Eagles – Take It To The Limit (Live 1977)

About the song

Background:

• Released in 1975 on the album “One of These Nights”.
• Written by Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley. Meisner usually started Eagles songs with a verse or two, and Frey and Henley fleshed them out. This was the first Eagles single not sung by Frey or Henley.
• Meisner sings lead vocals, with his signature high note at the end a highlight of the song.
• The song’s success led to tension within the band. Meisner, known to be shy, disliked the pressure of performing the demanding song live.

Themes:

• The grind of touring life: Lyrics like “Seven lonely nights, livin’ on the road” paint a picture of the demanding schedule and isolation faced by touring musicians.
• Perseverance: Despite the challenges, the song also conveys a sense of determination with the line “Take it to the limit one more time.”
• Yearning for something more: Lines like “So I put my key in the lock, another lonely night” hint at a longing for a more stable life.

The song’s contrasting themes resonated with audiences and became a classic Eagles track.

Video

Lyrics

All alone at the end of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking ’bout a woman
Who might have loved me
I never knew
You know I’ve always been a dreamer (spent my life running round)
And it’s so hard to change
Can’t seem to settle down
But the dreams I’ve seen lately
Keep on turning out and burning out and turning out the same
So put me on a highway
Show me a sign
Take it to the limit
One more time
You can spend all your time making money
You can spend all your love making time
If it all fell to pieces tomorrow
Would you still be mine?
And when you’re looking for your freedom (nobody seems to care)
And you can’t find the door
(can’t find it anywhere)
When there’s nothing to believe in
Still you’re coming back
You’re running back
You’re coming back for more…
Put me on a highway
Show me a sign
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
One more time
(take it to the limit)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
Come on
(take it to the limit)
One more time
(take it to the limit)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
We gotta
(take it to the limit)
One more time…
(take it to the limit)
(take it to the limit)
(take it to the limit)
One more time
(take it to the limit)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
Come on
(take it to the limit)
One more time
(take it to the limit)
Aaah-aaah-aaah
(take it to the limit)
Aaah-aaah
(take it to the limit)
One more time…
(take it to the limit)
(take it to the limit)