Our Top 10 Joe Walsh Songs list looks at the musical career of one of the most exciting musicians in classic rock history. Hailed as one of the best guitarists of the past 45 years by many famous musicians and fans, Joe Walsh has left his mark on classic rock history in various ways. He has contributed to the story of Classic Rock as a member of bands such as The James Gang, Barnstorm, and, of course, The Eagles.
Joe Walsh has also contributed his talents as a guitarist on many studio and live albums released by some of classic rock history’s most legendary artists, including Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, America, Rick Derringer, Warren Zevon, Ringo Starr, and many more.
Despite his prolific career working with so many great artists, Joe Walsh has also cemented his name in rock history as a solo artist with an impressive catalog of solo albums. This top 10 Joe Walsh songs list will examine just the material Joe Walsh released on his solo albums. The point of the article is to highlight his solo records. You will not find songs written by Joe Walsh on this list like “Life In The Fast Lane” or “Walk Away” because those songs were written when he was a member of The Eagles and The James Gang. If we were to include all the material he composed with those groups, we would not be able to present some of the solo album material that some fans may not be aware of.
# 10 – Second Hand Store
We open our Top 10 Joe Walsh Songs list with a track from one of his most successful solo albums, But Seriously, Folks…The album featured an array of guest musicians, including Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Timothy B. Schmit on backing vocals. The harmonies and lead vocals on “Second Hand Store” helped deliver a song that sounded like an Eagles song. It is one of the strongest and most underrated Joe Walsh songs ever released.
# 9 – Lucky That Way
In 2012, Joe Walsh released a brilliant album entitled Analog Man. In a world overwhelmed by electronic beats and loops, a record like Analog Man
clearly defined the virtues of true musicianship. “Lucky That Way” is a biographical song that presents Joe Walsh’s outlook and appreciation of his incredible musical career. The song “Lucky That Way” also featured Ringo Starr on drums as well as Rick Rosas on bass and Bruce Sugar on organ.
# 8 – Falling Down
The excellent track “Falling Down” was released on the album So What. The record was Joe Walsh’s third solo album. It was released in 1974. The song “Falling Down” was written by Joe Walsh and Don Henley. It’s simply a breathtakingly beautiful song. Don Henley sang background vocals on the track.
# 7 – “Tie” Problems / The Confessor
The Confessor album was Joe Walsh’s Progressive Rock masterpiece. We were torn between the great lengthy track “The Confessor” and the album’s opening cut “Problems.” So, we listed them both. The Confessor
is an album that may surprise some rock fans. Great stuff!
# 6 – Meadows
In 1973, Joe Walsh released his debut solo album, The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get. The album remains the biggest-selling solo album of his career. It is his only platinum-selling record. The great song “Meadows” was never released as a single, but it was one of the finest songs on the album.
# 5 – All Night Long
“All Night Long,” is the first of two Joe Walsh songs written for motion pictures. The song “All Night Long,” was released on the soundtrack to the John Travolta / Debra Winger film Urban Cowboy. The Eagles later released a live version of the song, but it originally was just a Joe Walsh solo piece.
# 4 – In The City
The second of the two Joe Walsh songs on this list written for films appeared on the soundtrack to the motion picture The Warriors. The song fits perfectly in the film’s closing scene filmed on Coney Island in the borough of Brooklyn, New York. Once again, The Eagles and Joe re-recorded the song and later released it on The Long Run
album. However, in its initial release and in the version you hear below, it was all solo Joe.
# 3 – A Life Of Illusion
The last three songs on our top 10 Joe Walsh songs list may be pretty obvious. These three were the biggest hits of Joe Walsh’s solo career. The Joe Walsh song “Life Of Illusion” was released on the There Goes the Neighborhood album. The record was released in 1981. “Life of Illusion” was a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
# 2 – Rocky Mountain Way
One of the hallmarks of the Joe Walsh sound was not just the great guitar riffs and solos that the man employed but the space in between those riffs that Walsh utilized so brilliantly. Like the old blues saying, “Less is more,” Joe Walsh knew how those silent beats in between the iconic riffs only made the licks more powerful. “Rocky Mountain Way” was a perfect example of that.
The song “Rocky Mountain Way” was released on the album The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get in 1973. It was released as a single and reached the number 23 position on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by all four members of Barnstorm, including Joe Walsh, Kenny Passarelli, Joe Vitale, and Rocke Grace.
# 1 – Life’s Been Good
As we reach the number one spot on our Top 10 Joe Walsh song list, there should be no doubt that the great song “Life’s Been Good” would come in at number one. The song was released in 1978 on the incredible But Seriously, Folks… album. “Life’s Been Good” is the most successful single Joe Walsh ever released from one of his solo albums. The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
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