The Eagles began recording their third album in England with producer Glyn Johns, as they had their first two albums, but abandoned the sessions after completing two acceptable tracks. Johns, it is said, tended to emphasize the group's country elements and its harmonies, while the band, in particular Glenn Frey and Don Henley, wanted to take more of a hard rock direction. They reconvened with a new producer, Bill Szymczyk, who had produced artists like B.B. King and, more significantly, Joe Walsh. But the resulting album is not an outright rock effort by any means. Certainly, Frey and Henley got what they wanted with "Already Gone," the lead-off track, which introduces new band member Don Felder as one part of the twin guitar solo that recalls the Allman Brothers Band; "James Dean," a rock & roll song on the order of "Your Mama Don't Dance"; and "Good Day in Hell," which is strongly reminiscent of Joe Walsh songs like "Rocky Mountain Way." But the album also features the usual mixture of styles typical of an Eagles album. For example, "Midnight Flyer," sung by Randy Meisner, is modern bluegrass; "My Man" is Bernie Leadon's country-rock tribute to the recently deceased Gram Parsons; and "Ol' 55" is one of the group's well-done covers of a tune by a singer-songwriter labelmate, in this case Tom Waits. The title track, meanwhile, points the band in a new R&B direction that was later pursued more fully. Like most successful groups, the Eagles combined many different elements, and their third album, which looked back to their earlier work and anticipated their later work, was a transitional effort that combined even more styles than most of their records did.
THE EAGLES
ON THE BORDER
Asylum 7E-1004March/22/1974
Produced by Bill Szymczyk
Glenn Frey - guitar/keyboards/vocalsDon Henley - drums/vocals
Bernie Leadon - guitar/steel/banjo/vocals
Randy Meisner - bass/vocals
Don Felder - guitar/organ
Al Perkins - steel
Jim Ed Norman - piano
David Sanborn - sax
Albhy Galuten - synthesizer
Recorded:
Record Plant, LA and Olympic Studuis, London
1.
ALREADY GONE
(Jack Tempchin - Robb Strandlund) « © '74 Jazz Bird Music, ASCAP / WB Music, ASCAP »Well I heard some people talking just the other day
And they said you were gonna put me on a shelf
Well let me tell you I've got some news for you
And you'll soon find out it's true
And then you'll have to eat your lunch all by yourself
Cause I'm already gone and I'm feeling strong
I will sing this vict'ry song uh uh uh
The letter that you wrote me made me stop and wonder why
But I guess you felt like you had to set things right
Just remember this my girl when you look up in the sky
You can see the stars and still not see the light (that's right)
And I'm already gone...
[ guitar ] Well I know it wasn't you who held me down
Heaven knows it wasn't you who set me free
So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
That we never even know we have the key
Me I'm already gone...
Cause I'm already gone...
Yes I'm already gone yes I'm already gone already gone already gone
**********
2.
YOU NEVER CRY LIKE A LOVER
(Don Henley - John D. Souther) « © '74 Cass County Music, BMI / April Music, ASCAP » »You never cry like a lover should sigh-ay-ay when it feels real good
Or see the sky through the stone and wood you never cry like a lover
I thought I saw somebody I loved sleeping deep inside you
If I could catch you at an unguarded moment I'd stay right there beside you
You never smile at me late at night laugh out loud when we get it right
You can't get loose if there's too much light you never smile like a lover
(Try a little harder) I can't live with you baby
(Harder) can't live without it
(Try a little harder) and sometimes I believe in love
But sometimes I doubt it
But your life goes on like a broken-down carousel
Where somebody left the music on
[ guitar ] I was hoping you were the one I was hoping you were the one
I was hoping you were the one I was hoping you were the one
You never move like you used to do pour it out when you're feeling blue
Somebody must have put some pain on you aou never cry like a lover
You never cry like a lover (you never cry like a lover)
Cry (you never cry like a lover) you never cry (cry like a lover)
Come on and cry (you never cry like a lover) (cry like a lover)
Cry (you never cry like a lover) (cry like a lover)
(You never cry like a lover)
**********
3.
