As the Eagles released their ambitious Old West concept album “Desperado” on April 17, 1973, they certainly didn’t strike gold. Debuting at a lowly No. 145 on the Billboard 200, the album peaked at No. 41 in its eighth week, with neither of its two singles, “Tequila Sunrise” and “Outlaw Man,” cracking the Top 50. To this day, “Desperado” remains the Eagles’ lowest-charting studio album.
The band’s inspiration for the album came after a Tim Hardin concert, where Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Jackson Browne, and J.D. Souther were jamming together. Browne’s Old West gunfighters book sparked the album’s anti-hero concept, with the track “Doolin-Dalton” paying tribute to the real-life Doolin-Dalton Gang. Recorded at Island Studios in London with producer Glyn Johns, “Desperado” was released on Asylum Records.
Despite the title track becoming one of the Eagles’ most iconic songs, it was never released as a single. Marking the first co-write between Henley and Frey, “Desperado” saw no hits unlike their debut album which produced three chart-topping hits.
The song’s rise to cultural prominence can be credited to Linda Ronstadt, who covered “Desperado” on her 1973 album “Don’t Cry Now.” Henley himself acknowledged that the song gained more attention after Ronstadt’s rendition, describing it as “poignant and beautiful.”
Earning double platinum status, “Desperado” went from a commercial disappointment to an essential chapter in the Eagles’ catalog and a defining country-rock record of the 1970s. Today, the song still plays a central role in Eagles tribute performances and even in Henley’s solo shows.
Fifty-three years later, “Desperado” continues to hold its own, proving that even the Eagles’ missteps can turn into timeless classics.
Peace Nero is a writer and blogger who loves to explore different topics of self-development. She shares her personal experiences in order to help people discover their true purpose in life.