In 1972, the Eagles wrote a song that they weren’t sure was a single. Over 250,000,000 streams later, it seems they were wrong

The Eagles’ “Desperado”, which the band did not think was suitable as a single, has become one of their best-known songs, with more than 250 million streams. Its success reflects the group’s unexpected commercial reach and the track’s lasting place in their catalogue.

Don Henley began writing the song in the late 1960s, and Glenn Frey helped complete and structure it when they worked together in 1972, starting a major songwriting partnership. Released as an album track in 1973, it later featured prominently in the label’s Greatest Hits promotion; its lyrics draw on the image of a tough cowboy concealing vulnerability, which listeners interpret in different ways.