Tequila Sunrise (Eagles song)

For other uses, see Tequila Sunrise (disambiguation).

"Tequila Sunrise" is a song from 1973, written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and recorded by the Eagles. It was the first single from the band's second album, Desperado.^[2] It peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Tequila Sunrise"
Single by Eagles
from the album Desperado
B-side	"Twenty-One"
Released	April 17, 1973
Genre	Soft rock,[1] country rock
Length	2:52
Label	Asylum
Songwriter(s)	Don Henley, Glenn Frey
Producer(s)	Glyn Johns, Eagles
Eagles singles chronology
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" (1972) "Tequila Sunrise" (1973) "Outlaw Man" (1973)

A cover version was recorded by country music singer Alan Jackson on the 1993 tribute album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles. It reached number 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.^[3]

Background

Glenn Frey and Don Henley did not write songs together for their debut album, Eagles, and after they had finished recording the album in London, they decided that they should collaborate. In the first week of their partnership, they wrote "Tequila Sunrise" and "Desperado".^[4] According to Frey, the song was finished fairly quickly. He said he was lying on a couch playing the guitar, and came up with a guitar riff he described as "kinda Roy Orbison, kinda Mexican". He demonstrated it for Henley and said: "Maybe we should write something to this."^[5] The title refers to a cocktail named Tequila Sunrise that was then popular. In the liner notes of 2003's The Very Best Of, Henley had this to say about the song:

I believe that was a Glenn title. I think he was ambivalent about it because he thought that it was a bit too obvious or too much of a cliché because of the drink that was so popular then. I said, 'No - look at it from a different point of view. You've been drinking straight tequila all night and the sun is coming up!' It turned out to be a really great song.^[6]

According to Billboard, the theme of the song is " one man's efforts at survival and having to take 'a shot of courage.'"^[7] Cash Box called it "a magnificent medium tempo tune certain to become a classic" that is "highlighted by some excellent vocal harmonies."^[8] Record World called it a "beautiful folk rock item with the pedal steel country feel."^[9]

Henley said that Frey came up with changes for the bridge, and that "take another shot of courage" refers to tequila being known as "instant courage." He said: "We very much wanted to talk to the ladies, but we often didn’t have the nerve, so we’d drink a couple of shots and suddenly it was, "Howdy, ma’am.""^[10]

There is a live version of this song (Live ABC 1973) in which Glenn Frey sings additional lyrics:

Guess I'll go to Mexico, down to where the pace of life is slow, there's no one there I know. It's another Tequila Sunrise, wondering if I'm growing wise or telling lies.

There is no information to confirm if this was impromptu, or if these are original lyrics they decided to leave off the original record.

Another live version (Live Popgala’73) (Voorburg 1973, De Vliegermolen, The Netherlands March 9th,1973, Popgala’73 VARA Television and Radio) also includes additional very similar lyrics:

Think I'll go to Mexico, down to where the pace is nice and slow, there's no one there I know. It's another Tequila Sunrise, wonderin’ if I'm growing wise or tellin’ lies.

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Sterling Whitaker rated it as the Eagles 7th most underrated song, praising Bernie Leadon's guitar and mandolin playing and Frey's vocal performance.^[11]

Personnel

• Glenn Frey – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• Don Henley – drums, maracas, backing vocals
• Randy Meisner – bass, backing vocals
• Bernie Leadon – B-Bender electric guitar, acoustic guitar solos, backing vocals

Charts

Chart (1975)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12]	68
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13]	81
US Billboard Hot 100[14]	64
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15]	26

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[16]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Horn, David; Shepherd, John, eds. (2012). Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. Vol. 8 – Genres: North America. Continuum. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-4411-6078-2.
2. Ruhlmann, William. "Desperado review". Allmusic. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs 1944–2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-89820-203-8.
4. Travis Smiley. "Glenn Frey Tribute – Part 1". PBS. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016.
5. History of the Eagles. 2013. Event occurs at 48:30–49:00.
6. The Very Best Of (CD). Eagles. Warner Music Group. 2003. R2 73971.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. June 2, 1973. p. 62. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
8. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 2, 1973. p. 12. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
9. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. June 2, 1973. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
10. Cameron Crowe (August 2003). "Conversations With Don Henley and Glenn Frey". The Uncool.
11. Whitaker, Sterling (January 18, 2016). "Top 10 Underrated Eagles Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4898." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
13. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4874." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
14. "Eagles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
15. "Eagles Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
16. "British single certifications – Eagles – Tequila Sunrise". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 9, 2024.