Eagles’ “King of Hollywood” Lyrics Meaning

Asylum Records released “King of Hollywood” on 24 September 1979 as part of The Eagles’ LP “The Long Run”. That was actually the last studio album the group put out before going on an extended hiatus in 1980, thus ending what proved to be a historically-successful run during the 1970s. 

That said, even though “The Long Run” was a notable success, “King of Hollywood” doesn’t rank amongst the more popular tracks in the band’s catalog, presumably because this one was not issued as a single.

Don Henley and Glenn Frey (1948-2016), the two biggest names behind The Eagles, are credited with writing this song. And as with the album, the track was produced by a regular companion of the band, Bill Szymczyk.

“King of Hollywood” is based on the Harvey Weinsteins of the World

It’s interesting that The Eagles, despite their heyday lasting less than a decade, proved to be one of the top-selling acts in music industry history, because some of their works are notably critical of the mainstream, in a manner of speaking. 

For instance, their signature song, “Hotel California” (1976), is so scathing an interpretation of the much-sought-after L.A. lifestyle that it’s borderline biblical.

And so it is with “King of Hollywood”, with the titular character reading like some type of seedy yet powerful casting director. Indeed, if this track were dropped in more recent times, it would be easy to conclude that Harvey Weinstein served as its inspiration, though that logically wouldn’t be the case. 

Rather, it has been theorized that this composition may have been spurred  by Don Henley being snubbed for a role that he was initially promised.

Or either way you flip it, this song, which was composed by professional musicians successful enough to be knowledgeable of Hollywood’s inner workings, illustrates the types of interactions that transpire when starlet fever is met with an unscrupulous bigwig. 

This being the 1970s and all, the lyrics aren’t painfully graphic. But what they illustrate is how the likes of a casting director may use his standing to fuel the dreams of aspiring female stars yet with his own personal gratification in mind.

The Predator King

Dreams is the keyword there, as by the looks of things the “King of Hollywood” has a tendency to run through quite a few starlets, ultimately leaving them high, dry and unsatisfied.   

In other words, the subject’s position and wealth is such that, most simply put, he is able to readily prey on starlets. And again, even though the lyrics don’t really go there, The Eagles proceed to diss the damn out the “King of Hollywood”, implying for instance that he’s sexually impotent and rather gets his jollies off by exerting power over others, i.e. naïve young women. 

And to reiterate, as inferred by the title this is the type of shenanigans which, according to The Eagles, would be standard amongst the upper echelons of Hollywood, which is the entertainment capital of the world. 

Indeed these days, some 40 years after the dropping of this track, it has become increasingly common for actresses, including some A listers, to admit that they have in fact been subject to casting couch experiences.

“Well, he sits up there on his leatherette
Looks through pictures of the ones that he hasn’t had yet
When he thinks he wants a closer look
He gets out his little black telephone book”