Released April 1979 Length 3:54 | Genre Rock Label A&M | |
Recorded MRI Recording Studio, Hollywood, California Writer(s) Barry De Vorzon, Joe Walsh | ||
"In the City" is a rock song written by Barry De Vorzon and Joe Walsh. It was first recorded by Walsh and released on the soundtrack for the 1979 film The Warriors. Another version of the song recorded by the Eagles was included on their album The Long Run, released the same year.
Contents
Background
The track was first recorded by guitarist Joe Walsh for the soundtrack to the 1979 movie The Warriors; the Eagles liked what they heard and decided to record it for their album The Long Run.
A video was made for the track. It features a staged recording session of the song, with Joe Walsh playing a Gibson double neck guitar using the 12-string neck for the rhythm parts and the 6-string neck for the slide guitar parts; Timothy B. Schmit played a Fender bass; Don Felder used a Fender Stratocaster; Don Henley used an 8-piece Ludwig drum kit with Paiste cymbals; Glenn Frey on piano; and Joe Vitale on congas.
Although not released as a single, the track became an album-oriented rock radio favorite in the U.S. and a Walsh concert staple. It is also featured on the Eagles' 1994 Hell Freezes Over album and video; in this version, the song ends with a slower version of the guitar hook from the Beatles' 1966 hit Day Tripper.
Covers
The song was covered by rapper Anybody Killa on his 2003 debut album Hatchet Warrior, released on Psychopathic Records.
In popular culture
The song appears in the episode "The Winter of His Content" of The Simpsons. The episode parodies the 1979 movie The Warriors which also had the song in its soundtrack.