Dramatic, sinister, ominous. Eagles drummer, singer and songwriter always had a weakness for the downside of the sunny West Coast medal. However, he has never brought it to the fore more beautifully and forcefully, …
… as in the “New York Minute” written by him together with Danny Kortchmar and Jai Winding from his 1989 album “The End Of The Innocence”. In the monolith of a song extended to a pleasurable 6:37 minutes, he tells – using the example of a Wall Street manager – how quickly things can change in life. A thought, an action, once turned off wrong, and nothing is as it was. The previous life erased, for whatever reason. Co-author Danny Kortchmar told in an interview that Henley wanted to capture the late autumn atmosphere of New York, the sirens, the babble of voices, the rustling of leaves in Central Park. The composers staged the mysterious story grandiosely with dark jazzy harmonies carried by Pino Palladino’s fretless bass figures. Other musicians include David Paich and Jeff Porcaro (Toto) as well as the vocal artists of Take 6. Several acts tried cover versions of this dark pearl, including New York rapper French Montana feat. Nicki Minaj. But once again the original remains unsurpassed (video only available in live version with the Eagles).
