Written by Glenn Frey and Don Henley, this song was inspired by the soul music Frey was listening to when he started writing it on the piano. Artists like B.B. King and Al Green were a big influence on many songs on the album. In a 1975 interview with Phonograph Record, Frey explained: "It's like, puttin' things off... Everybody I'm sure has said, 'One of these nights I'm gonna...' Gonna drive back to that restaurant an' take that waitress in my arms, whatever. Find that girl, make that money, buy that house. Move to that country. Any of that stuff. Everyone's got his ultimate dream, savin' it for 'someday.' And 'someday' is up to you."
Don Felder, who was the Eagles newest guitarist, came up with the opening bass line. In a 1975 Rolling Stone interview, Don Henley credited Felder with helping the Eagles get away from ballads: "With Don Felder, we can really rock. He's made us nastier and he's done a great guitar solo on One Of These Nights."
In the same Rolling Stone article, Don Henley said that this song was challenging to sing live: "My voice has to be just right to hit the high notes. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't."
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