Eagles Super Pack

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Take It To The Limit - Guitar Lesson

  Take It To The Limit is a pretty basic strumming song in 3/4 time. Written by Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley, it was released on The Eagles’ 1975 album One Of These Nights. This lesson looks a bit at the original key but mostly at the key they typically play it in now. It includes an ear-training segment, a very simple Campfire Version, and thoughts on embellishing it with bass runs and some lead fills.

• Lesson 2: Take It Easy - Guitar Lesson

  Take It Easy was the first single for the Eagles, released on their debut album in 1972. It was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey and later appeared on Browne's second album For Everyman. It is pretty much a Campfire song but the lesson also looks at the syncopated strumming pattern that opens the song.

• Lesson 3: The Heart Of The Matter - Don Henley - Guitar Lesson

  The Heart Of The Matter is a song recorded by American singer and Eagles member Don Henley from his third solo studio album ‘The End Of The Innocence.’
  
  This lesson is mostly based on the acoustic version that Henley performed with The Eagles at their reunion concert ‘Hell Freezes Over.'
  
  It covers the rhythm guitar part, primarily done by Glen Frey, as well as Don Felder’s travis style picking arrangement.
  
  I decided to teach his part in standard tuning, but there is a segment added which shows the chord shapes in Dropped D tuning, as Felder plays it.
  
  Since Henley has taken the key of the song down a whole step in later years, we also take a look at the key of C.
  
  The rhythm guitar part can be easily played the same way as in the original key of D, but it shows another guitar part, which uses power chord shapes, as well.

• Lesson 4: The Boys of Summer - Don Henley

  The Boys Of Summer is a song written by Eagles vocalist/drummer Don Henley and Mike Campbell. It’s the lead track and first single from Henley’s 1984 album ‘Building The Perfect Beast.'
  
  This lesson shows a way of how to perform it with only one guitar and is, like the original, presented in standard tuning with all the strings tuned down a half step.
  
  We take a look at the opening riff, the melody notes through out the intro and the super easy progression. There are only four basic open chords involved, which one could spice up a bit by adding some notes to give them a little more color.
  
  The song requires quite a lot of the strumming hand. It’s fast, should be done randomly, with focused strumming in some parts, while picking out several melody notes.

• Lesson 5: Wasted Time

  Wasted Time is the 4th track of The Eagles’ 1976 Hotel California album. It truly shows their versatility, and that they were far more than a one-trick pony group.

  This lesson teaches a fingerstyle/strumming arrangement in the key of C.

  We take a look at all the chords, which include several chords out of the key, many different inversions, and a couple of tricky stretches are in there too.

  We break down a few fingerpicking patterns, even though it’s encouraged to never play it the same way twice, so to speak. As for the strumming, just keep it simple.

  In the end, the focus should be on expressing the emotions of the song.

• Lesson 6: The Last Resort

  The Last Resort was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey from The Eagles. It appeared as the ninth track on the 1976 Hotel California album.
  
  When performing it during their ‘Hell Freezes Over’-concert, Henley introduced it by saying: ‘You’ve heard about how the West was won, this is certainly about how the West was lost’.
  
  The arrangement features basically three chords in the key of E, and a key change halfway through to G.
  
  Still, there is a lot more to it than that, and this lesson shows how to dress it up in order to make it sound somewhat similar to the original. Needless to say, with one guitar and one voice, it’s an ambitious project.

• Lesson 7: Saturday Night

  Saturday Night is a track from The Eagles’ 2nd studio album ‘Desperado’, released in 1973.
  
  This is a perfect song for beginners to learn, since it consists of 9, out of 14, basic open chords in first position, along with the easy ¾ strumming. It should be reasonable for anyone to tackle.
  
  The lesson takes a look at the chords, how to preferably finger them, the progression and the strumming. The latter should be done with both swing and straight feel.
  
