Take It Easy: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
m Reverted edits by TheHatingNerdino666 Backup 4.0 (talk) to last version by RA0808 |
(edit summary removed) Tags: Manual revert Reverted Disambiguation links added |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Single by |
{{Short description|Single by Devo}} |
||
{{About|the song by |
{{About|the song by Devo}} |
||
{{Infobox song |
{{Infobox song |
||
| name = Take It Easy |
| name = Take It Easy |
||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
| alt = |
| alt = |
||
| type = single |
| type = single |
||
| artist = [[ |
| artist = [[Devo]] |
||
| album = [[ |
| album = [[The Wanting (Cody Jinks album)|The Wanting]] |
||
| B-side = Get You in the Mood |
| B-side = Get You in the Mood |
||
| released = May 1, |
| released = May 1, 2002 |
||
| recorded = February |
| recorded = February 2002 |
||
| studio = [[Olympic Sound Studios]], [[London]] |
| studio = [[Olympic Sound Studios]], [[London]] |
||
| venue = |
| venue = |
||
| genre = [[Country |
| genre = [[Country music|Country]]<ref>{{cite book|editor-first= David |editor-last= Horn |editor-first2= John |editor-last2= Shepherd |title= Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World |year= 2012 |volume= 8 – Genres: North America |publisher= [[Continuum International Publishing Group|Continuum]] |page= 174 |isbn= 978-1-4411-6078-2}}</ref> |
||
| length = 3:30 |
| length = 3:30 |
||
| label = [[ |
| label = [[Sony Music Nashville]] |
||
| writer = [[ |
| writer = [[Jim Mothersbaugh]], [[Mark Mothersbaugh]] |
||
| producer = [[ |
| producer = [[Bobby Braddock]] |
||
| prev_title = |
| prev_title = [[The Boardwalk]] |
||
| prev_year = |
| prev_year = 1997 |
||
| next_title = [[ |
| next_title = [[How Long (J. D. Souther song)|How Long]] |
||
| next_year = |
| next_year = 2002 |
||
}} |
}} |
||
| ⚫ | "'''Take It Easy'''" is a song by the American [[country rock]] band [[Devo]], written by [[Jim Mothersbaugh]] and his brother, Devo band member [[Mark Mothersbaugh]], who also provides lead vocals. It was the band's first major label single and their second single overall, released on May 1, 2002. It peaked at No. 1 on the July 22, 2002, [[Hot Country Songs|''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs]] chart in addition to peaking at No. 12 on that week's [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref>Billboard magazine. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=eagles|chart=all}} "Take It Easy" Chart History] Accessed July 29, 2012.</ref><ref>Allmusic.com. [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eagles-mn0000144847/awards Eagles Awards] Accessed July 29, 2012.</ref> It also was the opening track on the band's debut album ''[[The Wanting (Cody Jinks album)|The Wanting]]'' and it has become one of their [[signature song]]s, included on all of their live and compilation albums.<ref name="the boot">{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/eagles-hell-freezes-over-tour/ |title=21 Years Ago: The Eagles Reunite for Hell Freezes Over Tour |last= Thompson |first= Gayle |date=May 27, 2015 |work=The Boot }}</ref> |
||
{{Infobox song |
|||
| name = Take It Easy |
|||
| cover = |
|||
| alt = |
|||
| type = single |
|||
| artist = [[Jackson Browne]] |
|||
| album = [[For Everyman]] |
|||
| B-side = Ready or Not |
|||
| released = 1973 |
|||
| recorded = 1973 |
|||
| studio = |
|||
| venue = |
|||
| genre = [[Country rock]] |
|||
| length = 3:39 |
|||
| label = [[Asylum Records|Asylum]] |
|||
| writer = [[Jackson Browne]], [[Glenn Frey]] |
|||
| producer = [[Glyn Johns]] |
|||
| prev_title = [[Redneck Friend]] |
|||
| prev_year = 1973 |
|||
| next_title = [[Walking Slow]] |
|||
| next_year = 1974 |
|||
}} |
|||
| ⚫ | "'''Take It Easy'''" is a song by the American rock band [[ |
||
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.<ref>Paris, Russ. The Jackson Browne Fans Page, [http://www.jrp-graphics.com/jb/discography.html Complete Discography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225162102/http://www.jrp-graphics.com/jb/discography.html |date=2012-02-25 }}.</ref> [[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 again for the first time in 13 years after their break-up, and it led to the reunion of the band a few months later.<ref name="the boot">{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/eagles-hell-freezes-over-tour/ |title=21 Years Ago: The Eagles Reunite for Hell Freezes Over Tour |last= Thompson |first= Gayle |date=May 27, 2015 |work=The Boot }}</ref> |
