The Long Run - Alternate

[Fred Doolin]

I've always thought The Long Run was a good album but I also thought it could be better. This below is what I would have done for the Long Run album

1. The Long Run
2. I Can't Tell You Why
3. In The City
4. Heavy Metal
5. The Disco Strangler
6. King Of Hollywood

7. Heartache Tonight
8. Told You So
9. Those Shoes
10. Rivers Of The Hidden Funk
11. Teenage Jail
12. The Sad Cafe

what other albums could use an alternate track listing?

[BillBailey1976]

Very interesting Alternate. I like it, but I would personally substitute
Never Surrender for Heavy Metal
A Life of Illusion for Rivers (of the Hidden Funk)
The One You Love for Told You So
Keep on Tryin (Poco song the Eagles played live) for Teenage Jail.

So I guess my Long Run Alternate would look like:

1. The Long Run (Henley)
2. I Can't Tell You Why (Schmitt)
3. In The City (Walsh)
4. Never Surrender (Felder)
5. The Disco Strangler (Henley)
6. King Of Hollywood (Henley & Frey)

7. Heartache Tonight (Frey)
8. Those Shoes (Henley)
9. Keep on Tryin (Schmitt)
10. A Life of Illusion (Walsh)
11. The One You Love (Frey)
12. The Sad Café (Henley)

[UndertheWire]

In those days it would probably have been limited to just ten songs. The obvious ones to go are The Disco Strangler and The Greeks Don't Want No Geeks. Maybe Teenage Jail, too.

Of Glenn's solo material, I'd include "All Those Lies" and "I Volunteer".

As "Heavy Metal" started as a Long Run outtake, maybe include a version of that but with improved lyrics and arrangement.

As the new guy, I think Timothy is fine with just the one song. I'm not familiar enough with Joe's catalogue to pick another one of his. Anyway, with five people in the band and only ten songs, one each for Schmit, Walsh and Felder will have to do. Of course, the fabled double album is a different matter.

I'd end up with something like

1. The Long Run (Henley)
2. I Can't Tell You Why (Schmit)
3. In The City (Walsh)
4. I Volunteer (Frey)
5. Heavy Metal (Felder)

6. Heartache Tonight (Frey)
7. Those Shoes (Henley)
8. All Those Lies (Frey)
9. King Of Hollywood (Henley & Frey)
10. The Sad Café (Henley)

[LovinGlennGirl]

Interesting Choices, but how about adding Sea Cruise. They were doing it live at this time and Glenn had it on No Fun Aloud.

[Freypower]

Here is a very old topic we had on a hypothetical Eagles album which would have succeeded TLR. It should be noted that it consists of solo material. I link to it in case anyone is interested. You will note a discussion of Sea Cruise, which would not have worked on TLR at all, in my view.


https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=669

[LovinGlennGirl]

Here is a very old topic we had on a hypothetical Eagles album which would have succeeded TLR. It should be noted that it consists of solo material. I link to it in case anyone is interested. You will note a discussion of Sea Cruise, which would not have worked on TLR at all, in my view.


https://www.eaglesonlinecentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=669

Thanks, I enjoyed the read, makes sense.

[Fred Doolin]

In My version I only included songs that were actually recorded during the Long Run sessions not just random solo songs. Funky New Year could be on there too I guess

[Freypower]

In My version I only included songs that were actually recorded during the Long Run sessions not just random solo songs. Funky New Year could be on there too I guess

I know, but I thought people would be interested in the old topic particularly as you included Told You So & so did I in my 'hypothetical' album.

As it's come up, what is the basis for your claim that Told You So & Rivers (Of The Hidden Funk) were recorded during this period (1978-79)?

[Fred Doolin]

Rivers Of The Hidden Funk is part of the Long Run Leftovers from Selected Works. And the same thing with Told You So

[Freypower]

Rivers Of The Hidden Funk is part of the Long Run Leftovers from Selected Works. And the same thing with Told You So

Thanks. It's a long time since I've listened to that, to be honest.

[WalshFan88]

I'm one of those that always thought TLR was an underrated album. For me, it's my second favorite after HC, at least lately.

I'd have to think but there would only be one or two songs at most I'd replace.

