The Doobie Brothers Songs Ranked
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band from San Jose, California. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, the group’s current lineup consists of founding members Tom Johnston (guitars, vocals) and Patrick Simmons (guitars, vocals), veteran member Michael McDonald (keyboards, vocals), longtime member John McFee (guitars, pedal steel, violin, backing vocals), and touring musicians including John Cowan (bass, vocals), Bill Payne (keyboards), Marc Russo (saxophones), Ed Toth (drums), and Marc Quiñones (percussion).
The band’s history can be roughly divided into three eras. From 1970 to 1975 it featured lead vocalist Johnston and mainstream rock and roll sound with elements of folk, country, and R&B. Johnston left the group in 1977 due to health reasons and was replaced by Michael McDonald, whose interest in soul music changed the band’s sound until it broke up in 1982 with Simmons being the only constant member has appeared on all of their albums. In 1987, the Doobie Brothers reformed with Johnston back in the fold; McDonald, who had previously made several guest appearances since their reformation, returned to the band full-time in 2019 for their upcoming 50th-anniversary tour. Every incarnation of the group has emphasized vocal harmonies. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004 and will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 7, 2020. The group has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Founding members John Hartman and Dave Shogren, Tiran Porter, Michael Hossack, Keith Knudsen, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter are former members of the band. Here are all of The Doobie Brothers songs ranked.
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15. Wheels of Fortune (Takin’ It to the Streets, 1976)
“Many people say this is the best Michael Mcdonald-Doobie Brother’s album and others say this is when the band ended for them but for me its neither. Id say this is just another step in musical brilliance, that should be recognized as a great time for a band, who without McDonald would have seen their last days in 1975 without question.”
14. Rockin’ Down the Highway (Toulouse Street, 1972)
“Doobie Brothers Rocking Down the Highway is an outstanding double CD set that arrived quickly and in excellent condition from the seller of used CDs. Very happy with the product, and highly recommend you consider going used when it comes to older CDs. You save a ton of money, and you get that much more of the music you know and love!”
13. One Step Closer (One Step Closer, 1980)
“Truly an under-rated album. I recall when this first came out and was reviewed. One music critic wrote something about the sun in the background of the cover separating the group with Michael and Cornelius Bumpus on one side and the rest of the band on the other.”
12. You Belong to Me (Livin’ on the Fault Line, 1977)
“‘You Belong To Me’ is probably their best overall track, resorting to an understated fender rhodes and bass combo topped off with a mournful horn and string arrangement by Toto member David Paich. “
See more: The Doobie Brothers Albums Ranked
11. Takin’ It to the Streets (Takin’ It to the Streets, 1976)
“One of the albums i really love, and grew up with. It`s such a good feel to this. In many ways my “heal me” record. I`m right back in the old neighbourhood again when i play it, 15 and open to the world. “Takin`It To The Streets” is a great album in every meaning of the word in my opinion. Carry Me Away…”
10. Take Me in Your Arms (Stampede album, 1975)
“West coast rock meets Motown and the result is a high scoring draw. What the Brothers lack in soul they make up for in energy and producer Ted Templeman acknowledges the original source by roping in Motown house producer Paul Riser for a suitably Motowny string arrangement too.”
9. Dependin’ on You (Minute by Minute, 1978)
“When Michael McDonald took hold of a microphone, he changed my world of male vocals. This voice licks the sides of your ice cream cone and laps the foam from your latte. Every vocal is enriched by his tone, feeling, heart, timing.”
8. Minute by Minute (Minute by Minute, 1978)
“My favorite parts of the song are the quick ascending bit right at the outset, and the staccato “minute by minute by minute by minute” backing vocals. The rest of the song I could take or leave.”
7. Jesus is Just Alright (Toulouse Street, 1972)
“What is weird is that I kind of like this song, I think the lyrics or hilarious well I believe in jesus but I think they or funny to be honest, such cliched vocals too. The hook’s or nice really nice, and in the end Jesus is my friend.”
6. Real Love (One Step Closer, 1980)
“Although a fair number of Doobie Brothers singles ended up on Adult Contemporary radio, this is the only one that sounded like that’s precisely where the Doobs were aiming. The opening riff suggests a bit of grit, but after that, it’s smoother than a new bowling ball. The song is mildly catchy, and the backing vocals are nice, but they’ve certainly done more distinctive work than this.”
5. China Grove (The Captain and Me 1973)
“You either prefer the Tom Johnston or Michael McDonald-led Doobies and while I’m okay with old greybeard’s electric piano pop numbers I do prefer the livelier fare Johnson came up with in the group’s first heyday. There’s a hot riff centring the song here and the whole is just one of those that make you smile if you chance to hear it on your car radio on a long journey even if that journey’s the M8 to Glasgow and not, say Route 66.”
4. Black Water (What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, 1974)
“Black Water” is one of the all-time great driving songs. That guitar riff rollicks at just the right tempo to make each bend and curve in the road satisfying to pass over. Sure, it’s not very good at being either a Dixieland song or a biker anthem, but it’s a great piece of mellow yacht rock.”
3. Listen to the Music (Toulouse Street, 1972)
“This always will be my favorite. It makes me feel happy and free. Best of all it has great lyrics and a superb melody. Listen to the Music is the embodiment of everything great about music. It can completely turn my mood around and has me in another headspace by the end of the song, every time. It isn’t just the catchy chorus, but the masterful production here and fantastic guitar soloing in the latter half of the song that elevate this song and the listener.”
2. Long Train Runnin’ (The Captain and Me, 1973)
“Another fine Tom Johnston song for the Doobies, itself aptly running on a perpetual motion riff. The lyric seems to be about the redemptive power of love and travels easily, benefitted by fine harmony vocals, a honking harmonica and a brief stop presumably between stations before it chugs back to life. This one certainly isn’t running on empty.”
1. What a Fool Believes (Minute by Minute, 1978)
“I get why a Doobie Brothers fan would hate the song. I get why an avid listener of adult-oriented rock stations would hate it. I even get why your average Joe would hate it. I love it. I can’t help but love it. This is one of the most ingenious pieces of songwriting of our time. It achieves peak catchiness. This song couldn’t have been a hit. Oh, and if you want to get more objective: for a pop song it has a moderately unusual subject, McDonald is a good singer, the main melody is nice… Yes, it sounds almost alien at times, but if it doesn’t manage to turn you off, it will inevitably enthrall you.”