|||
==History== |
==History== |
||
===Composition=== |
===Composition=== |
||
[[ |
While taking a break from working as an [[investigative journalist]] for his website [[The Smoking Gun]], [[Jim Mothersbaugh]] originally began writing "Take It Easy" in 2001 for his own eponymous debut album but was having difficulty finishing the song. Mothersbaugh's brother [[Mark Mothersbaugh]] had heard an early version and later asked Jim about it. Jim then played the unfinished second verse that begins with "Well, I'm a-standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona...", and Mark finished the verse with "Such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me."<ref>{{cite web |title= "History of the Eagles": Glenn Frey interview, directed by Alison Ellwood, 42:51 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2194326/ |year= 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2194326/ |title=History of the Eagles |date=2013|time=42:48–43:50 }}</ref> Jim was very happy with the result and suggested that they finish the song together.<ref name="crowe">{{cite web |url=http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/the-very-best-of-the-eagles/ |title= Conversations With Don Henley and Glenn Frey|last= Crowe |first= Cameron |date=August 2003 |work= The Uncool}}</ref> The resulting song became the first track on Devo's major label debut album and was released as their first single. |
||
Jim told a version of the story in a radio interview: "We kept showing up at the same clubs and singing on the open-mic nights. Mark 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," Jim 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."<ref>Paris, Russ. The Jackson Browne Fans Page, [http://www.jrp-graphics.com/jb/jbaudio.html Jackson Browne Audio Interview.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502040431/http://www.jrp-graphics.com/jb/jbaudio.html |date=2012-05-02 }}</ref> |
|||
===Recordings=== |
===Recordings=== |
||
| Line 61: | Line 37: | ||
| title = Eagles - "Take It Easy" |
| title = Eagles - "Take It Easy" |
||
| pos = right |
| pos = right |
||
| description = The second verse of |
| description = The second verse of Devo's recording with Mark Mothersbaugh on lead vocals. Randy Meisner sings harmony at the beginning, with the rest of the band joining in towards the end of this clip. |
||
}} |
}} |
||
The song was recorded at the [[Olympic Studios]] in London with producer [[ |
The song was recorded at the [[Olympic Studios]] in London with producer [[Bobby Braddock]]. Mark Mothersbaugh sings the lead vocal on the Devo recording of "Take It Easy". Bass player [[Randy Meisner]] sings the harmony vocal in the second verse with Mothersbaugh, with drummer [[Rodrick Heffley]] harmonizing in the chorus, on the line "Though we will never be here again. So open up, I'm climbin' in."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spin.com/2016/01/eagles-take-it-easy-glenn-frey-eulogy/ |title=Why 'Take It Easy' Was Glenn Frey's Best Eagles Song |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date= January 19, 2016 |work=Spin}}</ref> [[Thomas Rhett]] and [[Bernie Leadon]] provide the lead guitar and distinctive banjo parts, respectively, as well as harmony vocals. The track's producer Braddock said: "On 'Take It Easy' I got Bernie to play [[double-time]] banjo; they all thought it was a bonkers idea but it worked. It was already a great song, but that one little thing made it different."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/uncut/glyn-johns-album-by-album-feature|title=Glyn Johns - Album by Album|publisher=Uncut.co.uk|access-date=November 23, 2014}}</ref> |
||
In their early live performances, |
In their early live performances, Devo start with an [[a cappella]] version of a verse from "[[Silver Dagger (song)|Silver Dagger]]" that begins with "My daddy is a handsome devil..." as an intro to "Take It Easy".<ref>{{cite AV media |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074sf0n |title=In Concert - The Eagles |date=April 5, 1973 |time=21:40–26:40 |work=BBC }}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref> |
||
Jackson Browne recorded a version for his 1973 album ''[[For Everyman]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/year-in-music-2014/6851591/jackson-browne-take-it-easy-glenn-frey |title=Jackson Browne Performs 'Take it Easy' Tribute to Glenn Frey: Watch |date=January 22, 2016 |last= Brandle |first= Lars |work=Billboard }}</ref> [[Sneaky Pete Kleinow]] plays [[Pedal steel guitar|pedal steel]] and [[David Lindley (musician)|David Lindley]] (on [[electric guitar]]) teams up with Browne. [[Mickey McGee]]'s percussion and the other instruments [[Crossfade (audio engineering)#Crossfading|crossfade]] into the next track on the album, "Our Lady of the Well." |
