On The Border Songs Ranked
On the Border is the third studio album by the American rock group the Eagles, released in 1974. Apart from two songs produced by Glyn Johns, it was produced by Bill Szymczyk because the group wanted a more rock‑oriented sound instead of the country-rock feel of the first two albums.[2] It is the first Eagles album to feature guitarist Don Felder. On the Border reached number 17 on the Billboard album chart and has sold two million copies. Three singles were released from the album: “Already Gone”, “James Dean” and “Best of My Love”. The singles peaked at numbers 32, 77 and 1 respectively. “Best of My Love” became the band’s first of five chart toppers. The album also includes “My Man”, Bernie Leadon’s tribute to his deceased friend Gram Parsons. Leadon and Parsons had played together in the pioneer country rock band Flying Burrito Brothers, before Leadon joined the Eagles. This is the first album by the Eagles to be released in Quadraphonic surround sound. It was released on Quadraphonic 8-track tape and CD-4 LP. A hidden message carved into the run out groove of some vinyl LPs reads: “He who hesitates is lunch”. Here are all of On The Border’s songs ranked.
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10. Best of My Love
“Though they resented their aborted London sessions with Glyn Johns, wryly this track, recorded with him at the controls, finally put The Eagles on the top forty, something that, while pleasing them, also turned them overnight into the spotlight, adding fuel to the fire that already existed within the band regarding musical direction. Cool acoustic intro, beautiful steel guitar by Leadon and great vocals and harmonies as usual.”
9. Already Gone
“A Jack Tempchin cover, little country-flavoured, its catchy chorus and appealing rhythm makes it pretty enjoyable. Twin guitar solos by Felder and Frey. You never cry like a lover – an overlooked Eagles ballad or power ballad (get your pick) also from their aborted London sesions in late 1973, to me one of their best, up to par with Wasted Time, for example.”
8. Good Day in Hell
“Why this song keeps being overlooked by Eagles fans is beyond me. It’s certainly their best rocker ever, at least the hardest, showing they didn’t need outside help to create great songs. Don Felder’s superb skills come to the fore on this one. Man, what a cool slide playing. I never get tired of it.”
See more: The Eagles Albums Ranked
7. You Never Cry Like a Love
“You never cry like a lover is an overlooked Eagles ballad or power ballad (get your pick) also from their aborted London sesions in late 1973, to me one of their best, up to par with Wasted Time, for example.”
6. Is It True?
“Is It True” is a much more conventional, very pleasant mid-tempo love rocker with some fine slide guitar from guitarist/keyboard player Glenn Frey but the band wanted a good slide player for this album, and they found that in Don Felder who rocks on Good Day In Hell.”
5. Midnight Flyer
“Another cover, and The Eagles going bluegrass. The harmony vocals are charming as usual, and the banjo and slide guitar at the end makes it another fun song to listen to.”
4. Ol ’55
“Though a Tom Waits’ song, The Eagles make it sound their own. Lovely piano by Glenn Frey and steel guitar by Al Perkins plus evocative vocals by Frey and Henley. I love this one.”
See more: The Eagles Songs Ranked
3. My Man
“Bernie Leadon didn’t get much better than this while in the Eagles. Amazing vocals again and a pretty steel guitar solo. A real tearjerker dedicated to the late Gram Parsons.”
2. James Dean
“Panned by many, this is one of my best loved songs on the album. According to the liner notes the solo came courtesy of Bernie Leadon but sounds to me it might have been Don Felder. Whatever, his presence is felt on this one.”
1. On the Border
“Not one of my fave tracks on the cd because it’s a little weird, not the lyric but the musical arrangement. A killer solo would have helped but maybe the final result is what the band wanted.”
