Eagles<\/a> song looking to hear something too flashy. <\/p>\nAlthough the twin guitar attack of Don Felder and Joe Walsh made a masterpiece during the solo to \u2018Hotel California\u2019, the focus was on making a classic song rather than showcasing one\u2019s technique. Even with a good melody, though, Don Henley admitted having trouble singing a handful of the group\u2019s masterpieces.<\/p>\n
Henley operated in a co-frontman role alongside guitarist Glenn Frey throughout the band\u2019s tenure. After being sidemen for Linda Ronstadt for years, Henley talked about wanting to move out on his own with Frey, making way for their first hits like \u2018Take It Easy\u2019 and \u2018Peaceful Easy Feeling\u2019. Once the money started rolling in, the dynamic started to change.<\/p>\n
As far as his role as a frontman was concerned, Frey thought it made sense for Henley to take the lead vocals most of the time, telling History of The Eagles, \u201cIf you look back on how the Eagles progressed, I sang less and less. It was intentional. We had Don Henley.\u201d <\/p>\n
Though Henley had the nickname \u2018Golden Throat\u2019 for the longest time, one of their biggest singles does give him a bit of strain.<\/p>\n
Don Henley\u2019s vocal struggles on \u2018One of These Nights\u2019<\/p>\n
After the lacklustre sales of\u00a0Desperado,\u00a0the band bounced back with\u00a0Already Gone,\u00a0which contained hits like \u2018Already Gone\u2019 and the ballad \u2018Best of My Love\u2019. Looking to capitalise on their success, the title track to One of These Nights marked a departure from the group\u2019s traditional sounds, having its roots more in soul music.<\/p>\n
While the song worked well as a ballad, Henley thought that the key to the song\u2019s success was Felder\u2019s guitar parts. Since the last few singles were a bit mellow by the band\u2019s standards, Felder\u2019s licks gave the group a shot in the arm, as Henley recalled to Rolling Stone, \u201cWith Don Felder, we can really rock. He\u2019s made us nastier, and he\u2019s done a great guitar solo on \u2018One Of These Nights\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even with the massive guitar break, Henley would later say that the song gives him trouble, especially coming out of the final chorus. Having to belt at the top of his range, Henley said that it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess whether he hits the note when the band plays live, explaining, \u201cMy voice has to be just right to hit the high notes. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
I mean, despite the band\u2019s polished reputation, the Eagles were rarely a smooth ride behind the scenes. For every pristine vocal harmony or carefully arranged track, there was a tug-of-war happening somewhere offstage. Henley might\u2019ve had the range to hit the top notes on \u2018One of These Nights\u2019, but the real grind came from maintaining perfection night after night. Every high note was a tightrope walk, and every performance a chance to fall off. And when you\u2019ve got a back catalogue full of songs written for younger vocal cords, the challenge only grows. Henley didn\u2019t just sing the songs \u2013 he fought through them.<\/p>\n
Whereas Henley happily accepted the challenge when performing the song live, the strain the band\u2019s songs put on their vocal cords became too much for Randy Meisner to sing<\/a>. While his signature tune during every show was \u2018Take it to the Limit\u2019, Meisner\u2019s refusal to sing the track live led to him getting booted out of the band following a massive fight backstage between him and Frey.<\/p>\nEven into their farewell tour, Henley could still be heard belting the high notes to the best of his ability whenever they played the track live. Although there were years of wear and tear on his voice, Henley\u2019s subtle inaccuracies seem to be a time capsule of what Eagles songs mean to him. Singing a song this high might be a gamble, but it\u2019s nothing that \u2018Golden Throat\u2019 can\u2019t handle.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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