“James Dean” is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Jackson Browne, and J. D. Souther, and recorded by the American rock band Eagles for their 1974 album On the Border. It was the second single released from this album, reaching number 77 on the U.S. pop singles chart.
The song is about American actor and cultural icon James Dean (1931–1955). He starred in such films as Rebel Without a Cause, Giant and East of Eden before his death in 1955. The lyrics, “too fast to live, too young to die” reflect his mischievous and dangerous lifestyle.
“James Dean” was recorded in the early stages of what would become Desperado in 1973 but was shelved as the project evolved into a wild-west themed album. When recording began for On the Border, the song was immediately pulled off the shelf and completed.
The B-side “Good Day in Hell” is notable for being the first Eagles track recorded with Don Felder, who joined the band midway through the sessions for the album.