[DiscoStrangler]

I think TLR stands well on it's own. I know critics felt like the album wasn't that great, but I'm not a big fan of critics anyway.

All I know is, I purchased a vinyl version recently, and I've listened to it over and over again. To me, that album really epitomes what the Eagles were: they could rock, they could be slow, they could write with feeling, and they could tell a story. Not to mention, how many bands have multiple guys that can handle lead vocals? Not many that I can think of!

[thelastresort]

To me, that album really epitomes what the Eagles were: they could rock, they could be slow, they could write with feeling, and they could tell a story. Not to mention, how many bands have multiple guys that can handle lead vocals? Not many that I can think of!

It also epitomises to me what the Eagles were during The Long Run years - tired, bereft of all drive, creativity and camaraderie and utterly willing to put out any old tat just to get the job done ;)

I will say more generally though, I think by and large every Eagles album does the rock, slow, feeling, story, multi-vocal set-up; arguably the earlier period more so as whilst you have increasing elements of mainstream rock in their work, you are also laden with the country that catapulted them into the stratosphere in the first place, something which is very definitely missing from the Long Run. I would say however that TLR did the dark, cold, sombre stuff way better than any other album (King of Hollywood, ICTYW, The Sad Cafe etc).

Welcome by the way :D

[New Kid In Town]

TLR - I agree. TLR has three of my least favorite songs ever - TS, GDWNF, and TJ. You can tell they were all just filler and put on that album because they had nothing else to use. In their prime those songs would never have made that album.

[BillBailey1976]

TLR - I agree. TLR has three of my least favorite songs ever - TS, GDWNF, and TJ. You can tell they were all just filler and put on that album because they had nothing else to use. In their prime those songs would never have made that album.

Yeah those songs, at least GDWNF and TJ are awful. I actually like Those Shoes for the most part.

Hard to believe that this was only one album removed from HC, and all the righteous indignation about Felder's voice not being up to par, and such. Maybe they'd have been better off giving Felder a lead on HC and saving one of those songs for TLR.

[thelastresort]

I will say for all of my disdain for The Long Run, I don't think it is a bad album per se. I just think it is hamstrung monumentally by how utterly spent the band, Henley in particular and Frey especially, was, and how that manifested itself in the form of the three most blatant instances of filler in their entire career.

I get that The Disco Strangler is Henley's attempt at satire, a sort of middle finger to disco music, but for the love of god, if you are going to mock something at least make it bearable. The music is awful and for someone with an English degree and the calibre of The Last Resort, A Month of Sundays and Waiting in the Weeds in him; the lyrics are dreadful too.

Teenage Jail is an awkward mix of decent guitar work on the outro and then fairly tepid other contents. I am sure I have read somewhere in the past that Glenn recorded the synth solo as a joke of sorts, then it actually made the cut of the final song. If that is true then that for me embodies what is wrong with the song, its a mix of drumming, guitar, synth and shared vocals lead, none of which seem to fit coherently together.

Greeks is a strange one for me. I like the song, it's good fun and nice and punchy, but I have to be honest, it is Olympic grade filler; it isn't worthy of mention in the same breath as Heartache Tonight or The Sad Cafe.

Those Shoes and The Long Run aren't my favourite songs (the latter is my permanent nomination for most overrated Eagles song), but compared to the above three, they sound like Beethoven compositions. The JW solo version of In the City I think is greatly superior to the Eagles' cover (thank god it picks up live). The final four of Heartache Tonight, ICTYW, The Sad Cafe and King of Hollywood I think are superb, up to the standard of and be than half of the the Hotel California album.

[Freypower]

I will say for all of my disdain for The Long Run, I don't think it is a bad album per se. I just think it is hamstrung monumentally by how utterly spent the band, Henley in particular and Frey especially, was, and how that manifested itself in the form of the three most blatant instances of filler in their entire career.

I get that The Disco Strangler is Henley's attempt at satire, a sort of middle finger to disco music, but for the love of god, if you are going to mock something at least make it bearable. The music is awful and for someone with an English degree and the calibre of The Last Resort, A Month of Sundays and Waiting in the Weeds in him; the lyrics are dreadful too.

Teenage Jail is an awkward mix of decent guitar work on the outro and then fairly tepid other contents. I am sure I have read somewhere in the past that Glenn recorded the synth solo as a joke of sorts, then it actually made the cut of the final song. If that is true then that for me embodies what is wrong with the song, its a mix of drumming, guitar, synth and shared vocals lead, none of which seem to fit coherently together.

Greeks is a strange one for me. I like the song, it's good fun and nice and punchy, but I have to be honest, it is Olympic grade filler; it isn't worthy of mention in the same breath as Heartache Tonight or The Sad Cafe.

Those Shoes and The Long Run aren't my favourite songs (the latter is my permanent nomination for most overrated Eagles song), but compared to the above three, they sound like Beethoven compositions. The JW solo version of In the City I think is greatly superior to the Eagles' cover (thank god it picks up live). The final four of Heartache Tonight, ICTYW, The Sad Cafe and King of Hollywood I think are superb, up to the standard of and be than half of the the Hotel California album.

I've finally found someone who agrees with me on that.

I like TDS but the complete lack of backing vocals on it is perhaps its worst feature. And TJ did not need a second lead vocal. There is little enough of Glenn's voice on this album without emphasising it by having one of his leads shared. For those who say KOH is shared too, yes, but Glenn has a distinctive part which parallels the main part. They seem to think they are obliged to have Henley sing in TJ.

[WalshFan88]

Wow, not much love for The Long Run, lol. While it had it's filler, it also produced some of the very best Eagles songs. I'll listen to The Long Run with it's fillers before I'll listen to Desperado(album). It's subjective but I prefer the later Eagles.

I personally always felt the opposite - the title track was underrated amongst the other Eagles songs. It had a funky beat, Memphis groove, and just a good singalong feel good song. Some say it reminds them of the "Tryin' To Live My Life Without You" song, and while it has that Memphis sound, I don't think it's a copy.

And Those Shoes? OMG it is right up there in my top 5 at this point. I love the mood and the energy and of course the talk box duel solos. I really think it has to be the most underrated Eagles song of all time, even more than my beloved VOL.

I'm going to try to play along in my own way. I'm going to bold the songs I like, and not bold the ones I would be ok with replacing. But I love this album.

1. The Long Run
2. I Can't Tell You Why
3. In The City
4. The Disco Strangler
5. King Of Hollywood
6. Heartache Tonight
7. Those Shoes
8. Teenage Jail
9. The Greeks Don't Want No Freaks
10. The Sad Cafe

So other than 4 songs, I really love the album. I can list Eagles albums where I like a LOT less songs on it, so for me I'd say it's in my top 3 Eagles albums TBH.

[New Kid In Town]

Hi WF - I know HC and TLR are your two favorite albums. I myself have always liked the title song. However, can't say the same thing for the other three I listed. I agree with 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10. I'm so-so about KOH - I don't dislike but not crazy about it either. On a side note, I have always liked the Desperado album. However, I know it is not
r & r enough for you.

[WalshFan88]

Hi WF - I know HC and TLR are your two favorite albums. I myself have always liked the title song. However, can't say the same thing for the other three I listed. I agree with 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10. I'm so-so about KOH - I don't dislike but not crazy about it either. On a side note, I have always liked the Desperado album. However, I know it is not
r & r enough for you.

Exactly. For me the first two albums other than Take It Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling, Witchy Woman, and Desperado, do nothing for me. Maybe Out Of Control from Desperado. I was not a fan of the rest, including Tequila Sunrise.

I'm not a classic/traditional country fan and a large part of the first two albums were that sound with the occasional rock leaning. But for me it's kind of boring. The only reason I like Desperado is because of the lyric content.

On The Border was kinda the turning point for me. I loved Already Gone, Good Day In Hell, James Dean, The Best Of My Love, although it had some songs that were still too country for me.

One Of These Nights really for me was a mixed bag but I liked it better than the first two albums. I loved One Of These Nights, Take It To The Limit, and After The Thrill Is Gone. I've never been a fan of Lyin' Eyes. Much like Tequila Sunrise, the lyric content doesn't keep my attention.

Hotel California is where they really hit their pinnacle. Most if not all of the country stuff I hated was removed, and a lot of rock and roll brought in. The masterpiece.

