On the Border

This article is about the album. For the restaurant chain, see On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina. For the 1930 film, see On the Border (film).
On the Border
Studio album by Eagles
Released March 22, 1974
Recorded Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Olympic Studios, London
Genre Rock[1]
Length 40:29
Label Asylum
Producer Bill Szymczyk, Glyn Johns
Eagles chronology
Desperado
(1973)		 On the Border
(1974)		 One of These Nights
(1975)
Singles from On the Border
  1. "Already Gone"
    Released: April 19, 1974
  2. "James Dean"
    Released: August 14, 1974
  3. "Best of My Love"
    Released: November 5, 1974
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB+[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

On the Border is the third studio album by American rock group the Eagles, released in 1974. Apart from two songs produced by Glyn Johns, the album was produced by Bill Szymczyk as the group wanted a more rock‑oriented sound to their album instead of the country rock feel of the first two albums.[5] It is the Eagles first album to feature guitarist Don Felder. The album reached No. 17 on the Billboard album chart and has sold 2 million copies.

The album also released three singles, "Already Gone", "James Dean" and "Best Of My Love". The singles reached No. 32, No. 77 and No. 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. A hidden message carved into the run out groove of some vinyl LPs reads: "He who hesitates is lunch".

Background

The album was initially produced by Glyn Johns and recorded at Olympic Studios, London, but during the making of the album, disagreement arose between the band and the producer. As the band tried to lean towards a more hard rock sound, they felt that their producer Glyn Johns overemphasized their country-influenced rock sound.[6] The band dismissed Johns, and discarded all the recordings except for two songs, "Best of My Love" and "You Never Cry Like a Lover".[5] The band relocated back to California, hired Bill Szymczyk, and recorded the rest of the album at the Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles. Szymczyk suggested they bring in a harder-edged guitarist to add slide guitar to the song "Good Day in Hell". Bernie Leadon suggested his old friend Don Felder, whom they had met and jammed with on a few occasions. The band was so impressed that they invited Felder to become the fifth Eagle.[7] The only other track on this album on which he appeared was "Already Gone".[8] They credited him as a late arrival on the album's liner notes.

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Already Gone" (Jack Tempchin, Robb Strandlund) – 4:15
    • Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, Lead guitar by Glenn Frey, Guitar solos by Glenn Frey and Don Felder Ending dual guitar solo by Glenn Frey and Don Felder
  2. "You Never Cry Like a Lover" (J.D. Souther, Don Henley) – 4:00
    • Lead vocal by Don Henley, lead guitar and piano (uncredited) by Glenn Frey
  3. "Midnight Flyer" (Paul Craft) – 3:55
    • Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, Slide guitar by Glenn Frey, Banjo by Bernie Leadon
  4. "My Man" (Bernie Leadon) – 3:29
    • Lead vocal and pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon
  5. "On the Border" (Henley, Leadon, Glenn Frey) – 4:23
    • Lead vocals by Don Henley, T.N.T.S. by "Coach", claps by The Clapetts, lead guitar (uncredited) by Glenn Frey

Side two

  1. "James Dean" (Jackson Browne, Frey, Souther, Henley) – 3:38
    • Lead vocal by Glenn Frey, Lead guitar by Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon
  2. "Ol' '55" (Tom Waits) – 4:21
  3. "Is It True?" (Randy Meisner) – 3:14
    • Lead vocal by Randy Meisner, Slide guitar by Glenn Frey
  4. "Good Day in Hell" (Henley, Frey) – 4:25
    • Lead vocals by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, Lead and slide guitar by Don Felder
  5. "Best of My Love" (Henley, Frey, Souther) – 4:34
    • Lead vocal by Don Henley, pedal steel guitar by Bernie Leadon

Song information

"My Man"

Bernie Leadon's "My Man" is a tribute to Gram Parsons, 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.

"On the Border"

This track was inspired by the Watergate scandal and fears of the government overstepping its bounds and infringing on people's privacy. Barely audible at the end of the song, Glenn 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.[9] Nixon would indeed resign five months after the release of the album.

Personnel

Additional personnel

Singles

Charts and certifications

Album

Chart (1974) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] 12
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[11] 3
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 28
US Billboard 200[13] 17

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.

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[15] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ William Ruhlmann (1974-03-22). "On the Border - Eagles | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  2. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "On the Border". Allmusic. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  3. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "The Eagles: On the Border". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  4. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). Eagles. Simon and Schuster. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Richard Buskin (September 2010). "The Eagles ‘Hotel California’ Classic Tracks". Sound on Sound.
  6. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eagles-mn0000144847/biography
  7. ↑ Felder, Don; Holden, Wendy (2008). Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974–2001). Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-4704-5042-0., 110-13.
  8. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/on-the-border-mw0000193647
  9. ↑ The Very Best of the Eagles (CD). Eagles. Warner Music Group. 2003. R2 73971.
  10. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5062a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  11. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eagles – On the Border" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  12. ↑ "Eagles | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  13. ↑ "Eagles / Awards". Allmusic.
  14. ↑ "British album certifications – Eagles – One of These Nights". British Phonographic Industry. Enter One of These Nights in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  15. ↑ "American album certifications – Eagles – One of These Nights". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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