Defending the indefensible: Don Henley

his current metier is the generalized societal complaint but his complaining is done to better tunes than most.

Wait...neither of those is a good thing.

(NB WORD are really testing my newfound loyalty)

Also -- better than Glen Frey!

Incidentally, the "dead-head sticker on a Cadillac" line totally perplexed me until recently when I found a site which said that it is a reference to the Grateful Dead, whose fans are called Dead-Heads. I must admit I still don't understand how it fits in with the rest of the song, but at least it takes away some of the mystery, as I had previously thought "dead head" was just a horticultural term ("I'm going to dead-head the roses").

He was also pissed nobody recognized him. Aging, drugs, and balding haven't been too kind to the man, let me tell you...

Custos wins.

The writer is a singer and drummer with the Eagles and a founding member of the Recording Artists' Coalition.

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so much better than "new kid in town" or "take it to the limit" or "i can't tell you why"? i'm not so sure about that.

Why did critics always describe "End of the Innocence" as "intelligent"? I hated that song so much in Grade 5.

Oh wait, maybe that actually goes with the "Don't look back, you can never look back" part.

the solo songs you mentioned sound to me neither better nor worse than the typical eagles song; they sound exactly like eagles songs.

And I really like The Eagles

Glenn Frey totally sucks though

What's the consensus on "Heart of the Matter"? I though that was a good song when I was like 10. Should I download it or will I be disappointed?

I think he and Glenn had plenty of sax.

Oiled Up Sax Guy

"Josh, Jim, you don't get it, guys. Let me explain, man."

https://i.imgur.com/b6foObE.jpg

The deal with "Boys of Summer" was Petty passed on it, right? But Jimmy Iovine liked it and shopped it around.

Yeah, Petty passed on it (though he did try tweaking it a bit with Campbell first), and then Iovine sent word to Campbell that Henley was looking for songs and asked Campbell to send him some demos. Warren Hanes wrote about it his book - it culminates in Campbell and Petty going into a car to play a rough mix of "Don't Come Around Here No More." Apparently it wasn't a good mix, and as soon as they stopped it, the car switched to the radio and they heard the final seconds of "Boys of Summer," along with the DJ raving over it and saying it was going to be a huge hit. (In Campbell's words, "['Don't Around Here No More'] wasn't finished yet, but still, BIG difference.") Petty that congratulated Campbell, saying he wish he had the foresight to hold on to that song, and Campbell then expressed his relief that Petty didn't break his other hand.

Then he wrote "Runaway Trains," which gleefully pilfers the "Boys" sound.

birdistheword, a pity you weren't here for our epic Eagles listening thread. Those who have functioning cerebellums remember the experience as if we'd survived Omaha Beach.

That’s what a fool believes, Kenny

Speaking of yacht rock, TIL that on Patty Smythe's self titled album, one of the credited backing vocalists is Kipp Lennon.

Kipp Lennon later joined Ambrosia.

I find it backwards that steely mentioned the eagles first and then the eagles had to “volley” back a reference…wtf

Irving Azoff threatened to break their knees iirc

This photo is a pretty good litmus test for politics: do you regard these men with respect, or disgust? pic.twitter.com/i449hrbnzD

— haulin’ boss crude (@bosscrood) November 21, 2022

"We Saw You From Across The Bar And Really Dig Your Vibe...Would You Like A Drink?"

"Come join us at your local Big Daddy's!"

Drink your big black cow

Well, Hey 19

Dave’s on Canal st

I think you know what I mean

Fagen giving out some “just on a weekend fishing trip on the lake with my pal Don” vibes imo

What are the odds that Donald knows how to swim

I'd learn to swim if I shared a rowboat with Don Henley

We haven't had that spirit here since 1979

Warm smell of Sunny D rising up through the air

"We found a body."

if Don Henley fell in the woods, would he make a sound, and if so, would he record it, and if so, would you listen to it

He would probably smell like colitas

The Walden Woods

Holy fuck, that horn section play out on “Sunset Grill” is completely ridiculous. Is that Emulator or the real thing?

Guilty pleasure song, tho.

Also: Party Smyth’s ace chorus harmony, Pino Palladino’s burping fretless and the rolling Linndrum beat (credited to—checks notes—no one) while Don moans about working girls, “basket people” and auburn skies make “Sunset Grill” peak Henley.

In general I’d say the rolling Linndrum songs are the best things on this album by a mile. It would appear that Danny Kortchmar’s contributions are the worst.

Don’t be fooled: “sunset grill” sucks

I know he meant it compassionately but is there a better encapsulation of Henley's putrid us-vs-them ethos than this bit:

Maybe we'll leave come springtime
Meanwhile, have another beer
What would we do without all these jerks anyway?
Besides, all our friends are here

It sounds like a commercial for a competitor of Sizzler or Applebees

TGI Henley’s

You can check out the potato skins anytime you want but

"I'll have a Henley Burger with a side of Glenn Fries and a large Coke."

"Do you want to Full Monster that combo for an extra dollar?"

"Well, yeah."

The Footlong Run

lol @ Glenn Fries

"give me the 2 piece chicken"

"Felder leg or Felder thigh?"

Fingers please

gotta have something to Walsh it down with

"Someone place an order...?"

https://i.imgur.com/8iPrNJR.jpg

Witchy woman sauce = creamy balsamic peppercorn

Timothy B. Schakes

Building the Perfect (Chicken) Breast

I'm thinking of ordering the Desperadonuts(TM). They bake them to the limit.

There's gonna be some heartburn tonight, I know.

LMAO

Maybe they can start a chain of The Sad Café's while they're at it.

The Best of My Grub

order the New York Minute omelette, where what you get isn't what you ordered

you guys gave up on this shit too fast!

this thread motivated me to listen to Building… in total for the first time: in 85, the AOR station in Louisville played the SHIT out of "Sunset Grill," "Drivin' with your eyes Closed" and ""Not Enuff Love…" alongside the two legit hits, and so it was interesting to hear the other shit…

1.) on a bunch of cuts, he's singing way way way too high, straining his ability to hit the notes, 2.) it's very surprising that he had no hand in the writing for "All She Wants to Do is Dance" and it's all Kootch; one would think the conceit of trenchant geopolitical satire framed through criticizing women for enjoying dancing couldn't be more Henley…

he sounds almost queeny when he barks the line "That don't keep the boys from makin' a buck or two."

My grandson, he comes home from college
He says, "We get the government we deserve"
My son-in-law just shakes his head and says, "That little punk, he never had to serve"

Then at 2:30 Randy Newman comes up with a solo that's even more strained and less convincing.