Takin' It to the Streets (song) explained

Takin' It to the Streets
Cover:Takin' It to the Streets - Doobie Brothers.jpg
Type:single
Artist:The Doobie Brothers
Album:Takin' It to the Streets
B-Side:For Someone Special
Released:March 17, 1976
Recorded:1975
Studio:Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, California
Genre:Rock
Length:3:56 (album version)
3:36 (Best of the Doobies version)
3:20 (single version)[1]
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Ted Templeman
Prev Title:I Cheat the Hangman
Prev Year:1975
Next Title:Wheels of Fortune
Next Year:1976

"Takin' It to the Streets" is a song by American rock band the Doobie Brothers from the album of the same name. It was their first single with Michael McDonald on vocals and was written by McDonald. The song peaked at number 13 in the US and number 7 in Canada.[2]

Reception

Cash Box stated that "both instrumentally and vocally this is the best thing the Doobie Brothers have done to date," adding that "the melody is based around a strong chordal structure" and that the repetition of the song title in the chorus has "maximum hook potential."[3] Record World said that the song "has all the essential qualities that have contributed to making this group a dominating chart force" and that "all these ingredients are wrapped together in an appealing package."[4]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated "Takin' It to the Streets" as the Doobie Brothers' 6th greatest song, praising McDonald's "soulful rasp" on the vocal.[5] The staff of Billboard rated it as the Doobie Brothers' 3rd best song, saying that it "hits an elemental theme and drives it home with soulful urgency."[6]

Personnel

Additional personnel

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1976)Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[7] 94
Canada RPM Top Singles7
US Billboard Hot 10013

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)Rank
Canada[8] 86
US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[9] 111

Christine Anu and Deni Hines version

Takin' It to the Streets
Type:single
Artist:Christine Anu and Deni Hines
Released:November 15, 2008
Length:3:33
Label:Heritage
Chronology:Christine Anu
Prev Title:Talk About Love
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:Come Home
Next Year:2010

In November 2008, Australian singers Christine Anu and Deni Hines recorded and released a version of the song. 50% of net profits of the song went to the Salvation Army's Oasis Youth Support Network and the Everyone Is Homeless Fund. Anu and Hines promoted the single with a tour throughout May and June 2009.[10] [11]

Track listing

  1. "Takin It to the Streets" – 3:33
  2. "Nak E Ba Na Na" by Christine Anu – 3:01
  3. "Freedom" by Deni Hines – 3:43

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It to the Streets.
  2. Web site: Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada . Bac-lac.gc.ca . 17 July 2013 . November 10, 2016.
  3. News: CashBox Singles Reviews. March 27, 1976. 26. 2021-12-11. Cash Box.
  4. Record World. April 3, 1976. 1. 2023-03-06. Hits of the Week.
  5. Web site: Top 10 Doobie Brothers songs. Gallucci, Michael. 2022-06-15. Ultimate Classic Rock. February 12, 2013.
  6. Web site: The Doobie Brothers' 10 Best Songs: Staff Picks. Graff, Gary. 2022-06-15. Billboard. November 6, 2020.
  7. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 92.
  8. Web site: Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977 . . . March 13, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160319222559/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5173a&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=u9874ano8k0c5b6bkp4r8qrbp3 . March 19, 2016 .
  9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . 1999 . Pop Annual . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . Record Research Inc. . 0-89820-142-X.
  10. Web site: CHRISTINE ANU AND DENI HINES TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS. WaterFront Records. June 5, 2016.
  11. Web site: Christine Anu & Deni Hines Join Forces On One Tour . Girl.com.au . June 5, 2016.