While Micheal McDonald did give the Doobie Brothers worldwide massive success with this #1 song and album, it was Tom Johnston who will always be the heart of the original Doobies sound.
I cannot stand McDonald. I can't listen to anything with him. A few years ago, the Doobie Brothers were opening for Santana and she asked if I wanted to go. First thing I said was, I don't know, let me check and see who's with them. What I was checking was to see that he wasn't touring with them that year. So, we went. Unfortunately, thanks to Northern VA/DC traffic and the mistake of following Google's "faster route" a few times, we only caught the last four or so songs of the Doobies. What we saw was great, however. I'd love to see them again, but apparently McDonald is with them this time, so that's a hard NO.
No doubt. I was never a huge fan of the McDonald era, but if that had not saved the Doobies they may have never reunited with Tom went on to make some more great albums!
The McDonald stuff won me over eventually to some extent, it's a guilty pleasure. I am also a songwriter, so I can appreciate the craftsmanship. But as guitar is my main instrument, the Tom Johnston tunes are more fun for me to play, and certainly have more cojones.
My dad was a huge Doobie Brothers fan, and I found my own love for them with the Minute by Minute LP. Thus when my dad popped 2 tickets for their Louisville KY date with Night opening..... I was floored. It was my first (EVER) Concert and I still remember everything from that night some 45 years later. From the first time I ever smelled weed (the air was thick with it, you couldn't escape it...) to the amazing 3rd encore --- everyone started leaving... my dad said "Stay in your seat, it only get's better from here..." --- when both Night and the Doobies came back (20 minutes after the lights had gone on!!!!!) and did a stunning rendition of "Listen to the Music". My dad was right.... the whole two hours of concert was eclipsed by a single encore. And my first ever music concert has been firmly etched in my memories. What an amazing album --- what an amazing concert --- what an amazing night. One of the few good memories I still carry with me from my dad, who passed at the age of 47 way back in 1991. Thank you for the story... it's a beautiful song and has been one of my favorites all these years.
This episode was flawlessly edited on blending all the 3 interviews together to tell the complete story from the 3 different presentations of the artists and surprisingly the story is exactly the same from each. Fantastic episode professor,well done!
What an amazing story on how a timeless hit song was born. Part of the song is composed immediately by the guy knocking at the door while he's walking up the path and heard a small part of it being sung from behind the door. That's what you call the stars being aligned! Two days later and the work of art is recorded in stone to be forever enjoyed by all.
@@ProfessorofRock Are you aware the the Doobies did a two part episode of the late 70's black urban comedy _What's Happening?_ that dealt with the issue of pirated live performances? It was a great episode.
Rolled down the windows in an old chevy every morning and played this before work. A couple of jensen triaxles and an amp in the glove compartment. I came out one morning and the speakers were ripped out of my car. It motivated me to make my speakers. I hope the person that took my speakers got to enjoy them as much as I did. Peace and love and music to all !!!!
Adam, I've said it 100 times, but you and the staff around you doing these videos for us absolutely go beyond expectation every single time. I'm so happy this channel is here. It helped through the past few years of craziness and it continues to be one of my very most looked forward to pieces of content every week. Your channel is now mandatory viewing for me. Thanks to everyone involved in putting this content together. The passion bleeds through every pixel of my screen.
This song gets an automatic replay whenever I hear it. The lyrics, structure, harmonies, layers, vocals... Complex and soulful, all of it. I close my eyes and can see the song unfold when I hear this song... I'm talking down to the color of the table at the diner. Definitely my jam.
Both McDonald and Loggins are all around musical genius’s . Amazing singing talent and writers. Loved the Doobie Bros before McDonald and with him. True they went in a diff direction but the results were fantastic. Like Dave and Sammy with VH I like both eras even though they different.
Dear Michel McDonald this song has giving me SO much in last 45 years and I will love it till the day I die. Thank you so much, you are legend and I have see you live few times in LA 1986, Tom Bradley for Governor and now few years back in 2019 in Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Please come one day to Finland. Pori Jazz festival....?
No song brings me back to being 12, living in rural Michigan, staying at my older sister's house, better than this classic, who just got married, they loved the Doobies, our dear sister is gone now, no matter where I hear this song, I cry. Miss those days so much
This was the perfect planetary alignment- two phenomenal Singer songwriters getting together and creating a masterpiece! Thank you for this piece Professor, as always you are at the top of your game.
I just recently had the privilege of working with Kenny Loggins and his crew at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. When Mr Loggins sang this song, I cried hard. It was moving.
"Fool... " was a staple on the kitchen AM radio at my Grandma's house, right across the road from my own. My 11 year old self would be over there building things with the same Meccano sets that my father owned when he was my age.
i can remember yelling out to Michael "the voice" at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney late 70s early eighties and he acknowledged it took a a few pics too ,i was stoked !!
When I hear Doobie Brothers, it reminds me of the episode of What's Happening and Raj was meeting them and sai "Which Doobie you be?".... still funny 40 years later 😂😂😂😂
As a kid born in ‘71, I liked disco, but The Doobies were a big part of the sound of the late 70s/early 80s. So many great versions, but I’ve always loved the original “What a Fool Believes”. It’s not your typical love song, more sad unrequited, and MM’s soulful voice conveys that longing and loss. Great interviews w/MM and KL, too, Prof. They’re true musician/poet/singer/songwriter/storytellers.😉
'71 baby here too 🙋♀️ i have always loved this song! as a little girl i didn't really ponder the meaning as an adult, it's confounding how it can make me so happy, sad, & nostalgic all at the same time it can start my day off right as easily as it can settle me down at end of day 😊
Timeless lyrical brilliance, not to mention flawless harmonies. And theres quite a few men amongst us, myself included, who took a long long time to learn the lessons of this song. When you're faced between the choice of "what seems to be" and "nothing", too many of us chose "what seemed to be" and got our hearts broken in the process when we finally wake up to barking up the wrong tree. It took me nearly 50 years to learn the lesson, so this song is beyond important to me personally and has been a very inspiring one to me as a sometime writer.
