Sunset Grill (song)

"Sunset Grill"
"Sunset Grill"
	File:Don-Henley-Sunset-Grill.jpg
Single by Don Henley
from the album Building the Perfect Beast
B-side	"Man with a Mission"
Released	August 1985
Recorded	1983-1984
Genre	Rock
Length	6:29 (album); 4:26 (single)
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Benmont Tench
Producer(s)	Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Greg Ladanyi
Don Henley singles chronology

"Sunset Grill" is a song by Don Henley from his 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast. The song peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart in January 1985.^[1] Released as the fourth single from the album in August 1985, it peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1985.^[2]

History

Patty Smyth sings harmony vocals on this song, while Pino Palladino plays fretless bass. Randy Newman arranged the synthesizer programming for the song.^[3]

The title and lyrics of the song reference the Sunset Grill, a hamburger restaurant on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.^[4]

Reception

Billboard said that the "deliberate rock beat and dense synths build an effective mood of aimless discontent."^[5] Cash Box said that "this melancholy and dynamic track is orchestrated beautifully and Henley’s vocals are right on."^[6]

Personnel

Don Henley – lead vocals
Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, E-mu Emulator
Benmont Tench – synthesizers
David Paich – acoustic piano solo
Danny Kortchmar – guitars, guitar synthesizer solo, horns solo
Pino Palladino – fretless bass
Patty Smyth – harmony vocals
Synthesizer arrangements by Michael Boddicker, Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Benmont Tench and Randy Newman.
Horns arrangements by Jerry Hey

Chart performance

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Australian (Kent Music Report)	98^[7]
Canada RPM Top Singles	52
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	22
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	18
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks	7
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 ^[8]	20

References

^ Whitburn, Joel. Rock Tracks (2002): 69
^ Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–1996 (1997): 274
^ Fremer, Michael (May 1, 2009). "Don Henley Finds His Thrill at The Sunset Grill".
^ Willman, Chris "The Sunset Grill is a Place to Sing About" Los Angeles Times January 2, 1986
^ "Reviews". Billboard. August 31, 1985. p. 82. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. August 31, 1985. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 137. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 26, 1985

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[1] Whitburn, Joel. Rock Tracks (2002): 69

[2] Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–1996 (1997): 274

[3] Fremer, Michael (May 1, 2009). "Don Henley Finds His Thrill at The Sunset Grill".

[4] Willman, Chris "The Sunset Grill is a Place to Sing About" Los Angeles Times January 2, 1986

[5] "Reviews". Billboard. August 31, 1985. p. 82. Retrieved 2022-08-01.

[cb-6] "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. August 31, 1985. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-01.

[aus-7] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 137. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[8] Cash Box Top 100 Singles, October 26, 1985

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v t e Don Henley
Studio albums	I Can't Stand Still Building the Perfect Beast The End of the Innocence Inside Job Cass County
Compilation albums	Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits The Very Best of Don Henley
Singles	"Johnny Can't Read" "Dirty Laundry" "The Boys of Summer" "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" "Not Enough Love in the World" "Sunset Grill" "The End of the Innocence" "New York Minute" "The Last Worthless Evening" "The Heart of the Matter" "The Garden of Allah" "Everybody Knows" "Taking You Home"
Guest singles	"Leather and Lace" "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" "Walkaway Joe" "Inside Out"
Related articles	Discography Eagles