"Tequila Sunrise" is a song from 1973, written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and recorded by the Eagles. It was the first single from the band's second album, Desperado.[2] It peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Glenn Frey and Don Henley did not write songs together for their debut album, Eagles and, after they had finished recording the album in London, they decided that they should collaborate. In the first week of their partnership, they wrote "Tequila Sunrise" and "Desperado".[4] According to Frey, the song was finished fairly quickly. He said he was lying on a couch playing the guitar, and came up with a guitar riff he described as "kinda Roy Orbison, kinda Mexican". He demonstrated it for Henley and said: "Maybe we should write something to this."[5] The title refers to a cocktail named Tequila Sunrise that was then popular. In the liner notes of 2003's The Very Best Of, Henley had this to say about the song:
I believe that was a Glenn title. I think he was ambivalent about it because he thought that it was a bit too obvious or too much of a cliché because of the drink that was so popular then. I said, 'No - look at it from a different point of view. You've been drinking straight tequila all night and the sun is coming up!' It turned out to be a really great song.[6]
According to Billboard, the theme of the song is " one man's efforts at survival and having to take 'a shot of courage.'"[7]Cash Box called it "a magnificent medium tempo tune certain to become a classic" that is "highlighted by some excellent vocal harmonies."[8]Record World called it a "beautiful folk rock item with the pedal steel country feel."[9]
Henley said that Frey came up with changes for the bridge, and that "take another shot of courage" refers to tequila being known as "instant courage." He said: "We very much wanted to talk to the ladies, but we often didn’t have the nerve, so we’d drink a couple of shots and suddenly it was, "Howdy, ma’am.""[10]
There is a live version of this song (Live ABC 1973) in which Glenn Frey sings additional lyrics:
Guess I'll go to Mexico, down to where the pace of life is slow, there's no one there I know. It's another Tequila Sunrise, wondering if I'm growing wise or telling lies.
There is no information to confirm if this was impromptu, or if these are original lyrics they decided to leave off the original record.
Another live version (Live Popgala’73) (Voorburg 1973, De Vliegermolen, The Netherlands March 9th,1973, Popgala’73 VARA Television and Radio) also includes additional lyrics very similar:
Think I'll go to Mexico, down to where the pace is nice and slow, there's no one there I know. It's another Tequila Sunrise, wonderin’ if I'm growing wise or tellin’ lies.
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Sterling Whitaker rated it as the Eagles 7th most underrated song, praising Bernie Leadon's guitar and mandolin playing and Frey's vocal performance.[11]
^Horn, David; Shepherd, John, eds. (2012). Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. Vol. 8 – Genres: North America. Continuum. p. 174. ISBN978-1-4411-6078-2.
