# What are your favorite Doobie Brothers albums and Band lineup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 5, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651 "2024-01-05T14:58:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/1 "2024-01-05T14:58:47Z")
I know that I’m asking how deep is the ocean? The Doobies had so many great lineups of musicians. The band name is really a franchise where fantastic and talented people visited for a few years. Do you have a favorite member of the band or lineup that appears on an album? What’s your favorite Doobie Brothers albums? Perhaps we can narrow down the top ten albums and I’ll post a new thread with poll for the fans choice of best album? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/2 "2024-01-05T15:05:38Z")
I’m partial to the Skunk Baxter, Patrick Simmons, Keith Knudson (drums) and Michael McDonald lead vocals years. _Minute by Minute_ 1978 is my personal favorite album. Closely followed by _Takin it to the Streets_ 1976. _Livin on the Fault Line_ 1977 is very good artistically but it wasn’t a great commercial project. A lot of casual fans wouldn’t remember it. It was more of a concept album. All three albums had basically the same lineup of musicians. Skunk left after _Minute by Minute_ in 1978 and McDonald left after _One Step Closer_ in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/3 "2024-01-05T16:26:51Z")
My favorite album is _The Captain And Me_, but my favorite line-up is the one from _Stampede_, after Jeff Baxter came on as a full time ~~[defense consultant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Baxter#Defense_consulting_career)~~ guitarist. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/4 "2024-01-05T16:53:43Z")
Any album or lineup without Michael McDonald. He ruined the Doobies, turned a rock band into a pop music group. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/5 "2024-01-05T17:13:24Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > My favorite album is _The Captain And Me_, but my favorite line-up is the one from _Stampede_, after Jeff Baxter came on as a full time ~~[defense consultant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Baxter#Defense_consulting_career)~~ guitarist. I always fondly remember South Ciry Midnight Lady on _The Captain And Me_. That’s my favorite album with Tom Johnston. Most of the early Doobies albums are very good. Midnight Lady is one of the few Doobie songs that I play. Most of their hits requires at least a 3 piece band to adequately cover. The Doobies had several guitars on stage. But Lady sounds really nice on one guitar. Everyone recognizes the song from the chords. I love jamming with a friend that does the lead on that song. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/6 "2024-01-05T17:27:53Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > My favorite album is _The Captain And Me_ Mine too. Not sure how it could be otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/7 "2024-01-05T17:30:25Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Doobies had so many great lineups of musicians. The band name is really a franchise where fantastic and talented people visited for a few years. Reminds me of Steely Dan. Two guys and then a never-ending procession of others playing with them (and by design…Becker and Fagen were perfectionists and constantly looked for the ideal musician to play just one song). ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/8 "2024-01-05T17:39:55Z")
A few years ago Rhino released a box set with quadraphonic and high-resolution mixes of _Toulouse Street_, _The Captain & Me_, _What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits_, and _Stampede_ on Blu-ray. Even on my modest surround system the sound is just fantastic. The price has gone sky-high on the secondary market, but if you’re a fan and have capable hardware you might want to keep an eye out for a deal somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/9 "2024-01-05T17:42:12Z")
I first came across the Doobies with “What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits” when it was new, but first really listened to them when “Takin’ It to the Streets” came out. McDonald got a lot of criticism (at least among my friends) at the time because of the change from a bar band to more soft rock. “Takin’ It to the Streets” is my favorite album, but I also love the earlier stuff. Saw them in concert on the “Minute by Minute” tour in 1978. Tickets were $7.50. So, yeah. To answer the question, I love the Doobies up until Takin’ It to the Streets, and every lineup til then (even McDonald). I don’t think he ruined the band, but it did…evolve, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/10 "2024-01-05T17:46:43Z")
I saw a interview with Skunk Baxter. He explained that he felt the Doobies were at their peak when he left. He’d done as much with the band as possible. He moved on with session work for other bands. But still loves his prior work with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. I have his solo album _Speed of Heat_ from 2022. It’s interesting and has two Steely Dan covers. Theres one song with Michael McDonald. I don’t listen to the album regularly. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/11 "2024-01-05T18:03:29Z")
I don’t know their albums, but since _The Captain and Me_ was referenced, I checked and it has Long Train Running and China Grove, so I’ll agree with that choice. The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald is essentially a different band – I don’t know how many earlier band members stuck around, but the sound and groove are totally different. Worse, in my opinion, but certainly different. Listen to the Music, which is on a different album from China Grove, etc., is much more like those than any McDonald track. Since we’re talking about the Doobie Brothers, if you listen to the music in Listen to the Music, you’ll find that there’s a single, repeated piano note (an E, I think) that goes almost all the way through the song. Kind of a cool Easter Egg – once you hear it, you’ll never miss it. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/12 "2024-01-05T20:44:58Z")
