On The Border...of country and rock (On The Border - Eagles)

Member Name: Toonie

Product:	On The Border - Eagles
Date:	27/08/08 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good guitar work by three lead guitarists

Disadvantages: Some poorer writing has aged some songs

On The Border-Eagles 1974

1. Already Gone (Jack Tempchin, R. Strandlund)
2. You Never Cry Like a Lover (J.D. Souther, Don Henley)
3. Midnight Flyer (Paul Craft)
4. My Man (Bernie Leadon)
5. On the Border (Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Glenn Frey)
6. James Dean (Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Don Henley)
7. Ol' 55 (Tom Waits)
8. Is It True? (Randy Meisner)
9. Good Day in Hell (Don Henley, Glenn Frey)
10. Best of My Love (Don Henley, Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther)


Following up to Desperado, the Eagles came out with On The Border in 1974. They began recording with Glyn Johns as producer in London, but shortly afterwards decided to get someone new. Bill Szymczyk was brought in to give the Eagles a rockier sound as they felt Johns tried to emphasise the slicker side of the their country rock music. Szymczyk on the other hand was the producer for Joe Walsh who was on the same record label.

Already Gone is one of two songs on the album featuring Don Felder. He was brought in by Szymczyk to play slide guitar on Good Day In Hell and asked a day later to join the band. Leadon and Felder already knew each other from high school and had played together in a band then. Already Gone is in a similar vain to Take It Easy, although not written by an Eagle, it sounds as though it would have been.

You Never Cry Like A Lover is a love song which never quite makes it as it look at a relationship gone wrong. The music and lyrics seem in opposition to each other, as Henley's lyrics seem to fit with the piano but not with the guitar. Perhaps this was intended to explain how the relationship didn't fit.

Midnight Flyer is a bluegrass song in which Meisner sings lead with Frey on slide. It is one of the few songs by the Eagles which has such strong country elements, especially considering it is on an album which signified their move away from these roots.

My Man is a tribute from Leadon to Gram Parsons who recently had died. He sings of a "very talented guy, he'd sing for the people and the people would cry". The pedal steel guitar that Leadon plays on the track seems to cry in mourning for his friend which is very moving.

The title track is the first track in which the Eagles break with all their country ties. They decide on a funky attack on authority

"Mindin' my business along comes big brother
Says, "Son, you better get on one side or the other."

James Dean is the rockiest song on the album, influenced by the actor and his life and consequent death. The song when released as a single did not do well in the American charts, however like many Eagles songs it has become one of the more frequent selected for radio play.

Ol' 55 is a cover song in which Henley and Frey they trade off lead vocals, this clearly shows the difference in their singing styles. The song also utilises the harmonies of the band.

Is It True? is a song by Meisner which seems to be classic Eagles, full of slide guitar, harmonies and love not working out once again.

Good Day In Hell is a classic Henley-Frey composition. The slide guitar by Felder shows why he was brought in and asked to stay. The lead vocals are once again shared by Henley and Frey.

The Best Of My Love became the Eagles first number one single (in the United States) and was one of two songs produced by Glyn Johns (the other being You Never Cry Like A Lover).

Although this album has been called a transitional piece due to the introduction of both Bill Szymczyk and Don Felder, it stays true to the first album as one with a variety of styles whilst also introducing new styles which would become more dominant in their later work. It also marks the clear emergence of Henley and Frey as being in charge, with only one lead from Leadon and several songs from those outside the band.

Summary: Although a good overall album, it doesn't quite have the same magic as Desperado