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Who wrote the Eagles’ 1973 song ‘Outlaw Man’?
The Eagles’ 1973 song ‘Outlaw Man’ was written by David Blue, a songwriter associated with New York’s Greenwich Village folk scene. The band recorded it for their second album, *Desperado*, where its harder-driving rock sound added momentum to an album often marked by slower, more reflective songs.
Blue’s song also suited the album’s outlaw theme, linking the freedom and danger of the Old West with life on the road. The Eagles’ Bernie Leadon later recalled that the band needed more rock songs and that Glenn Frey recognised how well Blue’s track fitted. Blue had recorded it himself for his 1972 album *Nice Baby and the Angel*, produced by Graham Nash, but his version reached a smaller audience.
In short
- David Blue wrote ‘Outlaw Man’.
- The Eagles recorded it for *Desperado* in 1973.
- Its rock sound brought extra drive to the album.
Explained simply
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. Their early music drew on country and folk as well as rock, and their second album, Desperado, used the American Old West as a theme.
David Blue was an American singer-songwriter linked to Greenwich Village, a New York neighbourhood known for its folk music scene. He recorded “Outlaw Man” before the Eagles included their version on Desperado, bringing his song to a wider audience.
The song’s tale of a fugitive connects the album’s western setting with the risks and freedom associated with life on the road. Its more forceful rock sound also provided contrast with the album’s quieter songs.