Glenn Frey and Don Henley were founding members of the American classic rock band, the Eagles. Prior, they’d been chosen by icon Linda Ronstadt as part of her backing band. When they realized the potential of their chemistry, they went out on their own in 1971.
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The result was fame and fortune, as well as a fair amount of tension. But we wanted to celebrate the good times—the Hotel California days and the height of the band’s creativity.
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But how to do that? Well, just for fun, we recruited our old friends at ChatGPT for a little help. We asked the artificial intelligence system to write a duet in the styles of Henley and (the late) Frey. So, sit back and enjoy what the AI bots spit back!
“Come What May”
(Verse 1 – Glen Frey)
Well, I’ve been down this highway, so many times before,
Chasing dreams and memories, down that open road,
The sunsets and the neon lights, they guide me on my way,
But there’s something missing, something I can’t say.
(Verse 2 – Don Henley)
I’ve been searching for a reason, in these city lights so bright,
But it’s the quiet of the night, that tells me what’s not right,
In this fast-paced world we’re living, we’ve lost our way it seems,
We’re just trying to find, a place for broken dreams.
(Chorus – Both)
I’m a desperado, in this city of angels,
Trying to find my peace, in a world that strangles,
But I won’t give up, no, I’ll keep on trying,
To find that old love, in this new world of lying.
(Verse 3 – Glen Frey)
The whiskey and the cigarettes, they don’t numb the pain,
I’m still haunted by the memories, of sunshine after rain,
I’m a lone wolf howlin’, in the midnight wind,
Looking for a love, that’ll heal the wounds within.
(Verse 4 – Don Henley)
In this hotel room, I’m counting all my sins,
Wondering where you are, and if you’ll let me in,
We’ve both been scarred by battles, that we couldn’t win,
But maybe we can find, a love to begin again.
(Chorus – Both)
I’m a desperado, in this city of angels,
Trying to find my peace, in a world that strangles,
But I won’t give up, no, I’ll keep on trying,
To find that old love, in this new world of lying.
(Bridge – Glen Frey)
We’ve walked through fire, we’ve danced in the rain,
But we’ll keep on searching, till we find love again,
In the heart of this city, where the dreams are sold,
We’ll find our way back, to the love we both hold.
(Chorus – Both)
I’m a desperado, in this city of angels,
Trying to find my peace, in a world that strangles,
But I won’t give up, no, I’ll keep on trying,
To find that old love, in this new world of lying.
(Outro – Don Henley)
As the stars above us, shine down so bright,
We’ll keep on singing, through the darkest night,
In this duet of life, we’ll find our way,
Glen and Don together, come what may.
Final Thoughts
Depravity, wistful lyricism, friendship, sin, and Los Angeles—what more could you want? This song written by the AI system conjures flickering memories and melodies from the two. And what a stanza from the fictitious Frey, right? The (digital) Eagles fly again!
The whiskey and the cigarettes, they don’t numb the pain,
I’m still haunted by the memories, of sunshine after rain,
I’m a lone wolf howlin’, in the midnight wind,
Looking for a love, that’ll heal the wounds within.
Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns
