New Kid in Town
Encyclopedia
"New Kid in Town", written by Don Henley
, Glenn Frey
and J.D. Souther, is a song
by the Eagles, from their 1976 album
Hotel California
. Released as the first single
from the album, the song became a #1 hit in the USA, and #20 in the UK
. The single version has an earlier fade-out than the album version does. On 26 February 1977, it reached the Billboard #1. The song features Glenn Frey singing the lead vocals, with Don Henley singing main harmony vocals. Randy Meisner plays the guitarrón mexicano, and Joe Walsh
plays the electric piano
and organ parts.
In the liner notes of The Very Best of the Eagles (2003)
, Don Henley talked about the song's meaning:
In 1977, the Eagles won a Grammy Award
for Best Arrangement for Voices
with "New Kid in Town".
On Henley's first solo album, I Can't Stand Still
, he references the song by singing the line, "there's a new kid in town" over the rideout of "Johnny Can't Read
".
Don Henley
Donald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
, Glenn Frey
Glenn Frey
Glenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
and J.D. Souther, is a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by the Eagles, from their 1976 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Hotel California
Hotel California
Hotel California is the fifth studio album released by the American rock band the Eagles, in late 1976. It is the first Eagles album without founding member Bernie Leadon and the first album with Joe Walsh. It is also the last album featuring original bass player and singer Randy Meisner...
. Released as the first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album, the song became a #1 hit in the USA, and #20 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The single version has an earlier fade-out than the album version does. On 26 February 1977, it reached the Billboard #1. The song features Glenn Frey singing the lead vocals, with Don Henley singing main harmony vocals. Randy Meisner plays the guitarrón mexicano, and Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
plays the electric piano
Electric piano
An electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
and organ parts.
In the liner notes of The Very Best of the Eagles (2003)
The Very Best of the Eagles (2003)
The Very Best of Eagles is a two-disc compilation album by the American band The Eagles, released in 2003....
, Don Henley talked about the song's meaning:
In 1977, the Eagles won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Arrangement for Voices
Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices
The Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices was awarded from 1977 to 1986. From 1977 to 1981 it was called the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement for Voices...
with "New Kid in Town".
On Henley's first solo album, I Can't Stand Still
I Can't Stand Still
I Can't Stand Still is the first solo album by Don Henley, released in 1982 originally on Asylum Records then re-released in 1999 by Warner Bros. Records. The album went gold, reached #24 on the charts, and released three singles, including the huge hit "Dirty Laundry," which reached #3 on the...
, he references the song by singing the line, "there's a new kid in town" over the rideout of "Johnny Can't Read
Johnny Can't Read
"Johnny Can't Read" is the solo debut single from Don Henley. The song focuses upon reading illiteracy and raises several thought-provoking questions. This song also reflects Henley’s respect for reading and his reading background. As he stated in the book Heaven Is Under Our Feet, "I began to...
".
Personnel
- Glenn FreyGlenn FreyGlenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
: Lead vocals, acoustic guitar - Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
: Drums, percussion, backing vocals - Don FelderDon FelderDonald William "Don" Felder is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as lead guitarist for the Eagles from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1994 to 2001.-Early life and influences:...
: Lead guitar - Joe WalshJoe WalshJoseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
: Electric piano, organ - Randy MeisnerRandy MeisnerRandy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
: Guitarrón, backing vocals
Chart performance
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 43 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 12 |
| U.K. Singles Chart | 20 |
Covers
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
countryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Trisha YearwoodTrisha YearwoodPatricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
coveredCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song on the 1993 album Common Thread: The Songs of the EaglesCommon Thread: The Songs of The Eagles- "Take It Easy" :During the music video shoot for his rendition of "Take It Easy", Travis Tritt requested that the 1980 lineup of the Eagles - "Take It Easy" :During the music video shoot for his rendition of "Take It Easy", Travis Tritt requested that the 1980 lineup of the Eagles - "Take It...
. - SwedishSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
popPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and countryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Kikki DanielssonKikki DanielssonAnn-Kristin "Kikki" Danielsson is a Swedish country, dansband and pop singer. Sometimes, she also plays the accordion and she has also written some lyrics. She is also famous for yodeling in some songs. Kikki Danielsson gained her largest popularity in the Nordic region from the late 1970s until...
coveredCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song on her 2006 album I dag & i morgonI dag & i morgonI dag & i morgon was released on April 12, 2006, and is a compilation album from Swedish pop and country singer Kikki Danielsson. The album also contains four new-released recordings: "Yesterday Once More", "Looking for Freedom", "Blue Virgin Isles" and The Eagles' classic "New Kid in Town", which...
.