Top 10 Doobie Brothers Songs

Photo: By Warner/Reprise Records (eBay itemphoto frontphoto back) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Doobie Brothers Songs list looks at a band that many hardcore Doobie Brothers fans view as two different groups. There is the Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers without Michael McDonald. The Doobie Brothers released their first album in 1971 entitled The Doobie Brothers. The album’s single “Nobody” went unnoticed as it never even made it onto the Billboard music charts. The band’s sophomore release, Toulouse Street, turned the band into a household name with their colossal hit “Listen to The Music.”

In 1973, the band released their third album entitled The Captain and Me. The record spawned two Doobie Brothers songs that became top 20 hits with “Long Train Running” and “China Grove.” One year later, in 1974, the band released the album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. The album would feature the song “Black Water,” which was eventually released as a single, becoming their first number-one hit. The Doobie Brothers followed up that album in 1975 with the record Stampede.

When Tom Johnston left the band in 1975 due to illness, the Doobie Brothers hired Michael McDonald as a replacement on the road. Michael McDonald was invited to work on the band’s new studio album. The album entitled Takin’ It To The Streets delivered a significantly updated sound. Many people say the band’s sound changed dramatically. However, the band’s core instrumentation of bass, guitar, and drums still sounded the same. Patrick Simmons’ playing and singing were still also a dominant force.

The addition of Michael McDonald’s vocals, keyboard playing, and songwriting gave the band a more soulful sound. One can also not neglect Jeff Skunk Baxter’s impact on the band after joining them in 1974. Jeff Skunk Baxter and Michael McDonald’s work and recording time with Steely Dan served the two well. Steely Dan was the most meticulous band to ever record in the studio. It’s easy to believe that Michael McDonald and Baxter learned some great stuff working with Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

When Takin’ It To The Streets was released in 1976, many loved the band’s updated sound. Of course, some fans turned away, especially during the band’s incredible commercial success with Michael McDonald. The band recorded four albums with Michael McDonald, including Taking It To The Streets in 1976, Living on the Fault Line in 1977, Minute by Minute in 1978, and One Step Closer in 1980. The One Step Closer album would be the last Doobie Brothers record for almost ten years until the release of Cycles in 1989.

By then, Michael McDonald was enjoying a successful solo career and did not participate in the revival of the Doobie Brothers. Over the years, the band has recorded and toured with former members returning at different periods after the release of Cycles in 1989. The band has released four more albums, including Brotherhood in 1991 and Sibling Rivalry in 2000. World Gone Crazy was in 2010, and Southbound was in 2014. Former founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons are still playing with the band. In 2018, the Doobie Brothers are out on the road with Steely Dan.

Our Top 10 Doobie Brothers songs list attempts to pick 10 of what we believe are the best songs the Doobie Brothers ever released. It’s simply our subjective list, but we feel it will serve as a great starting ground for anyone not familiar with the music of the great band The Doobie Brothers.

# 10 – The Doctor

We start out our Top 10 Doobie Brothers songs list with the excellent single “The Doctor.” The song was the opening track on their 1989 comeback album entitled Cycles. For the band, it was a return to their early 1970s pre-Michael McDonald sound. Michael McDonald did not appear on the album. However, he did contribute as a songwriter on the track “Tonight I’m Coming Through.” Fans welcomed the return of The Doobie Brothers. The song “The Doctor” became a Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit. The song also peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts.

# 9 – For Someone Special

“For Someone Special” may be one of the lesser-known Doobie Brothers songs on this list. However, one listen to this track and it will become clear why we included it on this best Doobie Brothers Songs article. The song was released on the band’s 1976 album Takin’ It To The Streets. It was never released as a single. It was one of those deep tracks that rock fans loved to hear on FM radio when the format used to play album tracks. The song was issued as the second track on side two of the record. The song featured a rare lead vocal by bassist Tiran Porter.

# 8 – What A Fool Believes

If there ever was a Doobie Brothers song that defined Michael McDonald’s impact on the band, it was “What A Fool Believes.” The song was released on the band’s 1978 album Minute by Minute. The song was released as a single in 1979. “What A Fool Believes” would become the band’s biggest hit of their career. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. The album Minute By Minute earned the band four Grammy Awards.

# 7 – Jesus Is Just Alright

The great Doobie Brothers song “Jesus Is Just Alright” was released on the band’s second album, Toulouse Street. The song was released as the second single from the album. The greatness of this song was overshadowed by the massive success of the album’s first single, “Listen To The Music.” The song’s mid-section, where the band breaks, was the highlight of this fantastic record.

# 6 – China Grove

By the time the band released the single “China Grove,” they had already established a very identifiable sound. “China Grove” was the second single released from the band’s The Captain and Me album. It was another colossal smash for the band, reaching the number 15 spot on the Billboard Top 100 in 1973. The band’s great guitar riffs fueled the song as they did with most of the Doobie Brothers’ big early 1970s hits.

# 5 – Listen To The Music

As we close in on the number one spot on our Top 10 Dobbie Brothers songs list, it becomes more challenging to choose between the following four Doobie Brothers songs. We found it appropriate that the last four songs were split between the pre-Michael McDonald era and the time he recorded with the band. In our number four spot is the song that put the band on the map. The great Doobie Brothers song “Listen to The Music” was the band’s first successful single. It was the lead single released from their second album entitled Toulouse Street.

# 4 – Taking It To The Streets

“Takin’ It To The Streets” was the title track for the band’s legendary 1976 album Takin’ It To The Streets. “Takin’ It To The Streets” is the second of three songs from the Takin’ It To The Streets album to appear on our Top 10 Dobbie Brothers songs list. This was one of Michael McDonald’s most fabulous lead vocals with the band.

# 3 – Long Train Running

The classic Doobie Brothers song contains possibly the most iconic guitar licks of the band’s career. This was one of the 1970s’ defining rock and roll moments. The perfect balance of rock and pop fits perfectly on all radio formats. The song “Long Train Running” was released on the band’s album The Captain and Me. It was the lead single released from the record. The song did exceptionally well for the band, reaching the number eight position on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 2 – Wheels Of Fortune

As we arrive at the number two spot on our top 10 Doobie Brothers songs list, we revert to the band’s finest album, Takin’ It To The Streets. The production value of the Takin’ It To The Streets album was spectacular. The song it shined the most on was the album’s opening cut, “Wheels of Fortune.” The song only reached the number 87 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but that does not take away from the song’s brilliance. From production value to composition to performance, “Wheels of Fortune” is the artistic peak of the band’s career.

# 1 – Black Water

As we close out our top 10 Doobie Brothers songs list, we turn to their 1974 album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. The song “Black Water” was initially released as the B side to the album’s first single, “Another Park, Another Sunday.” A song with a similar title to Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park.” “Another Park, Another Sunday” was a successful single for the band, but there seemed to be more interest in the B-side than the A-side. This was something that had been previously seen with various Beatles and Elton John singles when the B-sides became more famous than the A-sides. Eventually, “Black Water” was released as the album’s third single. “Black Water” would become The Doobie Brothers’ first number-one song as it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.