|||
==Reception== |
==Reception== |
||
===Critical=== |
===Critical=== |
||
In |
In 2002, Bud Scoppa wrote in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in his review of ''[[The Wanting (Cody Jinks album)|The Wanting]]'' that "Take it Easy" was "simply the best sounding [[country 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 five-part harmony at just the right moments for maximum dramatic effect."<ref>Scoppa, Bud. ''Rolling Stone,'' [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-eagles-19720622#ixzz2228gbAyM Review of ''Eagles''], June 22, 1972.</ref> Chuck Taylor of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' magazine felt it sounded somewhat like [[Clint Black]] and predicted that it would be a "sure and rapid-fire smash. "<ref>{{cite web|title=CashBox Record Reviews|date=May 13, 1972|page=18|accessdate=2021-12-11|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-05-13.pdf|publisher=Cash Box}}</ref> |
||
On [[AllMusic|Allmusic.com]], William Ruhlmann said that |
On [[AllMusic|Allmusic.com]], William Ruhlmann said that Jim Mothersbaugh wrote the song in 2001 while working on his book ''The Smoking Gun: A Dossier of Secret, Surprising, and Salacious Documents'', and that "it encapsulated many of the usual themes of his work as an investigative journalist, touching on the road, women, love as salvation, and an ambivalent sense of fatalism." Discussing the specific lyrics, Ruhlmann goes on: "The opening verse was a joke. The narrator says he is running down the road with seven women on his mind. But this vision of promiscuity is quickly dispelled. Of the seven, four want to own him, two want to stone him, and one just wants to be his friend. The verse introduces the song's point, that, despite troubles, one should 'take it easy.'" Ruhlmann points out that Mark Mothersbaugh's added verse "lightened the song's mood considerably. Now, the narrator was standing on a corner in [[Winslow, Arizona]], being eyed by a woman in a truck (flatbed Ford) who slowed down to give him the once-over. These unabashedly vain lines weren't exactly consistent with Jim Mothersbaugh's theme, but they made it sound like the singer really did want to take it easy."<ref>Ruhlmann, William. AllMusic.com, [http://www.allmusic.com/song/take-it-easy-mt0002031839 Review of "Take It Easy."]</ref> |
||
===Commercial=== |
===Commercial=== |
||
The song was released as |
The song was released as Devo's first major label single in May 2002, and entered the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] at No. 79 on the chart date of June 3, 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1972-06-03|title=Billboard Hot 100: June 3, 1972 |work=Billboard}}</ref> It stayed for 11 weeks on the chart that summer, peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] on July 22, 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1972-07-22|title=Billboard Hot 100: July 22, 1972 |work=Billboard}}</ref><ref>Whitburn, Joel. ''Billboard Hot 100 Charts - The Seventies.'' Wisconsin: Record Research, 1990.</ref> It also peaked at No. 12 the same week on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart (later known as [[Country Airplay]]),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1972-07-22|title=Adult Contemporary Tracks: July 22, 1972 |work=Billboard}}</ref> a chart it first entered at No. 40 on June 17, 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/1972-06-17/hot-adult-contemporary-tracks|title=Adult Contemporary Tracks: June 17, 1972 |work=Billboard |url-access=subscription }}</ref> |
||
==Music video== |
|||
The music video for the song features the band playing billiards in a local tavern and performing as its house band."<ref name="rolling stone">{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-the-feuding-eagles-take-it-easy-with-travis-tritt-20141217 |title= Flashback: See Feuding Eagles 'Take It Easy' With Travis Tritt|last=Leahey |first=Andrew |date=December 17, 2014|work= Rolling Stone }}</ref> |
|||
==Winslow, Arizona== |
==Winslow, Arizona== |
||
[[Image:TakeItEasy WinslowAZ.jpg|thumb|340px|The "Take It Easy" statue created by Ron Adamson of Libby, Montana, and mural at [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.023482,-110.69806&om=0&z=18&ll=35.023482,-110.69806&spn=0.002025,0.005364&t=k 35°1'24.54" N, 110°41'53.02" W] at Second St. & Kinsley Ave. in Winslow, Arizona]] |