MIDNIGHT FLYER
(Paul Craft) « © '73 Rocky Top Music, BMI »Ooh midnight flyer engineer won't you let your whistle moan
Ooh midnight flyer paid my dues and I feel like travelin' on
A runaway team of wild horses ain't enough to make me stay
So throw your rope on another woman and pull her down your way
Make her into someone to take the place of me
Make her every kind of fool you wanted me to be
Ooh midnight flyer...
Maybe I'll stop in Santa Fe maybe San Antone
Any town is where I'm bound anyway to get me gone
Don't think about me never let me cross your mind
Ceptin' when you hear that midnight lonesome whistle blow
Ooh midnight flyer...
[ banjo ] Ooh midnight flyer...
Paid my dues and I feel like travelin' on
[ guitar ] **********
4.
MY MAN
(Bernie Leadon) « © '74 Likely Story Music, ASCAP »Tell me the truth how do you feel
Like you're rollin' so fast that you're spinnin' your wheels
Don't feel too bad you're not all alone we're all tryin' to get along
With everybody else tryin' to go their way
You're bound to get tripped and what can you say
Just go along till they turn out the lights
There's nothing we can do to fight it
No man's got it made till he's far beyond the pain
And we who must remain go on living just the same
I once knew a man very talented guy
He's sing for the people and people would cry
They knew that his song came from deep down inside
You could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes
So he traveled along touch your heart then be gone
Like a flower he bloomed till that old hickory wind called him home
My man's got it made he's gone far beyond the pain
And we who must remain go on living just the same
[ steel ] Now my man's got it made he's gone far beyond the pain
And we who must remain go on living just the same
We who must remain go on laughing just the same
**********
5.
ON THE BORDER
(Don Henley - Glenn Frey - Bernie Leadon) « © '74 Cass County Music, BMI / Red Cloud Music, BMI / Likely Story Music, ASCAP »Cruisin' down the center of a two way street
Wonderin' who is really in the driver's seat
Mindin' my bus'ness along comes big brother
Says son you better get on one side or the other
I'm out on the border I'm walkin' the line
Don't you tell me bout your law and order
I'm tryin' to change this water to wine
After a hard day I'm safe at home
Foolin' with my baby on the telephone
Out of nowhere somebody cuts in
And says mhm you in some trouble boy we know where you're been
I'm out on the border I thought this was a private line
Don't you tell me 'bout your law and order
I'm tryin' to change this water to wine
Never mind your name just give us your number mhm
Never mind your face just show us your card mhm
And we wanna know whose wing are you under
You better step to the right or we can make it hard
I'm stuck on the border all I wanted was some peace of mind
Don't you tell me bout your law and order
I'm tryin' to change this water to wine
[ guitar ] On the border on the border on the border on the border
Leave me be I'm just walkin' this line
On the border on the border
All I wanted was some peace of mind peace of mind
I'm out on the border on the border
Can't you see I'm tryin to change this water to wine
Don't you tell me bout your law and order
Sick and tired of all your law and order
Sick and tired of it
**********
6.
JAMES DEAN
(Don Henley - Glenn Frey - John D. Souther - Jackson Browne) « © '74 Swallow Turn Music, ASCAP »James Dean James Dean I know just what you mean
James Dean you said it all so clean
And I know my life would look alright if I could see it on the silver screen
You were the lowdown rebel if there ever was even if you had no cause
James Dean you said it all so clean
And I know my life would look alright if I could see it on the silver screen
We'll talk about a lowdown bad refrigerator you were just too cool for school
Sock hop soda pop basketball and auto shop
The only thing that got you off was breaking all the rules
James Dean James Dean so hungry and so lean
James Dean you said it all so clean
And I know my life would look alright if I could see it on the silver screen
[ guitar ] Little James Dean up on the screen wonderin' who he might be
Along came a Spyder and picked up a rider and took him down the road to eternity
James Dean James Dean you bought it sight unseen
James Dean James Dean you bought it sight unseen
You were too fast to live too young to die bye bye
You were to fast to live too young to die bye bye
Bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye
**********
7.
