To some, the Eagles have come to represent the plasticity of ’70s soft rock. With most of their discography consisting of harmonic chill pills, a listening session of the Eagles can sometimes feel like Groundhog Day.
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Nevertheless, their music has long been a staple of the genre and has amassed quite the legacy for each of the members. Not to mention, there are some hidden gems that blow the above notion right out of the water.
Though many may know the greatest hits, we’re going through a few alternatives to hearing “Tequila Sunrise” for the nth time. As we squeeze out the last bit of summer, here are five deep cuts from the Eagles to set the mood.
1. “Nightingale” (From Eagles, 1972)
The Eagles’ first album debuted a number of West Coast rock staples. From “Witchy Woman,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” to the Jackson Browne-penned “Take It Easy,” their self-titled LP certainly bored their name into many a radio listener’s heads.
Departing from the singles though, “Nightingale” joins in on the conversation with “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” delivering yet another breezy ear-worm, perfect for a summer’s day. I’m hanging on to those good times, baby / Just want to let them roll, Don Henley sings in the intro, setting the tone from the get-go.
2. “Doolin-Dalton” (From Desperado, 1973)
When listening to Desperado, it’s clear to see that the band felt more cohesive going into their second album. Though this collection of wistful, outlaw ballads didn’t experience the same popularity that their debut did upon its release, it has since become one of their best-selling records.
The album’s book-end “Doolin-Dalton” is tailor-made for a classic western tale. Opening with a scene-setting harmonica line, Henley tells the story of the titular characters who move across towns lay out across the dusty plains / Like graveyards filled with tombstones, waiting for the names.
3. “Good Day in Hell” (From On The Border, 1974)
For their third effort, the band shed a little of their country roots and made room for some bluesy rock flavors. “Good Day in Hell” makes use of a classic shuffling beat and the Eagles’ signature harmonies for a track about taking the good with the bad.
She sees it in the stars / She’ll burn you if you try to put her down / Oh well, it’s been a good day in hell / And tomorrow I’ll be glory bound, they lull in the chorus.
4. “Visions” (From One of These Nights, 1975)
While the most famed tracks from One of These Nights are evocative of what we’ve come to know as a typical Eagles song—”Lyin’ Eyes” and “Take It to the Limit” for example—the lesser-known parts of the album are arguably the band’s most ambitions. Across the album, they take the time for sprawling guitar solos and more stylistic leaps than ever before.
The only song to feature Don Felder on lead vocals, “Visions,” is one such song that verges to the left a bit. A little muddier than their usual fare, the verse and chorus melt into one another, quickly switching up melodies and rhythms. Their tendency for easy listening is momentarily forgotten in this song, creating one of their most interesting deep-cuts.
5. “In the City” (From The Long Run, 1979)
As the band began to fray by the end of the ’70s, The Long Run feels as if each of the members were taking each individual song in their own direction, without much consultation.
“In the City” feels distinctly like Joe Walsh. Reminiscent of his solo material, the track features the guitarist on lead vocals with a chorus of voices backing him up. Somewhere out there on that horizon / Out beyond the neon lights / I know there must be somethin’ better / But there’s nowhere else in sight, he sings.
Photo Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
