“I Was a Nervous Wreck”: The Classic Eagles Track Don Henley Still Regrets—Inspired by Ray Charles

It’s hard to pick a definitive Eagles song. There’s “Hotel California”, which the entire world knows by heart. There’s “Take It Easy”, which summarizes the band’s sun-soaked musicality. We don’t have an answer on the Eagles song, but we know their is one song that jump-started Glenn Frey and Don Henley’s songwriting partnership: “Desperado”. This song takes a sharp turn away from their usual fare. It’s sullen (maybe even depressing), but it’s beloved by fans the world over. The reason this song was so well received could have something to do with the classic inspiration behind it. Find out more, below.

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The Eagles Song That Was Inspired by Ray Charles–And Started Glenn Frey and Don Henley’s Songwriting Partnership

“Desperado” didn’t follow the formula the Eagles had developed with their first album. They left their blithe Americana behind for a concept record about a lonely cowboy. This track is the album’s thesis statement.

Henley laid the groundwork for “Desperado”. To help switch up the band’s sound, he took a few notes from a soul icon: Ray Charles.

“Glenn [Frey] came over to write one day, and I showed him this unfinished tune that I had been holding for so many years,” Henley once said. “I said, ‘When I play it and sing it, I think of Ray Charles–Ray Charles and Stephen Foster. It’s really a Southern gothic thing, but we can easily make it more Western.’”

Frey then added his two cents to the Eagles’ classic, “Desperado”, by flushing out the “blanks” that Henley left. This marked the start of a songwriting partnership between the two “lead” singers of the Eagles.

“Glenn leapt right on it–filled in the blanks, and brought structure,” the Eagle added about “Desperado”. “And that was the beginning of our songwriting partnership–that’s when we became a team.”

Henley’s Disappointment

Despite how well received the Eagles’ “Desperado” became, Henley was never fully happy with it. He once recalled being a “nervous wreck” while recording this ballad. His nerves got the better of him, leaving Henley filled with regret over his vocals.

“When we were in England, recording ‘Desperado,’ I was a nervous wreck,” Henley added elsewhere. “I was standing in this huge room, Island Studios, a big orchestra right behind me, and they were bored to tears. I was so intimidated that I didn’t sing my best. Our producer Glyn Johns, who is still a friend of mine, I think, wanted to get the album done quickly and economically, and he didn’t let me do many takes. I wish I could have done that song again.”

We feel it’s safe to assume no Eagles fan agrees with Henley’s position on “Desperado”. As stated earlier, it’s impossible to name the definitive Eagles song, but this one is a strong contender.

(Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)