For decades, The Long Run was considered the final chapter in the Eagles’ story, and in a way it is, for as exceptional as the four new songs from Hell Freezes Over are, and Long Road Out Of Eden is, The Long Run is the culmination of the classic Eagle’s body of work. While it could never compete with the success of Hotel California, it offers a more cohesive overview of their career with rock influences ranging from their self-titled debut to Hotel California’s laid-back fluidity. The Long Run, subsequently, is one of the greatest Eagle’s albums and one of the best records released in 1979.
Released in 1979, The Long Run featured Timothy B. Schmit for the first time in the Eagles’ lineup as he replaced Randy Meisner. Meisner, as a founding member of the Eagles, was synonymous with their sound but Schmit filled the role perfectly and along with the addition of Joe Walsh in 1976 is amongst my favourite lineup changes in all of recorded music history. Schmit's subtle tones brought a new level of musicality to the band and I Can’t Tell You Why is about as close to perfect as any song can get.
Perfection was something the Eagles were known for, particularly with regards to their production values and while there isn’t a bad way to experience this album, some versions appeal to me more than others. The vinyl record (2014 reissue/cat: RRM1-508) I’m fortunate to own is spacious, detailed, smooth, and silent with a level of bass depth that isn’t overbearing but similarly feels like it isn’t quite there. It’s a small issue, and one that generally doesn’t bother me, but it sounds a little too accurate. A first-world problem, I know, but when I invest in vinyl, both from a cost and time perspective, I want to be wowed and while I thoroughly enjoy this pressing, I often wonder if another edition would better suit my expectations of a warmer reproduction.
The (Hi-Res) Lossless Apple Music stream, an Apple Digital Master, is fantastic and while it lacks the vinyl sound signature, it’s edgier and fuller with the same benefits heard on the vinyl release; but there’s a little less spaciousness that is particularly noticeable on songs such as The Disco Strangler with regard to the echoing vocal. The bass issue I have with the vinyl release isn’t present here as the bass is less pronounced but smoother and more analog sounding; a dichotomy considering it is most certainly a digital medium. Regardless, if I had to choose one, as much as it pains me to say it, I’d go with the Apple Music stream every time as it simply sounds right. My body moves involuntarily, I want to sing along, and the air guitar makes an appearance throughout; all aspects that are missing when I play the vinyl counterpart.
The Long Run isn’t the greatest opener, although you immediately know what you’re going to get. Is it Don Henley’s greatest vocal performance? No, but the guitar tuning and licks are what make The Long Run such an enjoyable tune.
I Can’t Tell You Why is nothing short of a masterpiece and is, without doubt, one of the best songs the Eagles ever recorded. Schmit’s vocal is otherworldly but the entire composition of the tune is so perfect that I could listen to it on repeat indefinitely; it’s most certainly a song for inclusion on any desert island playlist.
The live performance from Hell Freezes Over is, as I’ve suggested before, incredibly smooth with zero distortion, notable as it’s a live recording, thereby resulting in a perfect song that will see you toe-tapping to the infectious rhythm. The performance featured on Eagles Live is a lovely early interpretation from 1980 that is very similar to the studio recording but the recording from Live From The Forum MMXVIII is different. Like, really, different! It just isn’t the same and while I acknowledge that Schmit has aged and likely cannot hit the near-falsetto vocal like he could in his prime, I find it detracting to the extent that I don’t appreciate this particular performance.
While there have been a few covers of this classic tune, one of the best that you should check out is Diana Krall’s from Wallflower. It doesn’t match the original, but it jazzes it up. That said, I would have loved to have seen Krall invite Schmit to record the backing vocals with her, or even perform the song as a duet, for I feel it would have been amazing.
In The City isn’t an Eagles’ original for Joe Walsh initially recorded it for The Warriors soundtrack. That particular version is a little edgier, from a rock perspective, than the Eagles’ interpretation but both are rather similar and I appreciate the Eagles’ version just a little more as it’s more melodic in both vocal harmony and overall musicality.
The live performance from Hell Freezes Over takes the song one step further and while I would suggest that Walsh’s vocal is too forward in the mix this is arguably the best recording of In The City as it has the rocking rawness Walsh is best known for. Similar to I Can’t Tell You Why, I’d give the Live From The Forum MMXVIII recording a miss. It isn’t great. A shame considering that In The City is a killer tune and one of my all-time favourite Joe Walsh songs.
The Disco Strangler is a solid tune but the guitar tuning can be a little grinding. Henley’s offbeat vocal works for the song but there’s no doubt in my mind that it isn’t well-suited to the album. That said, if it were on On The Border it would have been perfect. The core redeeming quality, however, is the echoing vocal at the end of the song. I love the mixing choice in that regard.
King Of Hollywood is pure bliss and the perfect counterbalance to The Disco Strangler. While the guitar work isn’t quite Dire Straits’ level, it’s gorgeous and is one of The Eagles’ greatest tunes.
Heartache Tonight has a great rhythm but it’s a little too muddy and concealed, especially in the introduction and chorus. Given that the album has always sounded that way I can only assume that it was an intentional creative choice and while it doesn’t destroy the song for me, it does cause minor irritation to an otherwise great song.
Those Shoes is a killer tune and who doesn’t love the talk-box; a severely underused tool in modern music. It just gives a unique sound that, yes, we all make when we’ve got our air guitar out and we’re playing along.
Teenage Jail is a solid album track, but it’s unlikely you’ll ever seek it out on its own. That isn’t to suggest that the song’s bad, far from it, but it simply flows better as an album track than as a standalone song.
The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks is a quirky song to follow Teenage Jail. It shouldn’t work, yet it does. Sometimes a fun little tune is all that’s needed and The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks suits that purpose.
The Sad Cafe is a beautiful closing song. Another classic Eagles’ tune that will encourage you to listen to the album again and stay within the Eagles’ greater catalogue. Due to the slower tempo, it’s also the perfect song to cease listening to the Eagles on as it permits a level of reflection, especially if you’re, as I am, into late-night listening sessions.
Overall, The Long Run is a superb album and a perfect closing chapter to the Eagles’ 70s output. While it may be less fluid than Hotel California, it does, as previously mentioned, encompass elements from all their previous albums thereby making this a must-own for any fan.