Takin' It to the Streets (The Doobie Brothers album)

Last updated
Takin' It to the Streets
The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It to the Streets.jpg
Studio album by
The Doobie Brothers
ReleasedMarch 19, 1976
Recorded1975
Studio Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, California and Sunset Sound, Los Angeles (mixing)
Genre Pop rock, soft rock
Length38:23
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers chronology
Stampede
(1975)		Takin' It to the Streets
(1976)		 Best of The Doobies
(1976)
Singles from Takin' It to the Streets
  1. "Takin' It to the Streets" / "For Someone Special"
    Released: March 17, 1976
  2. "Wheels of Fortune" / "Slat Key Soquel Rag"
    Released: August 4, 1976
  3. "It Keeps You Runnin'" / "Turn It Loose"
    Released: October 5, 1976
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Great Rock Discography 7/10 [3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Rolling Stone (favorable) [5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Village Voice C+ [7]

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.

Contents

Background

By late 1974, touring was beginning to take its toll on the band, especially leader Tom Johnston. Things became worse during touring in support of Stampede when he was diagnosed with stomach ulcers. His condition worsened and several shows were cancelled. With Johnston forced to reduce his involvement with the band, the other members considered disbanding, but while in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, member Jeff Baxter suggested calling up friend and fellow Steely Dan graduate Michael McDonald, who at the time was between gigs and living in a garage apartment. McDonald was reluctant at first, feeling he was not what they wanted; according to him, "...they were looking for someone who could play Hammond B-3 organ and a lot of keyboards, and I was just a songwriter/piano hacker. But more than anything, I think they were looking for a singer to fill Tommy's shoes." He agreed to join them and met them at the Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans, where they moved into a warehouse to rehearse for the next two days. Expecting to be finished once touring was completed, McDonald was surprised when the band invited him to the studio to work on their next album. [8]

Recording

With Johnston on the sidelines, the band was unsure how to proceed. They doubted being able to make an album without Johnston. "I knew the record company was panicked about any change in the band," McDonald admitted. "They were leery about getting a new guy. I was thrilled to have had the gig, but I wasn't expecting all that much." With encouragement from producer Ted Templeman, the band began poring over the songs they had available. They knew they needed more, so McDonald brought in his own demos. Templeman told them, according to Patrick Simmons, "You've got a real diamond in the rough here that you can make into something if you want to go ahead." They decided to record his songs knowing it would take them in a completely different direction. While Johnston was absent for most of the sessions, he contributed one song – "Turn It Loose" – as well as back-up vocals and duet vocals with Simmons on "Wheels of Fortune". "I hadn't quit the band", he later stated. "I just wasn't physically able to do it. I needed to get off the road and get away from that whole scene for a while.". [8] "For Someone Special" was written by bassist Tiran Porter for Johnston. Porter both wrote and sang lead on the track.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
1."Wheels of Fortune" Patrick Simmons, Jeff Baxter, John Hartman Simmons, Tom Johnston 4:54
2."Takin' It to the Streets" Michael McDonald McDonald3:56
3."8th Avenue Shuffle"SimmonsSimmons4:39
4."Losin' End"McDonaldMcDonald3:39
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
5."Rio"Simmons, BaxterSimmons w/McDonald3:49
6."For Someone Special" Tiran Porter Porter5:04
7."It Keeps You Runnin'"McDonaldMcDonald4:20
8."Turn It Loose"JohnstonJohnston3:53
9."Carry Me Away"Simmons, Baxter, McDonaldMcDonald4:09

Personnel

The Doobie Brothers

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [9] 7
Canadian Albums (RPM) [10] 18
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ) [11] 11
UK Albums (OCC) [12] 42
US Billboard 200 [13] 8

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>Toulouse Street</i> 1972 studio album by the Doobie Brothers

Toulouse Street is the second studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. It was released in July 1972, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album with bassist Tiran Porter and also the first with drummer Michael Hossack to augment existing drummer John Hartman, putting in place their trademark twin-drummer sound. Toulouse Street is the name of a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The cover and inside centerfold photos were taken at a former brothel on Toulouse Street.

<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, released on March 2, 1973, by Warner Bros. Records. It features some of the band's most popular songs, including "Long Train Runnin'", "China Grove" and "Without You". The album has been certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was voted number 835 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).

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

What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on February 1, 1974, by Warner Bros. Records.

<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>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. 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

Farewell Tour is the first live album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 1983. It documents the group's 1982 Farewell Tour and is a double album set.

<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>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">Listen to the Music</span> 1972 single by the Doobie Brothers

"Listen to the Music" is a song by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released on their second album, Toulouse Street (1972). The song was their first major hit. 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.

<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.

<i>World Gone Crazy</i> (The Doobie Brothers album) 2010 studio album by The Doobie Brothers

World Gone Crazy is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released on September 28, 2010. It debuted at number 39 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart, their highest charting position since 1989. The first single is a remake of their 1971 debut single "Nobody". Tom Johnston states about the album "This album has been in the mix for five years, but we didn’t seriously start putting the nuts and bolts together until three years ago."

<i>Best of The Doobies Volume II</i> 1981 compilation album by The Doobie Brothers

Best of the Doobies, Vol. II is a compilation album by the Doobie Brothers released in November 1981. It was released with ten tracks, all of them selected from albums released before 1981. The album peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA.

<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.

"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.

<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.

References

  1. ↑ Bruce Eder. "Takin' It to the Streets - The Doobie Brothers". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  2. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. ↑ Strong, Martin Charles (2002). "The Doobie Brothers". The Great Rock Discography. The National Academies. ISBN   1-84195-312-1.
  4. ↑ "The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It to the Streets" . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Album Reviews: The Doobie Brothers – Takin' It to the Streets". Rolling Stone. 2003. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009.
  6. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  253. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (June 14, 1976). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Old Black Water Keep on Rollin': 30 Years of the Doobie Brothers". Long Train Runnin': The Doobie Brothers 1970 - 2000 (CD Booklet). Warner Bros. Records. 1999. p. 33. 75876.
  9. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 92. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  10. ↑ "RPM Search Engine" (PHP). Library and Archives Canada . March 31, 2004.
  11. ↑ "The Doobie Brothers" (ASP). New Zealand Charts . Hung Medien. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Artist Chart History: Doobie Brothers". Official Charts Company . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  13. ↑ "The Doobie Brothers Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.