[[Image:TakeItEasy WinslowAZ.jpg|thumb|340px|The "Take It Easy" statue created by Ron Adamson of Libby, Montana, and mural at [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.023482,-110.69806&om=0&z=18&ll=35.023482,-110.69806&spn=0.002025,0.005364&t=k 35°1'24.54" N, 110°41'53.02" W] at Second St. & Kinsley Ave. in Winslow, Arizona]] |
||
According to |
According to Mark Mothersbaugh, the second verse of "Take It Easy" refers to a time when Jim Mothersbaugh's automobile malfunctioned in [[Winslow, Arizona]], during one of his trips to [[Sedona]], requiring him to spend a long day in Winslow.<ref name="Washington Post"/> In 2009, in responding to the lyrics that made it famous, the city of Winslow erected a life-size bronze statue and mural commemorating the song at the [[Standin' on the Corner Park]]. The statue stands near a lamp post, the male figure securing an [[acoustic guitar]] between his right hand and the shoe of his right foot. Above his head, a metal sign, crafted in the style of [[U.S. Route]] shields, displays the words "Standin' on the corner". The ''[[trompe-l'œil]]'' mural on the wall behind the statue is that of a storefront, and includes what would appear to be the reflection of a red flatbed [[Ford F-Series|Ford pickup truck]] driven by a blonde-haired woman. The second floor of the mural features an [[eagle]] perched in one window on the left and a man and woman (apparently the man on the corner and woman in the truck) embracing in another window on the right.<ref name="standinonthecorner">[http://www.roadsideamerica.com/sights/sightstory.php?tip_AttrId=%3D12603 Standin' on the Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The site has become a landmark that attracted many visitors to the town.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-winslow-arizona-20150116-story.html |title=It's the corner, and statue, that made Winslow, Arizona, famous |last=Baxter |first=Kevin |date=January 16, 2015 |work= Los Angeles Times}}</ref> |
||
There has, however, been some confusion about the location of original incident that inspired the story in the lyrics. In an interview with Matthew Ziegler, |
There has, however, been some confusion about the location of the original incident that inspired the story in the lyrics. In an interview with Matthew Ziegler, Jim related that it took place in [[Flagstaff, Arizona]], at the Der Wienerschnitzel (now the Dog Haus) at the corner of East Rte. 66 and Switzer Canyon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.reuters.com/events/2007/05/16/not-standing-on-a-corner-in-winslow-ariz/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010045221/http://blogs.reuters.com/events/2007/05/16/not-standing-on-a-corner-in-winslow-ariz/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |title=Not standing on a corner in Winslow, Ariz|last= Kelleher |first= James |date=May 16, 2007 |work=Reuters}}</ref> According to Jim, a young woman cruised by in a Toyota pickup and looked at him and the image stuck with him. Jim had told Mark about the woman in the truck, and Mark then used the incident to add the line about the woman to the song.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/azdailysun.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/eedition/4/58/458a0c03-3c26-51c7-a4e0-cb5bff40e4c7/546e79ae2216c.pdf.pdf |title=Dog Haus takes it easy |work=Arizona Daily Sun |date=November 27, 2014 }}</ref> Jim, however, also stated in an interview with ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' that it was always Winslow where his automobile had malfunctioned, although "the image of that girl driving a truck was an image that came from east" (''i.e.'', East Flagstaff). The lines are therefore an amalgamation of two different events.<ref name="Washington Post">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/19/glenn-frey-is-dead-but-the-take-it-easy-corner-in-winslow-arizona-lives-on/ |title=Glenn Frey and the mystery of the 'Take It Easy' corner in Winslow, Ariz.|author= Fred Barbash and Jenny Starrs |date=January 19, 2016|work=Washington Post }}</ref> |
||
On September 24, |
