Chords + Lyrics | Take It Easy
Intro
||: G | G | C/G | D7(omit3)/G :||
| G | G (maj pent lick) |
Verse 1
| G | G |
Well, I’m a-running down the road tryin’ to loosen my load.
| G D5 | C |
I’ve got seven women on my mind.
| G | D5 D5/A |
Four that wanna own me, two that wanna stone me.
| C | G |
One says she’s a friend of mine.
Chorus 1
| Em | Em | C | G |
Take it easy, take it easy.
| Am (G/B) | C | Em | Em |
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.
| C | G | C | G |
Lighten up while you still can, don’t even try to understand.
| Am (G/B) | C | G | G | G | G (D7(omit3)/G) |
Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy.
Verse 2
Well, I’m a-standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.
And such a fine sight to see.
It’s a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford.
Slowin’ down to take a look at me.
Chorus 2
Come on, baby, don’t say maybe.
I’ve gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me.
We may lose and we may win, though we will never be here again.
| Am (G/B) | C | G | G |
So open up, I’m climbin’ in. So take it easy.
Solo
| G | G | G D5 | C |
| G | D | C | G |
| Em | D | C | G |
| Am (G/B) | C | Em | Em D |
Verse 3
| G | G |
Well, I’m running down the road trying to loosen my load.
| G D5 | Am |
Got a world of trouble on my mind.
| G | D |
Looking for a lover who won’t blow my cover.
| C | G |
She’s so hard to find.
Chorus 3
| Em | Em | C | G |
Take it easy, take it easy.
| Am (G/B) | C | Em | Em (Em/D) |
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy.
| C | G | C | G |
Come on baby, don’t say maybe.
| Am (G/B) | C | G | N.C |
I’ve gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me.
Outro
||: C | C | G | G :|| C | C |
||: Oh, oh, oh… :||
| G | G7 | C | C |
Oh, we got it easy.
| G | G7 | C | C | Em |
We oughta take it easy.
Take It Easy Chords: Exploring the Key Progressions and Variations
Intro
Let’s dive into the chords of Take It Easy, starting with the intro, which, somewhat disappointingly, never returns. Here are the chords:
||: G (I) | G | C/G (IV) | D7(omit3)/G (V) :||
If you compare this with Jackson Browne’s other hit, Doctor My Eyes, you’ll notice a similar structure: I – IV – V, but with an emphasis on maintaining the root note.
Verse
Once the verse kicks in, it’s seemingly very simple, using only chords I, V, and IV, like this:
| G (I) | G | G D5 (V) | C (IV) |
| G | D5 D5/A | C | G |
The challenge lies in how the rhythm is displaced in verse 1 but not in verse 2. To fully understand this, you’ll need TAB. Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Take It Easy – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Chorus
The chorus starts on chord VI and, just like the verse, is completely diatonic:
| Em (VI) | Em | C (IV) | G (I) |
| Am (II) (G/B) (I/3) | C (IV) | Em | Em (Em/D) |
| C | G | C | G |
| Am (G/B) | C | G | G | G | G (D7(omit3)/G) |
Chorus 2 differs slightly: we go to a D chord in bar 2 and don’t play the last two bars.
Solo
The solo is a verse and half a chorus, and the outro moves between chords IV – I, extending that G chord to a G7.
When you play along with the original recording, you might feel a bit uneasy—this is because the Eagles have tuned down. Use my online guitar tuner, set to 432 Hz, the magical frequency of the universe!
Make sure to check my TAB for all sections of Take It Easy (link above) and then return here to make sense of this chord chart.
Take It Easy Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
If you’d like to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Take It Easy chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro. Here’s a link to that file: Take It Easy iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key, though I can’t see how that would work well, as the open-position chord shapes are essential to part of the sound.
Take It Easy TAB | Course Preview
You get TAB for all sections of Take It Easy in the course.
Here’s a preview—the intro. Take note of the incorporated lick in the final bar!
Produced by Glyn Johns, twice
Released in 1972 as the lead single from their debut album, Take It Easy was the Eagles’ first hit, just a year after the band had formed.
The song was co-written with Jackson Browne, who also released his version in 1973.
Both the Eagles’ and Browne’s versions were produced by the legendary English producer Glyn Johns, renowned for his innovative drum recording techniques. One microphone was placed to the side of the ride cymbal, and another by the hi-hats, with both placed equidistant from the snare drum.
Glyn Johns’ involvement in other iconic recordings includes Led Zeppelin’s debut album and The Beatles’ Let It Be.
If, like me, you’ve wondered where the famous corner in Take It Easy is located, here’s the answer. It’s at the intersection of Second St. and Kinsley Ave in Winslow, Arizona. This is where Jackson Browne’s car broke down, inspiring the song. Today, you can find a statue of a man with his guitar at the spot.
Take It Easy Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Take It Easy (Eagles) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
