The Eagles' concept album about Old West outlaws was actually about the music business.
In short: Released in 1973, the Eagles' second album, Desperado, is remembered for its Western theme and outlaw imagery. Yet, the band members were not singing about historical gunfighters. Instead, they used the cowboy metaphor to express their own cynicism and rebellion against the pressures of the modern music industry.
Following the success of their debut, the Eagles aimed to establish themselves as serious artists. Glenn Frey, inspired by a book on Wild West gunfighters, proposed a concept album centered on anti-heroes. While the record features songs like 'Doolin-Dalton'—referencing the real-life Doolin-Dalton Gang—the narrative was intentionally loose. The band drew parallels between the lives of rock musicians and the isolation of outlaws, viewing their own lifestyle as being outside the laws of normality.
Don Henley, who hailed from Northeast Texas, brought a world-weary tone to the project, contributing to eight of the album's 11 tracks. This period marked the beginning of the songwriting partnership between Henley and Frey, which would eventually lead to their dominance within the group. While the band initially envisioned an equal creative split, the production of Desperado shifted the internal dynamic, as Frey and Henley took the lead in shaping the album's material.
Despite the overarching theme, the album was a collection of disparate musical styles. Some tracks, like 'Out of Control', were raucous rockers, while the title song was a slow, string-backed ballad. Other members' contributions, such as Bernie Leadon's 'Twenty-One' and 'Bitter Creek', felt disconnected from the central concept. Ultimately, the album was both more ambitious than its predecessor and less consistent, serving as a complex, if occasionally disjointed, artistic statement on the evils of fame.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Eagles: Desperado Tracks & Reviews | AllMusic
- Also: Desperado (Eagles album)
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