Vassallo: A Peaceful Easy Feeling

Video from YouTube page: Meisnettes – Randy Meisner Fans

The year 1973 was a strange, but interesting year for me as well as Ole Miss.

I was living in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The Rebels were in a state of transition, and The Eagles were being introduced to Billboard’s Top 40.

Ole Miss began that season with Billy Kinard as the Head Football Coach, but following a loss to then Memphis State in game 3 in Jackson, the great Johnny Vaught would return for his 25th season as CEO of Rebel Football. The Rebs would finish 6-5, 4-3 in the league with a typical Vaught ending, defeating No. 16 Tennessee 28-18 followed by State 38-10. Both games were in Jackson as well. The Rebs played five times in Jackson that season, but only twice in Oxford, winning both (Southern Miss and Vanderbilt.)

One of my most favorite songs ever surfaced early that year, written by Jack Tempchin. It was recorded by The Eagles at the Olympic Sound Studios in London. The melody and the words were worthy of lasting a lifetime which they have: “And I found out a long time ago, What a woman can do to your soul. Ah, but she can’t take you any way, You don’t already know how to go.”

One of the strangest things that happened that year was that “Peaceful Easy Feeling” only reached No. 22 in the charts and disappeared after six weeks. The number one songs that year included artists Carly Simon, Elton John, Roberta Flack, George Harrison and Vicki Lawrence, just to name a few. The Eagles’ incredible hit was trumped by “Crocodile Rock” and a host of others as the music that year was also in a state of transition.

I would leave Pine Bluff the next year, headed to Memphis, where I was even closer to Oxford. The Eagles would continue their upward and onward chart rise with future hits such as “Already Gone” (1974) and later five number one songs including the 1977 Grammy award winning Record of the Year, “Hotel California.”

“Peaceful Easy Feeling”, as great as it was and still is, was a disappointment in the charts. However, the lyrics still ring in my ears, especially at times when friends can also disappoint.

“Cause I get a peaceful easy feeling, And I know you won’t let me down, Cause I’m already standing, I’m already standing, Yes, I’m already standing on the ground.”

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.

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