Building the Perfect Beast is the second solo studio album by Don Henley, the lead vocalist and drummer for the Eagles. The album was released on 19 November 1984 on the Geffen label. A commercial and critical success, it is generally regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of Henley’s solo work.
For the album, Don Henley collaborated with members of the then line-up of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who contributed to the writing of the songs: guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench and drummer Stan Lynch, the last of which would later collaborate with Henley in composing the Eagles’ song “Learn to Be Still”, which was released on their live album Hell Freezes Over. The album also features contributions from Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist, Lindsey Buckingham, The Go-Go’s lead vocalist Belinda Carlisle, and features contributions from Randy Newman, Jim Keltner, Waddy Wachtel, Pino Palladino, Steve Porcaro, and Ian Wallace.
The album reached #13 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 3x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned four singles which all reached the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100, including “The Boys of Summer”, which would become one of Henley’s most popular songs and win him numerous awards, including a Grammy Award and four MTV Video Music Awards.
In 1989, the album was ranked No. 73 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “The 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s”.
Tracks
1 The Boys of Summer (Don Henley, Mike Campbell) 4:50
2 You Can’t Make Love (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar) 3:33
3 Man With A Mission (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, John David Souther) 2:45
4 You’re Not Drinking Enough (Danny Kortchmar) 4:41
5 Not Enough Love In The World (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Benmont Tench) 3:54
6 Building the Perfect Beast (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar) 5:01
7 All She Wants To Do Is Dance (Danny Kortchmar) 4:30
8 A Month of Sundays (Don Henley) 4:29
9 Sunset Grill (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Benmont Tench) 6:20
10 Drivin’ With Your Eyes Closed (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Stan Lynch) 3:38
11 Land of the Living (Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar) 3:23
Musicians
1 The Boys of Summer
Bass |
Larry Klein |
Guitar |
Mike Campbell |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
Steve Porcaro |
Synthesizer |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
Mike Campbell |
Percussion |
Mike Campbell |
2 You Can’t Make Love
Bass |
Pino Palladino |
Drums |
Don Henley |
Guitar |
Lindsey Buckingham |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Keyboards |
Benmont Tench |
Background Vocals |
Lindsey Buckingham |
3 Man With A Mission
Drums |
Don Henley |
Guitar |
Charlie Sexton |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
Danny Kortchmar |
Background Vocals |
Belinda Carlisle |
4 You’re Not Drinking Enough
Bass |
Tim Drummond |
Drums |
Don Henley |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Organ |
Danny Kortchmar |
Piano |
David Paich |
Synthesizer |
Steve Porcaro |
Background Vocals |
Sam Moore |
5 Not Enough Love In The World
Bass |
Tim Drummond |
Drums |
Ian Wallace |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Keyboards |
Benmont Tench |
Keyboards |
Don Henley |
Percussion |
Don Henley |
6 Building the Perfect Beast
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Keyboards |
Albhy Galuten |
Synthesizer |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
Don Henley |
Programming |
Michael Boddicker |
Percussion |
Danny Kortchmar |
Percussion |
Don Henley |
Percussion |
Kevin McCormick |
Background Vocals |
Patty Smyth |
7 All She Wants To Do Is Dance
Drums |
Don Henley |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
David Paich |
Programming |
Steve Porcaro |
Background Vocals |
Martha Davis |
Background Vocals |
Patty Smyth |
8 A Month of Sundays
Drums |
Don Henley |
Drums |
Jim Keltner |
Piano |
Benmont Tench |
Synthesizer |
David Paich |
Synthesizer |
Randy Newman |
9 Sunset Grill
Bass |
Pino Palladino |
Guitar (solo) |
Danny Kortchmar |
Piano |
David Paich |
Synthesizer |
Benmont Tench |
Synthesizer |
Michael Boddicker |
Synthesizer |
Danny Kortchmar |
Background Vocals |
Patty Smyth |
10 Drivin’ With Your Eyes Closed
Bass |
Danny Kortchmar |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Keyboards |
Danny Kortchmar |
Percussion |
Danny Kortchmar |
Percussion |
Don Henley |
Voice |
Dominique Mancinelli |
Voice |
Marie Pascale Elfman |
11 Land of the Living
Bass |
Pino Palladino |
Guitar |
Danny Kortchmar |
Synthesizer |
Bill Cuomo |
Percussion |
Danny Kortchmar |
Percussion |
Bill Cuomo |
Background Vocals |
Patty Smyth |
Liner Notes
Producer – Danny Kortchmar, Greg Ladanyi, Don Henley
Producer – Mike Campbell (Track 1)
Engineer – Greg Ladanyi
Engineer (Additional) – Niko Bolas
Engineer (Assistant) – Richard Bosworth
Engineer (Additional Assistant) – Dan Garcia, David Schober, Duane Seykora
Mastered By – Doug Sax, Mike Reese
Mixed By – Greg Ladanyi, Niko Bolas
Recorded By – Greg Ladanyi, Niko Bolas
Art Direction – Don Henley, Jeri McManus, Maren Jensen
Design – Jeri McManus
Photography – Herb Ritts
Mastered At The Mastering Lab
Recorded At Record One, Los Angeles
Recorded At Bill Schnee Studios
Recorded At The Villa
Phonographic Copyright The David Geffen Company
Copyright The David Geffen Company