Dependin' on You

Last updated
"Dependin' on You"
Dependin on You cover.jpg
German single cover
Single by The Doobie Brothers
from the album Minute by Minute
B-side "How Do the Fools Survive"
ReleasedJuly 25, 1979
Recorded1978
Studio Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, CA
Genre Pop rock, soft rock
Length3:44
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) Michael McDonald, Patrick Simmons
Producer(s) Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Minute by Minute"
(1979)
"Dependin' on You"
(1979)
"Real Love"
(1980)

"Dependin' on You" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons that was first released by the Doobie Brothers on their 1978 album Minute by Minute . It was also released as the third single from the album. It has subsequently been released on live and compilation albums.

Contents

Background

"Dependin' on You" was co-written by Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons. [1] Simmons was the primary writer of the song. [2] Unlike the previous singles from Minute by Minute, "What A Fool Believes" and "Minute by Minute" where McDonald takes the lead vocal, Simmons is the lead vocalist on "Dependin' on You." [3] [4] Nicolette Larson and Rosemary Butler provide backing vocals. [4] [5]

Reception

Cash Box said of the single "Dependin' on You" that it has "brass flourishes," "an infectious piano and bass boogie beat." [6] Billboard praised the "arresting" hook and the use of the horns, saying that the song "is closer in spirit and tone to 'What A Fool Believes' than the jazz flavor of the album's title track." [7] Record World said that it "features call & response vocals over a double time beat" giving it "instant, unlimited appeal." [8]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated "Dependin' on You" to be the Doobie Brothers' all-time 9th greatest song. [3] The staff of Billboard also rated the song as the Doobie Brothers' 9th greatest, rating it higher than the previous two singles from the album and saying that it is "a more genuine synthesis of Doobies old and new [than the prior two singles]" and that "Simmons’ gruff(er) vocal roughens up the track’s yacht rock polish, and McDonald’s insistent piano hook blends with [Jeff] Baxter's biting solos, straight out of Steely Dan’s Can’t Buy a Thrill playbook, to give the song a bit more muscle. [9]

On the other hand, Rolling Stone critic Stephen Holden, who classified it as a Cubano number, considered the song to be "no better than second-rate lounge fare." [2] Hartford Courant critic J. Greg Robertson called the song "soppy." [10]

The single release reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, not quite as high as "What a Fool Believes," which reached #1, or "Minute by Minute," which reached #14. [11] It also reached #37 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. [11] In Canada, it reached #33 on the Canada RPM Top 100 Singles chart. [12]

In 1981 it was included on the Doobie Brothers' compilation album Best of The Doobies Volume II . [13] It was later released on the 2001 compilation album Greatest Hits and on the 2007 compilation album The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers . [14] [15] It was also included on the 1999 box set Long Train Runnin' 1970-2000 . [16]

Live performances

"Dependin' on You" has been in the Doobie Brothers' live concert repertoire into the 2020s. [17] A live performance from 1996 benefit concert was released on the Doobie Brothers' live album Rockin' Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert . [18] Sun Herald critic Tim Islbell praised the way Danny Hull's saxophone playing interacts with Simmons' guitar playing on the track. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Doobie Brothers</span> American rock band

The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1970. Known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies, the band has been active for over five decades, with their greatest success taking place in the 1970s. The group's current lineup consists of founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, alongside Michael McDonald and John McFee, and touring musicians including John Cowan, Marc Russo (saxophones), Ed Toth (drums), and Marc Quiñones. Other long-serving members of the band include guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, bassist Tiran Porter and drummers John Hartman, Michael Hossack, and Keith Knudsen.

<i>Rockin down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert</i> 1996 live album by The Doobie Brothers

Rockin’ Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert is the second double live album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 1996. The concerts were performed to benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society, hence the album's title.

<i>Live at Wolf Trap</i> Live album by The Doobie Brothers

Live at Wolf Trap is the third live album by US rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2004.

<i>Best of The Doobies</i> 1976 greatest hits album by the Doobie Brothers

Best of The Doobies is the first greatest hits album by the Doobie Brothers. The album has material from Toulouse Street through Takin' It to the Streets, and is also a diamond record. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on October 29, 1976, and has been re-released numerous times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Allison</span> American musician

Guy Allison is an American musician. He was the touring keyboardist for the Doobie Brothers from 1996 to 2015 and was featured on their 2000 release Sibling Rivalry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Hossack</span> American drummer (1946–2012)

Michael Joseph Hossack was an American drummer for the rock band The Doobie Brothers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Water (song)</span> 1974 single by the Doobie Brothers

"Black Water" is a song recorded by the American music group the Doobie Brothers from their 1974 album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. The track features its composer Patrick Simmons on lead vocals and, in mid-March 1975, became the first of the Doobie Brothers' two No. 1 hit singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Knudsen</span> American musician (1948–2005)

