Song Lyric Sunday — Takin’ It to the Streets

Fandango

For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday theme, Helen Vahdati chose “street.” My first inclination was to go with “On the Street Where You Live,” the Lerner and Loewe song from the 1956 Broadway musical “My Fair Lady.” But then I chose to go in a different direction and decided upon “Takin’ It to the Streets,” by the Doobie Brothers.

“Takin’ It to the Streets” was the first single by the band after Michael McDonald joined The Doobie Brothers. McDonald wrote the song and sang lead. It peaked at number 13 in the U.S. in 1976.

McDonald joined the group when guitarist Tom Johnson fell ill. The words were partly inspired by an essay McDonald’s sister wrote, hence the lyrics, “Take this message to my brother.”

Some consider “Takin’ It to the Streets” to be a protest song, but to me it seems to be more about the day-to-day situations we all find ourselves in at some point. It’s a message that we’re all in the same boat and there’s no such thing as a hole in your end of the boat. Hence, we need to get it together and do something constructive. I find it particularly relevant in our world today. Especially the lines “You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me / I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see.”

Here are the song’s lyrics:

You don’t know me but I’m your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don’t know my kind in your world
Fairly soon the time will tell
You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets

Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in poverty’s despair
You, telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see

Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets

15 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday — Takin’ It to the Streets”

  1. Suze July 29, 2018 / 6:07 am

    I saw the Doobie Bros. in concert (Elon College, NC, 1973) before they got “big”. they were the opening act for Black Oak Arkansas. Was also lucky enough to see Elton John in concert in Burlington, NC the same year. I wish I could remember what classes I took that year….but I remember the bands! LOL

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    • Fandango July 29, 2018 / 7:38 am

      Ha! Yes, the concerts I saw are etched in my memory, but little else sticks!

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  3. newepicauthor July 29, 2018 / 9:06 am

    It would be great if we could reach that higher plane of a Utopian world which this song talks about.

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  4. Helen Vahdati July 29, 2018 / 9:55 am

    Nice! I can’t say I’ve ever really paid attention to this song, but the lyrics are fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

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