I love Tom Johnston....never loved McDonald's Doobies, but I do love the story how he just stepped up into an opportunity. Love your shows professor. I never miss.
"never loved McDonald's Doobies" My sentiments as well. "What a fool believes" is more of a chick song, what bands like Chicago turned into. I'm not a keyboard player, but do try to play various songs. "What a Fool Believes" is not an easy song to learn. I can barely get through the intro. I just noticed yesterday, that if you transpose this to an F G C variation, eliminating a lot of the sharps in the original, it might be a whole lot easier to play. I need to do some experimenting with that, to see if I can get through more of the song. I really appreciate the writing and the success they had with this song, but it is not a favorite with me. I wonder if the song would even appeal to the average crowd we play for on the weekends. In any case, musically, this song is way above the hip hop , wrap and hi T low IQ country you hear today.
@@carlaeskelsen "What a fool believes" , what on earth does high testosterone have to do with this song? I classify a lot of the neo country as "High T, Low IQ" country.
So mesmerized and entertained with the interviews and the stories that I never knew 19 plus minutes had already passed and this great episode was over....already?
This is a classic from the late 70's. Solo or together...everyone of them were masters of music and songwriting. This song still moves me...well..the best it can in my 70's.
DUDE! This video blew my socks off. I am an old time Doobie Bros fan (Jesus Is Just Alright, China Grove) as well as Loggins and Messina (Angry Eyes). Their later works didn't "get my gotcha" as the earlier songs did. Yet, watching this video gives me a greater insight and appreciation for their later works. You are truly compiling priceless accounts of Rock History that future generations can enjoy!! Wow! Aretha Franklin!! Amazing info! You really should research The Atlanta Rhythm Section. The only original member, lead vocalist Rodney Justo (he was in Roy Orbison's band "The Candymen"), is touring with the Rhythm Section now! These musicians put on one heck of a show and "keep the great music alive"! Thank you for great videos!!! 🎸🎶🎙🎹
One of the greatest collaborations in music history! Both are massively talented writers/vocalists. Michael McDonald is an elite singer! Thank you Professor for keeping the best music ever produced alive! JJ from South Alabama.
Admittedly, it took some time for the the directional change to grow on me but the rock to soul to rock was worth keeping a great band together. I really enjoy the Doobie Brothers and its sad to see their journey coming to an end. All we can do is say thank you guys.
My daughter was born in 78, so what a fool believes, this is it, and Aretha’s version are all wrapped up in my earliest memories with her. Over four decades later, that song is still a favorite, even for my last child, now 30, who discovered it on his own and does a wicked Michael McDonald impression. I still can’t get enough of this music! and when my daughter at 2 or 3 heard Aretha’s version all those years ago, she called the song “Rise” because of how Aretha carried that part. I was also playing Loggins’ “this is it” a lot back then and she’d always come in a beat late when we sang the chorus 😂😂😂
In 1979 in Sacramento CA I was standing in line for the Rocky Horror picture show with my boyfriend (later husband) when people in line mistook him for a Doobie Brothers member. I think It was Patrick Simmons. He had long hair at the time and really looked like him. He went along with it. It was funny. Those girls really believed he was a Doobie Brother. He was killed in 1986 by a drunk driver. We had a 6 yo, 4 yo and a new born. That memory of him always makes me smile.
In the late 70s I was just discovering pop and rock music since I grew up in a country and western household and my older brothers were in charge of the radio. in 1978 my middle brother graduated high school and suddenly I got to be in charge of the radio. I would listen to KOMA out of Oklahoma City and "What A Fool Believes" was in heavy rotation. Great Song. It would be later that I learned that the Tom Johnson lead Doobie Brothers had a very different sound on their hits.
This is one of the best episodes you've ever done. I remember seeing the Doobies perform this song on the Grammy awards show. They dominated that year. 79 was a great year for music.
Dear Professor, you got me with this story !! I finally subscribed ! As a music and Doobie Brothers fans, you this so great! I don't know how you pull it off, but to be able to get all the story details, the live interviews, WOW ! Super work !!!
I wonder thinking that of the love of my life that I unfortunately met when I was 12. And when you were 12 in the 60s and have pretty strict parents, you remember things differently. I love Tim dearly for the three years before our parents broke us up. Gasp. Something might happen. So you go your separate ways but you never forget what you believe. What is your soulmate. Now that I’m 73, and I haven’t seen Michael, of course, in forever, I wonder if my fond memories of the joy are anywhere close to his memories of our relationship. So this is a good food for thought. Thank you.
I was a junior in high school when What a Fool Believes hit number one in April 1979. I heard the song every morning on my alarm clock radio waking up to the tune as it was 62.0 KGW’s DJ, Craig Walker’s favorite song and I think he played it every morning until he retired.
