"Takin' it to the Streets" should definitely be the next Doobies song you listen to if you're looking for something in this vein. Another huge hit for them.
‘takin it to the streets’ is THE best doobie brothers song! next is ‘minute by minute’. sorry, ‘what a fool believes’ was only made for pop chum and to get their vacation homes paid off. that song is just inferior to me. and andy&alex must mean it’s closer to late stevie (‘i just called to say i love you’) and not early stevie (‘superstition’).
That whole album is solid. "Wheels of Fortune", "8th Avenue Shuffle", "Turn It Loose"...there's a lot of A-level goodness here. In my mind, it's the best post-Terry Kath album, retaining some of their rock roots while blending in Michael McDonald's softer style (which eventually smothered them in the syrupy pop that Andy remembers).
@@samanthanickson6478 100% agree. This tune is just for Radio and just for the money. "Gotta have a single!" "Minute by Minute" is my favorite McDonald-era Doobies' tune! Fantastic vibe, much jazzier, more complicated structure, more Steely-Dan-like! Not to mention a super intense lyric and vert catchy hook. "TITTS" is my second fave of his Doobies stuff! Killer tune - a "protest song" that doesn't often get remembered in that context! Subtle, yet hard-driving tune !that'll get your spirit up, or your hackles, or both! Having said all that........the pre-McDonald Doobies are my first preference! If I'm playing Doobies for someone who's never heard them, I would NOT go the any of the Michael-era songs first. Hope A&A will do reactions to BOTH of those songs. No question they are the 2 best of the Michael-era Doobs.
@@davecummings2424 They had many a 'pop' record prior Michael McDonald entering the band, with a completely different groove. Not unlike the Dan's more poppy tunes i.e., 'Brooklyn Hold The Charmer' and 'Dirty Work', 'What A Fool Believes' fills the bill. He and Skunk Baxter continued to work with the Becker/Fagen Steely Dan projects. They were too accomplished not to, IMHO
This tune was written by Kenny Loggins and includes the line, "a sentimental fool trying hard to recreate what had yet to be created" which gets me every time.
🤘This is Michael McDonald the backup vocalist on "Peg!" with Steely Dan... He's carved out quite a legacy over the years... He's such a prolific songwriter and piano player.
I heard his duet "On My Own" with Patti LaBelle yesterday. Michael McDonald was the cranberry/baking soda of the 70's and 80's. He was all up in everything.
No lie! When this song was new and on the radio every thirty minutes, the jingle was catchy, but made no sense at all (the white man’s got the power) . Now knowing the real lyrics, and looking back through the years, this song is painfully profound!
Good description. The Doobs were phenomenal at this. People forget how many hits they had. Strange memory: My wife's dad married a younger woman who claims to have been at Woodstock. (Yeah maybe). But that age. So we were visiting at one point, maybes in 1997 or so? Saw them live in South Carolina. They played all the hits. But what stands out more than anything was endless trading of guitar solos by Simmons and Johnston. Lots of dick swinging, like they were competing. But not that great. Hey, what do we expect from alimony tours?
This could be called "The Michael McDonald Era". This and another hit, "Minute by Minute", were dominant as the Doobies decided to wrap it up. Turns out to be their biggest album ever! Won them Grammys for Album and Record of the Year. I've heard this a million times and could listen to it 10 million more!!
One of the deepest chorus lyrics ever in a pop song.... 'What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away. What.seems to be is always better than nothing.' It holds true in a broader context as well.
@@novaculus l think it takes a long time to really "get" the lyrics. I was in elementary school when I first heard this and I'm just figuring it out now that I see the lyrics posted
@@l.thegirl2581 you gotta experience it to understand it..... but once it resonates, my god does it hit you like a ton of bricks then. It did with me anyway.
To me, this is absolutely the very best of Doobie Brothers. You clearly have never been madly in love in a relationship bound for failure. That is the problem with listening to such young folks criticizing almost anything.
Finally getting into the Michael McDonald doobie brothers. There are so many more great ones. “You belong to me”, “Taking it to the streets”, “minute by minute”, “here to love you”
Agree, If you want to hear a transition between old Doobies and new Doobies then “Takin’ It To The Streets” is a perfect choice. Love that song. And then there’s Michael McDonald’s career as a sought after session vocalist. Unmistakable voice - Ride Like The Wind by Christopher Cross and Peg by Steely Dan spring to mind. And of course his solo/duet tracks like Ya Mo Be There, Sweet Freedom and I Keep Forgetting… world class, S-tier vocalist!
This is the apex of the Michael McDonald phase of classic rock (not just the doobs). There was a period where he was everywhere, singing lead or backup on just about everything. He can get up into the stratosphere. Great piano player/vocalist. Takin' it to the Streets is a great song to do next.
Agreed! Here's a blast from the past: SCTV lampooning Michael and his unavoidable voice. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4JLbhEUE_5U.html
Steely Dan Christopher Cross Kenny Loggins Toto Little Feat Carly Simon Bonnie Raitt Stephen Bishop Nicolette Larson Elton John Rickie Lee Jones Joni Mitchell Patti LaBelle Just to name a few.
