James Dean (song)

Not to be confused with Rock On (David Essex song) or James Dean (I Wanna Know).

"James Dean"
Single by Eagles
from the album On the Border
B-side"Good Day in Hell"
ReleasedAugust 14, 1974
Recorded1973
GenreHard rock, rock and roll,[1] rockabilly[2]
Length3:36
LabelAsylum
Songwriter(s)Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne, JD Souther
Producer(s)Bill Szymczyk
Eagles singles chronology
"Already Gone"
(1974) 		"James Dean"
(1974) 		"Best of My Love"
(1974)

"James Dean" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne, and JD Souther, and recorded by the American rock band Eagles for their 1974 album On the Border. It was the second single released from this album, reaching number 77 on the U.S. pop singles chart.[3]

The song is about American actor James Dean (1931–1955). The lyrics, "too fast to live, too young to die" refer to the life and abrupt death of Dean in a car crash in 1955.[4] Bernie Leadon played the guitar solo.[5]

  1. ^ William Ruhlmann. "On the Border - Eagles". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Ed Masley (September 30, 2014). "10/1: 5 essential Eagles albums- 'Hotel to 'Border'". The Republic. AZ Central.
  3. ^ "Billboard Hot 100: October 12, 1974". Billboard.
  4. ^ Maury Dean (2003). Rock and Roll: Gold Rush. Algora Publishing. p. 406. ISBN 9780875862279.
  5. ^ Eliot, Marc (2004). To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles. Da Capo Press. p. 313. ISBN 9780306813986.