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Your top 10 Doobie Brothers Songs right here, BOTH versions...

Custerdome

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Aug 5, 2018
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With the caveat that, this catagory COULD be divided into "Johnston vocal" and "McDonald vocal" eras. However, I won't do that, because some groups through time, decide on stylistic and sound changes. Here, then, are my top ten, all time Doobie Brothers songs:

10. Another Park, Another Sunday
9. Listen To The Music
8. It Keeps You Runnin'
7. China Grove
6. South City Midnight Lady
5. Keep This Train A Rolling
4. Minute By Minute
3. Black Water
2. Jesus Is Just Alright
1. What A Fool Believes

It will be very interesting to see the differences in what folks think represents a band that made a 180 degree shift from one style, to a totally different genre, right in the middle of their success.
 
Honestly, I never knew that Jeff “Skunk” Baxter was a founding member of Steely Dan until recently when I bought a copy of Countdown to Ecstacy on vinyl. Every time I saw a picture of Jeff, I thought of him on the cover of Minute by Minute and, always, associated him with the Doobies.
 
Honestly, I never knew that Jeff “Skunk” Baxter was a founding member of Steely Dan until recently when I bought a copy of Countdown to Ecstacy on vinyl. Every time I saw a picture of Jeff, I thought of him on the cover of Minute by Minute and, always, associated him with the Doobies.
The list of people he has worked with, boggles the mind. Just an amazing, amazing musician.
 
Echos of Love s/b on the list. Jesus is Just Alright, not so much.
 
There is not one bad song on The Captain & Me album, it is my favorite album, it is a very underrated album. Dark Eyed Cajun' Woman is a great song along with all the others. Critics probably don't like it because of the over play of China Grove & Long Train Runnin'.

Michael McDonald screwed the group sound up, went from a classic rock to a sort of funk sound, after Stampede they nose dived, but Cycles was a decent recovery.
 
The Doobie Brothers was the first concert I ever went to, at the Civic Arena in 1976 (I think). Boston was supposed to be their opening act but their trailer broke down so some local band opened. Was before Boston became arena rock legends. Don't remember much except it one of the greatest experiences of my then young life.
 
There is not one bad song on The Captain & Me album, it is my favorite album, it is a very underrated album. Dark Eyed Cajun' Woman is a great song along with all the others. Critics probably don't like it because of the over play of China Grove & Long Train Runnin'.

Michael McDonald screwed the group sound up, went from a classic rock to a sort of funk sound, after Stampede they nose dived, but Cycles was a decent recovery.
Knew that viewpoint was coming. It should be noted that it was a group decision to change genres of music, not Mike taking the band over. Living on a Fault Line was the first one with Mike doing more writing and without Tom, but it really didn't do anything because it didn't have a single. Minute By Minute, however, was a masterpiece and it virtually invented the "Yacht Rock" genre all by itself. Let me add, that the reason Tom left the band had to do with his health, being burned out and needing to get off the road and the non stop pressure, he was never kicked out, and didn't leave because of a difference in style clash.
 
Knew that viewpoint was coming. It should be noted that it was a group decision to change genres of music, not Mike taking the band over. Living on a Fault Line was the first one with Mike doing more writing and without Tom, but it really didn't do anything because it didn't have a single. Minute By Minute, however, was a masterpiece and it virtually invented the "Yacht Rock" genre all by itself. Let me add, that the reason Tom left the band had to do with his health, being burned out and needing to get off the road and the non stop pressure, he was never kicked out, and didn't leave because of a difference in style clash.
Might have to go down to the record store and get some Doobies on vinyl.
 
