Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (Remaster) Eagles

• 1 Take It Easy 03:32
• 2 Witchy Woman 04:11
• 3 Lyin' Eyes 06:22
• 4 Already Gone 04:15
• 5 Desperado 03:34
• 6 One Of These Nights 04:52
• 7 Tequila Sunrise 02:53
• 8 Take It To The Limit 04:47
• 9 Peaceful Easy Feeling 04:18
• 10 The Best Of My Love 04:35
• Total Runtime 43:19

Info for Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (Remaster)

These songs sum up a time-the early '70s-and a place-southern California-better than just about anything could. Take It Easy; Witchy Woman; Already Gone; One of These Nights; Take It to the Limit; Peaceful, Easy Feeling; Desperado; Best of My Love and more.

First album ever to be awarded a Platinum Disc, it was certified at 29× Multi Platinum on 30 January 2006 and has sold over 42 million copies worldwide to date. The album is listed at #2 on the RIAA's 'Top 100 Albums'.

„On their first four albums, the Eagles were at pains to demonstrate that they were a group of at least near-equals, each getting a share of the songwriting credits and lead vocals. But this compilation drawn from those albums, comprising the group's nine Top 40 hits plus 'Desperado,' demonstrates that this evenhandedness did not extend to singles -- as far as those go, the Eagles belong to Glenn Frey and Don Henley. The tunes are melodic, and the arrangements -- full of strummed acoustic guitars over a rock rhythm section often playing a shuffle beat, topped by tenor-dominated harmonies -- are immediately engaging. There is also a lyrical consistency to the songs, which often concern romantic uncertainties in an atmosphere soaked in intoxicants. The narrators of the songs usually seem exhausted, if not satiated, and the loping rhythms are appropriate to these impressions. All of which means that, unlike the albums from which they come, these songs make up a collection consistent in mood and identity, which may help explain why Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) works so much better than the band's previous discs and practically makes them redundant. No wonder it was such a big hit out of the box, topping the charts and becoming the first album ever certified platinum. Still, there must be more to it, since the album wasn't just a big hit, but one of the biggest ever, becoming one of the very few discs to cross the threshold of 20 million copies and competing for the title of best-selling album of all time. There may be no explaining that, really, except to note that this was the pervasive music of the first half of the 1970s, and somehow it never went away.“ (William Ruhlmann, AMG)

Glenn Frey, vocals, guitars, piano
Bernie Leadon, guitars, banjo, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
Randy Meisner, vocals, bass guitar
Don Henley, vocals, drums
Don Felder, guitars, backing vocals

Produced by Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk

Digitally remastered

Eagles
were among the most successful American bands for almost a decade. They rose from obscurity to become the leading band of country-rock (a synthesis of pop/rock and country music, initially aimed at a return to bluegrass) and of "California rock of the 70s" (Rolling Stone). For Musik Express, the band became "synonymous with America." They polished the Western image, writing songs about tequila, outlaws, and James Dean. Behind this project were musicians who skillfully handled elements such as melancholy, dream worlds, and a pioneering spirit.

Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner first played together in 1971 in the backing band of the well-known singer Linda Ronstadt. The four experienced professional musicians decided to stay together, and the Eagles were born. Glenn Frey had played with Ry Cooder and J.D. Souther, who later wrote several songs with the Eagles. Don Henley debuted in 1970 with the Texas group Shiloh, Bernie Leadon had already played with Doug Dillard and Gene Clark and had been a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers. Randy Meisner had briefly been with Poco and then with Ricky Nelson's band.

In 1971, the band recorded their self-titled debut album in England under the direction of Glyn Johns. It featured the summer hit "Take It Easy" (US #12). The singles "Witchy Woman" (US #9) and "Peaceful Easy Feeling" (US #22) were also successful: The relaxed country/West Coast sound, with its distinctive guitar riffs, catchy rhythms, and clear vocals, resonated with audiences.

The Eagles embarked on their first US tour and, after its completion in 1973, dedicated themselves to the concept album Desperado. This album drew romantic parallels between the Doolin-Dalton Gang, a criminal organization that wreaked havoc in the Kansas area around 1890, and the outlaw existence of a rock rebel. The Eagles depicted the rise, euphoria, hubris, and fall of a superstar in Western mythology, seemingly capturing the American spirit perfectly. Commercially, however, the album wasn't yet a major breakthrough; the singles "Desperado," "Tequila Sunrise," and "Outlaw Man" received little attention.



For the recording of their third album, On the Border, the Eagles added Don Felder, who had previously played with Flow. Bill Szymczyk replaced Glyn Johns as the new producer. These two changes inspired the Eagles to achieve a "fuller, less rough sound and an exciting freshness in the guitar solos" (Melody Maker). "Soft guitar tones and beautiful vocal passages" (Sounds magazine) resulted in the not-so-successful singles "Already Gone" (US charts #32) and "James Dean" (#77), two down-to-earth rock songs. The band supported their record sales with constant touring commitments, so that On the Border eventually surpassed the million-seller mark. The third single from this album brought the Eagles their breakthrough: "The Best of My Love" reached number one on the US charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

This album contains no booklet.