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The Doobie Brothers, those happy hippies from San Jose, literally got their start playing for local chapters of the Hell’s Angels. From 1970 until 1975, the band had a regular gig at Chateau Liberté, a biker hangout in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

But they were touring, releasing albums, and becoming known at the same time, and they soon went on to stardom.

Today, even though the band is still rocking and touring, Doobie music is now oldies music. Their 70s cachet is pretty unshakable.

Still, plenty of their tunes are really good: “Listen to the Music,” “Long Train Runnin’,” “China Grove,” “Black Water,” “Take Me in Your Arms,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Jesus is Just Alright.”

The song that usually closes out their concerts is “Listen to the Music.” Songwriter Tom Johnston said world peace was the motivation for the song. Really.

Johnston said the world would be a better place if world leaders “got together on some grassy hill somewhere and either smoked enough dope or just sat down and just listened to the music.”

Probably true. “Mr. President, the Premier requests that you pass that doobie over here!”

Listen to the Music

By the Doobie Brothers, 1972
Written by Tom Johnston

Don’t you feel it growin’, day by day,
People gettin’ ready for the news.
Some are happy, some are sad.
Oh, we got to let the music play.

What the people need
Is a way to make ’em smile.
It ain’t so hard to do if you know how.
Gotta get a message,
Get it on through.
Oh, now, mama’s goin’ to after a while.

Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
All the time.

Well, I know you know better
Everything I say.
Meet me in the country for a day.
We’ll be happy,
And we’ll dance.
Oh, we’re gonna dance our blues away.

And if I’m feelin’ good to you,
And you’re feelin’ good to me,
There ain’t nothin’ we can’t do or say.
Feelin’ good, feeling fine.
Oh, baby, let the music play.

Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
All the time.

Like a lazy, flowing river
Surrounding castles in the sky.
And the crowd is growing bigger.
Listenin’ for the happy sounds,
And I got to let ’em fly.

Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
All the time.

Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
All the time.

 Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
Oh, oh, oh, listen to the music.
All the time.