Escrita por Bob Marley, foi gravada entre janeiro e abril de 1977 e lançada em 23 de março de 1978, no disco Kaya, o décimo do grupo. Foi produzida por Bob Marley and The Wailers. Bob Marley cantou, tocou violão, guitarra e percussão. Aston Barrett tocou baixo e percussão. Carlton Barrett tocou bateria e percussão. Tyrone Downie tocou teclado e percussão. Alvin Patterson tocou percussão. Junior Marvin tocou guitarra solo. Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths e Judy Mowatt fizeram backing vocals. Vincent Gordon tocou trombone. Glen da Costa tocou trompete e Winston Grennan tocou bateria.
A letra:
Easy
skanking (skankin' it easy)
Easy skanking (skankin' it slow)
Easy
skanking (skankin' it easy)
Easy skanking (skankin' it
slow)
Excuse me while I light my spliff; (spliff)
Good God,
I gotta take a lift: (lift)
From reality I just can't drift;
(drift)
That's why I am staying with this riff. (riff)
Take
it easy (easy skankin')
Lord, I take it easy! (easy skankin')
Take
it easy (easy skankin')
Got to take it easy (easy skankin')
See:
we're takin' it easy (ooh-wah-da da-da)
We taking it slow,
(ooh-wah-da da-da)
Takin' it easy (easy)
Got to take it slow
(slow-slow)
So take it easy (easy skankin' -
da-da-da-da-da-da)
Wo-oh, take it easy (easy skankin')
Take it
easy (easy skankin' - da-da-da-da-da-da)
Take it easy. (easy
skankin')
Excuse me while I light my spliff; (spliff)
Oh,
God, I gotta take a lift: (lift)
From reality I just can't drift;
(drift)
That's why I am staying with this riff. (riff)
Take
it easy (takin' it easy)
Got to take it easy (takin' it slow)
Take
it easy (takin' it easy)
Skanky, take it easy (takin' it
slow)
Tell you what:
Herb for my wine;
(ooh-wa-da-da-da)
Honey for my strong drink;
(ooh-wa-da-da-da)
Herb for my wine; (ooh-wa-da-da-da)
Honey for
my strong drink
I shake it easy (takin' it easy)
Skanky,
take it easy (skankin' it slow)
Take it (takin' it easy) easy
Take
it (skankin' it slow) easy
Take it easy (takin' it
easy)
Oh-oh-ooh! (skankin' it slow)
Little bit easier (takin'
it easy)
Skanky, take it easy (skankin' it slow)
Take it easy!
Take it easy! Take it easy!
A versão de Bob Marley and The Wailers:
A versão de Mato Seco:
A versão de Positive Connection: