Eagles – Desperado

“Desperado” is a song by the American rock band the Eagles. The track was written by Glenn Frey and Don Henley and appeared on the 1973 album Desperado as well as numerous compilation albums. It ranked No. 494 on Rolling Stone’s 2004 list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

The song was recorded at Island Studios in London, with musicians from the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra was conducted by Jim Ed Norman, Henley’s friend from his former band Shiloh, who also wrote and arranged the strings for the song. According to Henley, he was given only four or five takes to record the song by the producer Glyn Johns who wanted to record the album quickly and economically. Henley felt intimidated by the large orchestra, and would later express regret that he did not sing as well as he could. He said: “I didn’t sing my best … I wish I could have done that song again.”

“Desperado” is one of Eagles’ most famous songs, and it was ranked No. 494 on the Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” in 2004. It was voted the No. 2 favorite Eagles song in a poll of Rolling Stone readers. In 2000 the song was listed in MOJO magazine’s list of greatest songs compiled with songs nominated by songwriters such as Paul McCartney, Hal David, and Brian Wilson. Members of the Western Writers of America included it in their list of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

From the album Desperado
Released April 17, 1973
Recorded Early 1973
Genre Soft rock
Length 3:33
Label Asylum
Songwriter(s) Glenn Frey, Don Henley
Producer(s) Glyn Johns

Eagles – Desperado Lyrics

Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses
You’ve been out ridin’ fences for so long now
Oh, you’re a hard one
I know that you’ve got your reasons
These things that are pleasin’ you
Can hurt you somehow

Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She’ll beat you if she’s able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones
That you can’t get

Desperado
Oh, you ain’t getting no younger
Your pain and your hunger
They’re driving you home
And freedom, oh, freedom
Well that’s just some people talking
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don’t your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won’t snow and the sun won’t shine
It’s hard to tell the night time from the day
And you’re losing all your highs and lows
Ain’t it funny how the feeling goes
Away…
Desperado
Why don’t you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin’, but there’s a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you
(Let somebody love you)
You better let somebody love you
Before it’s too late