One of my favorite keyboard vocalists is the great Michael McDonald. His husky baritone voice added harmony and background parts to many hit songs from the 1970s and 1980s. After being discovered in an Illinois nightclub, he was signed to RCA Records. He then auditioned for Steely Dan and became part of their touring band in 1973. McDonald contributed vocals to several of their albums, including Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Gaucho, and 1977’s Aja. I especially love hearing his background vocals on Steely Dan’s “Peg.”
The Doobie Brothers were formed in San Jose in 1970 and recorded five albums before Michael McDonald officially joined the group in 1975. McDonald replaced lead singer Tom Johnston during the middle of their 1975 tour when Johnston fell ill with a severe stomach condition. While Johnston eventually returned, he soon left the band due to creative differences. McDonald took the lead on Takin’ It to the Streets, the first Doobie Brothers album to feature his vocals. He remained a key member of the band until 1982 when he left to pursue a solo career.
Fun Fact: On Spotify, “Takin’ It to the Streets” is credited to The Doobie Brothers and James Taylor. While Taylor sang backup during a live performance at the 1979 No Nukes concert, I haven’t found any evidence of him contributing to the original 1976 recording. He isn’t mentioned in the album’s liner notes, and I don’t clearly hear his voice in the mix. Perhaps he’s subtly singing in the background of the chorus, but I couldn’t find anything online to confirm that. I might have missed something, but for now, it remains a mystery to me. 😊
Video Interview: Here’s a link to a fantastic Rick Beato interview with Michael McDonald discussing the creation of this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFRGu1A7BQk
I hope you enjoy this fantastic song from 1976. Really listen to that incredible bass groove, the great drumming, and McDonald’s amazing vocals.
Song: “Takin’ It to the Streets”
Artist: The Doobie Brothers
Album: Takin’ It to the Streets
Year: 1976
You don’t know me but I’m your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don’t know my kind in your world
Fairly soon the time will tell
You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in poverty’s despair
You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. Sorry if there are any mistakes.
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