, you played it on the record, play it live'. I suspect that yet again, it was a way of keeping Felder off his case. In any case, as it was dropped fairly quickly....

[sodascouts]

Glenn has always readily admitted Felder was the better guitarist; why not let Felder show his stuff? Glenn has never been a spotlight hog, despite the way some would like to depict him. Indeed, I think he goes too far the other way.

That's why I love that Glenn is playing more solos this tour!

[GlennLover]

Glenn has always readily admitted Felder was the better guitarist; why not let Felder show his stuff? Glenn has never been a spotlight hog, despite the way some would like to depict him. Indeed, I think he goes too far the other way.

That's why I love that Glenn is playing more solos this tour!

:yay::yay::yay: Can't wait to see & hear him!

[chaim]

It would have been Glenn's decision, not Felder's. As if Felder would say 'hey man, you played it on the record, play it live'. I suspect that yet again, it was a way of keeping Felder off his case. In any case, as it was dropped fairly quickly....

My whole post was about Hotel California. Glenn gave some of his parts to Don so that they could play the songs better live. But when it came to Hotel California, instead of just giving one of the parts to Glenn, Don used a double-neck so that he could play both parts, with one (12-string) suddenly disappearing when the other part (harmony) starts. It seems that "giving parts away" worked only in one direction. But of course, it was Glenn who decided to give those solos away. Don didn't ask for them.

[chaim]

Glenn has always readily admitted Felder was the better guitarist; why not let Felder show his stuff? Glenn has never been a spotlight hog, despite the way some would like to depict him. Indeed, I think he goes too far the other way.

That's why I love that Glenn is playing more solos this tour!

My reasoning was that wouldn't it be "best for the Eagles" if that 12-string part could be heard throughout the song and with an acoustic. Seems to me that they compromised a little by having it played on an electric and disappearing when the harmony parts starts. Glenn could have played it, as he was going to play an acoustic anyway.
But maybe the reason was that Felder could "show his stuff", although it isn't a solo, but a rhythm part.

[sodascouts]

I see what you're saying, chaim, and it makes sense. I was trying to find a reason but as you said, it probably would be better to do it the other way.

[Prettymaid]

I don't know anything about playing guitar, and maybe because of that I and many others who see HC performed live are in awe of the double neck. Could they maybe have done it just for that reason alone?

[Freypower]

My whole post was about Hotel California. Glenn gave some of his parts to Don so that they could play the songs better live. But when it came to Hotel California, instead of just giving one of the parts to Glenn, Don used a double-neck so that he could play both parts, with one (12-string) suddenly disappearing when the other part (harmony) starts. It seems that "giving parts away" worked only in one direction. But of course, it was Glenn who decided to give those solos away. Don didn't ask for them.

The topic is about TALA so I thought you were talking about that.

[chaim]

The topic is about TALA so I thought you were talking about that.

I know. It was my mistake that I wasn't more clear. I edited that post.

[JohnW]

Someone asked who sang the harmony lead with Randy on Try and Love Again. I think it's Randy singing both parts.

[DJ]

Someone asked who sang the harmony lead with Randy on Try and Love Again. I think it's Randy singing both parts.

In listening to this song probably at least 100+ times I believe you are 100% correct JohnW. I believe it's Randy doing lead and backup. Perhaps this is the reason for not playing it but for two concerts as mentioned. Some songs are mixed for studio only. IMO. But one of the best Eagles/Randy songs out there.:love:

[Freypower]

In listening to this song probably at least 100+ times I believe you are 100% correct JohnW. I believe it's Randy doing lead and backup. Perhaps this is the reason for not playing it but for two concerts as mentioned. Some songs are mixed for studio only. IMO. But one of the best Eagles/Randy songs out there.:love:

As stated earlier in the thread you can hear Glenn clearly sing the word 'oh' before the title is sung.

I don't understand why if you have such great harmony singers they wouldn't be used. It has always sounded like Don & Glenn to me.

[MaryCalifornia]

I'm going to take a listen with the Bose headphones!

I love this song.

I shall report back.

ETA: The other Eagles' voices only appear on the "oh"s and "gonna try and love" at 2:13. Otherwise, it's all Randy on Randy.

Randy is really singing his head off here. It may not have sounded as good live, maybe Scottside remembers what he thought of the performance?

[wasl89]

As stated earlier in the thread you can hear Glenn clearly sing the word 'oh' before the title is sung.

I don't understand why if you have such great harmony singers they wouldn't be used. It has always sounded like Don & Glenn to me.

I think the same thing; Glenn does sing a part of the harmony and I think Don too. Maybe they dubbed their voices a bit so it sounds a bit different.
It’s one of the best tracks on HC, Randy’s voice does sound wonderful. Last week I played it while driving home and I was singing with Randy as loudly as possible :p

[Outlawman13]

I love this song so much as well!! One of my favvie Randy tracks!! Love his voice on it

[Annoying Twit]

Necrothread alert!