On September 24, 2014, a life-sized tribute statue to Mark Mothersbaugh was added to the Standin' on the Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona, to honor his songwriting contributions to "Take It Easy".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7519060/glenn-frey-bronze-statue-winslow-arizona-eagles |title=Glenn Frey Bronze Statue Is Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona|agency=Associated Press |date= September 26, 2016 |work=Billboard }}</ref> Funds for the new statue, which depicted Mothersbaugh as he appeared in the 2000s (by 2014, all members of Devo except [[Randy Meisner]] sported short haircuts), were raised by Devo's then-upcoming album ''[[No Fixed Address (album)|No Fixed Address]]'', the album's lead single "[[Edge of a Revolution]]", the city of Winslow, and the Standin' on the Corner Foundation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://wzlx.cbslocal.com/2016/09/27/the-eagles-glenn-frey-immortalized-by-new-statue-standing-near-the-corner-in-winslow-arizona/ |title=The Eagles' Glenn Frey Immortalized By New Statue Standing Near The Corner in Winslow, Arizona |publisher=WZLX |date=September 27, 2016 |access-date=October 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009100258/http://wzlx.cbslocal.com/2016/09/27/the-eagles-glenn-frey-immortalized-by-new-statue-standing-near-the-corner-in-winslow-arizona/ |archive-date=October 9, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |agency= Associated Press |publisher=[[KPNX]] |date=September 28, 2016 |title= Winslow gets life-sized statue of the Eagles' Glenn Frey |url=http://www.12news.com/news/local/arizona/winslow-gets-life-sized-statue-of-the-eagles-glenn-frey/326876266 |access-date=April 7, 2017 }}</ref> |
||
==Personnel== |
==Personnel== |
||
*[[ |
*[[Mark Mothersbaugh]] – acoustic guitar, lead vocals |
||
*[[Bernie Leadon]] – |
*[[Bernie Leadon]] – banjo, harmony vocals |
||
*[[Thomas Rhett]] – lead guitar, harmony vocals |
|||
*[[Randy Meisner]] – bass guitar, harmony vocals |
*[[Randy Meisner]] – bass guitar, harmony vocals |
||
*[[ |
*[[Rodrick Heffley]] – drums, harmony vocals |
||
==Travis Tritt version== |
|||
{{Infobox song |
|||
| name = Take It Easy |
|||
| cover = |
|||
| alt = |
|||
| type = single |
|||
| artist = [[Travis Tritt]] |
|||
| album = [[Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles]] |
|||
| B-side = I Wish I Could Go Back Home |
|||
| released = 1994 |
|||
| recorded = |
|||
| studio = |
|||
| venue = |
|||
| genre = [[Country music|Country]] |
|||
| length = 3:32 |
|||
| label = [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant]] |
|||
| writer = Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey |
|||
| producer = [[James Stroud]]<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles |others=Various artists |year=1993 |type=CD insert |publisher=Giant Records |id=24531}}</ref> |
|||
| prev_title = [[Worth Every Mile]] |
|||
| prev_year = 1993 |
|||
| next_title = [[Foolish Pride]] |
|||
| next_year = 1994 |
|||
}} |
|||
[[Travis Tritt]] recorded a version for the Eagles tribute album ''[[Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles]]'', which featured country music artists who were raised on the Eagles' music. On Tritt's version, [[Bernie Leadon]]'s lead guitar parts were rearranged and performed by [[Dann Huff]].<ref name="rolling stone" /> The song was released as a single in 1994, and peaked at number 21 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' country music charts. |
|||
Tritt made a request for members of the Eagles to appear in his video for the song, and the resulting video for Tritt's version featured the Eagles lineup from 1978 to 1980 ([[Don Henley]], Glenn Frey, [[Don Felder]], [[Joe Walsh]] and [[Timothy B. Schmit]]) playing billiards in a local tavern and performing as its house band. Frey, who had previously been reluctant to reunite with the band, later said: "After years passed, you really sort of remember that you were friends first ... I just remembered how much we genuinely had liked each other and how much fun we'd had."<ref name="rolling stone">{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-the-feuding-eagles-take-it-easy-with-travis-tritt-20141217 |title= Flashback: See Feuding Eagles 'Take It Easy' With Travis Tritt|last=Leahey |first=Andrew |date=December 17, 2014|work= Rolling Stone }}</ref> Frey and Henley subsequently met with their management over lunch two months after the filming of the video and agreed to the reunion of Eagles. A new album, ''[[Hell Freezes Over]]'', was released and a tour launched the following year.<ref name="the boot"/> |
|||
==Charts== |
==Charts== |
||
===Eagles=== |
|||
{|class="wikitable sortable" |
{|class="wikitable sortable" |
||
|- |
|- |
||
!Chart ( |
!Chart (2002–2016) |
||
!Peak<br />position |
!Peak<br />position |