OL' 55
(Thomas A. Waits) « © '74 Fifth Floor Music, ASCAP »Well my time went so quickly I went lickety splitly out to my old '55
As I pulled away slowly feeling so holy God knows I was feelin' alive
And now the sun's coming up I'm riding with lady luck
Sreeway cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade and I lead the parade
Just a wishin' I'd stayed a little longer
Lord don't you know the feeling's gettin' stronger
Six in the morning gave me no warning I had to be on my way
Now the cars are all passin' me trucks are all flashin' me
I'm heading home from your place
And now the sun's coming up...
Well my time went so quickly...
**********
8.
IS IT TRUE
(Randy Meisner) « © '74 Nebraska Music, ASCAP »How come you love him when he takes you for a fool
He's only looking for a good time
How can he love you when he treats you mean and cruel
He's not the best thing that you could find
Is it true I can't believe it is it true I just can't see it
Is it true is that you
When we were young we didn't really have a care
You were hung up I had a good line
I never knew it then but man I was in love
How could I know it was the right time
Is it true you've lost that feeling
Is is true you might be leaving
Is it true don't wanna find out
Yes I was so wrong for leading you on there wasn't much I could do
I was a wild one but I can change some if that's important to you
[ guitar ] Is it true you've lost that feeling is it true you might be leaving is it true
She's really leaving she's really leaving she's really leaving
**********
9.
GOOD DAY IN HELL
(Don Henley - Glenn Frey) « © '74 Cass County Music, BMI / Red Cloud Music, BMI »Move in can't you see she wants you she has you deep in her eyes
You been wondering why she haunts you beauty in the devil's disguise
She can tell you all about it she sees it in the stars
She'll burn you if you try to put her down
Oh well it's been a good day in hell tomorrow I'll be glory bound
Higher she can keep you loaded feeding you whiskey and wine
Fire the devil's on the phone he laughs and says you're doing the just fine
In that big book of names I wanna go down in flames
Seein's how I'm goin' down
Oh well it's been a good day in hell tomorrow I'll be glory bound
[ guitar ] Truckin' that's all that I've been doing every girl's a fork in the road
Stuck in some sticky situations feeling like I wanna explode
All this gratification and sick conversation someone get me out of town
Oh well it's been a good day in hell tomorrow I'll be glory bound
[ guitar ] **********
10.
BEST OF MY LOVE
(Don Henley - Glenn Frey - John D. Souther) « © '74 Cass County Music, BMI / Red Cloud Music, BMI / April Music, ASCAP »Every night I'm lying in bed holding you close in my dreams
Thinking about all the things that we said they're coming apart and it seems
We tried to talk it over but the words come out too rough
I know you were trying to give me the best of your love
Beautiful faces and light at the place look at the way that we live
Wasting our time on cheap talking wine left us so little to give
That same old crowd was like a cold dark cloud that we could never rise above
Well here in my heart I give you the best of my love
(Oh oh oh sweet darling) get the best of my love (you get the best of my love)
(Oh oh oh sweet darling) get the best of my love (you get the best of my love)
I'm going back in time and it's a sweet dream
It was a quiet night and I would be all right if I could go on sleeping
But every morning I wake up and worry what's gonna happen today
And you see it your way and I see it mine but we both see it slipping away
You know we always have each other baby I guess it wasn't enough
Oh but here in my heart I give you the best of my love
Oh oh oh sweet darling you get the best of my love
Oh oh oh sweet darling you get the best of my love
Oh oh sweet darling every night and day you get the best of my love
Oh oh sweet darling oh you get the best of my love
Here in my heart I give you the best of my love
**********
