Numerous musicians help him out on this album as well, including former Eagles members Timothy B. His social commentary comes into fruition with "Johnny Can't Read," loosely based on the increasing amount of high-school dropouts at the time and helped bolster Henley's reputation as a musician with a concern for pressing issues. Its bouncy chorus and contagious organ riffs proved that his role as a musician could conform to any style. "Dirty Laundry" is Henley's attack on the shallowness of the network newsperson that peaked at number three on Billboard's Top 40. The title track, a trouble-in-paradise love song, has Henley pouring his heart out with sugary angst, but is helped along with some avid keyboard work. His material deals with the hardships of love, the fickleness of the media, and the declining state of education, all induced with a friendly pop sound. Lyrically, Henley's songs are a tad weak, but for an inaugural album from a man who had spent most of his career surrounded by multi-talented musicians and writers, on the whole it fairs quite well. Buy the album Starting at $8.79ĭon Henley's first solo album may still have had the ghost of the Eagles lingering in the corners, but for the most part it showcases his stalwart partnership with producer and songwriter Danny Kortchmar.
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