About The Song
“Ol’ 55” is a song written by Tom Waits and first released on his 1973 debut album Closing Time. The Eagles recorded their own version the same year for their second studio album, Desperado, which was released on April 17, 1973 by Asylum Records. Although not issued as a single, the Eagles’ recording became one of the album’s most widely remembered non-single tracks and introduced many listeners to the song before Waits’ original gained broader recognition.
The Eagles’ version of “Ol’ 55” was recorded during the Desperado sessions at Island Studios in London in late 1972 and early 1973. The album was produced and engineered by Glyn Johns, with Howard Kilgour serving as assistant engineer. These sessions made up the entire Desperado album, and the production choices reflect Johns’ preference for clear separation between instruments, minimal processing, and natural acoustic textures.
On the Eagles recording, lead vocals are shared primarily between Glenn Frey and Don Henley, with Frey handling much of the lead phrasing and Henley contributing harmony and secondary lead lines. Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon provide additional harmonies, creating the layered vocal blend that characterized the band’s early 1970s sound. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, bass, and drums, with parts distributed across the four core members.
Within the Desperado album sequence, “Ol’ 55” appears as the opening track on Side One of the original LP. It functions as the record’s introduction even though it does not participate directly in the loose Western motif that shapes several of the album’s other songs. Instead, its placement provides a more contemporary, soft-rock entry point before the album transitions into the themed material that begins with “Doolin-Dalton.”
Because the Eagles version was not released as a commercial single, it did not appear on the Billboard charts. Nevertheless, it became one of the most circulated tracks from the early Eagles catalog due to significant FM radio play and later inclusion on compilation albums and anthology box sets. Its popularity also helped increase awareness of Tom Waits’ songwriting during the 1970s, particularly among rock-oriented audiences.
The production credits on Desperado list Glenn Frey on vocals, guitars, and piano; Don Henley on vocals, drums, and percussion; Bernie Leadon on guitars, banjo, and harmony vocals; and Randy Meisner on bass and harmony vocals. These credits are consistent across U.S. LP pressings, remastered CD editions, and digital reissues. The Waits authorship is clearly noted on all versions, acknowledging the external origin of the composition.
Over time, “Ol’ 55” has remained part of the Eagles’ larger catalog through its appearance on reissues of Desperado, multi-disc anthologies, and streaming versions of the band’s 1970s output. Although it has never been performed as frequently in concert as the band’s major singles, it is still referenced in retrospective interviews and album analyses as one of the standout tracks from the group’s early period and one of the more notable covers in their discography.
Video
Lyric
Well my time went so quickly
I went lickety-splickly out to my old ’55
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy
God knows, I was feeling alive
And now the sun’s coming up
I’m riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I’d stayed a little longer
Lord, let me tell you that the feeling’s getting stronger
Six in the morning, gave me no warning
I had to be on my way
Now the cars are all passing me
Trucks are all flashing me
I’m headed home from your place
And now the sun’s coming up
I’m riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade
And I lead the parade
Just a-wishin’ I’d stayed a little longer
Lord, don’t you know, the feeling’s getting stronger
Well, my time went so quickly
I went lickety-splitly
Out to my old ’55
As I pulled away slowly
Feeling so holy
God knows I was feeling alive
And now the sun’s coming up, yes it is
I’m riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck
Freeway, cars and trucks
Riding with Lady Luck