Eagles - Take It Easy

Sunday, time for a classic.

"Take It Easy" is a song written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, and recorded by the EAGLES with Frey singing lead vocals. It was the band's first single, released on May 1, 1972. It also was the opening track on the band's debut album "Eagles" and it has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums. It is listed as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Jackson Browne later recorded the song as the lead track on his second album, "For Everyman" (1973), and released it as a single as well, although it did not chart. Travis Tritt also covered the song for the 1993 EAGLES' tribute album "Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles"; the video for Tritt's version is notable for the appearance of all five members of the EAGLES together the first time in 13 years after their break-up, and it led to the reunion of the band a few months later.

Jackson Browne originally began writing "Take It Easy" in 1971 for his own eponymous debut album but was having difficulty finishing the song. His friend and then-neighbor Glenn Frey had heard an early version and later asked Browne about it. Browne then played the unfinished second verse that begins with "Well, I'm a-standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona...", and Frey finished the verse with "It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me." Browne was very happy with the result and suggested that they co-write the song. The resulting song became the first track on the EAGLES' debut album and was released as their first single.

Browne told a version of the story in a radio interview: "I knew Glenn Frey from playing these clubs - we kept showing up at the same clubs and singing on the open-mic nights. Glenn happened to come by to say 'hi,' and to hang around when I was in the studio, and I showed him the beginnings of that song, and he asked if I was going to put it on my record and I said it wouldn't be ready in time. He said 'well, we'll put it on, we'll do it,' 'cause he liked it," Browne explained. "But it wasn't finished, and he kept after me to finish it, and finally offered to finish it himself. And after a couple of times when I declined to have him finish my song, I said, 'all right.' I finally thought, 'This is ridiculous. Go ahead and finish it. Do it.' And he finished it in spectacular fashion. And, what's more, arranged it in a way that was far superior to what I had written."

Today's clip is live from 1977, enjoy!



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