Eagles legend and solo artist Glenn Frey passed away on Monday at the age of 67. As one of the most successful recording artists in music history, his singing and songwriting provided the soundtrack of not just one generation, but many more. The Eagles are one of my favorite bands (sorry, Jeff Lebowski) and are one of the standard-bearers for my love of ‘70s folk/rock.
While Frey had a successful solo career as well, his work was respectable but was always too definitively ‘80s for my taste with heavy saxophones and synthesizers. “You Belong to the City” and “The One You Love” are solid songs, but Frey will always be an Eagle to me.
Frey often split singing duties with Don Henley, so I've selected songs here that are distinctly Frey. Many might instantly think of "Take it Easy" or "Peaceful, Easy Feeling," but I think there a few a bit better. These are the five best Eagles songs, sung by Glenn Frey:
New Kid in Town A song that starts with a country twang but evolves with a bluesy bridge and ends as pure pop, it’s a great story of how people don’t appreciate what they’ve got. And even if they do, it’s often only for a little while. Best lyric: You're walking away and they're talking behind you / They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along
After the Thrill is Gone This song gets neglected way too much. Its guitar riff has a hint of Led Zeppelin’s “Tangerine” but is a little more pop-friendly. Getting older and reflecting on life is a common theme for the Eagles, and few songs do it better than this one. Don Henley picks up the chorus here, but Frey leads the way. Best lyric: Time passes and you must move on / Half the distance takes you twice as long
Already Gone
A great bluegrassy, CCR-style song about a guy who is about to get dumped, but leaves the girl instead. What could be a sad day turns into a “vict’ry song,” and Frey’s upbeat mix of anger and joy makes it soar. Best lyric: Just remember this, my girl, when you look up in the sky / You can see the stars and still not see the light
Lyin’ Eyes
One of the Eagles’ most country songs, Frey sings the ballad of a girl who always thought she knew what she wanted, but now lives in regret and deception. Best lyric: Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things / You're still the same old girl you used to be
Tequila Sunrise My favorite Eagles song for its simplicity and imagery, it compares musicians to cowboys who travel for work and get used by people along the way. Though Frey doesn’t do anything special with his voice here, he always makes it sound like a bleary-eyed morning anyway. Best lyric: Take another shot of courage / Wonder why the right words never come / You just get numb
While Frey had a successful solo career as well, his work was respectable but was always too definitively ‘80s for my taste with heavy saxophones and synthesizers. “You Belong to the City” and “The One You Love” are solid songs, but Frey will always be an Eagle to me.
Frey often split singing duties with Don Henley, so I've selected songs here that are distinctly Frey. Many might instantly think of "Take it Easy" or "Peaceful, Easy Feeling," but I think there a few a bit better. These are the five best Eagles songs, sung by Glenn Frey:
New Kid in Town A song that starts with a country twang but evolves with a bluesy bridge and ends as pure pop, it’s a great story of how people don’t appreciate what they’ve got. And even if they do, it’s often only for a little while. Best lyric: You're walking away and they're talking behind you / They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along
After the Thrill is Gone This song gets neglected way too much. Its guitar riff has a hint of Led Zeppelin’s “Tangerine” but is a little more pop-friendly. Getting older and reflecting on life is a common theme for the Eagles, and few songs do it better than this one. Don Henley picks up the chorus here, but Frey leads the way. Best lyric: Time passes and you must move on / Half the distance takes you twice as long
Already Gone
A great bluegrassy, CCR-style song about a guy who is about to get dumped, but leaves the girl instead. What could be a sad day turns into a “vict’ry song,” and Frey’s upbeat mix of anger and joy makes it soar. Best lyric: Just remember this, my girl, when you look up in the sky / You can see the stars and still not see the light
Lyin’ Eyes
One of the Eagles’ most country songs, Frey sings the ballad of a girl who always thought she knew what she wanted, but now lives in regret and deception. Best lyric: Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things / You're still the same old girl you used to be
Tequila Sunrise My favorite Eagles song for its simplicity and imagery, it compares musicians to cowboys who travel for work and get used by people along the way. Though Frey doesn’t do anything special with his voice here, he always makes it sound like a bleary-eyed morning anyway. Best lyric: Take another shot of courage / Wonder why the right words never come / You just get numb