'Take It Easy': The Eagles Hit Was Originally Written for Jackson Browne

Believe it or not, but "Take It Easy," one of the Eagles' biggest hits of all time, was originally meant for another artist.

"Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman" were the rock band's first two singles off their titular debut album, which hit music stores on June 1, 1972. Before this, though, music multi-hyphenate Jackson Browne began writing "Take It Easy" in 1971 for his eponymous debut record. However, he was struggling to finish the lyrics. Browne was friends with Glenn Frey, the co-lead singer and frontman of the Eagles. They resided in the same apartment building in Los Angeles. Frey helped Browne complete the second verse before the latter suggested they finish the track together.

Afterward, the Eagles wound up recording "Take It Easy" and releasing it as a single on May 1, 1972. It peaked at No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became one of the rock group's signature songs. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed "Take It Easy" as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll." Billboard retrospectively ranked the track at No. 3 on its list of "The Eagles' 15 Best Songs," while Rolling Stone placed it at No. 2 on its "The 40 Greatest Eagles Songs" list.

Browne eventually recorded a version of "Take It Easy" for his sophomore effort, For Everyman, which was released in October 1973. He did not release it as a single, but the album made it onto an iteration of Rolling Stones' "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.

Browne recounted the story of finishing the popular track with Frey during a radio interview:

"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. ... he kept after me to finish it, and finally offered to finish it himself. ... 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."