That is a real popular sentiment but I think it’s too long to have been a hit for a pop song structured as it is, and the outro is probably where they would have cut it, which really would have changed the song. I can’t stand the edit cut of For Whom The Bell Tolls, another that really benefits from a long ending. They fade it out early and ruined the song for me. And they use that on all the comps...uggh. Would have hated to see that on Spirits.
There was a quality to Mr. McDonald's vocals, throughout his career, that reminded me more of someone who had his mouth full with foodstuffs as he was singing. Unlike their prior #1, "Black Water" which was out-of-left-field, this one had "45 hit" written all over it.
Michael McDonald's voice is certainly distinctive, but it's actually perfect for this kind of slick lite rock, I think: it has a kind of effortless character and personality which the music, cold, electronic, precise, kind of lacks.
This song came as a complete surprise to me and many other people at the time. But, in 1976, Michael McDonald was brought in to transform the band's sound because the musical climate was changing and they wanted to stay relevant. It worked to the display of their longtime rock fans who favored the guitar-powered jams with the occasional horn stabs. Now the sound was dominated by keyboards and that voice. Maybe people don't remember their hit "Takin; It To The Streets". I love the song, and I don't care what anyone thinks, the understated arrangement is genius, and the lyrics are well done. A guy with a mean puppy love conjures up a whole relationship that never really was with a woman who had no romantic interest him him. I'm betting a lot of guys who don't like the song could relate to that. No wonder the song did so well.
Again, the Doobies had been deliberately headed in that direction. They knew it would piss off some of their longtime fans, but would also gain them new ones.
Never have liked "What a Fool Believes". Or anything else Michael McDonald sang that I can think of offhand. It's just not my thing.
"What a Fool Believes" is one of my favorite #1 songs of all time. If you take away the "somewhere back in her long ago" part of the lyrics, I've been in that position with at least three different women, where I had to force myself to walk away, after realizing that what I thought was potentially there --- was, in reality, not. In every case I was probably reaching farther looks-wise than was probably appropriate for me, or would have worked long-term. A #1 that gives you advice for how to think, and is not a bore to listen to. It's a winner for me. This song came out when I was 12. I didn't really appreciate the lyrics until college-age or so, at that point it was mid to late '80s, when it helped me deal with the first such situation that I mentioned above. I probably saved myself a lot of embarrassment because of these lyrics. Grant states the same idea very well about 3 or 4 posts above here, except that I've always liked the song, even in 1979. (I didn't buy the single then, so it was successful without any help from me) === As far as Michael McDonald is concerned, I've never been a big fan of his, outside of a handful of Doobie Brothers singles. Never been a fan of his post-Doobies work.
The Doobie Brothers were two distinct bands; Tom Johnston and Michael McDonald. Maybe they should have changed their name with the style change ala Jefferson Airplane/Starship. I prefer the Tom Johnston albums by far, but McDonald could make a hit. "Taking It To The Streets" is an all-timer for me. The McDonald albums were full of filler; much more so than the Johnston albums.
I've dug this from the point it came out. No doubt the musical arrangement played a part, though the message was over my head for many years till I finally heard it. My own pressing I have (with accompanying pic sleeve) is a Capitol Winchester, with the small 3.3125" label and 360 embossed interlocking serrations that left impressions on many a pic sleeve or company or generic sleeve over the years. Mr. McDonald co-wrote this with a fella who until about 3 years before this was in a duo with someone who had been insistent on steering him towards country-rock but he didn't want to go there. By year's end this gent would have a top 10 hit with another song he and McDonald wrote (and on which McDonald sang backing vocals). When we get to that timeline, we'll find out exactly which one that is.
That's interesting because that same fella broke up with his longtime music partner because he didn't want to do country-rock anymore.
You think The Doobie Brothers were "two bands"? It could easily be argued that there were at least five (if not more) Fleetwood Macs in their long history, given the massive personnel changes and various goings-on. The Peter Green, the Bob Welch, the Buckingham/Nicks - and that's not counting those that came years after this time line I won't get into for reasons relating to not wishing to "jump ahead."
You're probably saying the same thing I am, 'cept from a different perspective. When we get there, we'll see how much telepathy among us there is on this . . .
"What a Fool Believes" was my entry point with the Doobies, aside from their appearance on "What's Happening" in early 1978. I loved the song then as I do now...although playing it every single show with my Yacht Rock band has dimmed its appeal a little. It introduced me to the rest of their early catalog and I did not hear near as large of a shift as I'm sure older fans of the band probably did. It is a bit of an anomaly given the climate of pop music at the time...definitely signaled the charts were ready to go in a new direction. It is a gem of pop music production. Ironic the conditions it was created were less than ideal. Even as a kid when I got my 45, the band photo (same one from the LP) looked dingy, sad and grimy. Knowing now how hard they had worked up to this point, almost killing founder Johnston in the process due to exhaustion and bleeding ulcers, I'm surprised they were able to coax such a sunny sounding song out of those clearly tired eyes. The resurgent line up put together to capitalize on the success of "Minute by Minute" had a concert broadcast on HBO in 79 which I remember distinctly, yet confused me to see the band members in concert that did not line up with the pics on the cover of my 45. Wasn't til later I learned they had essentially broken up and decided to re-group with a new line up. I will say, looking back, I missed having Baxter in the group, but that 79 line up was pretty killer. Simmons and Porter seemed to be somewhat revived, McFee was a nice addition (able to play fiddle for Black Water and could fingerpick along with Simmons for "Slat/Slack Key Soquel Rag") and Cornelius Bumpus was perfect for keeping that gruff R&B vibe they needed for some of Johnston's songs along with covering the Bill Payne keyboard parts and sax parts.
You're right on that. We could go that way with a few. Genesis, Chicago, Pink Floyd, Grand Funk, and The Beatles to name a few. Heck you got Pre-Army Elvis vs Post-Army Elvis. Robert Palmer, and Steve Miller are also prime examples of major style changes. Some for better and some for worse. It could be a thread in itself.
I can understand why many early fans are critical of the McDonald era. It's sound like a different band. Be that as it may, "What A Fool Believes" is a pop gem. Everything about it including the instrumentation, composition, and production ticks all of the right boxes for me.
I'm an early fan, but I like all three eras. But, when I want to listen to some Doobies, I will more often than not pick the pre-"Minute By Minute" era.
I can't seem to remember his name, but someone used to make lovely hand-written/drawn and thoroughly researched genealogical charts of pop groups, tracing the links in membership between them. Of necessity each lineup of a band was its own distinct entity, so you'd have "Sex Pistols Mark I", "Sex Pistols Mark II", and the like. It would be fun to see how many versions of some of these groups there are when you really look closely.
I can certainly understand the opinion that Michael McDonald took the Doobies in a direction that alienated their long time fans, and that their early stuff is the real stuff, but I can't see not liking What A Fool Believes, which is about a perfect a pop song as can be imagined.
Everyone is probably sick of this, but in case you haven't seen it...the webisode that launched a 1000 tribute bands... **WARNING, COARSE LANGUAGE...** Yacht Rock 1 HD And since Ted Templeman is involved, this one always cracks me up... Yacht Rock 9 HD
I've read that John Lennon didn't like the song all that much, but he did think Paul played some great bass on it.
I read that as well. Of course John was well...John. ;-) Not sure what his beef was with the song, probably too light for him. He could not say because it was disco...he dabbled in some proto-disco himself with "Whatever Gets You Through the Night." But I think we can all agree, John included, that the bass work is stellar!
This one and You Belong to Me are the only Doobie Brothers songs I know (the latter thanks to Carly Simon's version). I like it enough to listen sporadically; it's catchy and Michael McDonald's voice is unique.
I don ' t know if you 're a fan of SCTV but Rick Moranis did a hilarious imitation of McDonald in a skit which showed him driving from recording studio to recording studio and arriving just in time to run into the recording booth and do his vocal. My writing about it does it no justice. It may be available on YouTube.
Oh , man , that' s it! I haven't seen it in ages. Thank you so much for taking the time to post it. Cheers, mate.
