Standing On A Corner….

May 1st, 1972: “Take It Easy” was released as a single.

And, before May, 1972, was over, this happened….

In May, 1972, I was 14-years old when my family moved from Versailles, Missouri, to Tucson, Arizona.

For over 1,300 miles, I rode in the “second car” with my older brother, Bob, and as we scoured the airwaves for any rock station we could find on the car radio, we heard a new song, “Take It Easy”, by a new group, the Eagles. I liked it. A lot. As Glenn Frey’s vocals took us to an intersection in Winslow, Arizona…and a girl…and a flat-bed Ford…I was taken in, mesmerized, and hooked.

By the time we arrived in Tucson, I not only had a favorite song, I had a band to call my own. I know it sounds silly, juvenile, and immature, but through all of the great music of the 70s (and since), no band ever replaced them at the top of my list. I just really liked the music.

Witchy Woman. Peaceful Easy Feeling. Desperado. Already Gone. On The Border. Lyin’ Eyes. One Of These Nights. Take It To The Limit….

By the fall of 1976, I had been through two new high schools, and went back to Missouri as a freshman in college, so “New Kid In Town” seemed very relevant. “Hotel California” seemed scary and mysterious. “Life In The Fast Lane” seemed wild and adventurous. Then, in 1979, came “The Long Run”, “Heartache Tonight”, and “Sad Café”.

I loved all of these songs. Every single one of them, along with all of the others that I’m not mentioning now. My children (and wife, God bless her) have said that they know more about the Eagles than they ever wanted to, but even they admit to liking their music. Just not in the overdosed volume that I force-fed them through the years.

I’m not alone. For millions of us from my generation, the Eagles serenaded us while we dated, broke up, got back together, grew, moved on, broke the rules and/or laws, graduated, got kicked out, dropped out, signed up, changed, matured, got married….

For some of us, we might not remember everything we did, but we know the Eagles were there when we did it.

For some of us, the fast lane lifestyle proved to be too much excess, and it ended too soon.

For some of us, it wasn’t about the lifestyle at all. It was just about…the music. And, the music was glorious.

RIP Glenn. And, thanks for the memories, and the music. I’m sad that you’re gone. It was quite a ride.

January 19, 2016