Why The Eagles Felt They Needed to Write a Song About James Dean’s Tragic Death
Classic Hollywood and classic rock often collided in exciting ways. For example, The Eagles wrote a song called “James Dean.” A member of The Eagles explained why his band was compelled to write that song. “James Dean” became part of an absolutely massive album.
The Eagles’ ‘James Dean’ was not inspired by 1950s nostalgia
Dean was a cinematic icon who made a huge mark despite only appearing in three movies: Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant. He tragically died in a car accident at the age of 24. His public image and untimely death gave him an image as one of pop culture’s most prominent rebels. He’s still considered one of the most famous celebrities of the 1950s, so his visage will grace the walls of 1950s diners alongside those of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley for decades to come.
During a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, The Eagles’ JD Souther explained why his band penned the song “James Dean.” “James Dean was cool,” he said. “Period. I don’t remember any personal nostalgia for the ’50s other than the fact that at one time or another, Glenn [Frey], Jackson [Browne], and I all owned ’55 Chevys. Dean was a great actor whose career was cut short by dying in one of the coolest cars ever made — a Porsche Spyder on the way home from a racetrack in an accident that was not his fault. Another irresistible story that needed a song. Jackson started it and we all clambered aboard on first hearing.”
Why The Eagles’ JD Souther put so much effort into the song
Souther discussed what it was like working with Browne. “[In their early days in L.A] Jackson lived in the apartment downstairs from where Glenn and I lived,” he said. “It was one room and one window you could open. I learned a lot about songwriting from Jackson. He had such a diligence about refining a single aspect of a song, working on the same lines over and over. He’d play it so many times I would want to throttle him. But it worked.”
Souther said Browne’s method tried his patience and made him work very hard. Despite that, he felt that Browne’s modus operandi made sure all his lyrics were as good as they could possibly be. Browne was not as famous as The Eagles, but there’s a reason why he’s deeply respected by rock ‘n’ roll fans.
How ‘James Dean’ impacted the world
“James Dean” became a modest hit. It peaked at No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for five weeks. The tune appeared on the album On the Border. That record reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 87 weeks.
“James Dean” appeared on The Eagles’ compilation album The Very Best of The Eagles. That record became a massive hit. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and lasted on the chart for 223 weeks. Aside from Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), The Very Best of The Eagles was the band’s biggest album in the United States.
“James Dean” is a great song and it helped keep the legend of a certain actor alive.
