1973 - The Eagles - Desperado - side two

it came to music, my friend Cathy was responsible for developing a couple of interesting (and very accurate) theories. The first was that an artist or band’s second album was more important then their first. Her reasoning was that the musician/band had a lifetime to prepare for their first album but only a limited amount of time in which to prepare the second and that demonstration of grace under pressure told the tale. The other theory she came up with was that the second side of an album was more telling (and therefore more important) than the first... That out of necessity, the first side began with the hit single (so that even an AM radio programmer could find it!) and everything that followed on that side in terms of pace, flow, tempo & feel was determined by the choice of that first song. But the second side... that was up to the artist/band... and it would be their creativity that determined what went where and how it was all arranged. Because of this, she always liked to listen to new albums “side two first”! But that’s another story! At any rate, I’m not sure if both of her theories apply here but if you judge the first of them by Desperado, she was spot on!

original magazine ad

Promotion was strong for this album (Asylum had already seen three big singles from the 1st album establish the band's track record and must have felt there was no reason this LP couldn't also be a monster) and for their part, the band was happy to tour heavily in support of it.

promo ad for Don Kirshner's Rock Concert

Side two begins to really gather momentum right out of the gate, opening with “Certain Kind Of Fool”.

Lyrically, the story picks up with the aftermath of the character’s decision to ignore the warning at the end of side one. He has chosen a life of crime as a shortcut to wealth and fame. In the second verse we see the character discovering the allure of firearms and working out the learning curve with his newest “tool of the trade”. From verse #2:

“He saw it in a window the mark of a new kind of man
He kinda liked the feeling, so shiny and smooth in his hand
He took it to the country and practiced for days without rest
And then one day he felt it, he knew he could stand with the best
They got respect, he wants the same
And it's a certain kind of fool who likes to hear the sound of his own name”

The final (short) verse gives us insight into the pitfalls of infamy and illustrates how the character’s transition to the dark side is complete. From verse #3:

“A poster on a storefront, the picture of a wanted man
He had a reputation spreading like fire throughout the land
It wasn't for the money, at least it didn't start that way
It wasn't for the runnin', but now he's runnin' every day”

Instrumentally, the tune features an interesting and sonically unique solo by Glen Frey. The texture of his guitar here is thin and highly distorted and works perfectly in context with the song. Frey’s guitar is also used to punctuate the verses, and fits in perfectly played against the clean acoustic rhythm guitar and mandolin lines offered up by Bernie Leadon. Bassist Randy Meisner’s lead vocal, both plaintive and accusing, also shines here. He seems, at times to almost plead with the song’s character not to stay on the path chosen. Also noteworthy is the interplay between Meisner’s bass and Henley’s drums. The two of them worked so well together that it’s hard to imagine why Meisner would choose to leave the band soon after making this album.

“Fool” ends cold but almost before the reverb has time to decay, we are off and running again with an up tempo, instrumental version of  “Doolin’ Dalton”- the tune that opened side one.

Performed entirely on a single acoustic six string and a five string banjo (both played by Leadon) and panned hard right and left, this :47 second opus acts as a link between “Fool”and “Outlaw Man”.

David Blue Vs. The Eagles?

Written by David Blue, (also under contract to Asylum Records at the time), “Outlaw Man” was adapted for Desperado through minor changes in lyric and a major re-arrangement. By comparison, Blue’s version is mundane and lifeless. It plods it’s way through the chord changes and lyrics and without any real spark. Blue’s vocal lacks conviction, (although he does manage to whine even while singing through his nose!). Additionally, the backing track is pedestrian and the solo work is dreadful!

The Eagles version, on the other hand, is vibrant and alive with a backing track that thunders along like a horse at full gallop (due to a completely different ‘feel’ than Blue’s version) and an electric guitar part that virtually drips with impending doom. Glen Frey’s lead vocal is menacing and his Rhodes piano pad adds the ideal target for Leadon’s ‘angry’ (and heavily distorted) counter point guitar. Leadon’s solo is also outstanding, composed of a clean, crisp lead line that soars above the backing track before coming back down to point the vocals toward the rousing double time race through the bridge and into the outro and fade. Henley’s drum work here is stellar and Meisner’s bass lines (especially in the double time bridge) are arguably his best work on the album.

Lyrically, despite only minor changes/additions the two versions are also worlds apart.