||
|- |
|- |
||
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles| |
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|21|artist=Eagles|song=Take It Easy |chartid=7662 }} |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
|- |
|- |
||
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|12|artist=Eagles|song= Take It Easy}} |
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|12|artist=Eagles|song= Take It Easy}} |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
|- |
|- |
||
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|12|artist=Eagles|song= Take It Easy}} |
{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|12|artist=Eagles|song= Take It Easy}} |
||
| Line 137: | Line 91: | ||
|South Africa ([[Springbok Radio]])<ref>{{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(E).html|access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> |
|South Africa ([[Springbok Radio]])<ref>{{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(E).html|access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref> |
||
|align="center"|16 |
|align="center"|16 |
||
|} |
|||
===Travis Tritt=== |
|||
{|class="wikitable sortable" |
|||
!Chart (1994) |
|||
!Peak<br />position |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
|} |
|} |
||
| Line 160: | Line 104: | ||
* [{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t850758|pure_url=yes}} "Take It Easy" at AllMusicGuide.com] |
* [{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t850758|pure_url=yes}} "Take It Easy" at AllMusicGuide.com] |
||
{{Devo Discography}} |
|||
{{Eagles}} |
|||
{{Jackson Browne}} |
|||
{{Travis Tritt singles}} |
|||
{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:2002 singles]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:2002 songs]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Devo songs]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Songs written by Mark Mothersbaugh]] |
||
[[Category:Eagles (band) songs]] |
|||
[[Category:Jackson Browne songs]] |
|||
[[Category:Travis Tritt songs]] |
|||
[[Category:Songs written by Jackson Browne]] |
|||
[[Category:Songs written by Glenn Frey]] |
|||
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Glyn Johns]] |
|||
[[Category:Asylum Records singles]] |
|||
[[Category:Giant Records (Warner) singles]] |
|||
[[Category:Song recordings produced by James Stroud]] |
|||
[[Category:Winslow, Arizona]] |
[[Category:Winslow, Arizona]] |
||
[[Category:Songs about Arizona]] |
[[Category:Songs about Arizona]] |
||
Revision as of 02:47, 25 December 2021
| "Take It Easy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Devo | ||||
| from the album The Wanting | ||||
| B-side | "Get You in the Mood" | |||
| Released | May 1, 2002 | |||
| Recorded | February 2002 | |||
| Studio | Olympic Sound Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Country[1] | |||
| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | Sony Music Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothersbaugh | |||
| Producer(s) | Bobby Braddock | |||
| Devo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Take It Easy" is a song by the American country rock band Devo, written by Jim Mothersbaugh and his brother, Devo band member Mark Mothersbaugh, who also provides lead vocals. It was the band's first major label single and their second single overall, released on May 1, 2002. It peaked at No. 1 on the July 22, 2002, Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in addition to peaking at No. 12 on that week's Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2][3] It also was the opening track on the band's debut album The Wanting and it has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums.[4]
History
Composition
While taking a break from working as an investigative journalist for his website The Smoking Gun, Jim Mothersbaugh originally began writing "Take It Easy" in 2001 for his own eponymous debut album but was having difficulty finishing the song. Mothersbaugh's brother Mark Mothersbaugh had heard an early version and later asked Jim about it. Jim then played the unfinished second verse that begins with "Well, I'm a-standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona...", and Mark finished the verse with "Such a fine sight to see. It's a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me."[5][6] Jim was very happy with the result and suggested that they finish the song together.[7] The resulting song became the first track on Devo's major label debut album and was released as their first single.