I'm sorry but I think the Michael McDon'ald era of the Doobie Brothers took them down. Just too "poppy". Hardly up to the level of "Black Water" or "Long Train Runnin'"/
@@adrianstevens2146 I definitely see your point. The original Doobies had a Southern Rock feel, which appealed to a huge number of their fans. Michael McDonald took them down an R&B road. It’s like listening to two different bands. It all comes down to your personal preferences. For me, I like both styles, but I’m more an R&B guy, so I lean more to the Michael McDonald era. His voice was unique, which is the reason he made a name for himself outside of the Doobies.
This was later in their career when Michael McDonald joined the band. (Minute by Minute) is another big hit during this era. I prefer the earlier Doobie brothers myself.
yep....I prefer the earlier Doobie Brothers too. This was an ok song.....but I put this version of the band in the same group of really great bands like early Chicago and early Styx that changed their sound to the soft rock sound.
Hey you two. Sending prayers from South Florida. Be safe in the path of Hurricane Ian. And yes, this song highlights the amazing voice of Michael McDonald.
One of my favorite concerts was seeing Donald Fagen, Boz Scaggs, and Michael McDonald perform together as The Dukes of September. They performed their own material together as well as songs they were influenced by. Phenomenal show.
Another hidden gem by them from the album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits is "Another Park, Another Sunday". Great, great song that was blacklisted from radio back in the day for some idiotic reason that had to do with a particular lyric saying that, " The radio just seems to bring me down." Stupid I know, but the song is one of their best IMO. And FYI, "It Keeps You Runnin'" is their first Michael Macdonald era song, and arguably their best.
this phase of the Doobie Brothers career is reminiscent of the split you noticed in Chicago recently - different lead vocalist, shift in overall tone, but it lead to commercial success, and it ends up like sounding like a different band than the one that started it all
This song is the story of my first marriage. Cuts me to the bone every time, but that's what makes this my absolute favorite Doobie Brothers song! Good choice, guys!
I saw this happening in real time to myself during my freshman year of college. There was a girl I was wild about, we had fun together, but she moved away and moved on. I knew she didn't care for me like I did for her, and I knew we'd never end up together, but dammit if I didn't try every single time I saw her again.
When I saw the notification I was hoping for Another Park Anothet Sunday. The most musically up veat breakup song ever. You guys will be smilimg before the first Oooh Oohs are done.
Such a fantastic song. A catchy, upbeat riff set against such sad and biting lyrics. "She had a place in his life / He never made her think twice." The story the song tells is what makes it so great. Classic.
I probably listened to this song ten times when it first came out before I realized the lyrics were about a dude who thought he had a good shot with a girl he had a crush on but in reality she didn't give him a passing thought. He mistook her politeness for interest.
Other great Michael McDonald/Doobie Brothers songs- "I Keep Forgettin'", "Takin' It to the Streets" ( my favorite Doobie Bros song) and "It Keeps You Runnin''"
Step back a year to 1977 and check out the song "You Belong to Me," which was co-written by Michael McDonald and Carly Simon. It was first recorded by The Doobie Brothers with McDonald on vocals, but Simon recorded her own version, as well. Both versions are outstanding!
This song sounded so different for The Doobies when it was released! Parents loved it also so that helped with record sales as well. Michael M is such a treasure ❤
And by the way, you're not tripping, you have heard Michael McDonald's voice in many songs throughout late 70s all thru the 80s. He was a huge musical force from that era.
Gotta hit "Taking It To The Streets" another GREAT Michael McDonald led Doobie Brothers tune. The Doobie Brothers, like Chicago, had 2 different careers led by different lead singers. Changing the lead also changed the sound of the whole band. Chicago went from Terry Kath being in Charge to Peter Cetera writing and running the show. The Doobies didn't completely loose their lead singer, Tom Johnson, as he was dealing with health issues which opened the door for Skunk Baxter's old band mate from Steely Dan, Michael McDonald to step in for a time. I believe Tom Johnson later joined back with the doobies while Michael was still around but not sure. Anyway, Tom's doing better and is still with the Doobies as the following video shows - don't worry guys it's a song you've already covered.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-etGV7D3hYoY.html
I had heard this song for years in department stores and couldn't ever get the name any when I would try to hum it to friends and family nobody recognized it. It was a former boss who identified this track and also Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty. Thanks for hitting this gem and thanks Frank for letting me know what it was.
The first half of this album is amazing. The opener 'Here to Love You' is a banger. Minute by Minute is superb as well. Dependin on You was a Simmons' song, and a great one. I often let this album play while I do things around the house.
The Doobies started as a San Jose bar band and became known for playing at a biker bar in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. They developed such a well-rehearsed gig that was way beyond bar bands, and never let their many fans down. They hit it big and toured extensively for several years - then Tom Johnston took ill, and Michael McDonald came in with his different style,; smooth, sometimes jazzy. Tom came back later and they mixed both styles into their concerts. Great musicians, songwriters, singers - awesome band!
A&A, you'll love their "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)" and "Takin' It to the Streets"!! edit- you already heard "South City Midnight Lady" on that album review.
Andy & Alex clearly your life was a lie until now. Always been one of my favorite songs. I love ALL Doobie Brothers songs. Michael could sing me the phone book & I'd fall hard. One of the most recognizable voices in all of music. Thanks for hitting this one! 🔥🎵
Am singing along! Still on our regular playlist. Over the decades it's our moving house, road trip, just grooving in general, song - good times :) 🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟
As I understand it, Tom Johnston, one of the founding members had a bleeding ulcer. It got so bad he was spitting blood into a bucket while performing. Eventually, he was hospitalized and supposedly came close to death. He left the band while on tour. I don't know how or why but Mike McDonald was brought in. I believe he was a keyboardist at Steely Dan, who played with Skunk Baxter. Skunk came to the Doobies for their Stampede album, about a year before McDonald came to the Doobies, who played in their next album, Takin It To the Streets. Anyway, McDonald brought a completely different sound to the Doobies, a lot of soul and his influence helped them win their first album of the year grammy. I'm going from memory hear but I believe this is the gist to how and why McDonald came to the band. I hope this helps.
Just saw them last weekend in Louisville at the Bourbon and Beyond Festival....with Michael McDonald. So great...they still sound strong and put on a great show 50 years later :)
I saw them in Detroit on the 4th of July and they were fantastic! Lots of Grey hair out there in the audience but their last five or six numbers everyone was up out of their seats dancing and cheering. They closed with Takin it to the Streets it was like a gospel revival gone crazy.
Patrick Simmons wrote and sang Black Water with the Doobies. Michael McDonald would join the group two years later and gave them the hits Takin' It To The Streets and It Keeps You Runnin'
As you mentioned, there was two phases to the Doobies, the early Tom Johnson phase vs the later Michael McDonald phase. (Similar to how Heart went from their classic 70s sound of rock to their more pop-diva power ballad sound of the 80s, 90s.) Personally, I'm in the camp of the early phase band lineups.
I was just getting in the 10th grade when Michael McDonald joined and I was so used to the rockin Doobie Brothers music but he was a welcome addition to the band.
They had a song called "Real Love" from 1980 with Michael McDonald on lead vocal with is silky smooth. You can't go wrong with anything McDonald lends his vocals to. 👌🏻👌🏻
Becker & Fagan of Steely Dan used Michael McDonald as a backup singer on many of their albums. When Becker informed Fagan that McDonald had auditioned for the Doobie Brothers he replied "We'd better start looking for a new background singer". McDonald totally changed the Doobies' sound! Try "Minute By Minute" , Takin' It To The Streets", "It Keeps You Runnin' "among others.
I have no idea how you missed this one. One of my favorite songs all time. Then again, several Doobie Bros songs are my favorite all time. I definitely agree that Long Train Runnin is better. I'd still give it an A+ though.
Saw them in concert way back in my youth. They were completely unforgettable live. We were all passing "it" around and rock'n down. Ah...what a great memory!
McDonald wrote this with Kenny Loggins. They also co-wrote This Is It and Heart to Heart. Mike was THE voice of “ yacht “ rock. Watch live Doobies to see his killer piano solos. Please check out Takin It to the Streets and Minute by Minute by them. That jolting piano is Mike. Blackwater was sung and written by Pat Simmons. The Minute By Minute album is incredible. What A Fool Believes made Record of the Year. Please listen to more of their stuff.
@@stpnwlf9 that characteristic rhythmical piano is pure Mike as well. It’s what Kenny first heard- those opening bars, that drew him into writing it with Mike.
This song got Record of the Year for 1979. I was never a big fan of the Doobies during Michael MacDonald's stint as lead singer, but "What A Fool Believes" is a pretty infectious tune.
Great lyrics! This is a bridge to Michael McDonald's solo career. I would check out Keep Forgettin by him circa 1982 which was heavily sampled by many later on 🔥
You're going to not only add this to a couple of playlists, you'll start hearing it everywhere because it is a genre-defying classic with a relatable theme and great lyrics. Thinking of y'all and hoping all is good with you and your families.
This song really resonated with me. There was a guy I knew when I was young. He will always have a place in my heart. I probably never made him think twice. Bitter sweet.
@@ruuuuudiii I was surprised to learn the lyric was "No" and not "The" but it works either way...if the fool was wiser, he'd figure out that she's not into him. Meanwhile, a smarter man than him couldn't talk him out of it.
Yes, 2nd era of Doobie Brothers. I love both eras. This man can sing. This was my sisters favorite song. It makes me miss her in a good way. She left us in December of 2022 only 59. By the way, Michael McDonald was with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers before he became the lead singer of the Doobies. He is credited with writing lots of songs for both groups, including Peg which he co-wrote..
All I can really say is IT'S ABOUT TIME GUY'S, have been asking for this brilliant song every time you covered a Doobie Brothers song. So Ty for finally getting to this one. Still too this day my all time favourite from the wonderful Doobie's. Keep Safe Keep Strong 🦘🦘🦘🦘🎶🎶🎶🎶
Great choice, fellas! One of my biggest recommendations for these guys is "Wheels of Fortune." It's a great mix of their old sound and their newer sound.