I was a senior in high school spring of 79 dating a freshman. She was dear to me but dealing with our age difference as a 19 year old wanting more I had to let her go. Funny, I used to think the lyric was, he's watching her grow. I always think of her when I hear it, Dana, you were and always are beautiful.
This song, lyrics, track and everything in it, has been an ear worm, off and on, from the first time I heard it, in 79, until now. Since watching this video, it will be playing in my head, again, for a week, at least. Of course I will have to listen to the whole song, in a few minutes, anyway. The singing, the music, the rhythms, chord changes, the words, and etc, are just right there, where a great song is supposed to be. One of my, all-time favorites, since my first hearing of it.
I liked this tune on the radio, got the vinyl LP when it was first released and wore the grooves down quite a bit. A very solid set of tunes. "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels" is a favorite from that disc, the opening guitar lick is so potent. I often play it just to practice or warm-up on guitar.
This was a great episode: great interviews laced together to tell the story. I saw Chicago and the Doobie Brothers live in 1973 at San Diego Stadium. It is one of my all time favorite concerts. They played for several hours and were absolutely fantastic.
Professor, this is one of your GREATEST OF ALL TIME programs!!! That was some awesome stuff! The humble characters of these great singers/songwriters was truly great to see. Man... they don't make 'em like this anymore! I'm blown slap away...
I’m so glad there are people like Adam getting these artists on tape. His comment about George Michael is right on - we never know when they will leave us, and having these interviews will be something for generations to enjoy.
Thank you for doing this video. Lots of clips and info I didn't know before, including Kenny's influences, which makes so much sense now. Love this channel!
I loved Tom Johnston and there was no replacement for him. But life does go on and I at first thought that the Doobie Brothers sounded a bit strange but I loved the song. Michael McDonald has a voice that is unmistakable and soothing. I'm definitely happy that the band didn't just disappear into oblivion. Because they obviously had a lot left in them. Great episode Professor like only you know how. Thanks...
I’ve been on the road with the daughter, East Texas to Portland and music is definitely keeping us talking 😊 tomorrow is the last 8 hour leg, more music coming up! Now to hear this one before resting for tomorrow. Thanks for all the content. Again 😄
I think we all have that same reaction when we hear McDonald's voice as soon as he starts singing. Holy shit. It's not the piano. Lol. But, I also felt the same way when Kenny came out with the "Redwood" version. It was a pleasant surprise, a great version. This is a masterpiece effort (so is "This Is It"). I'm "lucky" to be old enough to hear those notes on FM radio when it first came out. There really will be nothing else like those moments for music lovers.
@@ProfessorofRock I have and it's not bad. The girls put their own House spin on it and Youth produced it. Still has the Stock/Aitken/Waterman vibe to it. I was more of a Jolley/Swain fan of Bananarama. If you listen to their album "True Confessions", you can tell who produced what. Venus seems so out of place on that album now knowing that they brought S/A/W in to replace J/S.
From their extensive catalog, "What A Fool Believes" became the Doobie Brothers signature song. It wound up winning 1979's song of the year and record of the year at the Grammy Awards. I was 14 when the song was released that year and wound up buying their Minute By Minute album. Great song and album. While I love disco very much, I also love diversity and it was nice having a great yacht rock song like "What A Fool Believes" reaching #1 during that time-frame
I went to there first fairwell tour in 1982 at Ohio's blossom music center it was a great concert I'm glad it wasn't there last doobies please keep rocking and touring
As hard as it would be to narrow down favorite songs of all time, this would have to be in my top five. I could listen to it basically anytime & it hits just right.
It was the story that was being told in that song that really hit me as a kid. I remember how sad it use to make me, I could only imagine the heartbreak of someone so in love with someone else that they had imagined that there was a time when there existed an actual relationship between them. But no... it never existed and now she's trying her best to let him down easy. What a fool believes. Wow. It was every crush that I could imagine never going away... no matter how much time passed. I was 11 when the song came out. That's some heavy sadness and realization to carry at that age. Fantastic song... a forever favorite.
Definitely enjoyed this video !!! Loved the Doobie Brothers… especially with Michael McDonald … and actually attended their “Farewell Tour” in 1981 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia MD !!! And always loved Kenny Loggins… both solo and with Loggins & Messina. It’s still amazing what I am learning at 61 years young !!! Thanks for another great video !!!
I heard it first on AT40 with Casey Kasem as a teenager who had become enthralled with music. It sounds so much better today through ears seasoned with appreciation! GREAT song and GREAT story Professor!!🎉 ❤
I could have watched this episode forever. OMG Michael McDonald and Kenny loggins go figure. The idea that t hey wanted to work together makes me smile. What a beautiful son guys. I think I've listened to it a thousand times and everytime I love it!
One of the greatest songs ever...definitely. I was in Hawaii in March 1979 and it was the #1 hit. Always an amazing memory!!! This is a great tribute and story about its birth.
I look back at the Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald and cannot believe that seeing them was my first live concert❤ I sang along with every song they played that evening
Great video, great interviews! Not only is this one of my favorite songs of all time because I grew up listening to it when I was young, but as I got older I realized it epitomized many relationships in my life. It adds a little extra feeling for me when I sing along with Michael and the Doobie Brother's version.
Great piece and interviews. Would love to see a piece with Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester about writing Whenever I Call You Friend and why they have never recorded or performed it together. Thanks!
Awesome episode! I love how you pieced together this episode as a cohesive unit with the separate interviews and takes on this song and how it came together. Two things are true. First, "What A Fool Believes" is a legendary song. Absolutely no question about it. Even if you aren't a fan of the song or the sound, it is a legendary song. Second, The Doobie Brothers were a classic rock n' roll band driven by guitars. "What A Fool Believes", with its prominent keyboards, was not that. At all. Just a statement of fact. I have huge respect for McDonald & Loggins. Amazing songwriters and performers. The way this tune came together was an amazing story. And there is no question that adding McDonald to the band gave The Doobie Brothers an extra lease on life. When Tom Johnston was down and out due to health issues. But, when The Doobie Brother with Michael McDonald were playing What A Fool Believes, it felt like the rest of the band was nothing more than supporting players for McDonald. Sorry, but that is the way it felt. I remember when "The Doctor" came out as a single in 1989. The first thing I remember thinking was, "The Doobie Brothers are BACK!! Without any synthesizers! None of that is meant to take away from the genius of What A Fool Believes and how it came together. It is just more of a reflection of how it feels within the context of the Doobies. Sort of like Van Halen with Sammy Hagar instead of David Lee Roth.
A little bit of Loggins goes a long way! Another Loggins duet that seems to be farther under the radar than it is Loggins and Perry's " Don't Fight it".
Michael's voice is so beautiful. I have to admit, my favorite song by him is "Real love". Great memories whenever I hear this song! The Doobies had so many great songs! I'm glad they were part of my teen years!
@@illegal_space_alien Fagen and Becker both left some amazing talent on the chopping block. David Palmer had a fantastic voice (including lead vocals on "Dirty Work" and "Brooklyn"), but was dumped after the first album. Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter were tremendous guitarists, both gone after 3 years. Jeff Porcaro was a legendary drummer, but didn't last long with them. And of course Michael McDonald, who played keyboards for SD but was only on backing vocals for them. I don't think SD was ever as good as a "solo" or "duo" project as they were as a real band, but as you say there's the ego situation.
Another tune that I loved from I think the first time I heard it. The Doobies were such great musicians and the melody of this song is just so delicious. Michael's great lyrics and silky smooth voice are the icing on the cake.
This song always takes me back to my Junior year of High School. It was everywhere. What a great song. I didn't really understand it then, because I was very literal back in the pre-history of man before there was a public internet.
Poll: What is your pick for the best musical collaboration of the rock era?
David Bowie and Queen- Under Pressure
Desmond Child writing Living On A Prayer for John Bon Jovi
Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on "Stop Dragging My Heart Around".
.....Tina & Mick at Live Aid, where he rips off her MINISKIRT! .....that was BURNED into me MEMORY! ...ha-HAAA!! >Tina'sLegalicious
@@freezer8530 so glad I got to see them perform this in London a few years ago
Skinny Puppy and Al Jourgensen (from Ministry) for the Skinny Puppy album, _Rabies_ . (Not a big fan of Ministry, but _Rabies_ is a fantastic album.)
No one on earth has a voice like Michael McDonald, or can come up with quite the same heart stabbing lyrics. How I love him!
He's amazing.
While Micheal McDonald did give the Doobie Brothers worldwide massive success with this #1 song and album, it was Tom Johnston who will always be the heart of the original Doobies sound.
Tom was no doubt a legend.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Tom IS no doubt a legend
I cannot stand McDonald. I can't listen to anything with him. A few years ago, the Doobie Brothers were opening for Santana and she asked if I wanted to go. First thing I said was, I don't know, let me check and see who's with them. What I was checking was to see that he wasn't touring with them that year. So, we went. Unfortunately, thanks to Northern VA/DC traffic and the mistake of following Google's "faster route" a few times, we only caught the last four or so songs of the Doobies. What we saw was great, however. I'd love to see them again, but apparently McDonald is with them this time, so that's a hard NO.
No doubt. I was never a huge fan of the McDonald era, but if that had not saved the Doobies they may have never reunited with Tom went on to make some more great albums!
The McDonald stuff won me over eventually to some extent, it's a guilty pleasure. I am also a songwriter, so I can appreciate the craftsmanship. But as guitar is my main instrument, the Tom Johnston tunes are more fun for me to play, and certainly have more cojones.
My dad was a huge Doobie Brothers fan, and I found my own love for them with the Minute by Minute LP. Thus when my dad popped 2 tickets for their Louisville KY date with Night opening..... I was floored. It was my first (EVER) Concert and I still remember everything from that night some 45 years later. From the first time I ever smelled weed (the air was thick with it, you couldn't escape it...) to the amazing 3rd encore --- everyone started leaving... my dad said "Stay in your seat, it only get's better from here..." --- when both Night and the Doobies came back (20 minutes after the lights had gone on!!!!!) and did a stunning rendition of "Listen to the Music".
My dad was right.... the whole two hours of concert was eclipsed by a single encore. And my first ever music concert has been firmly etched in my memories. What an amazing album --- what an amazing concert --- what an amazing night. One of the few good memories I still carry with me from my dad, who passed at the age of 47 way back in 1991. Thank you for the story... it's a beautiful song and has been one of my favorites all these years.
Great story!!!
This episode was flawlessly edited on blending all the 3 interviews together to tell the complete story from the 3 different presentations of the artists and surprisingly the story is exactly the same from each. Fantastic episode professor,well done!
Thanks My Name!
What an amazing story on how a timeless hit song was born. Part of the song is composed immediately by the guy knocking at the door while he's walking up the path and heard a small part of it being sung from behind the door. That's what you call the stars being aligned! Two days later and the work of art is recorded in stone to be forever enjoyed by all.