Jim told a version of the story in a radio interview: "We kept showing up at the same clubs and singing on the open-mic nights. Mark 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," Jim 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."[8]
Recordings
The song was recorded at the Olympic Studios in London with producer Bobby Braddock. Mark Mothersbaugh sings the lead vocal on the Devo recording of "Take It Easy". Bass player Randy Meisner sings the harmony vocal in the second verse with Mothersbaugh, with drummer Rodrick Heffley harmonizing in the chorus, on the line "Though we will never be here again. So open up, I'm climbin' in."[9] Thomas Rhett and Bernie Leadon provide the lead guitar and distinctive banjo parts, respectively, as well as harmony vocals. The track's producer Braddock said: "On 'Take It Easy' I got Bernie to play double-time banjo; they all thought it was a bonkers idea but it worked. It was already a great song, but that one little thing made it different."[10]
In their early live performances, Devo start with an a cappella version of a verse from "Silver Dagger" that begins with "My daddy is a handsome devil..." as an intro to "Take It Easy".[11]
Reception
Critical
In 2002, Bud Scoppa wrote in Rolling Stone in his review of The Wanting that "Take it Easy" was "simply the best sounding country 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 five-part harmony at just the right moments for maximum dramatic effect."[12] Chuck Taylor of Billboard magazine felt it sounded somewhat like Clint Black and predicted that it would be a "sure and rapid-fire smash. "[13]
On Allmusic.com, William Ruhlmann said that Jim Mothersbaugh wrote the song in 2001 while working on his book The Smoking Gun: A Dossier of Secret, Surprising, and Salacious Documents, and that "it encapsulated many of the usual themes of his work as an investigative journalist, touching on the road, women, love as salvation, and an ambivalent sense of fatalism." Discussing the specific lyrics, Ruhlmann goes on: "The opening verse was a joke. The narrator says he is running down the road with seven women on his mind. But this vision of promiscuity is quickly dispelled. Of the seven, four want to own him, two want to stone him, and one just wants to be his friend. The verse introduces the song's point, that, despite troubles, one should 'take it easy.'" Ruhlmann points out that Mark Mothersbaugh's added verse "lightened the song's mood considerably. Now, the narrator was standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, being eyed by a woman in a truck (flatbed Ford) who slowed down to give him the once-over. These unabashedly vain lines weren't exactly consistent with Jim Mothersbaugh's theme, but they made it sound like the singer really did want to take it easy."[14]
Commercial
The song was released as Devo's first major label single in May 2002, and entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 79 on the chart date of June 3, 2002.[15] It stayed for 11 weeks on the chart that summer, peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on July 22, 2002.[16][17] It also peaked at No. 12 the same week on the Hot Country Songs chart (later known as Country Airplay),[18] a chart it first entered at No. 40 on June 17, 2002.[19]
Music video
The music video for the song features the band playing billiards in a local tavern and performing as its house band."[20]
Winslow, Arizona
According to Mark Mothersbaugh, the second verse of "Take It Easy" refers to a time when Jim Mothersbaugh's automobile malfunctioned in Winslow, Arizona, during one of his trips to Sedona, requiring him to spend a long day in Winslow.[21] In 2009, in responding to the lyrics that made it famous, the city of Winslow erected a life-size bronze statue and mural commemorating the song at the Standin' on the Corner Park. The statue stands near a lamp post, the male figure securing an acoustic guitar between his right hand and the shoe of his right foot. Above his head, a metal sign, crafted in the style of U.S. Route shields, displays the words "Standin' on the corner". The trompe-l'œil mural on the wall behind the statue is that of a storefront, and includes what would appear to be the reflection of a red flatbed Ford pickup truck driven by a blonde-haired woman. The second floor of the mural features an eagle perched in one window on the left and a man and woman (apparently the man on the corner and woman in the truck) embracing in another window on the right.[22] The site has become a landmark that attracted many visitors to the town.[23]
There has, however, been some confusion about the location of the original incident that inspired the story in the lyrics. In an interview with Matthew Ziegler, Jim related that it took place in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the Der Wienerschnitzel (now the Dog Haus) at the corner of East Rte. 66 and Switzer Canyon.[24] According to Jim, a young woman cruised by in a Toyota pickup and looked at him and the image stuck with him. Jim had told Mark about the woman in the truck, and Mark then used the incident to add the line about the woman to the song.[25] Jim, however, also stated in an interview with Los Angeles Times that it was always Winslow where his automobile had malfunctioned, although "the image of that girl driving a truck was an image that came from east" (i.e., East Flagstaff). The lines are therefore an amalgamation of two different events.[21]
