Don Henley and Don Felder have a lot in common. Besides sharing the same first name, the two artists were in the Eagles together for years and helped write some of the best rock songs ever.
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Together, Felder, Henley and Glenn Frey wrote one of the most historic rock songs of all time, “Hotel California.” But, what would a song written by them today resemble?
[RELATED: Eagles: Behind the Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey Beef and Lawsuits]
While it’s unlikely the two will get together again, given their epic beef with one another, we thought we would give it the next best thing. So, we employed ChatGPT for a little help. Indeed, here is a fictitious, artificial intelligence-created song in the style of the Dons.
“I Feel Whole”
(Verse 1 – Don Felder style)
[Acoustic Guitar Intro]
Well, I’m sittin’ here under the California sun,
Watchin’ those waves crash, one by one,
The sound of the ocean, it soothes my soul,
In this peaceful moment, I feel whole.
(Verse 2 – Don Henley style)
And I’m thinking ’bout life, how it twists and turns,
Like a river that flows, and forever yearns,
For something more, for a love that’s true,
I’ve been searching for meaning, just like you.
(Chorus – Both)
We’re flyin’ high like eagles, on a warm summer breeze,
Chasin’ dreams, my friend, through the tall palm trees,
In this sweet California dream, we’ll find our way,
Oh, together we’ll soar, like the Eagles every day.
(Verse 3 – Don Felder style)
With my guitar in hand, I strum these chords,
As the sun sets low, and the stars are adorned,
In the velvet sky, we’ll make our stand,
Two troubadours, walkin’ hand in hand.
(Verse 4 – Don Henley style)
In the city of angels, where the neon gleams,
We’ll write our stories, and we’ll live our dreams,
Through the highs and lows, we’ll conquer all,
With a heart of gold, we’ll never let it fall.
(Chorus – Both)
We’re flyin’ high like eagles, on a warm summer breeze,
Chasin’ dreams, my friend, through the tall palm trees,
In this sweet California dream, we’ll find our way,
Oh, together we’ll soar, like the Eagles every day.
(Bridge – Both)
Through the thunder and the rain, we’ll stand the test of time,
With the strength of our friendship, our spirits will climb,
In the rhythm of the music, and the songs that we play,
We’ll keep flyin’ high, like the Eagles, every day.
(Guitar Solo – Don Felder style)
(Chorus – Both)
We’re flyin’ high like eagles, on a warm summer breeze,
Chasin’ dreams, my friend, through the tall palm trees,
In this sweet California dream, we’ll find our way,
Oh, together we’ll soar, like the Eagles every day.
(Outro – Don Henley style)
As the night unfolds, and the moon takes flight,
We’ll keep on singing, under the starry night,
In the harmony of our voices, we’ll find our way,
Like the Eagles of old, forever we’ll sway.
Final Thoughts
Being in a band is very hard. It’s like being in a boat with four rowers and if each of the quartet aren’t pulling in the same direction, chaos and problems ensue. Sometimes it can be much easier to be a solo artist and just hire backing players. If there is one rock group that knows the strife of collaboration it’s the Eagles. While we wish they never experienced road bumps—for many, it’s inevitable.
Thankfully, we have fun fictional exercises like the above where we can put the history and even the pain away and remember people for the artists they were. Who doesn’t want more of this:
With my guitar in hand, I strum these chords,
As the sun sets low, and the stars are adorned,
In the velvet sky, we’ll make our stand,
Two troubadours, walkin’ hand in hand.
Photo by GAB Archive/Redferns