From Blue’s verse #2:
“Left my Marita, was down in Santa Fe
Headed for San Francisco in a '56 Chevrolet”

From The Eagle’s verse #2:
“First left my woman, it was down in Santa Fe
Headed for Oklahoma, I was ridin' night and day”

But Blue’s worst crime was to treat the song’s final lines as another verse (delivered in the same near mono-tone as the rest of his vocal!), while The Eagles turn it into a bridge, played out in double time to bring the tune to a roaring finish. They even added an additional pair of lines to flesh out their bridge instead of including a final chorus (as Blue does)

From The Eagles Bridge:
“Some men call me Abel, some men call me Cain,
Some men call me sinner, Lord, some men call me saint
Some say there's a Jesus, others say there ain't
When you got no life to lose then there's nothin' left to gain”

From Blue’s final verse/chorus:
“Some people call me Abel, some people call me Cain
Some people call me sinner, Lord, some people call me saint

Woman, don't try to love me don't try to understand
A life upon the road is the life of an outlaw man”

As “Outlaw Man” fades away we change the pace with “Saturday Night”, a wistful ballad that looks back longingly at the character’s innocent past, now lost and gone except in memory.

Instrumentally, the song plays out in 3/4 waltz time with a sleepy, almost lazy feel. The rhythm track is carried by a pair of six string acoustics and Meisner’s tastefully understated bass line (there is no drum part), with a beautiful mandolin line filling in all the details. Vocally, the song features a wonderful lead vocal from Henley and a thick, broad range of plush backgrounds performed by everyone. All of the vocals are dripping wet with a deep, fat “big room” reverb and the harmony vocals intertwine perfectly with the lead, creating a richly textured vocal layer.

The bridge is stunning with large open spaces in the vocal leaving room for the backing track to show through and there is even a slight retard leading into the solo before the final chorus. The solo itself is a tight, clean eight bars played on mandolin by ‘utility man’ Bernie Leadon. The final chorus ends with another retard leaving us sadder but wiser for the tale.

Lyrically “Saturday Night” is rich in imagery and strong in metaphor. The lyric tells a tale of regret as the character looks at all he has lost in pursuit of fortune and fame. From verse #2:

“The years brought the railroad, it ran by my door
Now there's boards on the windows and dust on the floor
And she passes the time at another man's side
And I pass the time with my pride" 

The bridge is elegant, helping to weave a complex and vivid image through the four simple lines. From the bridge:

“What a tangled web we weave
Go 'round with circumstance
Someone show me how to tell
The dancer from the dance”

The Chorus is interesting, containing different lyrics within the body of each chorus.

From chorus #1:
“Whatever happened to Saturday night?
Finding a sweetheart and holding her tight?
She said,’Tell me, oh, tell me, was I all right?’
Whatever happened to Saturday night?”

From chorus #2:
“What ever happened to Saturday night?
Choosin' a friend and loosin' a fight
She said,’Tell me, oh, tell me, are you alright?’
Whatever happened to Saturday night?” 

As “Saturday Night” ends and the last notes fade away, the first chords of “Bitter Creek” ring out like a bell, signaling the opening of the final act.

The instrumentation here is sparse but the overall sound remains rich in texture. There is nothing ‘missing’ from the mix and nothing else needs to be there. The rhythm section is composed of a pair of acoustic six strings panned hard left and right with a third acoustic, (panned center), comping detail figures and solo work. There is no drum set present, only percussion (mostly shakers and congas), The bass sounds like a Mexican Guitarrón to me, (Meisner is known to have played one on “New Kid In Town), but my kid brother (a fine bass player in his own right ) assures me that it is instead an Earnie Ball acoustic bass. The vocal work here is flawless with a lead vocal by Bernie Leadon and back up chorus featuring everyone. The vocal chorus is used throughout both to fatten Leadon’s lines and also to answer them.

Lyrically the song deals with the character’s plan to pull one last bank job for a score big enough to retire on. (Probably a reference to the Historic attempt by the Dalton gang to simultaneously rob two banks in Coffeyville Ks.) From the bridge:

“We're gonna hit the road for one last time
We can walk right in and steal 'em blind
All that money, no more runnin'
I can't wait to see the old man's face when I win the race”

Structure is fairly straight forward with two verses followed by a bridge. There is no solo, although one of the guitars does play extended figures at two points in the tune. There is also no real chorus to speak of although there is a single line at the end of each verse to act as a hook.