TALA has always been my favourite song on HC. Yes, including HC itself. It's a pity it wasn't released as a single. Perhaps that would have put the spotlight more on Randy, which he may not have appreciated.

I never knew who did the solo, which I always thought is great. Interesting to see that Glenn did it. I think I've heard that some of Don F's solos were helped along by Glenn telling him (vocally) what he might play.

[Eaglesfanmanchester]

I'm Pretty sure Randy sings most of the backing vocals on the verses :hmm:

It's a great song, apparently they played at the filmed Washington D.C. show?

[YoungEaglesFan]

I'm Pretty sure Randy sings most of the backing vocals on the verses :hmm:

It's a great song, apparently they played at the filmed Washington D.C. show?

Apparently they did,it’s a shame we will probably never see it. I’d kill to see them do that song live

[groupie2686]

I would too, I love this song. I would think they didn't do this live much, given Randy's departure from the band soon after.

[New Kid In Town]

I would too, I love this song. I would think they didn't do this live much, given Randy's departure from the band soon after.

Groupie, from what I read Randy sang TALA during the HC tour. Glenn had stated they were going to release the song as the next single but Randy quit and sadly, it was never released. It is a beautiful song.

[Freypower]

Groupie, from what I read Randy sang TALA during the HC tour. Glenn had stated they were going to release the song as the next single but Randy quit and sadly, it was never released. It is a beautiful song.

As was stated earlier in the thread it was played early in the tour & then dropped.

[Cheyney]

I put “Try” on a playlist for my daughter years ago and have always felt that the song was underrated. For what it’s worth, the harmonies are ethereal, just beautiful. The intricacies of the guitars, the back and forth I’m sure would have been hard to reproduce live but it’s one of my all-time Eagles favorites!

[peneumbra]

Meisner performed a couple versions of this song - one acoustic, one with band - during the tour supporting "One More Song."

[Delilah]

Meisner performed a couple versions of this song - one acoustic, one with band - during the tour supporting "One More Song."

I didn’t know he ever did an acoustic version. I’ve heard a live recording of this song from 1978 and 1982. Did you see him perform back then peneumbra? I’d love to hear any info you might have about Randy’s shows.

[peneumbra]

I've always been very impressed with Meissner's musical abilities, both as a bass and guitar player and of course as a singer.

I was able to see quite a few of his gigs on the tour for "One Last Song," which I thought was a great record. Don Francisco was the drummer for that tour, and I'd known him for about a million years, back to when he was playing behind Linda Ronstadt; his regular tech got ill at one point, and I became his defacto drum tech.

Somewhere in the middle of that period - the "Last Song" tour - Meissner did a private show at McCabe's Guitar Shop on Pico Blvd. in L.A. I don't remember who the show was for - likely record company folks - but Jon Stewart was there, and Waddy Wachtel, and all the usual suspects. :smokin:

[NightMistBlue]

Wow, that would have been so great to see a private show - any show of Randy's!

[peneumbra]

A lot of artists play at McCabe's - it's been around for about 50 years - but personally, I'm not fond of it.

The stage is tiny, it's about as dark as a cave inside, and the acoustics are awful. But it's sort of a mandatory place to play when you're in L.A...:smokin:

[East Texas Girl]

I would love to hear Randy's acoustic version of TALA.

There's another place I could have seen on my LA trip last summer, McCabe's Guitar Shop. Guess I'll just have to go back... :wink:

[DJ]

I've always been very impressed with Meissner's musical abilities, both as a bass and guitar player and of course as a singer.

I was able to see quite a few of his gigs on the tour for "One Last Song," which I thought was a great record. Don Francisco was the drummer for that tour, and I'd known him for about a million years, back to when he was playing behind Linda Ronstadt; his regular tech got ill at one point, and I became his defacto drum tech.

Somewhere in the middle of that period - the "Last Song" tour - Meissner did a private show at McCabe's Guitar Shop on Pico Blvd. in L.A. I don't remember who the show was for - likely record company folks - but Jon Stewart was there, and Waddy Wachtel, and all the usual suspects. :smokin:
May I just say it's Meisner. One S 😌

[NightMistBlue]

I would love to hear Randy's acoustic version of TALA.

There's another place I could have seen on my LA trip last summer, McCabe's Guitar Shop. Guess I'll just have to go back... :wink:

Yeah, it sounds worthy of a rock pilgrimmage. When I was reading Peneumbra's post I was thinking, "Why have I never visited there?" OK, it's going on the list. I remember Nancy Wilson (of Heart, not the jazz singer) did a live album from there some years back.

Do you all look at the Henry Diltz Photography Facebook page? Every now and then he'll ask something like, "Am I the only one who remembers that McCabe's used to have little shop at the front of the Troubadour as you walk in?" I guess he is the only one, because no one ever seems to share that memory.

Oh look, Jackson Browne played McCabe's yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfbmmUADHQr/

[edwardd19]

I believe i have a photo of the eagles performing "try and love again" in 1977. can anyone confirm this?

