Are the Eagles country?

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 11 Oct 2014 5:51 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:"Turn up the Eagles the neighbours are listening" is a line from a Steely Dan song. Does anybody remember the name?

Ah yes, "Everything you did" from The Royal Scam.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 11 Oct 2014 6:33 am

That's the one. Thanks, Rick!

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 12 Oct 2014 9:40 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:"Turn up the Eagles the neighbours are listening" is a line from a Steely Dan song. Does anybody remember the name?

The "Hotel California" line about "they stab it with their steely knives"IMO returns the compliment.

John Johnsen · Post by **John Johnsen** » 12 Oct 2014 12:46 pm

I would call the Eagles pop music. just not my cup of tea!

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 12 Oct 2014 4:18 pm

I think the Eagles were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time; along with Frey and Felder's astute ability to learn from other bands and use that knowledge to be commercially successful. I've never appreciated the Eagles as much as their popularity indicated. Mainly because they weren't trendsetters so much as trend follower/exploiters.

Just for grins, I linked a few songs by the original composers that were popularized by the Eagles.

"A Train leaves Here This Morning", written by the Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon in the Dillard and Clark Expedition (1968):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSrDtl-3eJs

"Seven Bridges Road", written by Steve Young (1969)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpV83ovYAyY

"Dirty Laundry" and "All She Wants To Do Is Dance", both written by Danny Kortchmar performed here with Jeff Pevar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHw5SugQueA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwedt-735AQ

I know this thread isn't about Poco, but I'm going to take the liberty of adding a link to the original version of one of their more popular songs, "Bad Weather". This version is by the Illinois Speed Press, the band that was co-lead by Paul Cotton and Kal David. Paul Cotton left Illinois Speed Press to replace Richey Furay in Poco and brought this song along.:

"Bad Weather", written by Paul Cotton with Illinois Speed Press (1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aOahSKWrTo

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 13 Oct 2014 9:04 pm

"The Girl From Yesterday" is probably one of my all-time favorite Eagles songs. I think the steel fits into that song really well. I've played along with the song a few times on steel and sang it a lot! The song was described as a country song in a video I watched

Richard Bowden · Post by **Richard Bowden** » 4 Nov 2014 4:31 pm

I grew up with Don Henley and asked him to be in the band I started in high school. We were together eight years until we both joined Linda Ronstadt's band (along with Glen Frey). The Eagles hatched out of her band. To be clear, the Eagles are in a category of their own, whatever you want to call it. And they pretty much set the bar for group harmony and killer guitar solos.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 5 Nov 2014 2:49 am

The Eagles were a great country-rock band until Joe Walsh joined & turned them into a mediocre rock band.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Nov 2014 8:04 am

I recently saw the show "History of The Eagles" on HBO.
It was really great and renewed my love for all their really good country-rock/rock songs from my high-school days, basically most everything through the end of Hotel Cal, and several off of The Long Run.
Knowing all the detailed history made feel like I know them personally, and it's like I feel proud of their song writing/recording/touring success.
I really like to listen closely to the construction of their classics when I hear them in my travels.
It's a long list of great songs. I can't think of a single one that is a like a Haggard/Owens/etc type of three chord country song though.

Richard Nelson · Post by **Richard Nelson** » 5 Nov 2014 9:10 am

The Eagles are a great band but I think they were over exposed on radio . After reading the Don Felder book I just see them all as overpaid spoilt old men and Don Henley ? You'ld never get tired of kicking him ?

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Nov 2014 9:25 am

Remember that show Sanford and Son?... With regard to The Eagles, I'm thinkin' Don Felder wins the "You Big Dummy!" award of a lifetime, no?
I think he plays Pedal Steel, though.
The way I heard it, Felder was paid by Glen Frey and Don Henley, who were co-band-leaders of The Eagles.
In that show, Don Henley said Felder wanted to lead-sing two songs on The Long Run album... Henley was like... Uhh, that would be like me wanting to play lead guitar.
I saw Felder on the Jeff Probst talk-show literally crying about getting kicked out of The Eagles.
fwiw, I don't really know much about Don Henley. They talked about him getting sued by the record company for 40 million in the 90's. What did he say that makes you want to kick him?

Les Cargill · Post by **Les Cargill** » 5 Nov 2014 10:32 am

There is a two-part movie about the Eagles in fairly meticulous detail - "History of the Eagles", parts 1 and 2. Everything you might want to know and then some.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 5 Nov 2014 11:44 pm

Actually, according to Felder, Frey & Henley were handing out some complicated contractual stuff, and when he asked for time to read it they got incensed. Timothy Schmidt told him just sign it, but he wanted to KNOW about the money - bad idea. Given that Felder had handed over the complete arrangement for the song "Hotel California" he felt like a member or something. However, sometime after he was dumped, he heard a TV interview with Henley & Frey who were bragging specifically about how many millions the Eagles had banked - oops. "Settled out of court", that lawsuit meant Mr. Felder could also retire to a life of leisure. Walsh & Schmidt were hired hands for many years but I think they finally got a piece of it now.

