About The Song
Randy Meisner penned several songs for the Eagles, but “Take It To The Limit” is arguably his best effort. The high note Meisner hits at the end of the song never fails to impress when listening back to this track. However, this song wasn’t just a successful bout of co-writing for Meisner, it also caused contention within the band. Check out the meaning behind this track and the story behind the backstage fight it caused, below.
A touring musician pushes life to its limits. Endless weeks and months on the road, powerhouse performances every night, and limited sleep are not a cycle just anyone could weather. That’s the onus behind “Take It To The Limit.”
In the lyrics, Meisner says he finds this lifestyle almost too much to bear. Nevertheless, he agrees to keep on pushing forward.
“The line ‘take it to the limit’ was to keep trying,” he once explained. “You reach a point in your life where you feel you’ve done everything and seen everything – it’s part of getting old. And just to take it to the limit one more time, like every day just keep punching away at it.”
You know I’ve always been a dreamer
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
Show me a sign
Take it to the limit
One more time
Though the recorded version of this track sees Meisner flawlessly hit a soaring high note, it wasn’t always easy for him to replicate. It caused him an immense amount of anxiety while on tour.
As the story goes, Meisner was set to perform the track as an encore at an Eagles show but ultimately refused to do so. The decision didn’t sit right with Frey, causing a fight to break out between the two band members.
Meisner left the group soon after, finding himself at odds with the band. Despite the difficulty this song caused, it remains one of Meisner’s finest efforts.
Video
Lyrics
All alone at the end of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking ’bout a woman
Who might have loved me
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
Show me a sign
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…
Put me on a highway
Show me a sign
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)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
Come on
(take it to the limit)
One more time
(take it to the limit)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
We gotta
(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)
W-e-e…
(take it to the limit)
Come on
(take it to the limit)
One more time
(take it to the limit)
Aaah-aaah-aaah
(take it to the limit)
Aaah-aaah
(take it to the limit)
One more time…
(take it to the limit)
(take it to the limit)