Did The Eagles Really Rip-Off Jethro Tull?

In the early 1970s, the Eagles, led by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon, skyrocketed to fame with their distinctive mix of country rock. Songs like “Take It Easy” and “One of These Nights” brought them international recognition, and by 1975, they were one of the world’s most successful and beloved bands.

Leadon’s Departure From the Eagles

In 1975, fans were taken aback when Bernie Leadon left the Eagles. Many thought he departed because he disliked the band’s shift from country rock to a more pop-rock sound. But Leadon dismissed this idea in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview, stating:

“That’s an oversimplification. It implies that I had no interest in rock or blues or anything but country rock. That’s just not the case. I didn’t just play Fender Telecaster. I played a Gibson Les Paul, and I enjoyed rock ‘n’ roll. That’s evident from the early albums.”

After Leadon’s exit, Joe Walsh from James Gang stepped in, and the Eagles soared to new heights. Their fifth album, Hotel California, released in 1976, featured the title track that topped the Billboard Hot 100.

The Hotel California Coincidence

When “Hotel California” hit the airwaves, listeners couldn’t help but notice its similarity to Jethro Tull’s 1969 song “We Used To Know.” In the music world, such similarities often spark lawsuits, but this wasn’t the case between these two bands.

Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson touched on the subject in a 2010 chat with Steve Davis. He believed the likeness between the songs wasn’t intentional but rather a result of unconscious influence. Anderson shared:

“A lot of people have mentioned to me the apparent similarity between ‘We Used To Know’ on the Stand Up album and the Eagles’ ‘Hotel California.’ I had never really drawn any comparison at all until many, many years later, after ‘Hotel California’ came out.”

Reflecting on a 1972 encounter with the Eagles, he noted that they might have subconsciously picked up elements of “We Used To Know” from Jethro Tull’s performance while backstage. “It’s not a deliberate act of plagiarism,” Anderson said, suggesting any similarities were coincidental.

In the end, it seems the echoes between these two legendary songs are more about influence and chance than deliberate copying.