Sweet Moment of Victory

This is a purely personal post, meant only to immortalize a sweet moment.

I come from an extraordinarily competitive family. My father encouraged this tendency in all four of his children with the result that we'll compete over anything. My three brothers were actively involved in sports. Although I didn't participate in an organized sport, I've never turned down a challenge in my life.

I can remember competing with my brother A to find the most eggs on Easter morning while both of us were still pre-schoolers.

Although I enjoy music, I am not the rock and roll aficionado that my brothers are. My tastes run more to James Galway, Jane Olivor and Norah Jones. I share a subscription to the Dallas Symphony with a group of friends.

My brother P called this afternoon to tell me he was taking his wife and daughter to Arizona next week to visit the Grand Canyon during fall break. I suggested he detour to ride along Route 66 and stop in Winslow, Arizona while he was at it. He laughed, remembering the Eagles' hit song, "Take It Easy."

I asked him if he knew who wrote the song. He guessed Rick Nelson (what's that about?) I replied Jackson Browne. He refused to believe me. We both hung up to find the answer.

I immediately called one of my other brothers, J, and asked the same question. Without hesitating, J responded, "Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey."

The story goes that Jackson Browne was driving across Arizona on his way home to L.A. His car broke down in Winslow, Arizona. While he was waiting for the repairs to be done, he started the song that would become "Take It Easy." He returned home where Glenn Frey was his neighbor. Glenn kept hearing Jackson playing the same song over and over and finally asked what the problem was. Jackson had a line, "Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, I'm such a fine sight to see." Legend has it that, when Glenn came up with the next line, Jackson offered him the song. "Take It Easy" became the Eagles' first hit.

Triva: Cameron Crowe based the lead singer in his film Almost Famous on Glenn Frey. Crowe said that the line the singer says in the movie, "Just make us look cool," was a direct quote from Frey.

And in a true Six Degrees moment: Randy Meisner, another of the original members of the Eagles, played in Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. Maybe that's the connection P was reaching for when he suggested Nelson wrote the song.

P was tickled enough by the story that he plans to stop by Winslow. Turns out they have a statue of Jackson Browne, standing on a corner there. I was so happy to have known a piece of rock and roll trivia P didn't know that I'm writing this post.

Well I'm a-runnin' down the road trying to loosen my load.
I've got seven women on my mind,
Four that want to own me, two that want to stone me,
One says she's a friend of mine.

Take it easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.
Lighten up while you still can,
Don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy.

Well I'm a-standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona
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

Come on, baby, don't say maybe.
I've got to know if your sweet love is gonna save me.
We may lose, and we may win,
But we will never be here again.
Open up, I'm climbin' in to take it easy