Mojo Nixon – Don Henley Must Die!

I had to post this song. Even Eagle fans will admit Henley can be a bit pretentious…that’s not a put down…it just is.

You and your kind
Are killing rock and roll
It’s not because you are O L D
It’s cause you ain’t got no soul!

Don Henley Must Die released in 1990 and it’s off of his album Otis.  The song peaked at #20 in the Modern Rock Charts.

According to Nixon, Henley joined Nixon onstage one night in a small club before the Eagles reunion and helped Nixon sing it. This is a quote from Nixon: “There I was, the king of bullshit, completely flabbergasted,” “I took my guitar off, put it back on, did that like three times, then got on the mic and said, ‘Don, do you want to debate? Do you want to fist fight?’ He was shit-faced and he goes, ‘I want to sing that song, especially the part about not getting together with Glenn Frey!'” 

When the chorus hit, Nixon let Henley take the lead: “Don Henley must die, don’t let him get back together with Glenn Frey!”

“He was beltin’ that shit out, screaming like he was Johnny fuckin’ Rotten,” 

..Don Henley Must Die…

Don Henley Must Die

This is the sound of my brain.

Then I said, this is the sound of my brain on Don Henley!

Then I said, 1 2 3 4…

He’s a tortured artist
Used to be in the Eagles
Now he whines
Like a wounded beagle
Poet of despair!
Pumped up with hot air!
He’s serious, pretentious
And I just don’t care
Don Henley must die!
Don’t let him get back together
With Glenn Frey!
Don Henley must die!

Turn on the TV
And what did I see?
This bloated hairy thing
Winning a Grammy
Best Rock Vocalist?
Compared to what?
But your pseudo-serious
Crafty Satanic blot
Don Henley must die!
Put a sharp stick in his eye!
Don Henley must die!
Yea yea yea

Quit playin’ that crap
You’re out of the band

I’m only kidding
Can’t you tell?
I love his sensitive music
Idiot poetry, swell
You and your kind
Are killing rock and roll
It’s not because you are O L D
It’s cause you ain’t got no soul!
Don’t be afraid of fun
Loosen up your ponytail!
Be wild, young, free and dumb
Get your head out of your tail
Don Henley must die!
Don’t let him get back together
With Glenn Frey!

Don Henley must die!
Put him in the electric chair
Watch him fry!
Don Henley must die
Don Henley must die
No Eagles reunion
The same goes for you, Sting!

…

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

48 thoughts on “Mojo Nixon – Don Henley Must Die!”

  1. I’m not an Eagles hater–and I’ve never understood those who are. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mojo Nixon and I’ve always laughed at this song. I totally get it, Henley always took himself too seriously, especially during his solo years…but The Eagles–to me–were a victim of their success. They were/are overplayed. But that doesn’t make them a bad band. They are good musicians and excellent singer/songwriters. Are they the best band? Are they the best musicians, singer/songwriters? I say NO. But I understand why they had rabid fans. Their catalog speaks for itself.

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    1. I’m reading Don Felder’s book right now. He seems to be very fair and he does say something that I can hear…he said sometimes their music was lifeless because basically they polished all of the soul out of it….especially during Hotel California and The Long Run and I can see that.
      Henley is a very talented writer…I like his solo records better than the Eagles but yes…he does take himself too seriously. I have to commend him getting up on stage and singing this with Mojo.

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      1. I can see that. They were polished, too polished. And they were never the most soulful band in the first place. Though there are exceptions, I’ve never thought of the “California sound” as being particularly soulful. For me, with Henley, it’s the opposite: I prefer The Eagles to Henley’s solo stuff, but I like some of his solo stuff, very much. I’ve always thought The Eagles, collectively and individually were victims of their own success. To me, they’ve all been whipped, too hard, with backlash. Joe Walsh would be the exception to that. He was always a bit of an outsider and an outlier–and he is very soulful. As such, he has the ability to be spontaneous and fun.

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      2. This book is insightful I have to admit. Felder praises Henley and Frey for their talent but what a terrible work environment. He did say that Walsh saved his sanity by having a sense of humor…They both ran the Eagles like two dictators and a far cry from how it began.
        They made the documentary because of Felder’s book and it ended up proving Felder was telling the truth.

