Tag Archives: The Doobie Brothers

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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 #6,083: ‘Black Water’ – The Doobie Brothers

Throwing back to the week of March 1, 1975, we have a trio of great songs atop the Billboard Hot 100.

The first two have already appeared on the blog: ‘Best of My Love‘ by the Eagles at #1 and Olivia Newton-John’s ‘Have You Never Been Mellow‘ at #2.

At #3 that week was The Doobie Brothers’ ‘Black Water,’ the third single from their fourth album, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. The song would reach #1 two weeks later, becoming the band’s first chart-topper, and one of only two in their career.

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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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Song of the Day #4,570: ‘Vienna (Live)’ – Billy Joel

Continuing the chronological presentation of my 25 favorite songs…

‘Vienna’ – Billy Joel (1977)

Billy Joel’s The Stranger came out the same year as Rumours, a fact that doesn’t quite compute in my head. I think of Joel’s album as coming much later for some reason. That’s two all-time great albums in a single year. I look forward to seeing what else 1977 had to offer when I get there in my Decade series.

Four years contributed two songs to my list of 25 favorites, one each in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s.

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Song of the Day #4,239: ‘Listen to the Music’ – The Doobie Brothers

It should come as no surprise that The Doobie Brothers are first-ballot Hall of Famers, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame the first year they were nominated.

The surprise is that the nomination came 23 years after they were first eligible. Since 1997, the board of the Rock Hall has failed to include the California rockers on the ballot. Outrageous!

It’s a couple of decades late, but one of the Hall’s most notorious omissions has been remedied.

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