Take It to the Limit – The Note That Broke The Eagles
“Take It to the Limit” might sound like a soaring anthem of freedom and pushing boundaries, but behind the scenes, it was the song that broke The Eagles apart—at least for a time.
Released in 1975, the song was co-written by Randy Meisner, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey. It became the only Eagles single with Meisner on lead vocals, and one of the band’s most beloved songs. But that high note at the end—the impossibly sustained falsetto—became Meisner’s prison.
Night after night on tour, fans expected him to hit that final note live. But as the tour wore on, Meisner grew tired. His confidence wavered. He was battling health issues, exhaustion, and most of all, the anxiety of having to reach a note that didn’t always come.
In a now-infamous moment backstage during a 1977 show in Knoxville, Tennessee, Meisner told Glenn Frey he didn’t want to sing the song that night. Frey exploded. The two shouted at each other. That night, Meisner walked off the tour—and would soon leave the band altogether.
Years later, Meisner confessed:
“It was hard for me to keep hitting that note night after night. It got to where I didn’t want to do it anymore. But they made me feel like I had to.”
What started as a beautiful song about never giving up, ironically, led to the departure of its most fragile voice. It was a silent cry from a man who had gone too far, too long, without rest.
Today, when fans hear “Take It to the Limit,” they often sing along without knowing the price Meisner paid—note by note—for one of the band’s greatest hits.
Eagles – Take It To The Limit (Live 1977)
Lyrics
All alone at the end of the evening
When the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking ’bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew
You know I’ve always been a dreamer
(Spent my life running ’round)
And it’s so hard to change
(Can’t seem to settle down)
But the dreams I’ve seen lately
Keep on turning out and burning out
And turning out the same
So put me on a highway
And show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time
You can spend all your time making money
You can spend all your love making time
If it all fell to pieces tomorrow
Would you still be mine?
And when you’re looking for your freedom
(Nobody seems to care)
And you can’t find the door
(Can’t find it anywhere)
When there’s nothing to believe in
Still you’re coming back, you’re running back
You’re coming back for more
So put me on a highway
And show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit one more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Come on and
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
You got to
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Come on and
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
One more time
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
Take it to the limit
One more time