The Origin of Joe Walsh's 'Funk #49': A Tale of Creative Spontaneity
Choosing a song title can be a challenging task for artists, but for Joe Walsh's early band, James Gang, it was a matter of necessity. Before his time with the Eagles, Walsh was a key member of James Gang, a Cleveland-based hard rock and blues trio. Their first album, 'Yer’ Album', didn't gain much traction, but one of its singles, 'Funk #48', marked their first US chart entry, albeit at a modest 126th position.
The band's next single, from the album 'James Gang Rides Again', was named 'Funk #49'. This title was not chosen arbitrarily. In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Walsh revealed that the band had a habit of playing a particular 'funk jam' that they loved. They decided to name it 'Funk #49' as if it were a sequel to 'Funk #48', seemingly counting the number of times they played it.
However, their estimation of around 50 was incorrect. Walsh explained that they were in the studio with their engineer, Bill Szymczyk, when he pointed out that they couldn't have played it 50 times. So, they settled on 'Funk #49'. This creative decision showcases Walsh's imaginative approach to music, which would later contribute to his acclaimed work with the Eagles, such as 'Hotel California' and 'The Long Run'.
