It Keeps You Runnin'

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"It Keeps You Runnin'"
Doobie Brothers It Keeps You Runnin' single.jpg
Single by The Doobie Brothers
from the album Takin' It to the Streets
B-side "Turn It Loose"
ReleasedOctober 5, 1976
Studio Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, California
Genre Blue-eyed soul
Length4:20 (Album version)
4:07 (Single version)
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) Michael McDonald
Producer(s) Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Wheels of Fortune"
(1976)		"It Keeps You Runnin'"
(1976)		"Little Darling (I Need You)"
(1977)

"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 .

Contents

The Doobie Brothers version was featured in the 1994 Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump , and was included on the film's multi-platinum selling soundtrack album. [1]

The song was also featured in the soundtrack of the 1978 film FM .

Lyrics and music

According to AllMusic critic Jason Elias, the music of "It Keeps You Runnin'" reflects a "jazzy R&B influence" and "gospel-based keyboard shading." [2]

Elias described the lyrics as the singer "trying to talk some woman into listening to what her heart is trying to say -- the oldest trick in the book." [2]

Reception

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated "It Keeps You Runnin'" as the Doobie Brothers 10th greatest song, describing it as being "California-funky." [3]

Track listing

7" single [4]

  1. "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 4:07
  2. "Turn It Loose" – 3:53

Personnel

Additional Personnel

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
Billboard Pop Singles (Hot 100) [5] 37

Carly Simon version

"It Keeps You Runnin'"
Carly Simon It Keeps You Runnin' single.jpg
Single by Carly Simon
from the album Another Passenger
B-side
  • "Look Me in the Eyes" (US)
  • "Be With Me" (UK)
Released 1976
Genre Rock, blue-eyed soul
Length3:56 (single/album version)
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) Michael McDonald
Producer(s) Ted Templeman
Carly Simon singles chronology
"Waterfall"
(1975)		"It Keeps You Runnin'"
(1976)		"Half a Chance"
(1976)

American singer-songwriter and musician Carly Simon covered "It Keeps You Runnin'" for her sixth studio album Another Passenger , and the song served as the lead single. [6] Simon's version charted on both the Billboard Pop singles (Hot 100) chart and the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. [7]

The Doobie Brothers played and provided backing vocals on the track. [8] Ted Templeman produced both Simon's and The Doobie's versions, as well as each of their albums from which the song is featured. [6]

Reception

Billboard described it as an "interesting mid -tempo rocker" with a "jazzy feel" that has a powerful vocal performance by Simon. [9] Billboard specifically praised the guitar playing and the hook. [9] Cash Box said that Simon's "vocal is always clean and sensuous, and sensitive to the excellent backing," calling the song "an upbeat cut, with attractive chord changes and hook-filled lyric." [10] Record World called it "a refreshing change of pace for the songstress who sounds very comfortable with the palpitating percussive Doobies beat." [11]

Personnel

Track listing

7" single (US) [12]

  1. "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 3:56
  2. "Look Me In The Eyes" – 3:34

7" single (UK) [13]

  1. "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 3:56
  2. "Be with Me" – 1:53

Charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Canada (RPM) [14] 47
US Billboard Pop Singles (Hot 100) [15] 46
US Billboard Adult Contemporary [15] 27

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 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success during 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 (percussion). Other long-serving members of the band include guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (1974–1979), bassist Tiran Porter and drummers John Hartman, Michael Hossack, and Keith Knudsen.

<i>The Captain and Me</i> 1973 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

The Captain and Me is the third studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on March 2, 1973, by Warner Bros. Records. It features some of their most popular hits including "Long Train Runnin'", "China Grove" and "Without You". The album is certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.

<i>What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits</i> 1974 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

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<i>Stampede</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 1975 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

Stampede is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on April 25, 1975, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the final album by the band before Michael McDonald replaced Tom Johnston as lead vocalist and primary songwriter. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA.

<i>Takin It to the Streets</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 1976 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Takin' It to the Streets is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on March 19, 1976, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the first to feature Michael McDonald on lead vocals.

<i>Livin on the Fault Line</i> 1977 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Livin' on the Fault Line is the seventh studio album by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on August 19, 1977, by Warner Bros. Records. It is one of the few Doobie Brothers albums of the 1970s which did not produce a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Still, the album received modest critical acclaim. Tom Johnston left the band early in the sessions. He is listed as part of the band but appears on little or none of the actual album: he wrote and sang five songs during the sessions for the album, but they were not included on the final release. Much of this consistently mellow album has a jazz tinge, and the influences of R&B are palpable throughout. The track "Little Darling " is a remake of the Marvin Gaye 1966 hit.

<i>Minute by Minute</i> 1978 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

Minute by Minute is the eighth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released on December 1, 1978, by Warner Bros. Records. It was their last album to include members John Hartman and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.

<i>One Step Closer</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 1980 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

One Step Closer is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on September 17, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records. The album included the hit "Real Love", which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album is the band's last studio album with Michael McDonald in the lineup until 2014's Southbound, and also the first studio album to feature John McFee as a member of the band.

<i>Farewell Tour</i> (album) 1983 live album by The Doobie Brothers

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<i>Another Passenger</i> 1976 studio album by Carly Simon

Another Passenger is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on June 5, 1976.

<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">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">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 1973 album The Captain and Me and was released as a single, 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 and Michael McDonald,later recorded by The Doobie Brothers

"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.

<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 for their third studio album The Captain and Me. It was written and sung by the band's original lead singer/songwriter Tom Johnston. The song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. While there is a real China Grove, Texas, Johnston's lyrics about the community are fictional. The song spent eight weeks in the Top 40.

"Little Darling (I Need You)" is a 1966 single written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland and recorded and released by Marvin Gaye on the Tamla label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listen to the Music</span> 1972 single by the Doobie Brothers

"Listen to the Music" is a song recorded by American rock band the Doobie Brothers on their second album, Toulouse Street (1972). The song was the Doobie Brothers' first big hit in 1972. It was written by Tom Johnston. In 1994, it received a remix by Steve Rodway a.k.a. Motiv8 in 1994, which eventually peaked at #37 UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dependin' on You</span> 1979 single by The Doobie Brothers

"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.

"Echoes of Love" is a song by the American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The song was written by band member Patrick Simmons in collaboration with Willie Mitchell and Earl Randle. This song served as the second single from their seventh studio album Livin' on the Fault Line.

<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.

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, Ruhlmann. "Forrest Gump [Original Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Elias, Jason. "It Keeps You Runnin'". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  3. ↑ Gallucci, Michael (February 12, 2013). "Top 10 Doobie Brothers songs". Ultimate Classic Rock . Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Doobie Brothers – It Keeps You Runnin'/Turn It Loose". Discogs . 1976. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  5. ↑ "The Doobie Brothers – Chart history". Billboard . Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Another Passenger". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 22, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  7. ↑ Ragogna, Mike (August 30, 2010). "Dukes of September, McCartney's Guitarist & An Australian's Tourabout: Conversations With Michael McDonald, Brian Ray, and Xavier Rudd". Huffington Post . Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  8. ↑ "It Keeps You Runnin'". Carlysimon.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard . June 5, 1976. p. 74. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  10. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box . June 5, 1976. p. 16. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World . June 5, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Carly Simon – It Keeps You Runnin' - US". Discogs . 1976. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Carly Simon – It Keeps You Runnin' - UK". Discogs . 1976. Retrieved August 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ "CAN Charts > Carly Simon". RPM . Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Carly Simon – Chart history". Billboard . Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
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