Almanac Music: ‘Listen To The Music’ – Doobie Brothers
When living in London in 1974, the UK was awash with so-called ‘glam’ music. Every music station was playing Gary Glitter, Alvin Stardust, Paper Lace, and so on.
One of the very few non-glam songs to receive airplay and sit at the bottom end of the Top 40 charts was ‘Listen To The Music’ by The Doobie Brothers. It was refreshing to hear something different to what was being flogged to death on the radio stations.
The Doobie Brothers became a favourite for me over the years though I thought they went a little ‘soft’ in their later years.
At JazzFest in New Orleans 2019 The Doobie Brothers featured as one of the headline acts. I did not plan to see them as I wasn’t sure how many original members were playing in the band at the time, I’m not keen listening to bands made up with only one or two original members ‘cashing in’, so to speak. However walking past the stage they were playing on I was pleasantly surprised and attracted by their sound and ended staying for their entire performance. They were superb!
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Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers, listening to music especially Bob Dylan, reading, and swimming.
This is a really good song, Col, with a particularly personal connection for me.
I remember playing it in ‘South Side’, a one-gig band I was involved with as a teenager, at a ‘Pig On A Spit’ fundraiser for the St Albans footy club in Geelong. I’ve told the story of this gig in a previous piece some Almanackers would remember: https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/almanac-music-a-band-beer-and-pig-on-a-spit/
One of the first bands to combine driving rock with great harmonies. I think they had two drummers as well. Changed a bit when Michael McDonald joined the band and took on keyboards and lead vocal but also enjoyed some of their greatest success with hits like ‘Taking it to the streets’ and
‘What a fool believes’
Col, you keep the hits coming with yet another great band from the 70s and early 80s. I really liked their early, free flowing, uncomplicated rock style with songs such as ‘Take me in your arms’, ‘Jesus is just alright’ and ‘Black water’ with Tom Johnston singing lead. Their sound moved on after Michael McDonald joined the group in about 1975/6 but the hits kept coming with ‘Taking it to the streets’, It keeps you running’ and (my favourite) ‘What a fool believes’. Ah, the memories of my friend ‘Pedro’ chancing his vocals on ‘Black water’, Highgate, 1974.
How good is that guitar intro?
Yes! It’s on the key of E and the chord is what we call a ‘Hendrix’ E (used in the wind cries Mary et al). With a Sus 4 florurish at the end.