(1973) Asylum label.  Original issue.  This ode to southern-california-knotts-berry-farm- wild-west-show cover art and Eagles meets Foghat sound juxtaposed to stringed choral ballads is all over the place.  To my 2016 sensibilities I am taken aback by all the weapons on the cover both front and back.  What were we thinking back then– as a record buying audience?  So enamored of cowboys and the wild west my guess is that shot guns and rifles weren’t a big deal.  I have to admit at that time and place, I too shot guns, had guns in my home, and thought absolutely nothing of it.

SIDE ONE

1. Doolin-Dalton  (3:29)
2. Twenty-One  (2:10)
3. Out Of Control  (3:05)
4. Tequila Sunrise  (2:54)
5. Desperado  (3:34)

SIDE TWO

1. Certain Kind Of Fool  (3:01)
2. Doolin-Dalton (instrumental)  (0:47)
3. Outlaw Man  (3:34)
4. Saturday Night  (3:20)
5. Bitter Creek  (5:03)
6. Doolin-Dalton reprise Desperado reprise  (4:49)

In high school I had an English class where we looked at song lyrics to learn about poetry devices.  We looked at Bob Dylan lyrics, Rolling Stones lyrics, and the song Desperado.  I remember thinking songwriting can’t get much better than Desperado.

When this album came out in 1973 girls were wearing one single flower in their hair behind an ear, guys were wearing their hair very long.  Tequila Sunrise was played at every prom or wedding reception or singles bar.  I have a memory of dancing at the Playboy Club in Phoenix Arizona to Tequila Sunrise– benefiting from looking older than my actual age…