I played this one just over two years ago during what became ‘Eagles Week’ here on Filosofa’s Word, and for some reason it popped into my head this evening.

I’ve picked one of my favourites for this morning’s post, but if you have a favourite that I haven’t already played, let me know and I’ll squeeze it in this weekend!

Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Glenn Frey wrote this song. Meisner sang lead, making this one of only three US Top 40 Eagles songs not sung by Don Henley or Glenn Frey, the others being I Can’t Tell You Why and In the City.

Meisner, who is from rural Nebraska, was the most subdued member of the band, describing himself to Rolling Stone as “Shy and nervous about putting myself on the line.” He was a founding member of the Eagles, but left in 1977 as tensions rose and the lifestyle became too much for him. Leaving the band may well have been a good mental health decision. Don Felder, who joined the band in 1974, said:

“Really the only thing you can do when you’re in the Eagles is eat, breathe, and sleep Eagles. I mean, you’re either on the road, writing in the studio, or doing press – it’s just all consuming.”

The high note at the end of this song was not easy for Randy Meisner to hit. He could pull it off in the studio, but not always in concert, since he would get nervous. At one point, he asked to take the song out of the set, which became a source of contention and a factor in him leaving the band.

In the 2013 History of the Eagles documentary, Glenn Frey and Don Henley recall a show where Take It To The Limit was planned as the encore, but Meisner refused to do it. Frey says that he got in a fight with Meisner backstage, and that Henley made sure security at the venue stayed out of it so they could settle it. Meisner left the band soon after and was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit, who was in the band Poco.

The song reached #4 in the U.S., #16 in Canada, and #12 in the UK

Take It to the Limit
Eagles

All alone at the end of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking ’bout a woman who might have loved me
I never knew
You know I’ve always been a dreamer
Spent my life runnin’ ’round

And it’s so hard to change
Can’t seem to settle down
But the dreams I’ve seen lately keep on turning out
And burning out and turning out the same
So put me on a highway and show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time
You can spend all your time making money
You can spend all your love making time
If it all fell to pieces tomorrow
Would you still be mine?
And when you’re looking for your freedom
Nobody seems to care
And you can’t find the door
Can’t find it anywhere
When there’s nothing to believe in still you’re coming back
You’re running back, you’re coming back for more
So put me on a highway and show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Take it to the limit, take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Glenn Frey / Don Henley / Randy Meisner
Take It to the Limit lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group