I really, really enjoyed this one.
Agreed, the editing gets 2 thumbs up!👍🏼👍🏼
Great piece of history, and both guys have such great voices.
@@ProfessorofRock Are you aware the the Doobies did a two part episode of the late 70's black urban comedy _What's Happening?_ that dealt with the issue of pirated live performances? It was a great episode.
Rolled down the windows in an old chevy every morning and played this before work. A couple of jensen triaxles and an amp in the glove compartment. I came out one morning and the speakers were ripped out of my car. It motivated me to make my speakers. I hope the person that took my speakers got to enjoy them as much as I did. Peace and love and music to all !!!!
One of my favorite songs ever lyrically and musically.
I swear Michael McDonald's work on Peg helped make those chorus harmonies so closely delicious.
So true! Thanks Shawn!
Part of why Peg is a delight.
McDonald is one of the kings of "yacht rock" or what we used to call AOR
He had a few lines on dans' I got the news.....another gem.
This channel iS THE BEST!!❤
Adam, I've said it 100 times, but you and the staff around you doing these videos for us absolutely go beyond expectation every single time. I'm so happy this channel is here. It helped through the past few years of craziness and it continues to be one of my very most looked forward to pieces of content every week. Your channel is now mandatory viewing for me. Thanks to everyone involved in putting this content together. The passion bleeds through every pixel of my screen.
Second that...
❤yes!❤
Yes!
This song gets an automatic replay whenever I hear it.
The lyrics, structure, harmonies, layers, vocals... Complex and soulful, all of it. I close my eyes and can see the song unfold when I hear this song... I'm talking down to the color of the table at the diner.
Definitely my jam.
"What a Fool Believes" ALWAYS makes me think of 1979!! That was an amazing year!
Both McDonald and Loggins are all around musical genius’s . Amazing singing talent and writers. Loved the Doobie Bros before McDonald and with him. True they went in a diff direction but the results were fantastic. Like Dave and Sammy with VH I like both eras even though they different.
Dear Michel McDonald this song has giving me SO much in last 45 years and I will love it till the day I die.
Thank you so much, you are legend and I have see you live few times in LA 1986, Tom Bradley for Governor and now few years back in 2019 in Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.
Please come one day to Finland. Pori Jazz festival....?
No song brings me back to being 12, living in rural Michigan, staying at my older sister's house, better than this classic, who just got married, they loved the Doobies, our dear sister is gone now, no matter where I hear this song, I cry. Miss those days so much
Love Doobie Brothers version. Michael McDonald has an incredible smooth and soulful voice, perfect on this song.
Lots of memories. This song is timeless. It always feels like it has not beginning or end. It reminds me of an amazing bridge to a magical song.
This was the perfect planetary alignment- two phenomenal Singer songwriters getting together and creating a masterpiece!
Thank you for this piece Professor, as always you are at the top of your game.
I just recently had the privilege of working with Kenny Loggins and his crew at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. When Mr Loggins sang this song, I cried hard. It was moving.
Amazing! One in a billion experience!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 thanks, I never really thought of it that way.
"Fool... " was a staple on the kitchen AM radio at my Grandma's house, right across the road from my own. My 11 year old self would be over there building things with the same Meccano sets that my father owned when he was my age.
i can remember yelling out to Michael "the voice" at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney late 70s early eighties and he acknowledged it took a a few pics too ,i was stoked !!
When I hear Doobie Brothers, it reminds me of the episode of What's Happening and Raj was meeting them and sai "Which Doobie you be?".... still funny 40 years later 😂😂😂😂
Oh yeah, I remember 1979, and this song! 🎵 What a great song and great memories!
As a kid born in ‘71, I liked disco, but The Doobies were a big part of the sound of the late 70s/early 80s. So many great versions, but I’ve always loved the original “What a Fool Believes”. It’s not your typical love song, more sad unrequited, and MM’s soulful voice conveys that longing and loss. Great interviews w/MM and KL, too, Prof. They’re true musician/poet/singer/songwriter/storytellers.😉
'71 baby here too 🙋♀️ i have always loved this song!
as a little girl i didn't really ponder the meaning
as an adult, it's confounding how it can make me so happy, sad, & nostalgic all at the same time
it can start my day off right as easily as it can settle me down at end of day 😊
Timeless lyrical brilliance, not to mention flawless harmonies. And theres quite a few men amongst us, myself included, who took a long long time to learn the lessons of this song. When you're faced between the choice of "what seems to be" and "nothing", too many of us chose "what seemed to be" and got our hearts broken in the process when we finally wake up to barking up the wrong tree.
It took me nearly 50 years to learn the lesson, so this song is beyond important to me personally and has been a very inspiring one to me as a sometime writer.
Owner of a Lonely Heart delivers a similar message.
That was a bridge to 50 years of the Doobie Brothers. Tommy, Pat, Michael, Skunk, and honorary Doobie Kenny. Great stuff. Thank you.
I love Tom Johnston....never loved McDonald's Doobies, but I do love the story how he just stepped up into an opportunity. Love your shows professor. I never miss.
"never loved McDonald's Doobies" My sentiments as well. "What a fool believes" is more of a chick song, what bands like Chicago turned into. I'm not a keyboard player, but do try to play various songs. "What a Fool Believes" is not an easy song to learn. I can barely get through the intro. I just noticed yesterday, that if you transpose this to an F G C variation, eliminating a lot of the sharps in the original, it might be a whole lot easier to play. I need to do some experimenting with that, to see if I can get through more of the song. I really appreciate the writing and the success they had with this song, but it is not a favorite with me. I wonder if the song would even appeal to the average crowd we play for on the weekends. In any case, musically, this song is way above the hip hop , wrap and hi T low IQ country you hear today.
"More of a chick song"? That's approaching high T, itself. Just sayin.
Something to think about…
@@carlaeskelsen "What a fool believes" , what on earth does high testosterone have to do with this song? I classify a lot of the neo country as "High T, Low IQ" country.
So mesmerized and entertained with the interviews and the stories that I never knew 19 plus minutes had already passed and this great episode was over....already?
This is a classic from the late 70's. Solo or together...everyone of them were masters of music and songwriting. This song still moves me...well..the best it can in my 70's.
As does it move my soul too.
This song is classic and never sounds old. It will sound just as good 100 years from now, if music isn't dead by then.
What a terrible world that would be...
It’s already dead!
It’s timeless.
Never get tired of this song and it's unique sound... My sister's favorite! Will definitely have her check this out, Professor!
Very cool. Thanks my friend!
I love the absolute respect these guys have for each other. So professional, so cool.
A simple perfect song. Doesn't matter how many times I have heard still listen to it without burn out
DUDE! This video blew my socks off. I am an old time Doobie Bros fan (Jesus Is Just Alright, China Grove) as well as Loggins and Messina (Angry Eyes). Their later works didn't "get my gotcha" as the earlier songs did. Yet, watching this video gives me a greater insight and appreciation for their later works. You are truly compiling priceless accounts of Rock History that future generations can enjoy!! Wow! Aretha Franklin!! Amazing info! You really should research The Atlanta Rhythm Section. The only original member, lead vocalist Rodney Justo (he was in Roy Orbison's band "The Candymen"), is touring with the Rhythm Section now! These musicians put on one heck of a show and "keep the great music alive"! Thank you for great videos!!! 🎸🎶🎙🎹
One of the greatest collaborations in music history! Both are massively talented writers/vocalists. Michael McDonald is an elite singer!
Thank you Professor for keeping the best music ever produced alive!
JJ from South Alabama.
"What A Fool Believes" is a certifiable classic.
I caught hat guitarist with the mustache and long wavy hair smirking in one of those "What a Fool Believes" video.😁
This channel is amazing always bringing back songs of a point my younger years. A song takes you back in time every time you hear it. Thank you
Thanks!
I lean more towards More Than A Feeling (1976) and Boston's entire first album as dethroning disco . . .
Another great interesting video. Man, impressed by your dedication, motivation, and work ethic - as well as the interesting content/memorabilia.
Thanks!
Admittedly, it took some time for the the directional change to grow on me but the rock to soul to rock was worth keeping a great band together. I really enjoy the Doobie Brothers and its sad to see their journey coming to an end. All we can do is say thank you guys.
My daughter was born in 78, so what a fool believes, this is it, and Aretha’s version are all wrapped up in my earliest memories with her. Over four decades later, that song is still a favorite, even for my last child, now 30, who discovered it on his own and does a wicked Michael McDonald impression. I still can’t get enough of this music! and when my daughter at 2 or 3 heard Aretha’s version all those years ago, she called the song “Rise” because of how Aretha carried that part. I was also playing Loggins’ “this is it” a lot back then and she’d always come in a beat late when we sang the chorus 😂😂😂
Thank you for all of your wonderful and insightful episodes.
In 1979 in Sacramento CA I was standing in line for the Rocky Horror picture show with my boyfriend (later husband) when people in line mistook him for a Doobie Brothers member. I think It was Patrick Simmons. He had long hair at the time and really looked like him. He went along with it. It was funny. Those girls really believed he was a Doobie Brother. He was killed in 1986 by a drunk driver. We had a 6 yo, 4 yo and a new born. That memory of him always makes me smile.
I love all versions of the song. Thumbs up from the Philippines!
In the late 70s I was just discovering pop and rock music since I grew up in a country and western household and my older brothers were in charge of the radio. in 1978 my middle brother graduated high school and suddenly I got to be in charge of the radio. I would listen to KOMA out of Oklahoma City and "What A Fool Believes" was in heavy rotation. Great Song. It would be later that I learned that the Tom Johnson lead Doobie Brothers had a very different sound on their hits.
This is one of the best episodes you've ever done. I remember seeing the Doobies perform this song on the Grammy awards show. They dominated that year. 79 was a great year for music.
I I'm in agreement with you sir.
The Doobies were thriving at the at time.
Great interviews; great stories. Thank you for keeping this music alive!
Love "What a Fool Believes," Kenny Logins is such a decent person Adam your interviews with him always get me choked up!
Dear Professor, you got me with this story !! I finally subscribed ! As a music and Doobie Brothers fans, you this so great! I don't know how you pull it off, but to be able to get all the story details, the live interviews, WOW ! Super work !!!
Thanks for subscribing! Appreciate your support!
I wonder thinking that of the love of my life that I unfortunately met when I was 12. And when you were 12 in the 60s and have pretty strict parents, you remember things differently. I love Tim dearly for the three years before our parents broke us up. Gasp. Something might happen. So you go your separate ways but you never forget what you believe. What is your soulmate. Now that I’m 73, and I haven’t seen Michael, of course, in forever, I wonder if my fond memories of the joy are anywhere close to his memories of our relationship. So this is a good food for thought. Thank you.