  It takes practice when learning anything new on the guitar, no matter the level of one’s playing. But in order to really make progress and get the results one is looking for, it is extremely important that it’s done the correct way. For that I’ve taken this lesson as an opportunity to show and teach how to do so, in particular when changing chords and when doing so in time.
  
  It’s recommended to check out those segments. There is useful information in there for all level guitar players, since it’s applicable to anything one tries to do on the guitar.

• Lesson 8: Funk #49

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Continuing in the riffs series we present Joe Walsh's most recognizable early song, Funk #49. This was released in 1970 on the second James Gang album, James Gang Rides Again and is still covered occasionally by his current band, the Eagles. The opening riff is derived from a standard blues lick and the only other theme is right out of the minor pentatonic scale. The right hand must keep a steady, percussive motion for everything to sound best.

• Lesson 9: New Kid In Town

  New Kid In Town, from the Hotel California album by The Eagles, was written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey and J.D. Souther. The arrangement featured a bit of a 'South Of The Border' feeling and included nice fills from Don Felder's electric guitar and Joe Walsh's keyboard.

  Glenn Frey mainly strummed the acoustic guitar and this lesson goes extensively in the basic accompaniment, but also includes segments on percussive strumming, chord theory with multiple ways to play many of the chords, as well as breakdowns of many of the leads and fills.

• Lesson 10: Help Me Through The Night

  Joe Walsh is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and probably best known as a member of the rock band the Eagles, whom he joined in 1975. 

  Help Me Through The Night is the 7th track of his 3rd studio album 'So What' (1974).

  The Eagles performed the song on their reunion concert 'Hell Freezes Over' (1994), but it doesn't appear on the original CD edition with the same name.  

  The arrangement was done in Open G-tuning, where the strings are tuned to DGDGBD. For that the chords and shapes are relatively easy and this lesson breaks them all down. 

  We take a look at the strumming in double time and of course go through the progression.

  There are a few syncopated chord changes, but other than that it should be pretty doable for most guitar players. 

  It'd also would be a great opportunity for anyone who'd like to explore a different tuning, just to find out it has major advantages and beautiful sounding chords. 

   

• Lesson 11: Lyin’ Eyes

  Lyin’ Eyes is one of our most requested Eagles songs. It was written by Glenn Frey and Don Henley and was released on their 1975 album One Of These Nights. It is a basic country song with a nice lead played over the introduction. This lesson goes over the chords and strumming, as well as a way to incorporate the opening lead into the strumming.

• Lesson 12: Best Of My Love - Guitar Lesson

  Best Of My Love is from The Eagles album On The Border and features a nice, melodic strumming introduction, which continues into the verses. J. D. Souther, Glenn Frey and Don Henley wrote it and still perform it to this day. This lesson covers the chord progression and some variations taken from a second guitar part but it is mostly a simple strumming song.

• Lesson 13: Desperado - Guitar Lesson

  Desperado is the title song from The Eagles second album. Glenn Frey and Don Henley wrote it with Glenn playing the piano. This guitar lesson is mostly a strumming one with the addition of transcribing the intro into a nice little guitar solo. There are basically two parts but each one is done a little differently each time, making a chord chart a little difficult to lay out. This is the first (and possibly only) time I have included a page with the chords over the words.

• Lesson 14: Hotel California

  Another classic from this supergroup, Hotel California featured many guitar parts. This lesson looks at both opening rhythm guitar parts as well as the dueling closing leads.

• Lesson 15: Seven Bridges Road - Guitar Lesson

  Seven Bridges Road is a song written by Steve Young and covered by many artists. This lesson goes over the guitar part to The Eagles arrangement which first came out on their live album in 1980. The song opens and closes with the melody done a capella, vocals only, no instrumental accompaniment. Then the guitar comes in with a bluegrass style strumming pattern. The lesson is presented as an ear training exercise at first, so don’t look at the tab until you watch the first segment.

• Lesson 16: The End Of The Innocence - Don Henley - Guitar Lesson

  The End Of The Innocence, released in 1989, is the lead single and title track from Don Henley’s third solo studio album of the same name.
  
