What Are the 5 Biggest U.S. Hits by The Doobie Brothers?

Can we for a second just appreciate the resiliency and excellence of The Doobie Brothers? Not too many other bands scored huge crossover hits for as long a span of time as they did, not to mention in so many different styles and with disparate writers and singers at the helm.

To show you what we mean, let’s take a gander at the five highest-charting U.S. hits the band has delivered over the years. When you check them out (and also consider how many classic songs they released over the years that missed this list), you might gain even more appreciation for the legendary Doobie Brothers.

5. “The Doctor” (No. 9 in 1989)

Among their other qualities, The Doobie Brothers knew just when to lie low. (Technically, they broke up, but let’s not quibble with the details here.) Maybe they could have found a way to compete on the charts in the heart of the MTV era from 1981 to 1988, which was the extent of their recording hiatus. More than likely, it would have been tough for their roots rock to take hold. But when they returned in 1989 on the album Cycles, they did so with a ripper of a single in “The Doctor,” which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on their third or fourth album, yet somehow sounded right at home in the late ’80s as well.

4. “Long Train Runnin’” (No. 8 in 1973)

Depending on the amount of years you’ve spent on this Earth, the name Ted Templeman might strike a certain note of familiarity. Templeman helped discover Van Halen, later serving as their manager, producer, and general overseer of (and occasional participant in) that group’s antics. But by that time, his track record was already stellar, and his work with the Doobies played a large part in that. His ear for good stuff was uncanny, which is why he encouraged the Brothers’ lead singer Tom Johnston to keep after it when he heard him noodling around with the riff for “Long Train Runnin’.” Still a wise question today: Without love, where would you be now?

3. “Real Love” (No. 5 in 1980)

Michael McDonald wasn’t supposed to dominate The Doobie Brothers’ artistic output like he ended up doing. He was originally just supposed to be a temporary fill-in for an ailing Tom Johnston. But McDonald was advancing so quickly as a songwriter, and his voice was such a unique weapon, that it was inevitable he’d become the face of the group for a while. In fact, it turned out to be too much of a good thing, as McDonald eventually couldn’t resist the pull of a solo career. But before he left, he minted one more soulful smash for the group with “Real Love,” the lead single from the band’s last pre-breakup album (One Step Closer).

2. “What a Fool Believes” (No. 1 in 1979)

Everybody involved knew when Michael McDonald brought “What a Fool Believes” in for consideration as a potential Doobie Brothers song that it was a far cry from the band’s usual material. They also knew it was a hit. Perhaps nobody knew just how big a hit it would be, as the song, co-written by McDonald and Kenny Loggins, essentially recreated the group’s sound. Give credit to Ted Templeman for driving the band to distraction to get just the right, hiccupy rhythmic feel for the track, and then add your props to Loggins and McDonald for creating such a bittersweet beauty of a song.

1. “Black Water” (No. 1 in 1974)

While Tom Johnston was responsible for writing and singing lead on many of The Doobie Brothers’ early hits, Patrick Simmons, the only guy who was there every step of the way throughout the band’s history, also chipped in here and there. And he came through in a big way with “Black Water,” a slice of back-porch folk rock inspired by his love for New Orleans music and culture, which only intensified once he visited the area. The song is captivating throughout, and it goes out in thrilling fashion with the a cappella closing section that features Doobies’ vocalists coming out of the woodwork at all angles.

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Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns