50 years ago today (3/19/26), The Doobie Brothers released Takin’ It to the Streets – their sixth studio album and their first with Michael McDonald. Before the release, the Doobies were renowned for their laid-back, guitar-driven sound, fulfilled by songs like “China Grove,” “Black Water,” and “Long Train Running.” McDonald joined the band just prior to this release, and his soul, jazz, and R&B brought a smoother, more sophisticated feel – later to be coined “yacht rock.” Well, the Doobie Brothers weren’t all captain hats and Hawaiian shirts, and Takin’ It to the Streets even had a hard-edged rock nod on most of the album. This six album set the stage for the Doobie Brothers’ late-’70s commercial peak- one that would have them hit number one years later with “What A Fool Believes.’ Watch the title track live from 1977
