Livin' on the Fault Line

Livin' on the Fault Line is the seventh studio album by the American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on August 19, 1977, by Warner Bros. Records. It is one of the few Doobie Brothers albums of the 1970s which did not produce a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (although "You Belong to Me" was a hit as recorded by co-author Carly Simon). Still, the album received modest critical acclaim. Tom Johnston (guitar, vocals) left the band early in the sessions. He is listed as part of the band (appearing in the inside group photo) but appears on little or none of the actual album: he wrote and sang five songs during the sessions for the album, but they were not included on the final release. Much of this consistently mellow album has a jazz tinge, and the influences of R&B are palpable throughout. The track "Little Darling (I Need You)" is a remake of the Marvin Gaye 1966 hit.

Livin' on the Fault Line
The Transamerica Pyramid appears in the water next to a bluff
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 19, 1977
Recorded1977 at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, CA, Western Recorders, Hollywood, CA and Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, CA
GenrePop rock, soft rock, R&B
Length34:26
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerTed Templeman
The Doobie Brothers chronology
Best of The Doobies
(1976)
Livin' on the Fault Line
(1977)
Minute by Minute
(1978)
Singles from Livin' on the Fault Line
  1. "Little Darling (I Need You)" / "Losin' End"
    Released: July 1977
  2. "Echoes of Love" / "There's a Light"
    Released: September 21, 1977
  3. "Nothin' But a Heartache" / "Livin' on the Fault Line"
    Released: November 9, 1977
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The Great Rock Discography5/10[3]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
1."You're Made That Way"Michael McDonald, Jeff Baxter, Keith KnudsenMichael McDonald3:30
2."Echoes of Love"Patrick Simmons, Willie Mitchell, Earl RandlePat Simmons2:57
3."Little Darling (I Need You)"Holland–Dozier–HollandMcDonald3:24
4."You Belong to Me"Carly Simon, McDonaldMcDonald3:04
5."Livin' on the Fault Line"SimmonsSimmons, McDonald4:42
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)VocalsLength
6."Nothin' But a Heartache"McDonaldMcDonald3:05
7."Chinatown"SimmonsSimmons, McDonald4:55
8."There's a Light"McDonaldMcDonald4:12
9."Need a Lady"Tiran PorterTiran Porter (w/cameos by Simmons, McDonald)3:21
10."Larry the Logger Two-Step"Simmonsinstrumental1:16

Personnel

The Doobie Brothers:

Additional Players:

Production

  • Producer – Ted Templeman
  • Production coordination – Beth Naranjo
  • Engineer – Donn Landee
  • Second engineer – Kent Nebergall
  • Cover photography and album design – Bruce Steinberg
  • Inner sleeve photo – Michael Zagaris
  • Aerial photo pilot – Roger Glenn
  • Hand-tinting – Kristin Sundbom

Charts

Chart (1977)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6]16
Canada (RPM (magazine))[7]12
New Zealand (RIANZ)[8]14
UK (Official Charts)[9]25
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard)[10]10

References