Flashback Friday: "New Kid in Town" - The Eagles (1977)

I love The Eagles.

In an era where most rock bands were awesome with a capital A, The Eagles certainly have their fair share of my appreciation. They were very versatile, I think, going between power-driven song like "Life in the Fast Lane" and slower, mellower songs like this one. This song is probably one of their better, because it sounds so soothing, but really, it's bitter as hell.

The song starts off with this new kid coming to town, and already there's pressure on him.

Great expectations, everybody's watching you

Everybody loves you, so don't let them down

There's a "love" element in this song also... I don't know, that part doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

You look in her eyes; the music begins to play 

Hopeless romantics, here we go again 

But after awhile, you're lookin' the other way 

It's those restless hearts that never mend

Will she still love you when you're not around? 

There's so many things you should have told her, 

but night after night you're willing to hold her, 

Just hold her, tears on your shoulder 

It's just a wee bit confusing to me. Who's falling out of love with whom now. Of course, young love is confusing anyway, so I'm willing to let that slide, especially since that's not the bitter climax of the song:

You're walking away and they're talking behind you 

They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along 

Where you been lately? There's a new kid in town

Uh-oh. Looks like some thunder is being stolen.

This is a great commentary on how fickle society can be. They see someone or something new, they have to have it or know about it. Hell, the guy even loses the girl to this newcomer.

Now he's holding her, and you're still around

You can't help but feel sorry for this not-so-Johnny-come-lately-anymore. He was on top of the world with his newcomer status, but now that there's an even newer guy in town, everything's been taken away from him and he's crushed.

There's a new kid in town 

I don't want to hear it 

There's a new kid in town 

I don't want to hear it

I like how the song shifts perspectives from the narrator to the main character. All in all, great song, great band.