In the past few days as I was trying to find a song for Music Monday, I came upon some recent Eagles news. I used to like Vince Gill back in the day so I found it interesting that he was now going to be touring with the Eagles, somewhat replacing that huge gap left by Glenn Frey’s death in 2016. This made me think about the Eagles and their catalog of songs and then their solo careers.
I toyed with that song I like of Glenn Frey’s solo days that a former work colleague once called the cheesiest song she’d ever heard, “The One You Love.” I was mildly affronted by her judgment, but, hey, she’s director of an NIH division now and I’m a tech writer/book blogger, so what do I know? 😉
But then “Take It to the Limit” popped into my head. Mind you, this was a song from my formative years and I never really knew much about it until this evening. It has an interesting history, which probably explains why I couldn’t find a decent live version of it. Randy Meisner began writing the song but only had a couple of verses written when the album it was intended for was coming up so Glenn Frey and Don Henley helped him complete it. Meisner also sang the lead on the song. Evidently, he was intimidated by singing the high notes in concert and would pass on singing the song, which led to his being ousted from the group.
I listened to some of Meisner’s later live concert versions and really none measure up to the studio album and Frey trying to sing Meisner’s role was a no-go as well. If you’re interested, you can seek those versions out on youtube.
Before I learned all of this stuff about the song, I was happily listening to it, not remembering when I had heard it the first time, but feeling it and loving it again. I think it’s a great song.
You know I’ve always been a dreamer (spent my life running round)
And it’s so hard to change
Can’t seem to settle down
But the dreams I’ve seen lately
Keep on turning out and burning out and turning out the same
So put me on a highway
Show me a sign
Take it to the limit
One more time
Don Henley / Glenn Lewis Frey / Randy Meisner
Your colleague is an idiot. The One you Love is a great song, and OMG, Glen Frey. The sax alone is worth the price of admission. When this song came out, I was going through exactly the situation as described in the song. Tough decision. (Love the Eagles. Also good song–Heartache Tonight)
🙂 I love so much music that while I might joke about someone not liking a song I like, it’s no big deal. There are so many songs I love that others hear with contempt. C’est la vie or la musique?
The Eagles always remind me of the Bicentennial (1976). I was banished to Alabama that summer and the only music I had to listen to was the Eagles Greatest Hits. I played that record until my grandmother went nuts! LOL
Hmmm! Banished to Alabama?! Now THAT sounds like a story. 🙂