What is Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona?

You’ve heard the song. It plays every day on every classic rock radio station in every state. And when the lyrics “Well, I’m a-standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona such a fine sight to see it’s a girl, my Lord in a flat-bed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me,” are sung, a vivid picture appears in your mind. But how close is your mental image of this famous corner in Winslow? Let’s find out!

The Eagles “Take it Easy”

“Take it Easy” was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey for Frey’s band The Eagles. The second verse of this popular song has its literal roots in Winslow, Arizona. Glenn Frey claims that once when he and Jackson Browne were on their way to Sedona, Browne’s car broke down in Winslow. This issue caused them to stay a whole day in the city while the car was being repaired. The culture of the city left a deep impression on his mind and found its way onto the Eagle’s debut album, becoming their first single.

The story goes that Jackson Browne started writing the song for an upcoming solo album of his, and wrote the first half of the second verse, ” “Well, I’m a-standing’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona…” Then later, Glenn Frey finished the verse, starting 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.” Browne loved Frey’s additional lyrics so much that he offered to write the song together. And the rest is American 70s rock history!

Standin’ on the Corner Park

The famous Route 66 was one of the only reasons why tourists passed through Winslow, Arizona for quite some time. Small towns like Winslow had been squashed by massive chain stores. Something needed to be done to bring revenue to the city. The city needed revitalizing, and it took just one song (later also the animated feature Cars), to attract more tourists. What better way than to honor the famous Eagle’s song?

Standin’ on the Corner Park Foundation was formed to find a way to connect the song to the city. That came about in 1999 when the Standin’ on the Corner Park opened to the public. Today, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and photo opportunity.

So, what’s Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona?

The exhibit in the park has attracted many tourists over the years as a popular roadside attraction. The park includes a two-story trompe-l’œil mural by John Pugh, a bronze statue made by Ron Adamson of a man with a guitar standing under a sign, a bronze statue of Glenn Frey, and a street painting of the classic Route 66 sign.

The mural on the wall behind the statue is of a storefront. It includes a cool reflection of a red flatbed Ford pickup with a blonde woman alone in the driver’s seat. The second floor of the mural features an eagle perched in one window on the left and a man and woman (the man on the corner and woman in the truck) embracing in another window on the right.

To commemorate the passing of Glen Frey, a statue of him leaning against a lamp-post. was added in September 2016 on the right side of the park.

A massive wall of bricks surrounds the park. On each brick is the name of a donor who made this park possible. Under their name is a little story describing why they love Winslow.

So, the next time you’re traveling along Route 66 in Arizona and you see an exit sign for Winslow, you should stop by the park for a great photo opportunity. You too could be standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.