How The Eagles Wrote “Take It Easy”

The inception of “Take It Easy” by the Eagles traces back to Jackson Browne, who initially began crafting the song for his debut album. However, he found himself grappling with its completion. At the time, Browne resided in an apartment in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and coincidentally, Glenn Frey lived upstairs. Frey, in need of fresh material for the Eagles, overheard Browne working on new songs.

Frey liked what he heard when Browne was working on new material and told him it was great. However, Browne admitted he was struggling to complete one song. Browne played what he had for Frey, and it was an unfinished song. But when they reached the second verse, Frey came up with a key line: “It’s a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me.”

This collaboration marked the turning point as Browne entrusted the song to Frey. The Eagles completed and recorded it, making it the lead track on their debut album and serving as their inaugural single.

Recognizing the significance of the song and crediting it as the Eagles’ global premiere, Frey was open about the division of effort and acknowledged Browne’s important contribution, comparing the incomplete version to a “package without the ribbon.”

Crafting “Take It Easy” and Aspen’s Nightly Encore

In an interview with Bob Costas, Frey shed light on what “Take It Easy” symbolized for the band:

“America’s first image of our band with the vistas of the Southwest and the beginnings of what became Country-Rock.”

Before entering the studio, the Eagles showcased the song in live performances during four sets a night at a club in Aspen, Colorado.