I was a junior in high school when What a Fool Believes hit number one in April 1979. I heard the song every morning on my alarm clock radio waking up to the tune as it was 62.0 KGW’s DJ, Craig Walker’s favorite song and I think he played it every morning until he retired.
Portland Oregon KGW. Born and raised
Wow! Great story, fabulous song and wonderful interviews...you've really excelled with this one, Prof. 👍
I was a senior in high school spring of 79 dating a freshman. She was dear to me but dealing with our age difference as a 19 year old wanting more I had to let her go. Funny, I used to think the lyric was, he's watching her grow. I always think of her when I hear it, Dana, you were and always are beautiful.
Great song, great episode. Thanks.
This song, lyrics, track and everything in it, has been an ear worm, off and on, from the first time I heard it, in 79, until now. Since watching this video, it will be playing in my head, again, for a week, at least. Of course I will have to listen to the whole song, in a few minutes, anyway. The singing, the music, the rhythms, chord changes, the words, and etc, are just right there, where a great song is supposed to be. One of my, all-time favorites, since my first hearing of it.
I liked this tune on the radio, got the vinyl LP when it was first released and wore the grooves down quite a bit. A very solid set of tunes. "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels" is a favorite from that disc, the opening guitar lick is so potent. I often play it just to practice or warm-up on guitar.
What a great song! I love that 77-85 era of music
First time I heard this song was sometime earlier this month of January 2024. It has become one of my most favorite songs ever.
1:04 In 1980 I became an 8 track Doctor , Reconnecting the Ends together , that separated due to their age .
What a Fool Believes is my favorite Doobie Brothers song, I use to have it on 45 as a kid, and would play it a lot.
This was a great episode: great interviews laced together to tell the story. I saw Chicago and the Doobie Brothers live in 1973 at San Diego Stadium. It is one of my all time favorite concerts. They played for several hours and were absolutely fantastic.
Professor, this is one of your GREATEST OF ALL TIME programs!!! That was some awesome stuff! The humble characters of these great singers/songwriters was truly great to see. Man... they don't make 'em like this anymore! I'm blown slap away...
I’m so glad there are people like Adam getting these artists on tape. His comment about George Michael is right on - we never know when they will leave us, and having these interviews will be something for generations to enjoy.
Thank you for doing this video. Lots of clips and info I didn't know before, including Kenny's influences, which makes so much sense now. Love this channel!
I loved Tom Johnston and there was no replacement for him. But life does go on and I at first thought that the Doobie Brothers sounded a bit strange but I loved the song. Michael McDonald has a voice that is unmistakable and soothing. I'm definitely happy that the band didn't just disappear into oblivion. Because they obviously had a lot left in them. Great episode Professor like only you know how. Thanks...
I’ve been on the road with the daughter, East Texas to Portland and music is definitely keeping us talking 😊 tomorrow is the last 8 hour leg, more music coming up!
Now to hear this one before resting for tomorrow. Thanks for all the content. Again 😄
Reported and blocked
I think we all have that same reaction when we hear McDonald's voice as soon as he starts singing. Holy shit. It's not the piano. Lol. But, I also felt the same way when Kenny came out with the "Redwood" version. It was a pleasant surprise, a great version. This is a masterpiece effort (so is "This Is It"). I'm "lucky" to be old enough to hear those notes on FM radio when it first came out. There really will be nothing else like those moments for music lovers.
Long Train 🚆 Running will always be my favorite Doobies song .. Nice harmonica solo !
Great song. Have you ever heard Bananarama's version?
@@ProfessorofRock No .. Will que it up ! 👍
It’s a great one.
@@ProfessorofRock I have and it's not bad. The girls put their own House spin on it and Youth produced it. Still has the Stock/Aitken/Waterman vibe to it. I was more of a Jolley/Swain fan of Bananarama. If you listen to their album "True Confessions", you can tell who produced what. Venus seems so out of place on that album now knowing that they brought S/A/W in to replace J/S.
Thank you Prof for this! This song still ranks one of my faves over a few decades ❤. And now I know the back story 🙂👍
Thanks!
Adam, thank you for interviewing all these great artists in your videos. I love it 😍
From their extensive catalog, "What A Fool Believes" became the Doobie Brothers signature song. It wound up winning 1979's song of the year and record of the year at the Grammy Awards. I was 14 when the song was released that year and wound up buying their Minute By Minute album. Great song and album. While I love disco very much, I also love diversity and it was nice having a great yacht rock song like "What A Fool Believes" reaching #1 during that time-frame
Right. Some people needed a big reprieve from all that disco.
I went to there first fairwell tour in 1982 at Ohio's blossom music center it was a great concert I'm glad it wasn't there last doobies please keep rocking and touring
Amazing video about one of my favourite songs. Great interviews.
Literally had tears in my eyes listening to this. Thank you so much.
Simply goose bumps! My wife grew up on a street on block over from where Michael grew up in STL. Went to the same high school a couple of years apart.
Great song! Michael McDonald was everywhere for the longest time. Great voice.
As hard as it would be to narrow down favorite songs of all time, this would have to be in my top five. I could listen to it basically anytime & it hits just right.
