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Life in the Fast Lane
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Life in the Fast Lane
| cover = Life in the Fast Lane.jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| caption = Spain cover release
| type = single
| artist = the Eagles
| album = Hotel California
| B-side = The Last Resort
| released = May 3, 1977
| recorded = 1976
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Rock
| length = 4:46
| label = Asylum
| writer = Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey, Don Henley
| producer = Bill Szymczyk
| prev_title = Hotel California
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = Please Come Home for Christmas
| next_year = 1978
| misc =
}}
"'Life in the Fast Lane'" is a song written by Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, and recorded by American rock band Eagles for the band's fifth studio album 'Hotel California' (1976). It was the third single released from this album, and peaked at No. 11 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100.
Content
The song tells the story of a couple who take their excessive lifestyle to the edge. On 'In the Studio with Redbeard', Glenn Frey revealed that the title came to him one day when he was riding on the freeway with a drug dealer known as "The Count". Frey asked the dealer to slow down and the response was, "What do you mean? It's life in the fast lane!" In that same interview, Frey indicated that the song's central riff was played by Walsh while the band was warming up in rehearsals and Walsh was told to "keep that; it's a song". Don Henley recalled that the "song actually sprang from the opening guitar riff. One day, at rehearsal, Joe [Walsh] just busted out that crazy riff and I said 'What the hell is that? We've got to figure out to make a song out of that." Henley and Frey, the primary lyricists for the band, then wrote the lyrics for the song.
Critical reception
'Cash Box' said that "with the influence of six-stringer Joe Walsh, the Eagles are harder and funkier than ever here." In 2016, the editors of 'Rolling Stone' rated "Life in the Fast Lane" as the Eagles' eighth-greatest song. In 2017, 'Billboard' ranked the song number four on their list of the 15 greatest Eagles songs, and in 2019, 'Rolling Stone' ranked the song number eight on their list of the 40 greatest Eagles songs.
Personnel
Partial credits from liner notes.
*Don Henley - lead vocals, drums
*Glenn Frey - backing vocals, clavinet
*Joe Walsh - lead guitar, rhythm guitar
*Don Felder - lead guitar, rhythm guitar
*Randy Meisner - bass guitar, backing vocals
Covers and references
Garth Brooks for the 2013 'Classic Rock' album in the 'Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences' compilation.
Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh plays the song on his solo tours.
In 2007, Jill Johnson recorded the song on her album 'Music Row'.
The track "Livin' It Up" on Limp Bizkit's album 'Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water' samples the phrase "life in the fast lane" throughout. Frey, Henley, and Walsh are credited in the "lyrics by" portion of the liner notes.
Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood sang the song at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
The song was used as the soundtrack for the roller coaster The Eagles' Life In The Fast Lane, which opened at Hard Rock Park in May 2008.
The country music group Williams Riley released their version of the song to country radio on August 23, 2010.
The super group Metal Allegiance released a version of the song with vocals by Alissa White-Gluz.
Charts
Certifications
References
Category:1976 songs
Category:1977 singles
Category:Eagles (band) songs
Category:Jill Johnson songs
Category:Songs written by Glenn Frey
Category:Songs written by Don Henley
Category:Songs written by Joe Walsh
Category:Asylum Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Bill Szymczyk
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