[edwardd19]

i say this photo could be them performing try and love again, because Walsh is using his gretsch guitar, which he only used for witchy woman and turn to stone, but for those songs, frey played with "old black" not an acoustic guitar, and it looks like frey and randy are the only ones singing during this photo, which means that it could be try and love again. Also felder is with his gibson, which he mostly used whenever he played lead guitar, which supposedly he did for try and love again in concert. anyone else think this could be it?

[scottside]

I agree. This is probably "Try And Love Again" as it's the only song that Randy sang where Glenn would've been playing an acoustic (even though he played the guitar solo in the studio).

[edwardd19]

I agree, well if this is them performing it, which i am 90% sure, then this is definitely a gem to have. plus only frey and randy are singing, which they were the only ones who sang during this song.

[lovemusic]

I believe i have a photo of the eagles performing "try and love again" in 1977. can anyone confirm this?
What a find! Thank you for sharing edwardd19.

[Delilah]

Thanks from me too, edwardd19! That pic is new to me. Good work narrowing the song down to TALA. :thumbsup: Although I thought Don H also sang on it.

[edwardd19]

Im . pretty sure he did sing on it too, but i cant see don in the photo he is blocked, anyways im in the process of buying that original photo, so i will post it on here when i get itin the mail

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Looking forward to seeing it, Edward. Thanks!

[edwardd19]

Hello all, i have found yet another photo of the boys performing the rare song “try and love again” except this time the photo is in color. Walsh with his Gretsch, felder with his gibson, Frey using his 12 string acoustic , and randy with his fender bass. Pretty unique photo i found, especially since this is the cover for a bootleg CD of the eagles in Japan, anyways enjoy !

[edwardd19]

Heres the photo enjoy

[edwardd19]

2540

[NightMistBlue]

This Washington Post review of the March 21, 1977 concert at the Capital Centre confirms that "Try and Love Again" was performed, though the critic says Randy's vocal was "disappointingly whiny." Spoiler alert: the whole review is relentlessly negative. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/03/23/the-eagles-slick-and-self-centered/5837a2a8-7f82-4076-8c13-a19b62f89d3e/?fbclid=IwAR3a9mkiXUj_JNxg3yCnu44Z58u3W7-yfho-OgC7gbhsjfYEUC2eP5SLtQo

[FreyFollower]

This Washington Post review of the March 21, 1977 concert at the Capital Centre confirms that "Try and Love Again" was performed, though the critic says Randy's vocal was "disappointingly whiny." Spoiler alert: the whole review is relentlessly negative. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1977/03/23/the-eagles-slick-and-self-centered/5837a2a8-7f82-4076-8c13-a19b62f89d3e/?fbclid=IwAR3a9mkiXUj_JNxg3yCnu44Z58u3W7-yfho-OgC7gbhsjfYEUC2eP5SLtQo

I think that the critic that is sent to review a concert ought to be someone who can give an objective opinion of the show, not someone who obviously dislikes them before they even open their mouths! Of course, history has proven that guy wrong. As Glenn said in in Bob Costas interview, "We showed them!" (critics).

[KingWalsh]

Ya, clearly slanted. Critics annoy me, the power they have (or think they have) , the smugness. Here is a link to a re-post of a Hartford Courant review of an Eagles show from 1996 in Hartford, yet another lame critic, even trying to compare the crowd size from Yale Bowl :brickwall:.

http://www.angelfire.com/mb/nowww/reviewhtfd02.html

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Yeah - I have to agree about critics - most of them don't know nearly as much as they think they do. They are supposed to provide us with an objective view, but that is rarely the case with them. We don't need their opinions when we have our own.

Here is an :roll: quote from the 1977 Washington Post review that NMB posted ...

"The Eagles are much better musicians than lyricists, especially now that Walsh, who replaced founding member Bernie Leadon early last year, is around prod the other four with his superlative, hard-rocking guitar work".

I mean really? Isn't this a band that is highly praised for their lyrical abilities?

Now, this last comment actually made me laugh ...

"Outside, before the show, scalpers were selling tickets for as much as $25, suggesting that these two concerts are the pop event of the year thus far and that the Eagles are rock's most popular all-American band".

Talk about longing for the good ole days - WOW! But, in his defense, this was an outrageous amount of $$ back in 1977.

[JLE]

So glad to see so many others appreciate what a gem of a song Try and Love again is... I'm a ginormous Randy fan so am biased, think it would have been a huge hit if it had been released as a single! It's a timeless song and I will never tire of it. Really enjoyed reading all of this thread, I didn't think the song ever saw the light of day live and in concert, but apparently it did, for a little while anyway. I would kill to have seen them play it, of course it's not included on the concert portion of History of the Eagles, boo hiss.

[New Kid In Town]

JLE - TALA is one of my favorites from the album too. Glenn stated it was the next single slated to be released from the album had Randy not quit the band. It was played at concerts during HC tour, including at the Capital Center Concert. That dvd is included in the HOTE dvd - an incredible concert ! But, only eight songs on the dvd and TALA is not one of the songs on the dvd.