Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Mysterious Sound of The Eagles

I was driving home from night school this evening, enjoying the cool evening air and listening to the top five on US99, the Chicago country station. Number five was a song I'd never heard, and as I listened I thought, "Wow, these guys were heavily influenced by The Eagles." I listened some more and decided that the lead singer was trying to BE Don Henley, and the guitarist was blatantly ripping off some Eagles licks. I liked the song, though, so I waited to hear the name of the band, thinking they could be my new Eagles, the Eagles-like band for the 21st Century.

Then the announcer came on and said, "That was the Eagles! That's right, they have a new song!" How wondrous was this news to me, who lists the Eagles in her top five bands of all time? Poor fan that I am, though, I didn't know they had a new album coming out. I just listen to the old ones when I do chores and sing along with every song.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to "Long Road Out of Eden." It's not just that The Eagles are a great band, and that this new project is incredibly nostalgic for those of us who grooved to Hotel California in our teen years. No, it goes beyond their musical talent to the actual sound they made--it defied classification, and their melodies contained an aura of mystery which has always appealed to the mystery-lover in me. Their lyrics, too, were sophisticated and layered. And who can beat the line, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave?"

Poe would have liked that one.

(Image: http://www.rockitaliano.com/gruppi-storici/eagles.php)

4 comments:

Karen Olson said...

Is Joe Walsh still with them? I saw them in concert in Roanoke, VA, in 1980. Fabulous concert. But I fear that sometimes these comebacks are just because they need some cash and it's just not the same as it was before. You say this song really was good?

Anonymous said...

My favorite lyric in all of rockdom: "It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford." Thanks for the heads up on the album.

Julia Buckley said...

Karen, I'll have to check on the Joe Walsh question, although I thought I'd heard that he was a part of it.

I suppose money is always a motivator, but The Eagles always struck me as true musicians, and I would think that this album would be a quality piece of work or they wouldn't release it. They're so precise and good in concert that I can't imagine they wouldn't be even more so in the studio.

Cynthia, how nice to see you! That is a great lyric. Another of my favorites, and I'm not sure if it's The Eagles or Don Henley as a solo artist, is "Call a place paradise; kiss it goodbye."

Julia Buckley said...

PS Karen, yes--I did think the song was good! I'll try to find out the title so I can give it to you.