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The 1973 Eagles song Don Henley knew he could never sing: “I missed the whole thing”
Don Henley reportedly felt unable to sing the Eagles’ 1973 song ‘Earlybird’, saying he had missed the moment to take part in it. The anecdote highlights the differing vocal roles within the band during its early years, before Henley became one of the group’s defining lead singers.
‘Earlybird’ appeared on the Eagles’ second album, *Desperado*, released in 1973, and was sung by guitarist Bernie Leadon. Henley later reflected that Leadon had developed the song’s distinctive vocal approach himself, leaving Henley feeling he could not convincingly replicate it.
In short
- Henley felt he could never sing ‘Earlybird’.
- Bernie Leadon performed the 1973 Eagles track.
- The song featured on *Desperado*.
Explained simply
The Eagles were one of America's most successful rock bands, particularly prominent from the 1970s onwards. In their early years, the band shared lead vocal duties among several members, with different singers taking the lead on different songs.
'Earlybird' was recorded for the Eagles' second album, Desperado, released in 1973, with guitarist Bernie Leadon as the lead vocalist. Leadon developed a distinctive vocal approach for the track that became integral to the song's identity.
Don Henley would eventually become one of the band's primary lead singers on many of its biggest hits, but he felt unable to recreate Leadon's distinctive vocal interpretation of 'Earlybird'. This illustrates how deeply individual singers can stamp their character onto a recording in ways that become difficult for others to replicate.