Take It Easy is a song written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, and most famously recorded by the Eagles with Frey singing lead vocals. It was the bands first single, released on May 1, 1972. It peaked at No.on the July 22, 1972 Billboard Hot 100 chart, after debuting at No. 79 on June 3. It also was the opening track on the bands debut album Eagles and it has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums. It is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fames 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
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 thenneighbor Glenn Frey heard an early version and later asked Browne about it. Browne then played the unfinished second verse that begins with Well, Im astandin on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see, and Frey finished the verse with Its a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin down to take a look at me. The resulting song became the first track on the band debut album and was released as their first single.Browne told a version of the story in a radio interview, praising Frey I knew Glenn Frey from playing these clubs we kept showing up at the same clubs and singing on the openmic 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 wouldnt be ready in time. He said well, well put it on, well do it, cause he liked it, Browne explained. But it wasnt 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, whats more, arranged it in a way that was far superior to what I had written. ........
Source: Wikipedia