Rocky Mountain Way

"Rocky Mountain Way" is a 1973 song by rock guitarist Joe Walsh and his band Barnstorm, with writing credits given to Walsh, Rocke Grace, Kenny Passarelli, and Joe Vitale. The song was originally released on the album The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get.

The song was used as the title to Walsh's 1985 compilation album, which featured singles and album tracks from Barnstorm, The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get and So What.

Live versions

In 1976, Walsh recorded the song on his You Can't Argue with a Sick Mind album.

Walsh played the song frequently while on tour with the Eagles, including the 1977 Hotel California tour, and later in 1979's and later into the first half of 1980's Long Run tour, also being added yet again to the set in the 1994 reunion tour with Eagles.

In 1985, Walsh joined Australian rock band, The Party Boys, and while touring they recorded a live album, You Need Professional Help, which featured an extended guitar duel between Walsh and Kevin Borich on "Rocky Mountain Way".^[1]

In 1990, Walsh played an eight-minute version in the Ringo Starr's All Starr Band, starting with a slide arrangement of "Amazing Grace."

In 2004 it was sung by Walsh at Crossroads Guitar Festival and along with Eagles on their Farewell I Tour.

In 2010, "Rocky Mountain Way" was one of three songs played during the encore each night during the Eagles "Long Road Out of Eden" World Tour. The other two songs performed in the encore were "Desperado" and "Take it Easy".

Cover versions

• Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, and Nash often plays the song live and it appears on his 1974 live album, Stephen Stills Live.
• In 1977, hard rock band Triumph covered this song on their Rock and Roll Machine album.
• In 1992, Ween performed the song at the WTSR radio station.
• Hard rock band Slaughter covered it on their 1997 album, Revolution.
• In 2005, heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne covered this song in his Under Cover compilation album.
• On October 9, 2010, at the Fourmile Fire Revival (a charity concert for the victims of the fire northwest of Boulder, CO in September), the String Cheese Incident with special guest Trey Anastasio of the Jam Band Phish performed "Rocky Mountain Way".
• In 2012, heavy metal band Godsmack covered this song on their Live and Inspired album.

In popular culture

The Colorado Rockies baseball team plays the song over the loudspeakers at Coors Field immediately following the conclusion of any home victory.

It was released on The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV soundtrack that came with Grand Theft Auto IV Special Editions on April 29, 2008.

The song was used in the 2005 Rob Zombie film The Devil's Rejects, as well as the soundtrack of the 2002 skateboard documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys.

In the 2001 movie Spy Game, it is in the soundtrack during the Vietnam CIA recruitment sequence.

Joe Walsh performed the song on an episode of the Drew Carey Show with Rock & Roll legend Little Richard on piano.

In the 2001 film Joe Dirt, the song is played briefly.

In Fringe, episode 20 of season 3 titled "6:02 AM EST", the song played in a bowling alley operated by Sam Weiss.

In the "Buried Treasure" episode of My Name Is Earl, the song was playing in the background at the bar.

References