Goodnight Said The Nightman: Don Henley Threatens To Sue Frank Ocean Over Use Of "Hotel California"

(Photo via passionweiss.com)

You know this was bound to happen. According to Frank Ocean (via his tumblr account), Don Henley has threatened to sue the R&B singer if he performs "American Wedding" live.

From Ocean's tumblr:

DON HENLEY IS APPARENTLY INTIMIDATED BY MY RENDITION OF HOTEL CALIFORNIA..

He threatened to sue if I perform it again. I think that's fuckin awesome.

For those of you still sleeping on "Nostalgia,Ultra.", A) Seriously? Have you not read our top 10 of 2011? The mixtape is free and amazing! and B) Ocean puts his own twist on the Eagles' classic "Hotel California" as he rewrote the lyrics and renamed it "American Wedding". The music is exactly the same, solos and all, but he did put his stamp on the vocal delivery.

Ocean is def taking this in stride as he considers the threat an honor. And he should. The Eagles are a legendary band. "California" is an iconic anthem. The fact that Henley, who sings vocals on the original track, is supposedly "intimidated" by Ocean's rendition shows the divide in attitude between the old and new school.

Henley should've reached out to Ocean and suggest throwing his vocals on "Wedding". A colabo to stay relevant if you will. Old man Henley needs to realize that his band and their most recognizable track has been introduced to a whole new audience. Another opportunity lost, tarnished by a legal threat instead of engaging in an open dialogue. Ocean's fans know who Henley is now. He's the old school bad guy who's afraid of anything new.

-Paqman