The Very Best of the Eagles

For the 2003 compilation, see The Very Best Of (Eagles album).

The Very Best of the Eagles is the fifth compilation album by the Eagles. It was originally released in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on July 11, 1994, by Elektra Records.^[1]

The Very Best of the Eagles
Greatest hits album by Eagles
Released	July 11, 1994 (1994-07-11)[1]
Recorded	1972–1979
Genre	Rock
Length	75:40
Label	Elektra
Producer	Glyn Johns, Bill Szymczyk
Eagles chronology
Eagles Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1982) The Very Best of the Eagles (1994) Hell Freezes Over (1994)

Europe and New Zealand received a standard release whereas in Australia it was also available as a numbered, limited edition Australian tour version that was pressed on a Gold CD.

The album was remastered and reissued in May 2001 with all the same songs that were on the original release but in a different sequence.

The compilation album was not released in the United States, although it was successful in other parts of the world, appearing in the top 10 of the albums charts in nine countries and becoming certified gold in seven countries and platinum in three.

Compilation and artwork

The Very Best of the Eagles is composed of seventeen songs, fifteen of which were released as singles and two songs—"Desperado" and "Doolin-Dalton"—that were album tracks from Desperado. The 2001 reissue's track listing is more loosely compiled.

Both issues of the album feature desert-themed photography. The first release featured art direction and design by Gabrielle Raumberger. The reissue had its art direction handled by Jeri Heiden with design by Barrie Goshko, who also did photo manipulation for the release.^[2][3]

Both the original and the reissue erroneously credit Glyn Johns as producer on the track "James Dean" from the On the Border album. It was produced by Bill Szymczyk.

Track listing

Original release

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Take It Easy"	Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey	Eagles, 1972	3:32
2.	"Witchy Woman"	Don Henley, Bernie Leadon	Eagles	4:15
3.	"Peaceful Easy Feeling"	Jack Tempchin	Eagles	4:21
4.	"Doolin-Dalton"	Browne, Frey, Henley, JD Souther	Desperado, 1973	3:30
5.	"Desperado"	Frey, Henley	Desperado	3:35
6.	"Tequila Sunrise"	Frey, Henley	Desperado	2:55
7.	"Best of My Love"	Frey, Henley, Souther	On the Border, 1974	4:36
8.	"James Dean"	Browne, Frey, Henley, Souther	On the Border	3:40
9.	"I Can't Tell You Why"	Frey, Henley, Timothy B. Schmit	The Long Run, 1979	4:56
10.	"Lyin' Eyes"	Frey, Henley	One of These Nights, 1975	6:24
11.	"Take It to the Limit"	Frey, Henley, Randy Meisner	One of These Nights	4:49
12.	"One of These Nights"	Frey, Henley	One of These Nights	4:53
13.	"Hotel California"	Don Felder, Frey, Henley	Hotel California, 1976	6:31
14.	"New Kid in Town"	Frey, Henley, Souther	Hotel California	5:04
15.	"Life in the Fast Lane"	Frey, Henley, Joe Walsh	Hotel California	4:47
16.	"Heartache Tonight"	Frey, Henley, Bob Seger, Souther	The Long Run	4:27
17.	"The Long Run"	Frey, Henley	The Long Run	3:42

2001 reissue

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"One of These Nights"	Frey, Henley	One of These Nights	4:53
2.	"Take It Easy"	Browne, Frey	Eagles	3:32
3.	"Hotel California"	Felder, Frey, Henley	Hotel California	6:31
4.	"New Kid in Town"	Frey, Henley, Souther	Hotel California	5:04
5.	"Heartache Tonight"	Frey, Henley, Seger, Souther	The Long Run	4:27
6.	"Tequila Sunrise"	Frey, Henley	Desperado	2:55
7.	"Desperado"	Frey, Henley	Desperado	3:35
8.	"Best of My Love"	Frey, Henley, Souther	On the Border	4:36
9.	"Lyin' Eyes"	Frey, Henley	One of These Nights	6:24
10.	"Take It to the Limit"	Frey, Henley, Meisner	One of These Nights	4:49
11.	"I Can't Tell You Why"	Frey, Henley, Schmit	The Long Run	4:56
12.	"Peaceful Easy Feeling"	Tempchin	Eagles	4:21
13.	"James Dean"	Browne, Frey, Henley, Souther	On the Border	3:40
14.	"Doolin-Dalton"	Browne, Frey, Henley, Souther	Desperado	3:30
15.	"Witchy Woman"	Henley, Leadon	Eagles	4:15
16.	"The Long Run"	Frey, Henley	The Long Run	3:42
17.	"Life in the Fast Lane"	Frey, Henley, Walsh	Hotel California	4:47

Personnel

• Glenn Frey – guitars, keyboards, vocals
• Don Henley – drums, percussion, guitars, vocals
• Bernie Leadon – guitars, banjo, vocals
• Randy Meisner – bass, vocals
• Don Felder – guitars, vocals
• Joe Walsh – guitars, keyboards, vocals
• Timothy B. Schmit – bass, vocals

Production

• Glyn Johns – producer, engineer
• Jim Ed Norman – string arrangements, piano
• Bill Szymczyk – producer, engineer

Charts

Album charts Chart (1994) Peak position Australian Top 50 Albums[4] 2 Canadian Top Albums[5] 28 New Zealand Top 50 Albums[6] 3 Swiss Top 100 Albums[7] 9 UK Albums Chart[8] 4 Chart (1995) Peak position Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums[9] 28 Chart (1996) Peak position Swedish Top 60 Albums[10] 7 Chart (1999) Peak position French Compilations[11] 15 Chart (2001) Peak position Belgium (Flanders) 100 Albums[12] 12 Danish Top 40 Albums[13] 10 Finnish Top 50 Albums[14] 4 German Albums[15] 20 Italian Top 20 Albums[16] 18 Netherlands Top 100 Albums[17] 9 Norwegian Top 40 Albums[18] 4 UK Albums Chart[19] 3

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[20]	Platinum	40,000^
Australia (ARIA)[21]	9× Platinum	850,000[22]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[23]	Gold	23,307[23]
France (SNEP)[24]	2× Gold	200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[25]	Gold	250,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[26]	Platinum	200,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[27]	Platinum	100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28]	8× Platinum	120,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[29]	Gold	50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[30]	Gold	50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[31]	Gold	25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[32]	2× Platinum	600,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.