written by Don Henley and Mike Campbell

produced by Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar,

Greg Ladanyi and Mike Campbell

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July 22nd, 2021: the 74th birthday of Donald Hugh Henley, singer,

songwriter, drummer, producer, successful decades-spanning solo

artist and surviving Eagle. Happy Birthday, DH!!

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Don’s a Texan, born and raised, and had his very first musical experience in the school band, playing trombone and then percussion, honing his early drumming skills. He formed his first band in the mid-’60s with a couple schoolmates, which went through a few names and incarnations. They caught the attention and approval of Kenny Rogers, who helped them get a record deal in L.A. This first band broke up shortly thereafter, but Don now had his foot in the door.

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It was now the ’70s—Don and his own Boys’ of Summer breakthrough decade—1971, to be precise. He assembled Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, signed a new deal with the David Geffen label Asylum Records, and the Eagles were ready to take flight. This was before Geffen Records was actually born, and David signed them to Asylum virtually as soon as it was formed. Two years later, Asylum was absorbed into Warner Communications and merged to Elektra, and the twin labels issued the Eagles’ records from then on. Anyone who knows anything about the history of American hit rock music does not need to be explained how majestically and successfully the Eagles soared over the 1970s.

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About the time they released the amazingly hot live album Eagles Live—suddenly now, that original studio version of “Hotel California” sounds rather ordinary and plain, does it not?...—the lads split up, while still riding high, and with the core essential lineup: Don, Glenn, Randy, Don Felder, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. They mostly branched off into solo careers (some more *ahem* successful than others *ahem ahem*), though it almost seemed they were meant to stay together a bit longer. Elektra offshoot Full Moon Records produced the soundtrack to the high school landmark flick Fast Times At Ridgemont High, which (the soundtrack) included songs by Joe Walsh, Tim Schmit, Don Felder and our man Henley here. Don (Henley)’s at-the-time girlfriend, Stevie Nicks, also kicked in a contribution. Just before, Don had joined Stevie singing duet on her song “Leather And Lace.”

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1982 arrived, landing Don a debut solo album in the summer... oh, and this is a good point to mention: I did have to think a bit which song of his I wanted to choose for this birthday tribute. Besides the fact that this, “Boys Of Summer,” is maybe his most iconic solo song ever (okay, sorry, “End Of The Innocence,” you’re up there too), it’s July. He’s a July baby. He’s literally a Boy of Summer. But what I always liked about Don’s stuff—both solo and with the Eagles—is that his lyrics are often particularly compelling, in a way (“Hotel California”)... or particularly “in-your-face” (“Life In The Fast Lane”)... socially conscious (“Inside Job”), sometimes even caustically humorous (“Dirty Laundry”). The man does seem to have a talent for taking such stark realities of life and twisting them into semi-cynical, but, again, pretty darned compelling, driving rock songs with a sweet dash of pop. End tangent.

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1982 arrived, landing Don a debut solo album in the summer, also released by Asylum. This was the one with “Dirty Laundry” on it, the song about perverse yet inherent human interest in schadenfreude and harboring fascination in others’ misfortune and tragedy. One of four singles on his debut, I Can’t Stand Still, “Dirty Laundry” reached #1 in the US and Canada. Yet, two autumns later, Don gave us Building The Perfect Beast, outdoing himself (for the moment). This record—the one that contains the song we’re covering here, “Boys Of Summer”—went triple platinum and spawned five singles, three of which hit #1. “Boys Of Summer” was matched by fellow hits “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” and “Not Enough Love In The World”... I’m particularly fond of “Sunset Grill,” which also charted nicely later on, but not quite as high as its peers on this album. Unquestionably, while the ’70s was Don’s decade to share the heavens with his Eagle contemporaries, he was able to stand as brilliantly on his own in the ’80s. Around this same time, 1984-ish, Glenn Frey enjoyed his own degree of success.

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I forgot to mention that between I Can’t Stand Still and Building/Beast, David Geffen switched Don over to his own now growing Geffen Records label. Before disputes and lawsuits arose between these two parties in the ’90s, Geffen also released Don’s even bigger seller in 1989, The End Of The Innocence (in part at least, as mentioned, due to its title track). No fewer than seven singles grew out of Innocence. Don followed this up years later, mid-’90s, by his compilation Actual Miles. He too provided duet vocals for Patty Smyth’s “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough.” Don’s next (and most recent) two albums were the most sporadic: 2000’s Inside Job (on Warner Bros. Records, known for the smash ballad “Taking You Home”), and 2015’s Cass County (on Capitol).

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Sadly, I’ve got no YT links to go with this song, as the original version of this song virtually does not exist on there. While Don does have a YT channel and a website, none of his 20th century material is there.

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Have notes to add (or some videos of the song)? Let me know!

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Don’s official website

Lyrics

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Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach / I feel it in the air, the summer’s out of reach / Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone / I’m driving by your house, though I know you’re not home / But I can see you / Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun / You got your hair combed back, and your sunglasses on, baby / I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone / I never will forget those nights, I wonder if it was a dream / Remember how you made me crazy, remember how I made you scream / Now I don’t understand, what happened to our love / But babe, I’m gonna get you back, I’m gonna show you what I’m made of / I can see you / Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun / I see you walkin’ real slow, and you’re smilin’ at everyone / And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone / Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac / A little voice inside my head said, “Don’t look back, you can never look back” / I thought I knew what love was, what did I know / Those days are gone forever, I should just let ’em go, but / I can see you / Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun / You got that top pulled down, and radio on, baby / And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone / I can see you / Your brown skin shinin’ in the sun / You got that hair slicked back, and those Wayfarers on, baby / And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone