"Need a Little Taste of Love" by The Doobie Brothers

Song#:  3997

Date:  08/12/1989

Debut:  92

Peak:  45

Weeks:  9

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  In 1989, a version of The Doobie Brothers reunited and recorded their first album in nearly a decade. Cycles would end up being a modest success reaching #17 and going gold mainly on the strength of the #1 Rock/#9 Pop single "The Doctor." For a follow-up single, this next track was selected. It would do well at Rock getting to #5, but it would falter at Pop missing the Top 40 while getting to #27 AC. A third single, "South of the Border," would only make the Rock chart at #30. Overall the results were positive and it prompted the Doobies to keep moving forward.

ReduxReview:  The band gave this older funk-rock track an early 70s Doobie sound and the results were not too bad. It jammed along okay and it seemed to fit rock radio just fine. However, it wasn't the catchiest of songs and that along with its ol' school approach didn't do much for its mainstream prospects. In general, I like this tune slightly better than "The Doctor," but it still wasn't anything great or memorable from the band.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) This is a remake of a song originally recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1974. Written by the Brothers and band member Chris Japser, the song would be included on their #1 R&B/#14 Pop album Live It Up. It would not be released as a single.  2) The Doobie's second album for Capitol Records, Brotherhood, would arrive in 1991. Its first single, "Dangerous," would reach #2 at Rock, but fail to make the Pop chart. A second single, "Rollin' On," would make it to #12 Rock. With those results, the album stalled at a minor #82. It was a big disappointment following their previous success with much of the blame shoved Capitol's way for not promoting the album. Capitol's response was to drop the band. The Doobie's would then focus on their live shows for the balance of the 90s. Former member Michael McDonald would briefly rejoin for a tour in '95. Nine years after Brotherhood, the band would record the album Sibling Rivalry. It would fail to chart. Later in 2014, the band would push out Southbound, the first album to feature Michael McDonald as a member since 1980's One Step Closer. It would do fairly well peaking at #16. The Doobies would continue to tour over the years with various lineup changes. In 2020, they would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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