On the Border
Encyclopedia
On the Border is the third studio album by the Eagles, released in 1974. During the making of the album, the band experienced significant changes. As the band tried to lean towards a more hard rock sound, they felt that producer Glyn Johns emphasized too much on their country sound. After recording only two songs, the band let go of Johns and hired Bill Szymczyk. At Frey's request they brought in guitarist Don Felder
to add slide guitar to the song "Good Day in Hell". The band was so impressed that they invited Felder to become the fifth Eagle. They credited him as a late arrival on the album's liner notes. The album reached #17 on the charts and sold 2 million copies. The album also released three singles, "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love". The singles reached #32, #77 and #1 respectively. "Best of My Love" became the band's first of five chart toppers.
This is the first album by the Eagles to be released in Quadraphonic surround sound. It was released on Quadraphonic 8-track tape and CD-4 LP.
, who had died of a drug overdose in September 1973. Leadon and Parsons had been members of the pioneering country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers
.
and fears at the time of the government overstepping its bounds and infringing on people's privacy. Barely audible at the end of the song, someone (either Henley or Frey) can be heard whispering "Say Goodnight, Dick," a line made famous by Dan Rowan of Rowan and Martin but in this case referring to Richard Nixon
's resignation.
This was the first Eagles album to chart in the UK, reaching #28.
Singles
None of the above singles charted in the UK.
Don Felder
Donald 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:...
to add slide guitar to the song "Good Day in Hell". The band was so impressed that they invited Felder to become the fifth Eagle. They credited him as a late arrival on the album's liner notes. The album reached #17 on the charts and sold 2 million copies. The album also released three singles, "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love". The singles reached #32, #77 and #1 respectively. "Best of My Love" became the band's first of five chart toppers.
This is the first album by the Eagles to be released in Quadraphonic surround sound. It was released on Quadraphonic 8-track tape and CD-4 LP.
Side one
- "Already GoneAlready Gone (Eagles song)"Already Gone" is a song written by Jack Tempchin and Robert Arnold Strandlund and recorded by the American rock band Eagles for their 1974 album On the Border...
" (Jack TempchinJack TempchinJack Tempchin is an American musician and singer-songwriter, best known for writing the Eagles classic "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and co-writing their hits "Already Gone", "The Girl From Yesterday," "Somebody," and "It's Your World Now."...
, Rob Strandlund) – 4:13- Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, lead guitar (uncredited) by Don Felder, guitar solos by Glenn Frey and Don Felder
- "You Never Cry Like a Lover" (J.D. Souther, 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...
) – 4:02- Lead vocal by Don Henley, lead guitar (uncredited) by Bernie Leadon
- "Midnight Flyer" (Paul CraftPaul CraftPaul Craft is a U.S. singer/songwriter. He is known as the songwriter for Mark Chesnutt's single "Brother Jukebox", and for "It's Me Again, Margaret", recorded by Ray Stevens...
) – 3:59- Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, slide guitar by Glenn Frey, banjo by Bernie Leadon
- "My Man" (Bernie LeadonBernie LeadonBernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
) – 3:31- Lead vocal and pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon
- "On the Border" (Henley, Leadon, Frey) – 4:28
- Lead vocals by Don Henley, T.N.T.S. by "Coach", claps by The Clapetts, lead guitar (uncredited) by Glenn Frey
Side two
- "James DeanJames Dean (song)"James Dean" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne, and J. D. Souther, and recorded by the American rock band Eagles for their 1974 album On the Border. It was the second single released from this album, reaching number 77 on the U.S. pop singles chart.The song is about...
" (Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
, Frey, Souther, Henley) – 3:37- Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, lead guitar by Bernie Leadon
- "Ol' '55Ol' '55"Ol' '55" is a song written and recorded by Tom Waits. It is the opening track on Waits' 1973 debut album, Closing Time. The song was covered by the Eagles on their 1974 album On the Border....
" (Tom WaitsTom WaitsThomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
) – 4:22- Lead vocals by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
by Al PerkinsAl PerkinsAl Perkins is a Texas-born American guitarist. The Gibson guitar company called Perkins "the world's most influential Dobro player", and even began producing an "Al Perkins Signature" Dobro in 2001 - designed and autographed by Perkins....
- Lead vocals by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, pedal steel guitar
- "Is It True?" (Randy MeisnerRandy MeisnerRandy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
) – 3:14- Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, slide guitar by Glenn Frey
- "Good Day in HellGood Day in Hell"Good Day in Hell" is a song by the Eagles, from their third album, On the Border. It was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and is about a seductive "devil in disguise"....
" (Henley, Frey) – 4:27- Lead vocals by Glenn Frey, lead and slide guitar by Don Felder
- "Best of My LoveBest of My Love (Eagles song)"Best of My Love" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther. It was originally recorded by the Eagles , and included on their 1974 album On the Border. The band's first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single in March 1975, the song also topped the easy listening chart for one week...
" (Henley, Frey, Souther) – 4:36- Lead vocal by Don Henley, pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon
"My Man"
Bernie Leadon's "My Man" is a tribute to Gram ParsonsGram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
, who had died of a drug overdose in September 1973. Leadon and Parsons had been members of the pioneering country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers was an early country rock band, best known for its influential debut album,The Gilded Palace of Sin . Although the group is most often mentioned in connection with country rock legends Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, the group underwent many personnel changes.-Original...
.
"On the Border"
This track was inspired by the infamous Watergate scandalWatergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
and fears at the time of the government overstepping its bounds and infringing on people's privacy. Barely audible at the end of the song, someone (either Henley or Frey) can be heard whispering "Say Goodnight, Dick," a line made famous by Dan Rowan of Rowan and Martin but in this case referring to Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's resignation.
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, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - 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...
- lead vocals, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Bernie LeadonBernie LeadonBernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
- lead vocals, lead guitar, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use... - Randy MeisnerRandy MeisnerRandy Herman Meisner is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of Poco and the Eagles...
- lead vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - 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:...
- electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, slide guitar
Singles
- "Already Gone"/"Is It True" - Asylum 11036; released April 19, 1974
- "James Dean"/"Good Day in Hell" - Asylum 45202; released August 14, 1974
- "Best of My Love"/"Ol' 55" - Asylum 45218; released November 5, 1974
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Pop Albums | 17 |
This was the first Eagles album to chart in the UK, reaching #28.
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Already Gone" | Pop Singles | 32 |
| 1974 | "James Dean" | Pop Singles | 77 |
| 1975 | "Best Of My Love" | Pop Singles | 1 |
| 1975 | "Best Of My Love" | Adult Contemporary | 1 |
None of the above singles charted in the UK.