Tag Archives: Takin’ It To the Streets

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Song of the Day #6,130: ‘It Keeps You Runnin” – The Doobie Brothers

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

Tom Johnston, founding member and lead singer of The Doobie Brothers, had a rough time in the early 70s. An arrest for marijuana possession was followed by a debilitating case of stomach ulcers that landed him in the hospital.

The band had to turn elsewhere in order to keep up their touring schedule, and enlisted singer/songwriter Michael McDonald to sit in on keyboards and lead vocals. McDonald expected the gig to end with the tour, but to his surprise the band asked him to stay on as they entered the studio to record a new album.

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Song of the Day #5,076: ‘Takin’ It To the Streets’ – The Doobie Brothers

‘Takin’ It To the Streets’ is the title song from The Doobie Brothers’ 1976 album, their seventh studio release. This was the first album to feature Michael McDonald on lead vocals, and he also penned this track and a few others.

McDonald’s arrival marked a significant shift in the band’s sound, from straight-forward rock to a fusion of pop and soul. It’s the post-1976 material that pops up on my favorite Yacht Rock radio station.

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