In 1980, Eagles disbanded amid tensions among the band members. For Don Henley, it was the end of one era but the immediate beginning of another one. In 1982, Henley released I Can’t Stand Still, his first record as a solo artist.
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These are four Don Henley solo singles that are among his best, all released after Eagles split up.
“The Boys Of Summer”
In 1984, Henley released “The Boys Of Summer“. The first single from his sophomore Building The Perfect Beast record, Henley wrote “The Boys Of Summer” with Mike Campbell, from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
A No. 1 single for Henley, “The Boys Of Summer” says, “But I can see you / Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun / You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby / And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone.”
“Dirty Laundry”
“Dirty Laundry” is Henley’s second solo single and first No. 1 hit. On I Can’t Stand Still, Henley wrote the song with Danny Kortchmar.
A diatribe about the dangers of media, “Dirty Laundry begins with, “I make my living off the evening news / Just give me something / Something I can use / People love it when you lose / They love dirty laundry.”
According to Songfacts, Henley’s 1980 brush with the law, when he made headlines after being charged with giving cocaine to a minor, inspired “Dirty Laundry”.
Per The Guardian, Henley later said that his issues with Eagles led to him making a “poor decision”, one he still regrets.
“Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough” With Patty Smyth
In 1992, Henley joined Patty Smyth to sing the heartbreaking song, “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”. On Smyth’s eponymous sophomore album as a solo artist, after formerly fronting the rock group Scandal, Smyth wrote the song with Glen Burtnik.
“Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough” says, “There’s a danger in loving somebody too much / And it’s sad when you know it’s your heart you can’t trust / There’s a reason why people don’t stay where they are / Baby, sometimes, love just ain’t enough.”
“The Last Worthless Evening”
Henley wrote “The Last Worthless Evening” with John Corey and Stan Lynch. From his third solo album, The End Of The Innocence, “The Last Worthless Evening” is a sweet story about a new romance.
The song says, “This is the last worthless evening / That you’ll have to spend / Just give me a chance / To show you how to love again / This is the last worthless evening / That you’ll have to spend / ‘Cause I’ll be there / When your broken heart is on the mend.”
Photo by Pete Cronin/Redferns
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