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Terrific anthology of one of the most important groups of the 1970's.

  • Dec 4, 2008
Rating:
+4
While I am not a particularly big fan of the music of the 1970's one group that stood head and shoulders above the rest was the Doobie Brothers.  Led by vocalist Tom Johnston, this group successfully combined elements of rock 'n roll and R&B and made some of the most memorable music of the decade.  And despite a rash of personnel changes along the way the group continued to make great music throughout the 1970's.
 
It did not take long for the group to make its mark on the American music scene.  Formed in San Jose, Ca. in 1970, the Doobies found themselves riding high on the Billboard Top Pop Singles Chart when in the fall of 1972 their debut release "Listen To The Music" leaped all the way to #11.  Quite an accomplishment!  Over the next few years the hits just kept on comin' with memorable songs like "Long Train Runnin'", "Black Water" and "China Grove".  What I particularly enjoyed about the Doobie Brothers was that no two songs seemed to sound alike.  This was a very innovative group that featured tight harmonies and superior musicianship.

As I mentioned earlier the group was plagued by constant personnel changes which made the fact that their music was so consistantly good all the more remarkable.  In 1975, Michael McDonald came aboard to replace Tom Johnston and lent his considerable talents to the group.  But the group had a lot of trouble coming up with another big hit. "Takin' It To The Streets" and "It Keeps You Runnin'" were great records but it seemed the public had lost some interest.  In late 1978 the group released the album "Minute By Minute".  This record was greeted with wild enthusiasm by the public.  Not only did it reach #1 on the Billboard Albums chart, but it stayed there for five weeks. " Minute By Minute" also spawned the #1 single "What A Fool Believes" which in my opinion could well be the best single release of the decade.  The group continued to have varying amounts of success until they finally disbanded in 1983.  The group re-formed briefly with Tom Johnston at the helm and released the great Top 10 single "The Doctor" which thankfully Rhino has chosen to include on this disc.

Featuring a total of 20 tracks, "Doobie Brothers Greatest Hits" is really an excellent collection.  I found just about everything I was looking for on this disc.  Rhino has also provided an excellent 16 page booklet which details all of the twists and turns that took place in the life of this marvelous group. Highly recommended.
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March 16, 2009
I love the Doobie Brothers!
 
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More Doobie Brothers - Greatest Hit... reviews
review by . November 13, 2005
posted in Music Matters
The Doobie Brothers are an odd little outfit. They've survived countless lineup changes, breakups, and style changes and have managed to remain successful. Also, they're predominantly a California-based band, but their early, pre-Michael McDonald music sounds like it rolled out of the Mississippi Delta and took a trip down Beale Street in Memphis, TN.    This album opens up with some great tunes like "Listen To The Music," "Jesus Is Just Alright," and "Rockin' Down The Highway." …
see all Doobie Brothers - Greatest Hit... reviews (2)
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Paul Tognetti ()
Ranked #3
I guess I would qualify as a frustrated writer. My work requires very little writing and so since 1999 I have been writing reviews on non-fiction books and anthology CD's on amazon.com. I never could … more
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About this topic

Wiki

Listen to the music! The first truly complete single-disc retrospective covering the Doobies' extended career. Twenty hits released between 1971 and 1991, including "Jesus Is Just Alright," "China Grove," and "What A Fool Believes."

TRACK LISTINGS
  1. Listen To The Music (Single Version)
  2. Jesus Is Just Alright (Single Version)
  3. Rockin' Down The Highway
  4. Long Train Runnin'
  5. Without You
  6. China Grove
  7. Nobody (Single Version)
  8. Black Water
  9. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)
  10. It Keeps You Runnin' (Single Version)
  11. Takin' It To The Streets
  12. You Belong To Me
  13. Echoes Of Love
  14. What A Fool Believes
  15. Minute By Minute
  16. Dependin' On You (Single Version)
  17. One Step Closer
  18. Real Love
  19. The Doctor
  20. Dangerous
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Tags

Music, Albums, Classic Rock, 1970s Music
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Details

Label: Rhino, Wea
Release Date: September 4, 2001

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"Southern Rock: California Style"
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