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Knew that viewpoint was coming. It should be noted that it was a group decision to change genres of music, not Mike taking the band over. Living on a Fault Line was the first one with Mike doing more writing and without Tom, but it really didn't do anything because it didn't have a single. Minute By Minute, however, was a masterpiece and it virtually invented the "Yacht Rock" genre all by itself. Let me add, that the reason Tom left the band had to do with his health, being burned out and needing to get off the road and the non stop pressure, he was never kicked out, and didn't leave because of a difference in style clash.
I knew TJ had health issues, don't know what they were, i just don't care for MM nasally voice. I give him Takin It To The Streets, It Keeps You Runnin', and Losin' End as great songs,
 
Toulouse Street
South City Midnight Lady
Another Park Another Sunday
Daughters of The Sea
Takin It To The Streets
Clear As The Driven Snow
Neal’s Fandango
Song to See You Through

You can thank Skunk Baxter for Michael McDonald as he suggested him when Tom Johnston became ill. Both Steely Dan alums. McDonald’s voice all over the Dan’s catalog.
 


Doobies are one of my first favorite bands.

But, Blackwater lost me.

Do catfish jump?

Who knows, but those guys had the best weed, the highest grade acid, pure cocaine, quaaludes before they were extinct, and just about everything else you could ask for and if catfish didn't jump, they could probably make them jump somehow.
 
Who knows, but those guys had the best weed, the highest grade acid, pure cocaine, quaaludes before they were extinct, and just about everything else you could ask for and if catfish didn't jump, they could probably make them jump somehow.
Peyote buttons would likely have been on the list.
 
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How about just the entire albums: Captain and Me and What Were Once Vices are Now Habits? Ukiah, Daughters of the Sea... are you kidding me? Freakin' genius! Very consistent albums you can listen to the whole way through.

And yes, it MUST be vinyl. It should only cost you about $8 to find both. Or get cocky and look for the QUAD mixes.

The Doobie Brothers kick ass.
 
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Who knows, but those guys had the best weed, the highest grade acid, pure cocaine, quaaludes before they were extinct, and just about everything else you could ask for and if catfish didn't jump, they could probably make them jump somehow.
Sounds like the intro to a Hunter S. Thompson novel. “Pass the salt shaker”! LOL. ;)
 
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I have both McD Motown records and they are outstanding. Some really, really awesome classics in there and Mike does them proud.
 
I have both McD Motown records and they are outstanding. Some really, really awesome classics in there and Mike does them proud.
A few years ago I got to see him open for Steely Dan and then he joined the Dan for
most of the show and sang backup. Fantastic. Also saw him, Fagen, & Boz Scaggs with the Steely Dan band on their Dukes of September tour. Another fantastic show.
 
Honestly, I never knew that Jeff “Skunk” Baxter was a founding member of Steely Dan until recently when I bought a copy of Countdown to Ecstacy on vinyl. Every time I saw a picture of Jeff, I thought of him on the cover of Minute by Minute and, always, associated him with the Doobies.
Jeff had a second career in the military later in life as what I would guess to be a civilian consultant. He knew a lot of stuff about digital technology when it began booming and wrote a proposal for the modification of the Navy Aegis missle defense system for ground based application. I have seen youtube videos of Jeff addressing a military audience at some sort of conference. It was weird seeing that.
 
The Doobie Brothers was the first concert I ever went to, at the Civic Arena in 1976 (I think). Boston was supposed to be their opening act but their trailer broke down so some local band opened. Was before Boston became arena rock legends. Don't remember much except it one of the greatest experiences of my then young life.
Having a hard time with:
1) one of the greatest experiences
and
2) don't remember much
 
I'm going to add a track that I will always remember due to something that happened in my car after a homecoming dance with this song playing in the background....

For Someone Special, written by bassist Tiran Porter.......

 
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A few years ago I got to see him open for Steely Dan and then he joined the Dan for
most of the show and sang backup. Fantastic. Also saw him, Fagen, & Boz Scaggs with the Steely Dan band on their Dukes of September tour. Another fantastic show.
THAT'S the show I wanted to see so badly: Mike, Boz, and Donald together. That must have been outstanding. Boz can still sing too. You have so much great material there and that band they put together was unreal. My only hope is that they didn't need to play the material a half step or whole step down, or in another key, as in what happened the last time I saw the Dan.
 
THAT'S the show I wanted to see so badly: Mike, Boz, and Donald together. That must have been outstanding. Boz can still sing too. You have so much great material there and that band they put together was unreal. My only hope is that they didn't need to play the material a half step or whole step down, or in another key, as in what happened the last time I saw the Dan.


 
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