FINALLY, a Masterpiece

No, not the album itself, which is too long, has too many songs, and if it was just TEN songs instead of, uhm, TWENTY, we'd seriously be talking album of the year here. Instead, there are song God-awful throwaway tracks that have no business even being released. But the ten other stand amongst the best stuff the band has ever done.

I'm listening to what I'm considering Don Henley's final masterpiece. Masterpiece is a word that gets thrown around too easily everywhere. But in terms of what one does for a living in terms of art or whatever what you want to call it, a 60-year old man has added something impressive to his resume.

The first time I hear the song, I wanted to cry. I thought it was about MY divorce. I thought it could have been about Mackenzie waiting for some girl from his office for that right moment. The third time I thought maybe Bsmoked Turkey would get it and say, "OK, now I'm ready to go."

Let's face it: Before any of this new Eagles shit album, Henley's death/video tape was all set. "Desperado", "Hotel California", "Boys of Summer", and this site named "Dirty Laundry." The man could have just sat back and collected royalties from all of those songs and the many others he's tied to writing and singing wise.

Then I heard "Waiting In The Weeds."

It was one of those songs I had to give to other people. I shared it with four people I work with, and they were stunned. One other person, who is too young an immature to understand any better, said, "Here, I'll show you a real song." And she youtubed.com song Kennny Chesney song. That woman is no longer with us.

Finally, Henley has taken a cue from Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello. He took his lyrical and songwriting abilities up notches. Maybe he went through something like this in his life, he had to have, but this song is all about divorce and loss and really anything that you think you'd have in life but didn't get. And maybe you're waiting for your shot at the title. I sit here proud, stunned, awed, and frankly impressed that there's at least ONE song that has literally touched me to the point that I need to write about it. Oh the rest of this 20 song album has it's moments, but basically, they're all the Henley songs. You can call it an Eagles album, but aren't all ones anyone liked were the ones with Henley on lead? It was all about harmonies after that, and the old men show they can still get those together better than anyone.

And God love Joe Walsh, who was given two songs on this album, but you really never hear him here. And Glenn Frey is just too stuck in the '80's, too stuck as "The Heat Is On" guy, too obviously just a guy who knew that he had a kindred spirit in Henley and a brand name in the EAGLES to put so much money and sign a deal with the devil (Walmart) so he'd have his slush fund.

At the end end of it all, the Eagles are going to end up as probably one of the top 20 bands of all-time, nevermind this new album and it's gems.

But I can't stop listening to "Waiting in the Weeds". I have no idea how a 60-year old guy did this. He seems to have a delightful and happy life and marriage and wrote and did a song that literally makes me weep. If you want it, click here:

http://www.lite98.com/cc-common/news/sections/special/eagles.html