  It was Henley who wrote the lyrics, but the music was written by singer-songwriter and pianist Bruce Hornsby.
  
  For that, the arrangement of the song is primarily piano driven and this lesson shows a similar one for the guitar.
  
  It’s done in the key of G, where the guitar is capoed on the 1st fret, using all the major and minor chords, including several ways of playing those.
  
  The strumming has a very syncopated feel in several parts of the song, like the intro interludes, instrumental bridge and the outro.
  
  It also requires quite a bit of focused strumming, in particular for the middle strings, to copy the top notes of the inversions used on the piano.

• Lesson 17: Pretty Maids All In A Row

  Hotel California was the first Eagles album that Joe Walsh played on. Pretty Maids All In A Row was one of his contributions to the band, which he co-wrote with former bandmate Joe Vitale. 

  We take a look at the chords in the key of D (Capo I), including some inversions, or slashchords, two barre chords and a few chords out of the key. 

  The strumming is quite straightforward, in 3/4 and should be played with swing feel. That said, in my opinion, the way Don Henley drums it, a very slow 6/8 would be more fitting. 

  Other than that, there are no big surprises throughout the arrangement. It just moves from chord to chord, from one part to another.

   

• Lesson 18: Peaceful Easy Feeling

  This short lesson shows everything you need to know to play this classic from The Eagles debut album.

• Lesson 19: Life in The Fast Lane

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Today we head back into our Intros, Riffs& Licks series with Life In The Fast Lane by the Eagles. This was a song based on a Joe Walsh riff that has a Jimmy Page-like syncopation, where the melodic figure starts on a different beat after a few repetitions. See if you can spot the similarity between this and Black Dog, and even Band On The Run by Paul McCartney.

• Lesson 20: Certain Kind Of Fool by The Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  Certain Kind Of Fool was co-written and sung by founding Eagles-member and bass player Randy Meisner. It appeared as the 6th track on their 2nd studio album ‘Desperado’ (1973).
  
  The arrangement primarily features open chords in the key of D, with a few out of the key, and only one barre chord in the guitar solo.
  
  The lesson will take a look at the signature intro and progression, which has a few differences going from one part to another. The strumming which could be done at the speed of 8’ths but can change occasionally to double time back and forth.
  
  The biggest challenge is the singing and the several syncopated chord changes throughout the arrangement.

• Lesson 21: Doolin-Dalton by The Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  Doolin-Dalton is the first track of The Eagles’ 2nd studio album ‘Desperado’ (1973) and surely a favorite among Eagles fans.
  
  It features an intro with Glenn Frey playing the harmonica and this lesson shows how to somewhat copy it on the guitar.
  
  We take a look at the chords, which are for the most part relatively easy. The progression is as well, but does have a few twists and turns with, for example, chords going from major to minor and vice versa.
  
  The strumming should be done in double time, and involves quite a bit of focused and also subtle strumming, in particular of course for the intro. Then again, in other parts of the song it needs to be strong at the right times as well.
  
  We also take a quick look at Doolin-Dalton Reprise, or part II as my official Eagles songbook calls it.

• Lesson 22: I Can’t Tell You Why by The Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  I Can’t Tell You Why is a song by the Eagles and appears on their 1979 album ‘The Long Run’. It features bass player Timothy B. Schmit on vocals who also co-wrote it.
  
  This lesson shows a way to accompany yourself when it’s just you and your guitar.
  
  It teaches the song in the key of Am (Capo II), instead of Bm as done on the original recording. Personally I prefer the sound of open chords, and it makes the arrangement easier for most other guitar players.
  
  We take a look at the progression, the chords, the strumming and the main signature fill.

• Lesson 23: Love Will Keep Us Alive - Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  In 1994, after a 14 year vacation, The Eagles got back together again. They performed a reunion concert which appeared on the DVD ‘Hell Freezes Over’ and released a new album with the same name. It included eleven live tracks from the concert and four new studio tracks, including Love Will Keep Us Alive, sung by their bass player, Timothy B. Schmit.
  