Keith A. Knudsen was an American rock drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. Knudsen was best known as a drummer and vocalist for The Doobie Brothers. In addition, he founded the band Southern Pacific with fellow Doobie Brother John McFee. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Doobie Brothers in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Train Runnin'</span> 1973 song recorded by the Doobie Brothers

"Long Train Runnin'" is a song recorded by American rock band the Doobie Brothers and written by band member Tom Johnston. It was included on the band's third album, The Captain and Me (1973), and was released as a single by Warner Bros., becoming a hit and peaking at No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What a Fool Believes</span> 1978 song by Kenny Loggins

"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by the Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute. Debuting at number 73 on January 20, 1979, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, for one week. The song received Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. In 2024, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">China Grove (song)</span> 1973 single by The Doobie Brothers

"China Grove" is a song by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released in 1973 on their third studio album, The Captain and Me. It was written and sung by the band's original lead singer and songwriter Tom Johnston. The song reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100. While there is a real place named China Grove in Texas, Johnston's lyrics about the community are mostly fictional. The song spent eight weeks in the Top 40.

"Jesus Is Just Alright" is a gospel song written by American singer Art Reynolds and first recorded by Reynolds' group, The Art Reynolds Singers, for their 1966 album, Tellin' It Like It Is.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)</span>

"Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" is a song written by the premier Motown songwriting/production team of the 1960s Holland–Dozier–Holland. The first hit recording was sung by Kim Weston in 1965. It was most popular in 1975 when it was recorded by the Doobie Brothers.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 2001 greatest hits album by The Doobie Brothers

Greatest Hits is a 2001 compilation album by the Doobie Brothers. Its 20 songs appear in chronological order of original release, except for their debut single "Nobody" being placed at track 7 because it was reissued in 1974 to greater chart success than its original release. Greatest Hits peaked at number 142 on the US Billboard 200 and it also peaked at number 45 on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Simmons</span> American musician (born 1948)

Patrick Simmons is an American musician best known as a founding member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers, with whom he was inducted as into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, he has been the only consistent member of the band throughout their tenure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minute by Minute (The Doobie Brothers song)</span> Single by the Doobie Brothers

"Minute by Minute" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Lester Abrams originally released by the Doobie Brothers on their 1978 album Minute by Minute. The single was released in April 1979, and reached number 14 on June 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year, but lost out to the Doobie Brothers' own "What a Fool Believes". "Minute by Minute" did win a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus at the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It Keeps You Runnin'</span> 1976 song by the Doobie Brothers

"It Keeps You Runnin'" is a song by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The song was written by band member Michael McDonald, and served as the third single from their sixth studio album Takin' It to the Streets (1976). It was also covered by Carly Simon the same year and released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Another Passenger.

<i>Listen to the Music: The Very Best of The Doobie Brothers</i> 1993 greatest hits album by The Doobie Brothers

Listen to the Music: The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers is a compilation album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released in 1993. The album has 19 tracks, including a remix version of "Long Train Runnin'". The album reached at number 10 on the ARIA Charts and also peaked at number 19 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheels of Fortune (song)</span> 1976 single by The Doobie Brothers

"Wheels of Fortune" is a song written by Patrick Simmons, Jeff Baxter and John Hartman. It was first released by the Doobie Brothers on their 1976 album Takin' It to the Streets. It was also released as the second single from the album.

<i>Liberté</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 2021 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

Liberté is the fifteenth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released on Island Records. First released exclusively on streaming services on October 1, 2021, the album saw a CD release four weeks later on October 29 and an LP release in June 2022. It is their first studio album since 2014's Southbound, and their first of new material since 2010's World Gone Crazy. The band toured following the release of the album.

References

  1. Eder, Bruce. "Minute by Minute". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  2. 1 2 Stephen Holden (1979-02-22). "The Doobie Brothers: Minute By Minute". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  3. 1 2 Gallucci, Michael (February 12, 2013). "Top 10 Doobie Brothers Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  4. 1 2 "December 1978: The Doobie Brothers Release "Minute by Minute"". We Are Classic Rockers. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  5. "The Doobie Brothers: Minute by Minute". discogs.com. December 1978. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  6. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 4, 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  7. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. August 11, 1979. p. 74. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  8. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. August 11, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  9. Graff, Gary (November 6, 2020). "The Doobie Brothers' 10 Best Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  10. Robertson, J. Greg (December 31, 1978). "Doobies stuck on plateau". Hartford Courant. p. 7D. Retrieved 2022-06-14 via newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  12. "RPM 100 Singles". Library & Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  13. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Best of the Doobies, Vol. 2". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  14. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  15. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  16. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Long Train Runnin' 1970-2000". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  17. Waring, Taylor D. (October 4, 2021). "Doobie Brothers' 50th anniversary performance keeps Spokane rockin'". Spokesman-Review. p. C2. Retrieved 2022-06-14 via newspapers.com.
  18. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Rockin' Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert". Allmusic. Retrieved 2022-06-13.
  19. Islbell, Tim (August 16, 1996). "'Rockin' Down the Highway' blends Doobies' old, new". Sun Herald. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-06-14 via newspapers.com.