From verse #1:
"Oh, son, don't wade to deep in Bitter Creek,"
       
From verse #2:
“You know there ain't no cause to weep at Bitter Creek”

Each of these lines is also “answered” by the vocal chorus.

The song ends with a 2nd extended guitar figure in a long slow fade and brings us to the album’s closer, a two parter simply called “Desperado (reprise)”. Made up of a pair of post scripts, (Doolin Dalton - reprise and Desperado - reprise) this final chapter is rich in production and plush in instrumentation. Beginning simply with Henley’s acapella vocal, the first half of the song (Doolin Dalton - reprise) quickly unfolds to include acoustic & electric guitars, banjo, bass, drums and plenty of vocals. Henley’s drums are particularly strong here as are Meisner’s bass line and Frey’s acoustic rhythm guitar and the vocals are once again flawless. But it is Leadon’s Banjo and mandolin parts that really provide the sparkle. The final chorus also includes another string chart from Jim Ed Norman to finish things off with a massive flourish and a long fade.

Lyrically, the two halves of the tune serve to wrap up the story and give us an ending with the first half giving us the outcome of the final bank job and the ensuing gun battle. From the chorus:

“Go down, Bill Doolin, don't you wonder why
Sooner or later we all have to die
Sooner or later, that's a stone-cold fact,
Four men ride out and only three ride back”

And the second half (Desperado - reprise) supplying the moral of the story. From the verse:

“The queen of diamonds let you down,
She was just an empty fable
The queen of hearts you say you never met
Your twisted fate has found you out
And it finally turned the tables
Stole your dreams and paid you with regret”
                                       
Desperado - reprise finishes with one last challenge/answer vocal section:

“Desperado
(Is there gonna be anything left, is there gonna be anything?)
You sealed your fate up a long time ago
(Ain't it hard when you're all alone in the center ring?)
Now there's no time left to borrow
(Is there gonna be anything left?)
Only stardust
(Maybe tomorrow)
Maybe tomorrow”                   

Overall, the album is short, coming in at 35 minutes and change but it is so tightly packed with color & texture that I think the time would have seemed to fly by even if the LP had been an hour long!

Side note: shortly before flying to England to make Desperado, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Randy Meisner & Bernie Leadon (along with partners-in-crime J. D. Souther and Jackson Browne) spent a day at the Paramount Movie Ranch in order to shoot the cover photos for the soon to be recorded LP.  They brought veteran rock photographer Henry Diltz along to document the event and from the looks of things, everyone involved “got a little out of control”!

Gunfight at the Paramount Movie Ranch! (outtakes from the cover photo session)

1973 - The Eagles - Desperado - side one

college, I had a dear friend named Cathy. She was a big redheaded girl and we only met because I had a crush on her roommate! But long after the crush had worn thin, Cathy and I remained good friends.

The reason for this was music. We were both passionate about music, far beyond just liking to buy records, we both spent countless hours listening to music in great detail then examining artists, bands and albums under the microscope of deep conversation. Kindred spirits (long before I knew the meaning of the phrase) we also shared a more than vaguely similar taste in artists and bands. For example, we were both big fans of the newly emerging genre of  “Country Rock”, so we had lots to talk about.

One Spring evening the three of us were sitting around at Cathy’s place when a neighbor knocked on the door with an offer for us to come downstairs and listen to some records. Now these days, “come over and listen to music”, is more often than not, an invitation to sit in a group and engage in mindless chit-chat while some random selection of mp3's plays in the background! Not so in the early 70's. Back then, there was plenty of great music to really listen to and so conversation was usually limited to the space between sides and the breaks between albums.

Once the three of us - Cathy, the crush (whose name I no longer remember) and I made our way downstairs, there was a half hour or so during which we all got cold soft drinks & snacks, found seats and introduced ourselves to one another. All together there were maybe 8 or 10 people in the living room of this guy’s one-bedroom apartment. I took a few minutes to give our host’s stereo a quick once over before settling in on a big floor cushion near the coffee table. (it was a nice rig, his amp and turntable were about the same quality level as mine although his big floor standing 3-way Pioneers told me I had better speakers!)

