My Peaceful Easy Feeling

My Peaceful Easy Feeling story: One of many summers, while my parents had an above-ground pool, we’d have a radio playing while in the backyard, and many an Eagles song would play.  Oh the good ole days!  Now I can’t be out in the sun too long due to suffering heatstroke several years ago.  At least I CAN STILL ENJOY THOSE EAGLES!  Thanks! Kimberly

I’ve always been a fan of anything the Eagles produced and Peaceful Easy Feeling remains at the top of my list.  I was recently informed of what inspired you to (finish) the lyrics of Peaceful Easy Feeling; eating hot dogs at Der Wienerschnitzel on Washington and First in Hillcrest San Diego while watching pretty girls walk by.  How ironic as that property was co-owned by my uncle during the 70’s and has since been transferred to me.  The Wienerschnitzel is still selling dogs at the same location and the girls are still walking down the sidewalk!  Thanks for a great song and purchasing a hot dog! -Craig

Peaceful, easy feeling is hard wired in my brain.  My hubbie plays guitar and we have sung this song more times than I can count.  I never get tired of it, and whenever there’s a campfire with a crowd of people, everyone knows it and sings along.  It truly is one of my favorites, Thank you sharing your song.  :) -Lena

In 1973 My mother and us 4 kids rented a u-haul and drove from the St Louis area to Carlsbad, New Mexico.  I was 15 and thought the world had ended…. Then I heard this anthem song and realized how perfect it fit.  I now live in St Louis and turn it up and play it for my now wife.  She doesn’t appreciate like I do.  WOW!!!! What a moment.  Thanks Jack!!! -Joe

Jack, back in the day when I’d listen to the Eagles, it gave ME a peaceful, easy feelin’ to listen to THAT song right before finals.  Somehow, it relaxed me and I had confidence I would ace that test !!!  Thank you for all the times since then I’d need a breather, a break from life… and I’ve got this feeling I know you…”  Thank you from my heart, Jack.  :)  My best regards always, Mark

Hello Jack and thanks for the new tune! About ten years ago I was playing a Wednesday nite at the Green Lantern  in Napa with Greg Bohen, when some fella who had a bit much challenged another patron to a bottle fight. The music stopped to the sound of broken bottles and the two self righteous drunken giants faced off and circled each other, broken bottles in hand… you could have heard a pick drop. And the pick dropped on that song of yours Peaceful Easy Feeling. The two pugilistic punks couldn’t fight to that tune and started laughing and the rest of the bar sang along… ya never know where these things go!!! Best wishes, M

I was on my way to the hospital in Miami, in full swing labor pains with my first daughter. This song came on the radio. I thought I was going to loose my mind from the contractions…so my NOT so Peaceful Easy Feeling became a sweet memory of the delivery of our first daughter. Every time we hear it that come to our mind straight away. Thank you for that. Little did you know that you had such an influence that lead to the Peaceful Easy Feeling that I live my life by. -Ginnie

Yesterday this classic was playing on the radio & there I was 16 all over again.. I can remember listening to Peaceful Easy Feeling with my first love.. we were both caught up in the song singing it & I belted out “With a million frogs all around” instead of “stars”. I never did live that down & forever changed the lyrics of the song (for the two of us, at least) that night.. It is now 20 plus years later & sadly, me & my first love both went our separate ways.. but we will forever have our memories & a moment in time, that will always be reminded by amazing songs like this one, that take you right back!

I am a freelance writer and recently was asked what my favorite song is.  I had to think about this for a couple of weeks because there are a lot of great songs out there. 

I realized, after remembering so many songs and what they meant to me, that if I had one song to choose to stay with me it would be Peaceful Easy Feeling. 

I suppose I could say that it is because the song came out the year I graduated high school, but that isn’t the whole story.  Its upbeat tune, great musical interlude in the middle, and lyrics are a wonderful combination that just lifts my heart and soul.

Partly a song symbolizing the freedom from high school, partly a call to adventure, I fantasized myself being that girl in the desert with a ‘billion stars all around’.  I suppose, many decades later, I still fantasize about being that ‘special’ girl for someone who can recognize the ‘peaceful easy feeling’ that comes from being in the right relationship.

Jack, thank you for writing this brilliant song, which has all of the right ingredients for a joyful, meaningful song for so many people.  Its longevity is its legacy.

