Claim: Glenn Frey sings professionally.

`` Take It Easy '' is a song written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey , and recorded by the Eagles with Frey singing lead vocals . It was the band 's first single , released on May 1 , 1972 . It peaked at No. 12 on the July 22 , 1972 Billboard Hot 100 chart . It also was the opening track on the band 's debut album Eagles and it has become one of their signature songs , included on all of their live and compilation albums . It is listed as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll .   Jackson Browne later recorded the song as the lead track on his second album , For Everyman -LRB- 1973 -RRB- , and released it as a single as well , although it did not chart . 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 the first time in 13 years after their break-up , and it led to the reunion of the band a few months later .