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The Eagles’ debut single “Take It Easy” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons.

“Take It Easy” was released on single in May 1972 backed with “Get You in the Mood” and was the opening song on the band’s self-titled debut album released the following month.

The Eagles’ “Take It Easy” began life as a Jackson Browne composition intended for his first album. Browne wasn’t sure how to finish the song, so presented it to his friend Glenn Frey who was bringing together material for the debut album of his new group, the Eagles.

Jackson Browne recalled the incident in an interview with Uncut in August 2010:

“During a break in the middle of recording the first album, I took a road trip in this old beat-up Willys Jeep and I went to Utah and Arizona. On that trip I started to write ‘Take It Easy’, and when I came back, I played it for Glenn Frey, and he asked if the Eagles could cut it when it was done. So I said, ‘Just finish it,’ and he wrote the last verse and turned it into a real song. It was their first single, and what those guys did with it was incredible.”

Browne had written the first verse, which tells of a young man who is preoccupied with the attention he receives from seven women, including four who want to “own” him, two who want to “stone” him, and one who wants to be his friend. No wonder he needs a time-out to “take it easy”! Glenn Frey added the second verse, with the evocative image of “standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona” while a girl in a flat-bed Ford slows down to look at him. This lyric became so popular that a “Standin’ On the Corner” park was created in Winslow to commemorate the song, complete with a life-size statue and mural.

The extended “e” in “easy” was also a Frey addition and an excellent decision as it showcased the band’s accomplished harmonies.

The single and album were well received, with Bud Scoppa of Rolling Stone offering the following praise for the song in his June 1972 review:

“The Eagles’ ‘Take It Easy,’ is simply the best sounding rock single to come out so far this year. The first time through, you could tell it had everything: danceable rhythm, catchy, winding melody, intelligent, affirmative lyrics, a progressively powerful arrangement mixing electric guitar and banjo, and a crisp vocal, with vibrant four-part harmony at just the right moments for maximum dramatic effect. To top it off, ‘Take It Easy’ was co-written by Jackson Browne and Eagle Glen Frey, whose vocal on the record fell somewhere between Browne and Rick Nelson… Each time I listen to ‘Take It Easy,’ it unfurls new pleasures.”

More than 40 years on, Scoppa’s review still resonates. Time has not diminished the impact of the lush production, crisp harmonies and catchy melody. There should also be mention of the distinctive intro, which highlights that sometimes the simple ideas are the best ideas.

“Take It Easy” was a fine way for the band to announce itself to the world.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have included “Take It Easy” in their list of “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”.

“Take It Easy” – The Eagles

Authorship

“Take It Easy” was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey.

Recording date/location

“Take It Easy” was recorded in February 1972 at Olympic Sound Studios, London.

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “Take It Easy”:

• Glenn Frey – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• Bernie Leadon – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals
• Randy Meisner – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Don Henley – drums, backing vocals.

(left-right) Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey

Chart performance

“Take It Easy” peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 16, 1972.

Notable other versions

“Take It Easy” – Jackson Browne

Co-writer of “Take It Easy,” Jackson Browne, recorded his version after the Eagles and featured it on his second album, “For Everyman”. Browne’s version has a lot in common with the Eagles’ original, with the main distinction being the interesting pedal steel guitar work by Pete Kleinow and the increasingly lively percussion as the song draws to a close. On the album, the song crossfades into the song “Our Lady of the Well.”

“Take It Easy” – Travis Tritt

Travis Tritt’s cover of “Take It Easy” was recorded for the 1993 multi-artist tribute album “Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles,” which benefited Don Henley’s Walden Woods Project. The production is heavier than on the original, but it’s done tastefully, and Tritt’s vocal is convincing. The video would have positive consequences for fans of the Eagles as Tritt’s suggestion that the band reunite to appear in his video apparently inspired them to put together the Hell Freezes Over tour.

The Eagles’ “Take It Easy” is available on their debut album “Eagles” and a number of compilations, including the 2-CD “The Very Best of the Eagles” (released as “The Complete Greatest Hits” in the UK).

It also appears on the recent 6-CD box set “Eagles – The Studio Albums 1972-1979”.

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Eagles	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
The Very Best of the Eagles	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Eagles – The Studio Albums 1972-1979	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now