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After the incredible success of their landmark 1976 album, "Hotel California," The Eagles were under a lot of pressure...mostly from themselves.
They couldn't figure out how they could top it, and they collectively froze.
At first, their record company (Asylum) was patient, but after a while, they grew tired of waiting, and offered the group a million dollar bonus if they could release something by Christmas of 1978.
No dice.
And then other factors started creeping in. With disco and punk music rising in popularity, critics started calling the Eagles "passe." This led to all sorts of internal dissention about what musical direction the group should take, and It got so bad, they almost broke up.
Luckily, cooler heads prevailed...for a while.
They finally decided that instead of trying to top themselves, they'd put together their strongest effort and hope for the best. So in 1979, after three long years, The Eagles released "The Long Run."
The title cut was the second single release from the album (after "Heartache Tonight:" a "Great Song" in its own right), and it was a big hit, reaching #1 in both the US and Canada in early 1980.
Note: The album also went to #1, and won the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal."
The Eagles were back...but unfortunately, not for long. They called it quits later in 1980...and it was 1994 before they decided to regroup and start touring again.
"The Long Run:" A "Great Song of 1979-80."
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