It was about an hour (and a couple ‘fatties’) later when our host got up to change records. As he went ‘finger strolling’ through his collection, he pulled an LP out and turning towards us said, “I wanna play something brand new for you”.  My interest was piqued until he continued, “It’s the 2nd album by The Eagles, it’s called ‘Desperado’ and it just came out”. Cathy and I looked at one another as she rolled her eyes. I was also suitably unimpressed although I hadn’t even heard the record yet!

You see, The Eagles had already gotten a bad reputation among “serious” music listeners, especially Country Rock fans. The problem was a lack of what today would be called “street cred”. - The year before they had come out with their self titled 1st album and hit three-peat home runs right out of the box with “Take It Easy”, “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Witchy Woman”, all chart-topping smash-hit singles. This had given them a reputation as a hit-single machine, and not as “serious musicians”. This perception was absolutely wrong, the reputation, wholly undeserved, but I didn’t yet know that!

The room went silent as the needle hit vinyl and the haunting opening strains of “Doolin’ Dalton”, rich with acoustic guitar and harmonica filled the room. The lead vocal was wet with a deep reverb and the overall effect really caught me by surprise. This was not at all what I had expected to hear. By the time the rest of the band hit (in the middle of the 1st verse) I was hooked!

All the elements from their hit singles were there - the production quality was stellar, the engineering was immaculate, the backing track was plush and the vocals were heavenly. But the subject matter - the story in the lyric, delivered in a way that their singles never had. It satisfied! From the bridge:

“Well the towns lay out across the dusty plain
Like graveyards filled with tombstones,
Waitin’ for the names
And a man could use his back or use his brains
But some just went stir crazy Lord,
‘cause nothin’ ever changed”

And in that moment, although I didn’t know it, I became an Eagles fan for life!

Released in April of 1973 on Asylum, “Desperado” was the 2nd album by The Eagles and (with just a dash of irony) was recorded at Island Studios in London, England! Ironic because The Eagles soon came to be known as the quintessential Southern California Country-Rock band.

The production team included veteran producer Glyn Johns (who also engineered the recording) and formidable arranger, Jim Ed Norman. The band lineup included all four original members;

1973 lineup - publicity photo & live

Glenn Frey – guitars, keyboards, piano, harmonica, vocals
Don Henley – drums, percussion, vocals
Randy Meisner – bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
Bernie Leadon – guitars, mandolin, banjo, vocals

along with a compositional assist from Jackson Browne & John David Souther.

outtake from cover photo session feat (left to right) Jackson Browne, J D Souther & the Eagles

Truly a concept album, Desperado deals with a fictional band of outlaws and in what is said to be a sort of secondary or sub-concept compares/contrasts their post Civil War live style with that of a modern day touring rock & roll band.  (“A life upon the road is the life of an outlaw man”)

The art direction is by Gary Burden with cover photography & graphics (logo & lettering style) courtesy of the one and only Henry Diltz.

Desperado - cover & back cover detail

outtakes from cover photo session

The album begins with “Doolin’ Dalton”, a sad & mournful tune that not only sets the tone for the story to follow but also reads us the first chapter. From the refrain:

“Go down Bill Dalton it must be God’s will
Two Brothers lying dead in Coffeeville
Two voices call to you from where they stood
Lay down your law books now they’re no damn good”

Of particular note here is the tasteful guitar work (both acoustic and electric) from Bernie Leadon and the beautiful melodic bass lines from Randy Meisner. Lead vocals are by Don Henley with an assist from Glen Frey. Henley takes the verses and the bridge while Frey covers the chorus. For the back up vocals it’s ‘everybody in the pool’ and the vocal blend between them is flawless!  Adding a little sugar to top it all off is Glenn Frey’s harmonica, lending an authentic western flavor to the backing track.                   

As you take a breath and absorb the meaning and the message in the opening track, the band takes off like a rocket with an up-tempo ode to youthful exuberance called “Twenty-One”.

Leadon’s acoustic guitar (panned hard left) shines again here but is eclipsed by his banjo work (panned hard right). The counter point he plays (on dobro) against his own acoustic guitar picking is wonderful and his dobro solo is beautifully understated, adding to instead of detracting from the overall sonic texture. Leadon also turns in a fine lead vocal making this song a nice hat trick. Henley’s drum part is also notable for it’s simplicity and focus. He plays the entire part in an endless stream of perfect 16th notes played with brushes on the snare drum with nary a cymbal to be heard!

