Glenn Frey in a Q&A with Billboard magazine on October 12, 2007 said: "The story with 'How Long' is my kids were watching YouTube one night about seven months ago and they said, "Dad, come here. You've got to look at yourself." [YouTube] took it down shortly after I watched it, but they were streaming this show called Pop Gala, a television special we did in 1974 in Holland. I guess we did about eight or nine songs on this show and one of them was 'How Long.' My kids were laughing at how long my hair was, and there we were playing this J.D. Souther song. And my wife said, 'You should do this song Glenn.
This is classic Eagles.' And I said, 'You know, you're right.' I think we learned it but we didn't record it back in '74 because J.D. Souther wanted to use it on his first solo album, if I'm not mistaken. So it just sort of sat there, but it was rediscovered and I thought, 'I really think we should cut this, this would fit in nicely with some of the other stuff we have on the album.' So we did."
Lyrics
Like a blue bird with his heart removed, lonely as a train
I've run just as far as I can run
If I never see the good old days shinin' in the sun
I'll be doin' fine and then some
How long, how long
Woman will you weep
How long, how long
Rock yourself to sleep
Well I been doin' time in lonesome prison, where the sun don't shine
Just outside, the freedom river runs
Out there in that shiny night, with blood hounds on your mind
Don't you know it's the same sad situation?
Everybody feels alright you know, I heard some poor fool say (somebody ooh)
Everyone is out there on the loose
Well I wish I lived in the land of fools, no one knew my name
But what you get is not quite what you choose
Tell me, how long, how long
Woman will you weep
How long, how long
Rock yourself to sleep
How long, how long (long and drawn out)
Muddy River runs so deep
How long, how long (long and drawn out)
Good night baby, rock yourself to sleep
Sleep tight baby, rock yourself to sleep
Be-be-be, bye bye baby, rock yourself to sleep
Songwriters: John Souther
How Long lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc