What If We Lived In An Alternative Universe Where Everyone Admitted That The Eagles Are A Great Band?

Music Wed - I has become accepted to say the Eagles suck; or that the Eagle are corporate sell-outs; or that the Eagles were homogenized, pasteurized, everything-that-is-not-wild-free-and-original-about-rock-and-roll hacks.  In my view, this is not only unfair, but it is simply untrue. The Eagles are great - skilled musicians with angelic voices that can harmonize in a way only the Beach Boys can perhaps (and I stress the "perhaps") approach.  Let me present a number of choice cuts which show the range and dynamics of this band. I am focusing on live cuts to show that they are genuine artists, not studio creations. These guys were and are the real deal. And each time they made a personnel change, they seemed to trade up, such as replacing Randy Meisner with Timothy B. Schmitt, or replacing Bernie Leadon with Joe Walsh. The only sin I can't forgive them for is booting Don Felder from the band. Yes, Don was a pain in the butt, but life with Don Henley and Glenn Frey for 25+ years might make anyone a little testy. The Eagles are, in my view, incomplete without Don Felder. That grievance aside, here are my picks for the best Eagles songs (in no particular order). I have to start with a sentimental favorite, "Lyin' Eyes", which is probably the song that really made me sit up and start to dig into this band, way back in the early '70s as a young music lover sitting in my room reading liner notes (http://youtu.be/WeNBspJGVko). As you will see, their music can be sweet and easy, but their lyrics can bite. Here is an oldies double shot, "Already Gone" (http://youtu.be/MONuZiC6yPI), and "Peaceful Easy Feelin'" (http://youtu.be/pl5nUDIFSS8). Their first Top 10 hit was "Take It Easy" which was a Jackson Browne song that Jackson admittedly states was finished and made better once Glenn Frey added a verse and about girls checking him out in Winslow, AZ (http://youtu.be/eFYXfeoTOLU). I also love their later works, like "Last Resort" (http://youtu.be/LxhngMm4hqs), "Wasted Time" (http://youtu.be/3KrsASHrcgI), and one of my favorite Joe Walsh songs for the band, "Pretty Maids All In A Row" (http://youtu.be/pRSUBH5JFf4). This post has been pretty music heavy, but I feel I need to defend these guys from years of abuse, so I will end with one old song ("Best Of My Love - http://youtu.be/vAoNKK32FiU), one iconic and unforgettable song ("Hotel California - http://youtu.be/_p4JbbcfmX8 - the original version, although I love their acoustic take on this mega-hit), and one tribute song (http://youtu.be/EJfje5A3PUU - as performed by the long-time Eagles collaborator and friend, J.D. Souther, who sounds and plays like "the missing Eagle"). Enjoy!