Box Set Review: Eagles, ‘One Of These Nights (Deluxe Edition) – Original LP + 1975 Concert Recording

I have to confess, I don’t buy every single box set that I review. Sure, I’d love to, but then I’d be living alone in a two bedroom apartment… one room for me, one for my box sets. The Rock Chick would exile me back to bachelorhood. Maybe I’d get a cat.

But when I saw the Eagles were releasing One Of These Nights (Deluxe) – the original LP with a 1975 concert recording (in full) – and that it was only $40, I couldn’t resist. I hit “buy” faster than I could even think about it.

Surprisingly, in our long history we’ve never posted about the Eagles here at B&V. Yes, we did tributes for both Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner when we lost those guys, but never anything about the band itself.

And unlike the Big Lewbowski and the Rock Chick we love the Eagles. The Rock Chick also hates Van Morrison… love is a Venn diagram, you just have to hope the overlap is substantial. Of course the Eagles haven’t released much “Deluxe” stuff while I’ve been doing B&V.

One Of These Nights is the album where the Eagles finally “broke through” to superstardom. Henley and Frey had moved into a house together in Beverly Hills to write songs. Apparently journalist Cameron Crowe was invited to move in as well to witness the proceedings. I highly advise every rock fan read his autobiography The Uncool. 

Now that I think about it, this is actually the third time I’ve purchased this album. “Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in…”

I have to admit, when I compare One Of These Nights to its predecessor, On The Border, I actually think the earlier LP is a better, more cohesive album. Nights has bigger songs but Border hangs together better as an album. Nights, to me, is where the Eagles perfected their ability to, as I read once, sound both “jaded and longing at the same time.”

Of course Border is where lead guitarist Don Felder joined the band after supplying solo’s for “Good Day In Hell” and “Already Gone.” He was a cog in the Henley/Frey great plan to move away from country ballads toward a more rock n roll sound.

I read somewhere they wanted to turn the Eagles into America’s Led Zeppelin. At the time the band was still Henley (vocals/drums), Frey (guitar/keys/vocals), Randy Meisner (bass/vocals) and Bernie Leadon (guitar/vocals/various country instruments). Felder’s addition made them a quintet.

When I say Nights has bigger songs, they don’t get bigger than the title track. It’s a personal favorite. Clearly influenced by disco, it’s said Frey was listening to a lot of soul music when they wrote that one. It was, in Frey’s opinion, the quintessential Eagles track – more so than “Hotel California” or “Take It Easy” – and that’s saying something. I close my eyes when I hear that song and I’m a kid back at the neighborhood pool where it was in constant rotation.

“Lying Eyes” was Frey’s only solo lead vocal. It was inspired while Frey and Henley were hanging out at Dan Tana’s… watching young girls with their old men boyfriends… while the young girls were giving Henley and Frey what we used to call the “dick eye.” That’s when a person of the opposite sex makes eye contact, runs their eyes up and down the body and back to eye contact. Watch for it… it’s powerful.

The last “monster” hit on the album was Randy Meisner’s only lead vocal track to be released as a single, “Take It To The Limit.” It ranks up there with the title track in terms of favs for me. His reluctance to sing it live – he was afraid he couldn’t hit the high notes – led to his eventual departure, but that was down the line.

The rest of the album, to me anyway, is marred by the presence of Bernie Leadon who was clearly in the country camp. He had no desire to see the Eagles go “rock n roll.” His two contributions sink the overall album for me. I still dig the album, but I skip his tunes.

Bernie had the balls to turn in an instrumental, “Journey Of The Sorcerer,” for fucks sake. It’s been described as “psychedelic bluegrass.” Huh? It totally interrupts the flow of the LP.

His other track was a smarmy ballad he co wrote with Patti Davis, Nancy Reagan’s daughter, “I Wish You Peace.” The other guys didn’t want to include it on the album but in the interest of “band peace” they did. It’s utterly awful. It’s like Leadon was really pissed at them and wanted to sink the ship.

Of the other songs, “After The Thrill Is Gone” is a personal favorite. “You’re not quite lovers and you’re not quite friends,” man… that gets me. Frey and Henley trading lead vocals on “Thrill” is a highlight of their career.