  The lesson takes a look at the rhythm guitar part and the picking guitar part. The song uses the I, II, IV, V and VI in the key of A and features an easy progression, picking pattern and strumming pattern. If the student is able to play barre chords, the song should be very easy to tackle.

• Lesson 24: Most Of Us Are Sad

  Most Of Us Are Sad is a song by The Eagles, written by Gley Frey, sung by Randy Meisner, and appears on their debut studio album (1972) 'The Eagles'.

  It's a perfect song for beginners, since it features basic open chords, an easy strumming pattern with swing feel, and a straightforward progression. 

  We also take a quick look at how to incorporate the little melody in the intro for the ones who are further along their guitar journey. 

• Lesson 25: Try And Love Again - The Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  Try And Love Again is a song written by founding Eagles-member and bass player Randy Meisner, who is known in particular for his high vocals. It appears on the Eagles’ 5th studio album ‘Hotel California’, released in 1976.
  
  This lesson takes a look at a simple way of playing it as a single guitar part. It covers the signature riff in first position, the chords in the key of D and the progression. The latter is pretty straightforward, but might be a little challenging to some, because of a few quick chord changes.

• Lesson 26: Train Leaves Here This Morning

  Train Leaves Here This Morning is a song recorded and performed by the Eagles. It appears on their self titled debut album (1972), and features member Bernie Leadon on lead vocals, who had written it with Gene Clark (original lead singer of the Byrds).

  Even though the song seems easy to play, the lesson is still listed at an 'intermediate' level, since the progression in the key of E does include a few barre chords, making it more challenging for beginners. 

  Other than the chords and progression, we break down the fairly easy strumming. It moves at the speed of 8th's and should be played with swing feel. 

  I trust that Bernie Leadon fans appreciate the addition of this lesson to the many Eagles song lessons that we already have at Totally Guitars.

• Lesson 27: My Man

  On The Border is the 3rd studio album by The Eagles and produced three singles: Already Gone, James Dean, and Best of My Love. 

  The album also includes 'My Man', Bernie Leadon's tribute to his deceased friend Gram Parsons. This is the song we teach in this lesson. 

  We break down the arrangement with chord shapes in the key of D (Capo III), where the guitar is in Dropped D-tuning (DADGBE). This makes it reasonable to play the melody of the intro together with the accompaniment. For that this is also the most challenging part of the song. 

  We of course take a look at both hands. This includes the chords, some left hand techniques such as slides and hammer-ons, the strumming which also calls for focused strumming in order to play the intro. 

• Lesson 28: Tequila Sunrise

  This is a great song for beginning students. It uses the basic folk strum and mostly open chords in the key of G.

• Lesson 29: Ol' 55 - Tom Waits/Eagles - Guitar Lesson

  A very early song from Tom Waits, Ol’ 55 was released on his first album, Closing Time (1973), although by then he was doing most of his songs on piano.
  
  In the 1990s, a couple albums were issued titled “The Early Years” and they included many guitar versions of his songs.
  
  This lesson is based on the version heard on Volume 2 (1993). It is done in a slightly free-form fingerpicking style in the key of A, using a few barre chords from the “A” family, although some easier options are addressed.

  As of March 2025 we have added segments looking at the was The Eagles covered it on their 1974 album On The Border.

• Lesson 30: After The Thrill Is Gone

  After The Thrill Is Gone is the outcome of Don Henley and Glenn Frey's whimsical musings on BB King's tune The Thrill Is Gone, taking a 'What Now?' approach. The song is slowly strummed in the key of G Major but includes a couple unusual chords. There are a couple barre chords involved, along with an unusual hybrid chord - C with D in the bass, which might be considered a D11 of sorts.

  The lesson goes into ways to make the strumming interesting, which is particularly important due to the very slow speed of the tune.