It was the story that was being told in that song that really hit me as a kid. I remember how sad it use to make me, I could only imagine the heartbreak of someone so in love with someone else that they had imagined that there was a time when there existed an actual relationship between them. But no... it never existed and now she's trying her best to let him down easy. What a fool believes. Wow. It was every crush that I could imagine never going away... no matter how much time passed. I was 11 when the song came out. That's some heavy sadness and realization to carry at that age. Fantastic song... a forever favorite.
One of your best episodes, brother. Keep 'em coming.
I feel like we all have an impression of McDonald... to that song. I love it so much.
Always enjoy when you interview Kenny and/or Michael. Two really awesome talents.
A great episode!! A few great knowledge nuggets in this one.
One of my favorite songs of all time. One of the songs that got me through my first year of college.
Definitely enjoyed this video !!! Loved the Doobie Brothers… especially with Michael McDonald … and actually attended their “Farewell Tour” in 1981 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia MD !!! And always loved Kenny Loggins… both solo and with Loggins & Messina. It’s still amazing what I am learning at 61 years young !!! Thanks for another great video !!!
I heard it first on AT40 with Casey Kasem as a teenager who had become enthralled with music. It sounds so much better today through ears seasoned with appreciation! GREAT song and GREAT story Professor!!🎉 ❤
Stampede is a sleeper, and my personal favorite. I’d love to hear that first side in their recent Southland country sound.
I could have watched this episode forever. OMG Michael McDonald and Kenny loggins go figure. The idea that t hey wanted to work together makes me smile. What a beautiful son guys. I think I've listened to it a thousand times and everytime I love it!
Amazing episode! Love this song! Have great memories of listening to the Doobie Brothers with my parents. I agree, one of the greatest songs ever!
One of the greatest songs ever...definitely. I was in Hawaii in March 1979 and it was the #1 hit. Always an amazing memory!!! This is a great tribute and story about its birth.
I look back at the Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald and cannot believe that seeing them was my first live concert❤ I sang along with every song they played that evening
Great video, great interviews! Not only is this one of my favorite songs of all time because I grew up listening to it when I was young, but as I got older I realized it epitomized many relationships in my life. It adds a little extra feeling for me when I sing along with Michael and the Doobie Brother's version.
Great piece and interviews. Would love to see a piece with Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester about writing Whenever I Call You Friend and why they have never recorded or performed it together. Thanks!
Awesome episode! I love how you pieced together this episode as a cohesive unit with the separate interviews and takes on this song and how it came together.
Two things are true.
First, "What A Fool Believes" is a legendary song. Absolutely no question about it. Even if you aren't a fan of the song or the sound, it is a legendary song.
Second, The Doobie Brothers were a classic rock n' roll band driven by guitars. "What A Fool Believes", with its prominent keyboards, was not that. At all. Just a statement of fact.
I have huge respect for McDonald & Loggins. Amazing songwriters and performers. The way this tune came together was an amazing story.
And there is no question that adding McDonald to the band gave The Doobie Brothers an extra lease on life. When Tom Johnston was down and out due to health issues.
But, when The Doobie Brother with Michael McDonald were playing What A Fool Believes, it felt like the rest of the band was nothing more than supporting players for McDonald. Sorry, but that is the way it felt.
I remember when "The Doctor" came out as a single in 1989. The first thing I remember thinking was, "The Doobie Brothers are BACK!! Without any synthesizers!
None of that is meant to take away from the genius of What A Fool Believes and how it came together. It is just more of a reflection of how it feels within the context of the Doobies.
Sort of like Van Halen with Sammy Hagar instead of David Lee Roth.
A little bit of Loggins goes a long way! Another Loggins duet that seems to be farther under the radar than it is Loggins and Perry's " Don't Fight it".
Gosh SUCH a great story and interview !! adore them both
Well done, but seems to be a repeat(?) - still ANXIOUSLY awaiting on new segments...!!!
Michael's voice is so beautiful. I have to admit, my favorite song by him is "Real love". Great memories whenever I hear this song! The Doobies had so many great songs! I'm glad they were part of my teen years!
I love that song! So good! Thanks Elaine!
I know Donald Fagan is egotistical, but I don’t see how he didn’t try to keep such a diamond as Michael McDonald in Steely Dan. Such a head scratcher.
Love me some McD!
@@illegal_space_alien Fagen and Becker both left some amazing talent on the chopping block. David Palmer had a fantastic voice (including lead vocals on "Dirty Work" and "Brooklyn"), but was dumped after the first album. Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter were tremendous guitarists, both gone after 3 years. Jeff Porcaro was a legendary drummer, but didn't last long with them. And of course Michael McDonald, who played keyboards for SD but was only on backing vocals for them. I don't think SD was ever as good as a "solo" or "duo" project as they were as a real band, but as you say there's the ego situation.
Two of my favorites !! Gotta love the combo!!
Another tune that I loved from I think the first time I heard it. The Doobies were such great musicians and the melody of this song is just so delicious. Michael's great lyrics and silky smooth voice are the icing on the cake.
Michael was the key to this song becoming a classic.
This song always takes me back to my Junior year of High School. It was everywhere. What a great song. I didn't really understand it then, because I was very literal back in the pre-history of man before there was a public internet.
Thank you for a great video! The song itself is great, but having Loggins and McDonald give back story makes it even better. Well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks Bob! Which is your favorite version?
@@ProfessorofRock Doobie Bros. Is my favorite. Michael McDonald's vocal and keyboards are fantastic
Thank you so much for all the hard work and hours you must spend making awesome content like this.
I only realized recently that this song was a summary of my entire life! What I thought was "we" was just "me", but a fool believes!