Glenn Frey wasn’t probably the most prolific of Eagles. In truth, long-time companion Don Henley virtually matched Frey’s complete variety of lead vocals within the ’70s alone.
Regardless of being acknowledged because the group’s chief, Frey by some means solely had one such activate 1976’s Lodge California after which just one once more on 1979’s The Lengthy Run. Frey certain made them rely, although: “New Child in City” and “Heartache Tonight” each rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100. Equally, Frey solely had two distinguished vocals on 1975’s Considered one of These Nights – however one in every of them was the No. 2 smash “Lyin’ Eyes.”
READ MORE: Rating Each Eagles Solo Album
The next rating of each Glenn Frey Eagles tune avoids the quite a few tracks the place he served as co-writer however was not featured as a singer. Materials the place Frey was a noteworthy duet companion made the minimize, but exploring all of it nonetheless wasn’t a herculean activity – not by way of numbers, anyway.
The problem with deciding as a substitute usually pertains to Frey’s exceptional consistency. One of the best of his songs are as well-made as they had been well-liked.
25. “I Like to Watch a Girl Dance”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
This mawkish Larry John McNally observe had been floating about for the reason that Eagles first received collectively earlier than 1994’s Hell Freezes Over. By the point they lastly received round to recording it, nonetheless, Henley had already launched a canopy of McNally’s “For My Wedding ceremony” on his 2000 solo album Inside Job. That made it fairly clear that “I Like to Watch a Girl Dance” was actually only a rewrite of the identical tune. (McNally additionally composed Rod Stewart’s Prime 10 1990 hit “The Motown Tune,” which fortunately appears like neither.)
24. “Chug All Night time”
From: Eagles (1972)
Glenn Frey as soon as informed Cameron Crowe that “the one distinction between boring and laid-back is one million {dollars}.” At this level, sadly, Eagles had been solely thousand-aires. In conserving, “Chug All Night time” encompasses a snoozy riff to go together with a good snoozier theme. “And I have been that means to inform you, child,” Frey sings, “that it is mindless.” He has a degree.
23. “Outlaw Man”
From: Desperado (1973)
This David Blue cowl represents the second the place they took this LP’s quite doubtful cowboy hyperlink a boot size too far. Henley subsequently admitted that “the metaphor was most likely a little bit bullshit.” In any case, “we had been in L.A. staying up all night time, smoking dope, residing the California life.”
22. “I Dreamed There Was No Battle”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
A stunning interlude from Frey, however nonetheless … actually solely an interlude.
21. “What Do I Do with My Coronary heart”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
Frey may do this sort of quasi-R&B ballad in his sleep – and, on this case, he would possibly even have.
20. “It is Your World Now”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
The sentiment turned sadly acceptable within the wake of Frey’s demise, however its influence will all the time be ruled by anybody’s willingness to endure a musical setting finest described as “family-restaurant mariachi band.”
19. “You Are Not Alone”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
The gorgeous, orchestrated “You Are Not Alone” presupposed Frey’s equally light-weight songbook activate 2012’s After Hours.
18. “Someone”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
Jack Tempchin co-composes one other showcase for Glenn Frey, however “Someone” has neither the rootsy gravitas of “Peaceable Simple Feeling” nor the rumbling perspective of “Already Gone.”
17. “The Woman From Yesterday”
From: Hell Freezes Over (1994)
Alternatively, Frey and Tempchin’s “Woman From Yesterday” manages a satisfactory approximation of the clip-clop nation lament from “Lyin’ Eyes,” up to date for the jet-set period.
16. “Good Day in Hell”
From: On the Border (1974)
A key second in Eagles historical past arrives, as Don Felder is requested to turn out to be a session visitor on slide guitar for this Frey-sung album minimize. After this scorching, Allman Brothers-inspired efficiency – in reality, the very subsequent day – Eagles requested Felder to affix the band.
15. “Out of Management”
From: Desperado (1973)
The Eagles’ shift away from their nation influences did not come out of the blue. The rocked-out “Out of Management” comes smashing by the saloon doorways simply three songs into Desperado, though this album outlined their rootsy first period.
14. “King of Hollywood”
From: The Lengthy Run (1979)
There is a welcome echo of Steely Dan’s Walter Becker right here, each within the low-voiced foreboding and the observe’s Los Angeles environs – however with out the perverse humorousness, in fact. All of it devolves into one other nice guitar exercise.
13. “Get You within the Temper”
From: “Take It Simple” B-side (1972)
A scorching cry of affection from Frey, with this menacingly darkish groove. Which is why “Get You within the Temper” ended up as a B-side on their debut single quite than on the observe itemizing of their country-rocking debut.
12. “Ol’ ’55”
From: On the Border (1974)
Certain, the Eagles polish the perimeters off the opening observe from Tom Waits’ 1973 debut album Closing Time. However in addition they uncover a heart-filling refrain buried amid his scuffed-up vagabond sensibility.
11. “No Extra Cloudy Days”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
With Frey gone so lengthy, there’s simply one thing indescribably unhappy about “No Extra Cloudy Days.”
10. “How Lengthy”
From: Lengthy Street Out of Eden (2007)
“How Lengthy” was maybe the closest this LP received to replicating the heft and really feel of the most effective earlier Eagles stuff. Frey and Henley welcome again songwriter J.D. Souther, one of many first individuals Frey met after he left Detroit for California, then take activates the lead vocal. Immediately, the whole lot previous begins to really feel new once more. However not too previous: They preserve the band’s harder-edged Felder-era perspective, years after he left the lineup.
9. “After the Thrill Is Gone”
From: Considered one of These Nights (1975)
Taking a rueful look again on the wreckage of a misplaced relationship was already changing into previous hat for Frey and Henley, even this early on, and that is doubtless why “After the Thrill Is Gone” hasn’t gained wider consideration. This tucked-away gem is made full by Felder’s solo, which provides a contact of simmering anger.
8. “James Dean”
From: On the Border (1974)
Eagles initially labored up an early model of “James Dean” throughout periods for Desperado earlier than totally committing to a cowboy narrative. Held over for the follow-up, “James Dean” helped introduce followers to their muscular new state of mind. However solely after driving a wedge between the band and longtime producer Glyn Johns, who favored their country-rock vibe simply effective. They fired Johns, bringing within the extra amenable Invoice Szymczyk – and he oversaw three extra chart-topping Eagles albums.
7. “Peaceable Simple Feeling”
From: Eagles (1972)
Eagles had been collectively just a bit greater than every week when Frey introduced on this tune from buddy Jack Tempchin. Written on and off whereas Tempchin was girl-watching round his hometown of San Diego, the third single from their debut is delivered to life by sunlit backing vocals from early members Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. Its timeless message about destiny did the remaining: “A part of the concept is if you surrender in search of one thing,” Tempchin later mused, “numerous occasions that is if you discover it.”
6. “Tequila Dawn”
From: Desperado (1973)
One of many first songs Henley ever wrote with Frey virtually did not occur. Appears Frey “thought that it was a bit too apparent or an excessive amount of of a cliche due to the drink that was so well-liked then,” Henley recalled in The Very Finest Of liner notes. “I mentioned, ‘No, have a look at it from a distinct viewpoint. You have been ingesting straight tequila all night time and the solar is arising!’ It turned out to be a extremely nice tune.” The phrase “shot of braveness” got here from actual life: They’d usually have a few drinks to work up the nerve to strategy girls.
5. “New Child in City”
From: Lodge California (1976)
“New Child in City” started as a dialogue on getting old, however ended up revealing deeper worries. “We had been already chronicling our personal demise,” Henley admitted to Cameron Crowe. “We had been mainly saying, ‘Look, we all know we’re crimson sizzling now, however we additionally know that anyone’s going to come back alongside and substitute us – each in music and in love.'” Frey and Henley helped full an concept dropped at the band by J.D. Souther. Once they had been completed, the Eagles had their third chart-topping smash.
4. “Lyin’ Eyes”
From: Considered one of These Nights (1975)
This crossover hit was written in a rush of inspiration over simply two days. But, each aspect of its wry narrative a couple of gold digger’s empty life unfolds with a writerly knack for element. Frey shifts factors of view, by no means losing a phrase, as he fills within the blanks round a real-life encounter he had whereas with Henley at their favourite ’70s-era watering gap, Dan Tana’s. They rushed again house, labored to get each phrase good then headed instantly into the studio, the place the Eagles displayed an analogous meticulousness: Nailing the vocal on the tune’s deeply resonant opening line – “metropolis women simply appear to search out out early” – took six tries.
3. “Already Gone”
From: On the Border (1974)
You may partly blame “Locomotive Breath” for the break up with Glyn Johns whereas recording this album. “We’re taking a beating opening for Jethro Tull,” Frey mentioned in 1973: Rock on the Crossroads, “and our feeling was, ‘We gotta have some kick-ass songs.'” Eagles began with “Already Gone,” because the band and new producer Invoice Szymczyk shifted to the Document Plant in Los Angeles. Newly added guitarist Don Felder then introduced a pointy edge to the session. “The good factor for me about [“Already Gone”] is that I left England behind,” Frey informed Cameron Crowe, “and had a way more optimistic vitality within the studio.”
2. “Heartache Tonight”
From: The Lengthy Run (1979)
This took ceaselessly to complete, like the whole lot else on The Lengthy Run. Frey’s preliminary inspiration was a simple love of previous Sam Cooke data, performed out as a unfastened jam with J.D. Souther. However then Frey received caught. He ran it by mentor Bob Seger, who’d initially taken Frey below his wing as a teen. Henley was concerned, too. Collectively, they’d begun piecing collectively a fun-sounding Grammy-winning tune. One thing, nonetheless, was nonetheless lacking. That is when Seger blurted out the title line. “Heartache Tonight” went on to turn out to be the Eagles’ ultimate No. 1 single.
1. “Take It Simple”
From: Eagles (1972)
The opening observe on the Eagles’ first album completely sums up their early country-rock aesthetic, a lot in order that Glenn Frey mentioned its first few jangly guitar strums “felt like an announcement, ‘And now … the Eagles.'” The impetus for “Take It Simple,” nonetheless, got here from elsewhere: Jackson Browne, a then-unknown singer-songwriter who lived subsequent door to Frey, could not end a brand new tune. “Take It Simple” stored stopping chilly on the second verse after “Properly, I am a-standin’ on a nook in Winslow, Arizona.” Then Frey had an concept. Right this moment, you may discover a statue commemorating the following line in Winslow, paired with a portray of a woman in a flatbed Ford.
Eagles Stay Albums Ranked Worst to Finest
Gallery Credit score: Nick DeRiso
Six Little-Recognized Eagles ‘Lodge California’ Details