I think I first heard you sing Peaceful Easy Feeling sometime in 1979… I think.  I was staying at my brother’s place just before leaving to go to the UK.  I had heard the song sung by The Eagles on many occasions… but one morning I woke up to the most amazing sound I had ever heard.  I lay in bed and listened to the very familiar song… but it sounded way BETTER than I had ever heard.  When it had finished I went out and asked who the hell that was… my brother had “borrowed” the album from a friend - I think from memory the album was called 15 Days under the hood (I know that one of the songs on the album was called this anyway).  I decided to “borrow” the album from my brother and so I listed to it obsessively until my UK departure… when I packed up all my belongings and put them into storage for the next eight months while I travelled (including my “borrowed” album).

On my return to Australia I had re-established myself and my belongings and my friend (who was also a friend of my brother) was at my home and I was playing Peaceful Easy Feeling and he said… “where did you get that album” and I said “I borrowed it off my brother” and he said “it’s mine… he borrowed it off me”… and for 30 odd years that was the end of my beloved record!!!  I searched in vain but could not find another copy of the album.  Friends searched… families searched… but to no avail.  Over the years I have looked through every old collection of albums in every op shop and second hand store that I could find… hoping to come across a copy… nope… no luck!  And then… thank god for the internet!!  I have found JACK TEMPCHIN!!! hahahaha and I have heard many versions of Peaceful Easy Feeling over the years… but none so pretty as the way that Jack sings it!  I am a fan… no doubt about it… but hey - still haven’t found that early album - any ideas?????

Love ya Jack!!! 

When I was 10 years old, my first 8-Track was Eagles 71-75.   That 8-track lasted for 8 years, and formed the soundtrack of my teenage years.  No telling how many copies of that song I’ve owned over the years, but I’ll never forget that 8-Track my Mom bought me.

I had been vacationing in Mexico in the winter of 1991 and had been missing my girlfriend Keri while down there.  On my Walkman I had Eagles Greatest Hits and Peaceful Easy Feeling  always reminded me of her. Needless to say, I had come up with the idea of proposing to her when I got back.

After arriving back LAX I got in the car to head out.  I got to an intersection where going straight meant going to the jewelry store to get an engagement ring and turning right simply meant heading home.  Indecision and jitters were getting the best of me.  A that moment, at that light signal the song Peaceful Easy Feeling came on the radio and I knew what I had to do.

We have been married since 1992 and have two beautiful children.  PEF always has a special place in my heart.

I would like to say that at various times in my life, a variety of songs have healed me.  This is definately one of them - it brings a ray of hope, and accessibility of the dream of calmness and total happiness in the midst of dealing with life’s many chaotic moments and events.  I absolutely love this song, it has been an inspiration for me as a songwriter, an actress, a girlfriend, a daughter and a person.

I am happy to have the opportunity to tell my “Peaceful Easy Feeling” story.  I experienced the most peaceful easy feeling of my life singing this song with Jack at his tribute last weekend at Anthology.  He invited his friends to sing with him on stage at the end of his show, and my friends were mad at me for not going on stage, because they know what a musical inspiration Jack has been for me.  I found solace in simply moving chairs  to be a little bit closer and sang with all my heart with Jack and the audience “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and flashed peace signs and smiled with all my heart after singing.  I later saw Ringo flashing the same peace signs on his “Love and Peace Tour” on television.  I guess we’re all connected through the music.  Jack has been a musical inspiration to me throughout my life, as I was raising 3 sons in Solana Beach for the last 20 years.  I first ran into Jack 20 years ago at a local Chinese restaurant where he was performing.  I was the only person in the restaurant, and I was running to escape the intensity of single motherhood.  I listened to Jack and had dinner, and I went home and wrote songs all night long.  Through the years, I continuously would randomly run into Jack as he was performing at local venues.  It was inevitable that I would run into him at moments when I needed the release of writing a new song, and he musically inspired me.  I remember he said 2 things on stage that night at the Chinese restaurant that I never forgot and that gave me strength and courage through the years as I raised my sons alone.  He said something to the effect of “you’ve got to show up” and “songwriters are people that things happen to and then they write about them.”  Now 20 years later, my 3 sons have grown into very fine young men who are working hard to make their dreams come true, and I have the best job I’ve ever had.  I guess you could say I’ve landed on my feet in a certain sense.  20 years ago Jack listened to one of my demo tapes and commented that he liked my song, “Diamond in my Mind”.  I’m happy to report that like my sons who have grown into people I am proud of, my songs have also developed over time.  I am now playing for fun with a band of 3 guitars, drums, and I am on piano and sing.  The same songs that Jack listened to 20 years ago, have grown into complete songs with a full ensemble of instruments to enhance the music.  Of course, after listening to Jack and other homegrown musicians at Anthology, I have been musically inspired one more time.  I have songs dancing in my soul that are about to be born.  I want to thank Jack one more time for helping me find that “peaceful easy feeling” that is so hard to find.