A lot of people consider them to be creatures of pure greed, but their second album did sell quite a bit less than their first, which at that time could be the kiss of death. Gee, ever meet anyone who "almost" made it?

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 6 Nov 2014 12:10 pm

but their second album did sell quite a bit less than their first, which at that time could be the kiss of death...

Desperado, it's their best.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 6 Nov 2014 1:56 pm

But they can be forgiven for thinking that "the country thing" wasn't working, because - it wasn't working. You make your "best album", nobody buys it, you hire some rock guitarists & chase the all-important 13-year-old demographic. By the 1970's tooting coke out of a movie starlet's bellybutton was a better "fit" than all that Lone Ranger cowboy stuff. Even John Wayne wanted to be a pirate captain, and Genghis Khan too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq1K0Y-I6vg

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 6 Nov 2014 7:42 pm

i've heard the ugly side and was never really a big eagles fan anyway. but in the last few years, every clip i've seen of them has been more tight and professional than just about any other band i've seen. they were live at one awards show and they were miles above the young award winning acts. they sound really good. way better than their early albums.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 7 Nov 2014 12:52 pm

If I catch Joe Walsh on the ham radio, I'll ask him...

He is known as WB6ACU in amateur radio land...

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 7 Nov 2014 11:20 pm

Saw them 4 times in the '70s.Live they ranged from superb to earthshaking.Best show-Colorado Sun Day 1976 at Mile High Stadium,with Santana and Linda Ronstadt opening.Every seat and the field full.Lineup was Meisner,Walsh,Felder,Henley,and Frey,with no other musicians propping things up."Take It To The Limit" and "Fast Lane" were just indescribable.Best live show I ever saw.Not a big fan of how Felder and Meisner got treated,and I don't think those changes served the band or the music,but they can still deliver.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 9 Nov 2014 6:18 am

'Are The Eagles Country?'

No.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 9 Nov 2014 2:36 pm

they're no florida-georgia line, that's for sure!

Richard Bowden · Post by **Richard Bowden** » 9 Nov 2014 4:32 pm

Maybe this will help ... the Eagles were rock, heavily influenced by Country or 'Country Rock'. Today we have Country artists heavily influenced by Rock or 'Rock Country'. FYI, Henley was also influenced heavily by the 60's soul music (Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Booker T. and the MG's, etc.)

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 10 Nov 2014 3:14 am

I guess I would ask..why does it matter ? Eagles tunes are Iconic across all platforms, well maybe not Metal heads...

I doubt I have played a gig over the last 20 or 30 years that didn't include a handful of Eagles tunes...Country gigs..

What I would offer though, if we play Eagles tunes you can't fake the singing or the solo's...the solo's are as signature to the songs as the harmonies...either do em right ( close is ok ) or don't do em' at all...

Felders name is still on Hotel California so he didn't give it away...It was said he got a 20 million split when he left...and no, as much as I think he is a gifted writer/player, he is NOT a gifted singer...nor am I...

Fry also said in the film that he is singing less and less on the records because 'quote: "We have Don Henley"...

In my totally irrelevant opinion, every guitar player can be replaced, but the singers unique voices who capture the attention of the listeners cannot ever be replaced... Don should have recognized his legacy as writing and playing guitars in the Eagles.I think he knows it now though...

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 10 Nov 2014 11:41 am

[quote="Richard Bowden FYI, Henley was also influenced heavily by the 60's soul music (Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Booker T. and the MG's, etc.)[/quote]
Jerry Wexler and Glen Frey produced her album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrvjokCl-08

Richard Bowden · Post by **Richard Bowden** » 10 Nov 2014 6:35 pm

Tony Prior wrote:I guess I would ask..why does it matter ? Eagles tunes are Iconic across all platforms, well maybe not Metal heads...

I doubt I have played a gig over the last 20 or 30 years that didn't include a handful of Eagles tunes...Country gigs..

What I would offer though, if we play Eagles tunes you can't fake the singing or the solo's...the solo's are as signature to the songs as the harmonies...either do em right ( close is ok ) or don't do em' at all...

Felders name is still on Hotel California so he didn't give it away...It was said he got a 20 million split when he left...and no, as much as I think he is a gifted writer/player, he is NOT a gifted singer...nor am I...

Fry also said in the film that he is singing less and less on the records because 'quote: "We have Don Henley"...

In my totally irrelevant opinion, every guitar player can be replaced, but the singers unique voices who capture the attention of the listeners cannot ever be replaced... Don should have recognized his legacy as writing and playing guitars in the Eagles.I think he knows it now though...

Well said, Tony

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 8 May 2015 11:09 am

My favourite song for tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ovEah68lg