Sunday Music – The Last Resort

Today’s music video is ‘The Last Resort’ from the band called Eagles.

This video was posted to You Tube by chrislwchen

The band is often incorrectly referred to as ‘The’ Eagles, but one of the foundation members, Glenn Frey was most definite that the name should not have the word ‘The’ in front of the band’s name.

They have gone through numerous line up changes since starting out as the 4 piece backing band for Linda Ronstadt in 1972 with Frey, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner, Frey then asking Don Henley to join them on drums. Following that 1972 tour with Ronstadt, the band released their first self titled album. Then came ‘Desperado’, ‘On The Border’ and ‘One Of These Nights’. Then came what is arguably their best album, ‘Hotel California’.

During that period of four albums, Don Felder joined, Bernie Leadon left, Joe Walsh joined, Randy Meisner left, and Timothy B Schmit joined, as the band moved away from the original guiding hands of Meisner and Leadon, and as Henley and Frey moved the band in a different direction.

Riding high after ‘Hotel California’, the band brought out another huge album ‘The Long Run’, and then split until their ‘Hell Freezes Over’ tour and subsequent album after a 14 year hiatus, during which the individuals had strong solo careers. Recently they brought out their 3 album set ‘Long Road Out Of Eden’.

Eagles have won 6 Grammy awards including the most prestigious Record Of The Year for the single ‘Hotel California’.

The album ‘Hotel California’ has sold more than 16 million copies, and is rated as one of the Greatest albums of all time by numerous commentators.

Sometimes an album has two or three good songs on it, but on this album all the songs are not only good, but just great. The album came out in 1976, America’s Bicentennial year, and the band wanted to do an album to reflect that theme, and to use California as a microcosm of America, and also of the extended World.

The song featured today, ‘The Last Resort’ is from that album, and is a sad commentary on the downfall of society. Don Henley wrote the song, and to this day, with all the work he has produced over the years, Glenn Frey says that this is by far the greatest work that Henley ever produced.

Often, intricate songs have trouble translating from the studio production to a live performance. Eagles were scrupulous when it came to live performances being identical to the sound they produced in the studio. This can sometimes be a very difficult thing, but for the this live performance, the sound is identical to the version on the album.

This is a long song but it is well worth taking the time to listen to, and then to listen to it very carefully.

Tagged: Eagles, Hotel California, Music Video

Posted in: Music, Videos