The Long Run ceased to have any country tunes, and maybe that's why I have to throw it a bone.

I love modern/today's/new/contemporary country but only because it now sounds like rock and RNB. It doesn't have that twangy guitar sound and boring lyrics. It has some distortion on the guitar and some uptempo lyrics on the rocking songs and nice clean Hendrix-y guitar and smooth vocals on the RNB/EDM tinged stuff.

[YoungEaglesFan]

The Long Run is by no means a bad album but it's not a top three album. I like all the singles, I'm more found of TLR than the others on here but I can see how one doesn't like it. I felt like using ITC was weak, something I definitely don't like them doing that just to fill out the album. King of Hollywood and sad cafe are both decent lyrically but I don't care for that music that much. Those shoes is interesting enough where it deserves some praise but the other songs are varying degrees of filler. The band was capable of better imo but just needed to take some time off. It would be truly appalling to think of The Long Run being a double album like it was originally planned. But if given time that could have been a blessing because Glenn could have used that to get his voice back to the forefront, Timothy could have had another lead and maybe even felder. Had they just slowed down it could have been better but I accept that they were just physically and mentally exhauseted and they reached their limit at the time

[WalshFan88]

The Long Run is by no means a bad album but it's not a top three album. I like all the singles, I'm more found of TLR than the others on here but I can see how one doesn't like it. I felt like using ITC was weak, something I definitely don't like them doing that just to fill out the album. King of Hollywood and sad cafe are both decent lyrically but I don't care for that music that much. Those shoes is interesting enough where it deserves some praise but the other songs are varying degrees of filler. The band was capable of better imo but just needed to take some time off. It would be truly appalling to think of The Long Run being a double album like it was originally planned. But if given time that could have been a blessing because Glenn could have used that to get his voice back to the forefront, Timothy could have had another lead and maybe even felder. Had they just slowed down it could have been better but I accept that they were just physically and mentally exhauseted and they reached their limit at the time

YEF, it's important to discern the difference between what I consider my top three and your top three vs their actual top three albums. For me TLR is a top three album for me and no one can deny that. It's my ranking vs yours.

I also think ITC is a brilliant Eagles song, and I don't find it weak at all. Joe's version of it for the Warriors movie soundtrack wasn't that good IMO, the Eagles version was superb and was still played in concert throughout the HOTE tour and Joe plays it the Eagles way in all of his solo shows. ITC is a great Eagles song. That's an example of a song much better with the Eagles than without.

[YoungEaglesFan]

YEF, it's important to discern the difference between what I consider my top three and your top three vs their actual top three albums. For me TLR is a top three album for me and no one can deny that. It's my ranking vs yours.

I also think ITC is a brilliant Eagles song, and I don't find it weak at all. Joe's version of it for the Warriors movie soundtrack wasn't that good IMO, the Eagles version was superb and was still played in concert throughout the HOTE tour and Joe plays it the Eagles way in all of his solo shows. ITC is a great Eagles song. That's an example of a song much better with the Eagles than without.

When i say "Its not a top three album" i meant that as an opinion. Obviously my opinions aren't fact. I like In The City I just don't like how they put it on the album. They wouldn't have done that if they were a more creative era but they were just dry. I don't like them just redoing a solo song. Though it's still good and the vocal harmonies are good.

[WalshFan88]

When i say "Its not a top three album" i meant that as an opinion. Obviously my opinions aren't fact. I like In The City I just don't like how they put it on the album. They wouldn't have done that if they were a more creative era but they were just dry. I don't like them just redoing a solo song. Though it's still good and the vocal harmonies are good.

I hated it as a solo song though, it got known through the Eagles, and not as a song on that movie. I thought Joe deserved some vocal leads on TLR and it sounds better with the guys than with just Joe. It's an Eagles huge hit, a staple.

[thelastresort]

King of Hollywood ... decent lyrically but I don't care for that music that much.

The music is my primary love on King of Hollywood, one of the very, very few Eagles songs when all three guitarists deserve equal praise for their input. I love how they all join gradually in the intro, the harmonising, build up, and then, to top it all of, more solos than you can shake a stick at - I believe all three of them got one too.

I will add, the Long Run forum theme is an absolute belter too.