What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1, 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1973 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 44:29 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Producer | Ted Templeman | |||
The Doobie Brothers chronology | ||||
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Singles from What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | C− [2] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Great Rock Discography | 6/10 [4] |
Rolling Stone | (mixed) [5] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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.
Tom Johnston's "Another Park, Another Sunday" was the album's first single. "It's about losing a girl," stated Johnston. "I wrote the chords and played it on acoustic, and then Ted [Templeman] had some ideas for it, like running the acoustic guitar through a Leslie." The song did moderately well on the charts, peaking at No. 32. Record World said that it was "more melodic and easy-tempoed [than previous Doobie Brothers' hits], in tune with the pastoral weekend setting." [7]
The second single released was "Eyes of Silver", another Johnston-penned tune. According to him, "Wordwise, that one really isn't that spectacular. I wrote them at the last minute." Cash Box said that it was "very similar to their smash 'Listen To The Music '" and "features every lick the Doobies have featured in their great patented sound". [8] Record World said that the group was "back into their chuggin' folk-rock groove, fitting more easily into their 'Listen to the Music' bag". [9] That song did not have much success on the charts either, peaking at only No. 52.
Grasping for chart action, Warner Brothers re-released the band's first single, "Nobody", backed with Tiran Porter's instrumental "Flying Cloud". This release was soon overshadowed when radio stations discovered "Black Water". Other stations joined in and the song was officially released as a single that went on to sell over a million copies and became the Doobie Brothers' first No. 1 hit. [10] "Black Water" had been featured as the B-side of "Another Park, Another Sunday" eight months earlier.
The unusual lettering on the album cover was suggested by drummer John Hartman after visiting his high school alma mater, J.E.B. Stuart in Falls Church, Virginia. The school's newspaper, Raiders Digest, had just changed its masthead to include those stylized fonts. The cover photo is by Dan Fong, their touring Media Coordinator. The cover photo was taken at a concert on December 4, 1973, at E.A. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. He also did the cover photo for their album Takin' It to the Streets .
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Song to See You Through" | Tom Johnston | 4:06 |
2. | "Spirit" | Johnston | 3:15 |
3. | "Pursuit on 53rd St." | Johnston | 2:33 |
4. | "Black Water" | Patrick Simmons | 4:15 |
5. | "Eyes of Silver" | Johnston | 2:57 |
6. | "Road Angel" | John Hartman, Michael Hossack, Johnston, Tiran Porter | 4:49 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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7. | "You Just Can't Stop It" | Simmons | 3:28 |
8. | "Tell Me What You Want (And I'll Give You What You Need)" | Simmons | 3:53 |
9. | "Down in the Track" | Johnston | 4:15 |
10. | "Another Park, Another Sunday" | Johnston | 4:27 |
11. | "Daughters of the Sea" | Simmons | 4:29 |
12. | "Flying Cloud" | Porter | 2:00 |
Chart (1974) | Peak position |
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Australian (Kent Music Report) [12] | 24 |
Canada (RPM) [13] | 13 |
New Zealand (RIANZ) [14] | 17 |
US (Billboard 200) [15] | 4 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [16] | Gold | 20,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
The Doobie Brothers is 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.
The Doobie Brothers is the debut studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on April 30, 1971, by Warner Bros. Records. It is their only official studio album to feature original bass player Dave Shogren on all tracks, who left during the recording of their second album.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Cycles is the tenth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on May 17, 1989, by Capitol Records.
Brotherhood is the eleventh studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on April 15, 1991, by Capitol Records. It was their second and final album for Capitol. It also marked the final appearances on a Doobie Brothers album by bassist Tiran Porter and original drummer John Hartman.
Another Passenger is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on June 5, 1976.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"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.
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.
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."
"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 and was later covered by The Pointer Sisters on their 1978 album Energy. The two groups also performed it together in concert the following year.
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.