Lyrically, the tune tells the story of a cocky young man who is overjoyed at the prospect of finally reaching legal age. His options are many, his problems are few and for the moment, life looks good! From verse #4:

“They say a man should have a stock and trade
But me, I'll find another way
I believe in getting what you can
And there ain't no stoppin' this young man”

Structurally, the song is a collection of 5 verses with no chorus and no bridge. The solo falls between verse #3 & #4 and there is a repeat of the last two lines of verse #5 following that verse. The song ends with a repeated instrumental coda but does not fade. Instead, it segues at full volume into the opening of the third song, “Out Of Control”.

Lyrically, “Out Of Control” tells a tale of wretched excess as the character from “Twenty-One” gets his buddies together and goes out to celebrate his birthday. From verse #2:

“There's a card game in the corner and the barmaid smiled at me
Well, I tipped her a sliver dollar and she brought me a drink for free
All the town-folk call her the cheap one and the gamblers call her Flo
Come on, set 'em up again, I got me a friend and I think I'm gettin' out of control”

Instrumentally, the song begins as Frey’s frantic electric guitar comes crashing in on the ending of “Twenty-One” and it never lets up. It’s also Frey’s lead vocal that tells this story and his bluesy, whiskey-voice has just the right edge for the task. Additionally, Frey is credited with the guitar solo which plays out as a 16 bar pair of electric six strings performed in tight harmony.

Structurally, the song forgoes chorus, relying instead on a two line refrain that ends with the line “And I think I’m getting out of control” to cap each verse. There are three verses and a short (two line/eight bar) bridge with a burning solo (by Frey) to cement the joint between the 2nd verse and the bridge. Filling in any aural holes, there is an amazing slide guitar part (probably Leadon’s) and the rhythm section composed of Henley & Meisner is relentless.

The song doesn’t end... it just sort of disintegrates and then collapses in a drunken heap! This opens the door for what is arguably one of their biggest hits, “Tequila Sunrise”.

Penned by Henley/Frey, “Tequila Sunrise” carries our story forward lyrically by showing us the days that followed the wild birthday celebration featured in “Out Of Control”. Primarily, the lyric deals with the dissatisfaction and disappointment the character feels in leading a ‘normal’ life. From the chorus:

“Every night when the sun goes down
Just another lonely boy in town
And she's out runnin' 'round”

Fast becoming disillusioned, the song’s final lines show us a hero who is now leaning toward the dark side in search of ‘something more’. From the bridge:

“Take another shot of courage
Wonder why the right words never come
You just get numb
It's another tequila sunrise, this old world
still looks the same
Another frame”

Instrumentally, the tune is rich in flavor and vividly detailed with guitars everywhere! There are fat 6 string rhythm pads (from Frey), winding ‘torch & twang’ electric responses, delicate lead figures and an amazing acoustic guitar solo (from Leadon) that imparts the song with it’s deeply rich Mexican flavor. There is also supposed to be a mandolin in there but I’ll be damned if I can pick it out! All this in support of a flawless lead vocal (from Frey) and silky, smooth backgrounds from everyone.

Structurally, the tune is pretty straight forward with a pair of verses separated by a chorus. The 2nd verse is followed by the acoustic guitar solo which takes us into the bridge and the outro.

The side ends with “Desperado”, a stunning ballad featuring a spectular string arrangement by Jim Ed Norman. Lyrically, the song serves up a warning for the character to be careful what he wishes for and contends that love is more important then money or fame. It also warns that the grass is not any greener.

From the 1st chorus:

“Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get”

The song’s warning is reinforced in the 2nd verse:

“Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone”

...and that message is driven home in the 3rd and final verse:

“Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late”

Instrumentally, the song is plush with an outstanding piano (from Frey) and the aforementioned string arrangement from Jim Ed Norman. Henley takes the lead vocal here with everyone kicking in ‘oooo’s and ‘ahhhh’s. There were also wonderful parts written and recorded for both bass and drums, but it is the piano and strings that really shine through.

Structurally, the song is again pretty straight forward with three verses separated by two chorus’ (kind of a musical full house!). The only wrinkle is that lyrically, each chorus is unique with no repeated lyrics anywhere.

The tail end of the final verse slides into a majestic retard and the swelling of strings.

...and like that... the side is over!