On the Border
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums:
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On the Border
- Artist: Eagles
- Rating:
- Release Date: March 22, 1974
- Total Time: 40:25
- Genre: Rock
Review
The Eagles began recording their third album in England with producer Glyn Johns, as they had their first two albums, but abandoned the sessions after completing two acceptable tracks. Johns, it is said, tended to emphasize the group's country elements and its harmonies, while the band, in particular Glenn Frey and Don Henley, wanted to take more of a hard rock direction. They reconvened with a new producer, Bill Szymczyk, who had produced artists like B.B. King and, more significantly, Joe Walsh. But the resulting album is not an outright rock effort by any means. Certainly, Frey and Henley got what they wanted with "Already Gone," the lead-off track, which introduces new bandmember Don Felder as one part of the twin guitar solo that recalls the Allman Brothers Band; "James Dean," a rock & roll song on the order of "Your Mama Don't Dance," and "Good Day in Hell," which is strongly reminiscent of Joe Walsh songs like "Rocky Mountain Way." But the album also features the usual mixture of styles typical of an Eagles album. For example, "Midnight Flyer," sung by Randy Meisner, is modern bluegrass; "My Man" is Bernie Leadon's country-rock tribute to the recently deceased Gram Parsons; and "Ol' 55" is one of the group's well-done covers of a tune by a singer/songwriter labelmate, in this case Tom Waits. The title track, meanwhile, points the band in a new R&B direction that was later pursued more fully. Like most successful groups, the Eagles combined many different elements, and their third album, which looked back to their earlier work and anticipated their later work, was a transitional effort that combined even more styles than most of their records did. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi| On the Boat (2007 Album by Takayuki Inoue) | |
| On the Border (1999 Album by Al Stewart) |
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On the Border
For the restaurant chain, see On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina.
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| On the Border | ||||
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| Studio album by Eagles | ||||
| Released | March 22, 1974 | |||
| Recorded | Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA Olympic Studios, London, 1973-74 |
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| Genre | Rock, country rock | |||
| Length | 40:29 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Producer | Bill Szymczyk, Glyn Johns | |||
| Eagles chronology | ||||
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On the Border is the third studio album by the Eagles, released in 1974. During the making of the album, the band experienced significant changes. As the band tried to lean towards a more hard rock sound, they felt that producer Glyn Johns overemphasized their country sound. After recording only two songs, the band let go of Johns and hired Bill Szymczyk. At Frey's request they brought in guitarist Don Felder to add slide guitar to the song "Good Day in Hell". The band was so impressed that they invited Felder to become the fifth Eagle. They credited him as a late arrival on the album's liner notes. The album reached #17 on the charts and sold 2 million copies. The album also released three singles, "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love". The singles reached #32, #77 and #1 respectively. "Best of My Love" became the band's first of five chart toppers.
This is the first album by the Eagles to be released in Quadraphonic surround sound. It was released on Quadraphonic 8-track tape and CD-4 LP.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Robert Christgau | B+ |
| Rolling Stone | link |
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Contents
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Track listing
Side one
- "Already Gone" (Jack Tempchin, Robb Strandlund) – 4:13
- Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, lead guitar (uncredited) by Don Felder, guitar solos by Glenn Frey and Don Felder
- "You Never Cry Like a Lover" (J.D. Souther, Don Henley) – 4:02
- Lead vocal by Don Henley, lead guitar (uncredited) by Bernie Leadon
- "Midnight Flyer" (Paul Craft) – 3:59
- Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, slide guitar by Glenn Frey, banjo by Bernie Leadon
- "My Man" (Bernie Leadon) – 3:31
- Lead vocal and pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon
- "On the Border" (Henley, Leadon, Frey) – 4:28
- Lead vocals by Don Henley, T.N.T.S. by "Coach", claps by The Clapetts, lead guitar (uncredited) by Glenn Frey
Side two
- "James Dean" (Jackson Browne, Frey, Souther, Henley) – 3:37
- Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, lead guitar by Bernie Leadon
- "Ol' '55" (Tom Waits) – 4:22
- Lead vocals by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, pedal steel guitar by Al Perkins
- "Is It True?" (Randy Meisner) – 3:14
- Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, slide guitar by Glenn Frey
- "Good Day in Hell" (Henley, Frey) – 4:27
- Lead vocals by Glenn Frey, lead and slide guitar by Don Felder
- "Best of My Love" (Henley, Frey, Souther) – 4:36
- Lead vocal by Don Henley, pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon
Song information
"My Man"
Bernie Leadon's "My Man" is a tribute to Gram Parsons, who had died of a drug overdose in September 1973. Leadon and Parsons had been members of the pioneering country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers.
"On the Border"
This track was inspired by the infamous Watergate scandal and fears at the time of the government overstepping its bounds and infringing on people's privacy. Barely audible at the end of the song, someone (either Henley or Frey) can be heard whispering "Say Goodnight, Dick," a line made famous by Dan Rowan of Rowan and Martin but in this case referring to Richard Nixon's resignation.[1]
Personnel
- Glenn Frey - lead vocals, lead guitar, slide guitar, piano
- Don Henley - lead vocals, drums, guitar
- Randy Meisner - lead vocals, bass guitar
- Bernie Leadon - lead vocals, lead guitar, banjo, steel guitar
- Don Felder - electric guitar, slide guitar
Singles
- "Already Gone"/"Is It True" - Asylum 11036; released April 19, 1974
- "James Dean"/"Good Day in Hell" - Asylum 45202; released August 14, 1974
- "Best of My Love"/"Ol' 55" - Asylum 45218; released November 5, 1974
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Pop Albums | 17 |
This was the first Eagles album to chart in the UK, reaching #28.
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Already Gone" | Pop Singles | 32 |
| 1974 | "James Dean" | Pop Singles | 77 |
| 1975 | "Best Of My Love" | Pop Singles | 1 |
| 1975 | "Best Of My Love" | Adult Contemporary | 1 |
None of the above singles charted in the UK.
References
- ^ The Very Best of the Eagles (CD). Warner Music Group. 2003. R2 73971.
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