This is a good example of the "Southern California Sound," a mix of country, folk, and rock that the Eagles became known for. It's also a good example of melancholy lyrics wrapped in a sweet melody - another attribute of early Eagles songs. In this one, the singer is left longing for a woman and trying to make sense of it.
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" (sung by Timothy B. Schmit) and "In The City" (sung by Joe Walsh). Meisner, 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 was a good mental health decision. Don Felder, who joined in 1974, told Songfacts: "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."
Speaking about this song, Randy Meisner explained: "The line 'take it to the limit' was to keep trying. You reach a point in your life where you feel you've done everything and seen everything - it's part of getting old. And just to take it to the limit one more time, like every day just keep punching away at it. That was the line, and from there the song took a different course."
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