“Visions” is a country-esque rocker, believe it or not. It was written by Felder and Henley in what was Felder’s first songwriting contribution to the Eagles.

“Too Many Hands” is another Meisner vehicle. “Hollywood Waltz” is exactly that, a country waltz. I think I put it on my Playlist: Songs About Dancing (For Wallflowers). Of those two I like the latter track better.

Like I said, I’ve purchased this LP three times. Once on CD, once as a part of the Eagles box where they released all their “classic era” albums on CD and now this one. The reason I did it was the recording of a concert from Anaheim, CA on September 28th, 1975 included in the box. The classic era of the Eagles never really had a great live album. Eagles Live was a bit of a disappointment. When I saw the concert was included I was like, “Hell, yes!”

But here is where we hit a touch of controversy. Perfectionist Don Henley produced this thing and the guy can’t leave well enough alone. He used Autotune/pitch correction on the concert. When I first listened to the concert I could tell something was just…”off.” It’s like when you see an AI picture, you just know it’s not real.

At first the pitch correction, to me, was most egregious on some of the Frey tracks, especially “Lyin’ Eyes.” After a few listens I noticed it on Henley’s vocals on “Witchy Woman” and “The Best Of My Love.” It’s too bad because this is a pretty kick ass show.

I know some folks can’t hear the pitch correction, but if you can put that aside – and I know that’s akin to saying “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? – it’s still a pretty enjoyable concert. The more I listen the more I like it. They play a lot of early tracks that you wouldn’t hear from them in concert in later stages of their career.

It’s clear the direction they’re going with Felder as he lays down some great lead guitar on this show. It’s just heavier rock. They harmonize well, but then they had some help.

This show must have been at a festival as the Eagles were preceded by Linda Ronstadt (their mentor), Jackson Browne and reggae legend Toots & the Maytals. Many a joint was sacrificed that night, I’m sure.

After the opening “Take It Easy,” they just rock on “Outlaw Man,” which has a guitar freak out tacked to the end. Felder really elevates these songs. Despite Frey’s decision to let Henley do most of the singing on their album, he takes the lead vocal for most the live tracks.

Rather than play “Desperado,” which wasn’t a hit for them at the time (although it became one after Ronstadt covered it), they do “Doolin’-Dalton/Desperado (Reprise)” and it gives me a new appreciation of that track.

“One Of These Nights” rocks live. It’s so good. And although Tom Waits hates it, they do a nice “Ol’ 55.” The new stuff all sounds fresh and great – “Lyin’ Eyes,” and “Take It To The Limit” are highlights. Leadon kills the mood with the bluegrass standard “Blackberry Blossom.” I’m surprised Frey didn’t just push him off the stage and into the orchestra pit.

“Midnight Flyer” leads to a rockin’ “Already Gone” where again, Felder shines. Frey thanks Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther for their help in writing “James Dean.” That track leads into this guitar noodle intro to “Witchy Woman” that I thought was great. It’s nice to. hear the Eagles jam a little. When the song kicks in and the audience realizes what they were hearing they go nuts.

At that point, probably as termination letter to Leadon, they bring out Joe Walsh to play “Rocky Mountain Way.” I’m surprised Frey didn’t turn and say, “Bernie this is your replacement.” It rocks and who doesn’t love a Joe Walsh cameo.

From there they surprise me with a Chuck Berry cover, also done by the Stones, “Carol.” Berry’s influence is vast but I have to admit the Eagles covering them was a shocker. They end with a nice “The Best Of My Love,” joined there by J.D. Souther who I think helped write it.

I have to say, this is just a missed opportunity by the Eagles. I just love this concert, it’s a shame they used the pitch correction. Fuck ups in a concert recording is what makes each show unique – like a snowflake. Doing too much to correct it just gets in the way.

But in their defense most live albums have been tinkered with and overdubbed which is a tradition that goes back to the 60s. But still… this was just so… obvious.

If you don’t have One Of These Nights, this is a relatively affordable way to pick it up. It just has too many iconic tracks on it to not be a part of your album collection. I won’t strongly recommend this one due to the Auto-tuning, but man this is still a fun listen. We need more live Eagles from their classic period out there… just maybe don’t fuck with the recording this much.

Cheers!