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  4. Max glad to see you’re getting some mileage out of Mojo picks. I had heard of this song but had actually never heard it – hilarious lyrics as usual (esp rhyming die and Fry) and I thought the song itself was a bit more substantial than his earlier basic arrangements. I agree it’s pretty cool that Henley had the sense of humor to get on stage with him and sing it

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  5. I’m loving these Mojo Nixon posts! The only MJ album I have is his collab with Jello Biafra (Prairie Home Invasion).
    Side note: I remember the debut album from cowpunk band Nine Pound Hammer had a track entitled “Bye Bye Glenn Frey” which is pretty cool too.

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      2. I’ll be able to tell you something soon about the Felder book…what a toxic work environment. I’m closing in….I’m in the mid 80s now….so it’s downhill from there.

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    1. I’m reading a book that Felder wrote…throws a new light on them…but oh yea…they are very talented. You got to see them with Felder so that is cool.

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    1. You are not the only one Lisa…well that does it for Mojo from me probably…those were the three that I knew but I may go looking for some more for the future. People have really liked them.

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  10. OMG! LOL! I’m so laughing. Mojo is hilarious but, the music is great.

    Young folks in bands have their heads in the clouds and the drive to do great things. Once they start believing their own shit instead of just letting things flow, it falls apart.

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    1. I’m reading Don Felder’s book…Henley and Frey were asses…and that comes from more than that book.

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      1. Oh, yeah. Self important jerks. Of the two, I prefer Henley as his music was better. Frey…nothing he did solo appealed to me. He was a better musician in the early years of The Eagles. And, punching Randy Meisner? Freaking asshole.

        I’m not like Lebowski (or Hans 😆). I don’t hate The Eagles. I like most of their music but, it certainly is a bit difficult to separate the person from the craft.

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      2. Randy Meisner is one of the nicest guys you would know. Bernie Leadon poured a beer over his head and then left.
        Felder was a full partner in the Eagles so what they did was to make other companies with just them…Felder won an undisclosed sum…

        It just pisses me off that Walsh and the bass player just goes a long with it. Walsh is slumming it to me being with them.

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      3. Why TF would Bernie do that?

        Good for Felder.

        Well, Walsh strikes me as being part of the music but not beholden to the bullshit. He was already an established well-known before joining, kinda like Sammy Hagar with Van Halen. They participate but, are distinct from the entities they associate with. In other words, there was a different contract, there. They aren’t founding members and the dynamics don’t affect them the same way. In Felder’s case, he became full partner as if he were a founding member and they tried to screw him.

        Just my two cents…haven’t read the book.

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      4. Bernie did that because Frey pissed him off. I’m glad he did. Frey drove Meisner, Leadon, and really Felder out.

        Yea that is basically it…he signed a document saying he was a full member and the other two…Walsh and Timothy told him…just sign the papers and send them in…that seventies partnership is ancient history…Uhhh no it wasn’t…

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      5. Wait. Who’s head did Bernie pour the beer? I thought it was Randy… Confused.

        So, Joe & Timothy were partners, too? Joe doesn’t strike me as the type to get tangled up in all that.

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      7. I wonder why they encouraged Felder to do that…because they didn’t know about the “partnership” from way back? I mean, they didn’t sign any papers…did they?

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      8. YES….when Felder joined he signed legal documents saying he was 1/5 owner…soon Bernie and Randy quite…they didn’t offer Joe or Timothy that.
        The settlement is not known but when Stern asked Felder if he still owns some of the Eagles he said he couldn’t say and gave him a wink…lol…that would be funny.

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  11. Im going to make a cheese whiz skyscraper with crackers and then mow down.
    “He’s tortured artist”. man I love that lyric. Whos in that band on the live cut? They cook. Bottom line Max, the songs rocks.
    “Quit playing that crap”

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      3. I never got the Joe thing. Because I didnt pay attention to a lot of that music I didnt even know he was in that band until much later. Obviously I heard some music by the Eagles because of the radio but never indulged. Didnt grab me. As far as Mojo’s song thats the most I ever knew of Don. It’s funny and it cooks. I love Walsh.

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      5. Slumming it and finally making some dough. Good for Joe. Music Enthusiast had me listen to Hotel California so I could hear the guitar solos. I never listen to more than a few seconds. I think Joe kicks in later. I’ll stick with Joes other work.

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