Michael McDonald is a good instrumentalist & can sing harmonies very competently. But there is just something about the timbre of his voice that GRATES on me. Like chaulk screeching on a blackboard. Just a personal response… ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/13 "2024-01-05T23:22:21Z")
One Doobie Brothers-related question I’ve never found an answer to: What is the connection (if any) between _“Listen To The Music”_ and Peter Frampton’s _“Doobie Wah”_? They sound so much alike. Frampton’s song was released a couple of years later and at first I thought it was an obvious rip off and wondered if the Doobies would file a plagiarism suit (à la "_Taurus"_ vs _“Stairway To Heaven”_) Nothing ever happened on that front. In fact the Doobies and Peter seem to be on good terms. During the pandemic they posted a “social distanced” version of [Let It Rain](https://youtu.be/T7Dm77k-tZo?feature=shared) on Youtube and have toured together recently. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/14 "2024-01-06T00:17:32Z")
I remember the first time I heard the fantastic song “I Cheat the Hangman.” Never occurred to me that it might be from the Doobies, who personified a certain type of chugging guitar rock that I really liked. I later learned that it came from _Stampede_. I couldn’t name another song on the album, but Hangman is one those hidden gems that people talk about. Or, in this case, never talk about. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/15 "2024-01-06T17:38:42Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > One Doobie Brothers-related question I’ve never found an answer to: What is the connection (if any) between _“Listen To The Music”_ and Peter Frampton’s _“Doobie Wah”_? I don’t have any Doobie Brothers albums but I do have Frampton Comes Alive, and have wondered this myself. Is Doobie Wah anything more than a (tongue-in-cheek?) homage to the Doobies? ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/16 "2024-01-07T16:18:42Z")
Sounding alike, and with the later song referencing the other artists by name in the title, can it BE any more obvious that it was all intentional? ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/17 "2024-01-07T16:54:30Z")
Same key (E), very similar chord inversions. Obviously a tribute, but I’m guessing a friendly one? Most likely Frampton cleared it with the Doobies before he put it out. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/18 "2024-01-07T20:45:38Z")
San Jose designated the “Doobie Brothers House” as a historic landmark a few years ago. It’s where the band started when Tom Johnson lived there while attending San Jose State. It’s about 5 minutes away, so just for grins I drove over this morning to take a picture. You can see the “historic marker” plaque in the lower right corner: [![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53449759945_143a3718b3_z.jpg) ](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53449759945_143a3718b3_z.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/19 "2024-01-08T04:04:45Z")
Tom’s health was a big concern. He probably wouldn’t have survived the 70’s as leader of The Dobbie Brothers Michael McDonald last Doobie album was in 1980. The first Doobie farewell tour was in 1982. The live album was released in 1983. Both men have returned and recorded for short periods. Link [Tom Johnston (musician) - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Johnston_(musician)) > [@](#): > > More seriously however, following years of a [road touring lifestyle](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_effects_of_rock_and_roll#Sex,_Drugs,_and_Rock_and_Roll) and health issues surrounding stomach ulcers which stood as a challenge since high school,[[9]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Johnston_(musician)#cite_note-Harris-9) Johnston became severely ill on the eve of a major tour beginning in Memphis, Tennessee in 1975 to promote _[Stampede](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stampede_(The_Doobie_Brothers_album))_ . Johnston’s condition was so precarious that he required emergency hospitalization for a bleeding ulcer. With Johnston convalescing and the tour already underway, fellow Doobie Brother Jeff Baxter proposed recruiting a fellow Steely Dan alum to fill the hole. This led to the emergency hiring of [Michael McDonald](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_McDonald_(singer)), who became the lead singer of the band. Restored to fitness in 1976 and briefly back in the band, Johnston contributed one original song to _Takin’ It to the Streets_ (“Turn It Loose”), and also added a vocal [cameo](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo_appearance) to Pat Simmons’ tune “Wheels of Fortune”. He also made live appearances with the band in 1976 (appearing in a concert filmed that year at Winterland in San Francisco, excerpts from which appear occasionally on [VH1 Classic](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VH1_Classic)), but was sidelined once again in the fall due to exhaustion. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651/20 "2024-01-08T15:41:14Z")
I don’t have a favorite Doobie album. But, one of my all-time favorite songs is Another Park, Another Sunday. I could listen to that song over and over again. I’ve never been a big Doobie Brothers fan and an even less of a fan of Michael McDonald. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-doobie-brothers-albums-and-band-lineup/995651.md?page=2)