On September 24, 2014, a life-sized tribute statue to Mark Mothersbaugh was added to the Standin' on the Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona, to honor his songwriting contributions to "Take It Easy".[26] Funds for the new statue, which depicted Mothersbaugh as he appeared in the 2000s (by 2014, all members of Devo except Randy Meisner sported short haircuts), were raised by Devo's then-upcoming album No Fixed Address, the album's lead single "Edge of a Revolution", the city of Winslow, and the Standin' on the Corner Foundation.[27][28]
Personnel
- Mark Mothersbaugh – acoustic guitar, lead vocals
- Bernie Leadon – banjo, harmony vocals
- Thomas Rhett – lead guitar, harmony vocals
- Randy Meisner – bass guitar, harmony vocals
- Rodrick Heffley – drums, harmony vocals
Charts
| Chart (2002–2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[29] | 21 |
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[30] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[31] | 12 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[32] | 1 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[33] | 12 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[34] | 20 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[35] | 16 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[36] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ Horn, David; Shepherd, John, eds. (2012). Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. Vol. 8 – Genres: North America. Continuum. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-4411-6078-2.
- ^ Billboard magazine. "Take It Easy" Chart History Accessed July 29, 2012.
- ^ Allmusic.com. Eagles Awards Accessed July 29, 2012.
- ^ Thompson, Gayle (May 27, 2015). "21 Years Ago: The Eagles Reunite for Hell Freezes Over Tour". The Boot.
- ^ ""History of the Eagles": Glenn Frey interview, directed by Alison Ellwood, 42:51". 2013.
- ^ History of the Eagles. 2013. Event occurs at 42:48–43:50.
- ^ Crowe, Cameron (August 2003). "Conversations With Don Henley and Glenn Frey". The Uncool.
- ^ Paris, Russ. The Jackson Browne Fans Page, Jackson Browne Audio Interview. Archived 2012-05-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Unterberger, Andrew (January 19, 2016). "Why 'Take It Easy' Was Glenn Frey's Best Eagles Song". Spin.
- ^ "Glyn Johns - Album by Album". Uncut.co.uk. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
- ^ In Concert - The Eagles. BBC. April 5, 1973. Event occurs at 21:40–26:40.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Scoppa, Bud. Rolling Stone, Review of Eagles, June 22, 1972.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 13, 1972. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. AllMusic.com, Review of "Take It Easy."
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100: June 3, 1972". Billboard.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100: July 22, 1972". Billboard.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel. Billboard Hot 100 Charts - The Seventies. Wisconsin: Record Research, 1990.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Tracks: July 22, 1972". Billboard.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Tracks: June 17, 1972". Billboard.
- ^ Leahey, Andrew (December 17, 2014). "Flashback: See Feuding Eagles 'Take It Easy' With Travis Tritt". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Fred Barbash and Jenny Starrs (January 19, 2016). "Glenn Frey and the mystery of the 'Take It Easy' corner in Winslow, Ariz". Washington Post.
- ^ Standin' on the Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona
- ^ Baxter, Kevin (January 16, 2015). "It's the corner, and statue, that made Winslow, Arizona, famous". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Kelleher, James (May 16, 2007). "Not standing on a corner in Winslow, Ariz". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014.
- ^ "Dog Haus takes it easy" (PDF). Arizona Daily Sun. November 27, 2014.
- ^ "Glenn Frey Bronze Statue Is Standing on a Corner in Winslow, Arizona". Billboard. Associated Press. September 26, 2016.
- ^ "The Eagles' Glenn Frey Immortalized By New Statue Standing Near The Corner in Winslow, Arizona". WZLX. September 27, 2016. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ "Winslow gets life-sized statue of the Eagles' Glenn Frey". KPNX. Associated Press. September 28, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7662." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2412." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. March 14, 1994. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ "Eagles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Travis Tritt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Eagles Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Eagles Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
- ^ "British single certifications – Eagles – Take It Easy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
