About The Song
“Out of Control” appears as track three on the Eagles’ second studio album Desperado, released April 17, 1973, via Asylum Records. Produced by Glyn Johns at Island Studios in London, the song runs 3:04 and delivers a hard-rocking, upbeat country-rock energy that contrasts sharply with the album’s more somber outlaw concept theme. It features driving electric guitars, a prominent solo, tight rhythm, and the band’s signature harmonies, giving it a rowdy, saloon-bar feel that stands out as one of the record’s most energetic moments.
Written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Tom Nixon (the band’s former tour manager), the track was crafted to capture the reckless abandon of life on the road and the Wild West fantasy the album explores. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a night out in a frontier town: “Come on, saddle up, boys, we’re gonna ride into town / We’re gonna get a little out of control.” Verses describe a card game in the corner, a barmaid smiling, and the thrill of letting loose under a starry sky, turning the song into a celebration of temporary freedom and good-time chaos. The chorus repeats the title with infectious swagger, blending fun with the underlying tension of the outlaw lifestyle.
Though never released as a commercial single (the album’s singles were “Tequila Sunrise” and “Outlaw Man”), the song gained attention through album play and live performances. Desperado peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 and later earned double-platinum certification. The track became a concert staple during the 1973 tour, often paired with other up-tempo numbers to showcase the band’s harder-edged side.
A notable cover came from REO Speedwagon on their 1975 album This Time We Mean It, which added even more rock drive while staying true to the original spirit. The Eagles themselves rarely revisited the song after the mid-1970s, but it remains a favorite among fans for its raw energy and contrast to the album’s ballads.
Decades later, “Out of Control” endures as a brisk, high-spirited highlight of the Desperado era—a fun, rollicking slice of Western escapism that captures the band’s early blend of country roots and rock attitude without overcomplicating its simple message of cutting loose and living in the moment. In the context of the concept album, it serves as a lively breather amid the outlaw narrative, proving the Eagles could deliver pure, unfiltered fun alongside deeper storytelling.
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Lyric
Oh, yeah
Oh my, don’t the sky look spacious
With the stars all shinin’ down?
Well, I can hear the night wind howlin’
It’s a high and lonesome sound
And I ain’t had a woman in so long
I can’t feed my starvin’ soul
Come on, saddle up, boys, we’re gonna ride into town
We’re gonna get a little out of control
There’s a card game in the corner
And the barmaid smiled at me
Well, I tipped her a sliver dollar
And she brought me a drink for free
All the town folk call her the cheap one
And the gamblers call her Flo
Come on, set ’em up again, I got me a friend
And I think I’m gettin’ out of control
Oh, oh, oh
She’s cool water, her mama taught her
I got news, she’s mine, and mine alone
And if anybody’s lookin’ for trouble
You know, I’m the one you wanna try
Well, I’ll fight any man who wants to
And I don’t care who or why
You got to gamble on your story
You got no guts, you get no glory
And I’m bettin’ my money on an ace in the hole
Think I’m gettin’ out of control
Whoa!
We’re getting out
Where’s my baby?
Don’t you know, right?