One Step Closer is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on September 17, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records. The album included the hit "Real Love", which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album is the band's last studio album with Michael McDonald in the lineup until 2014's Southbound, and also the first studio album to feature John McFee as a member of the band.
| One Step Closer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 17, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1980 at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood; Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood; United Sound Recorders, Detroit; and A&R Recorders, New York | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 37:41 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Ted Templeman | |||
| The Doobie Brothers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from One Step Closer | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B−[2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
| The Great Rock Discography | 4/10[4] |
| Rolling Stone | (mixed)[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dedicate This Heart" | Michael McDonald, Paul Anka | McDonald | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Real Love" | McDonald, Patrick Henderson | McDonald | 4:18 |
| 3. | "No Stoppin' Us Now" | Patrick Simmons, McDonald, Chris Thompson | Simmons | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Thank You Love" | Cornelius Bumpus | Bumpus | 6:22 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "One Step Closer" | Keith Knudsen, Carlene Carter, John McFee | Bumpus, McDonald | 4:10 |
| 6. | "Keep This Train A-Rollin" | McDonald | McDonald | 3:29 |
| 7. | "Just in Time" | Simmons | Simmons | 2:43 |
| 8. | "South Bay Strut" | Chet McCracken, McFee | instrumental | 4:05 |
| 9. | "One by One" | Bobby LaKind, McDonald | Simmons, McDonald | 3:47 |
Personnel
The Doobie Brothers
- Patrick Simmons – guitars, lead and backing vocals
- John McFee – guitars, backing vocals
- Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, lead and backing vocals
- Cornelius Bumpus – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, organ, lead and backing vocals
- Tiran Porter – bass
- Keith Knudsen – drums, backing vocals
- Chet McCracken – drums, vibraphone, marimbas
Additional personnel
- Bobby LaKind – congas, bongos, backing vocals
- Nicolette Larson – backing vocals on "Real Love", "Dedicate This Heart", and "Just In Time"
- Patrick Henderson – keyboards on "Real Love", "One By One", and "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Lee Thornburg – trumpet on "South Bay Strut" and "Keep This Train A-Rollin'", flugelhorn for "Dedicate This Heart"
- Chris Thompson – backing vocals on "No Stoppin' Us Now"
- Ted Templeman – tambourine, cowbell, maracas, backing vocals on "One Step Closer"[7]
- Jerome Jumonville – tenor saxophone, horn arrangements on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Joel Peskin – baritone saxophone on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Bill Armstrong – trumpet on "Keep This Train A-Rollin'"
- Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements on "Real Love" and "South Bay Strut"
Production
- Producer – Ted Templeman
- Production Assistant – Joan Parker
- Production Coordination – Susyn Schope
- Engineer – James Isaacson
- Second Engineer – Gene Meros
- Mastering – Kent Duncan and Tim Dennan at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, CA).
- Photography – Norman Seeff
- Art Direction and Design – Jim Welch
Charts
| Chart (1980–81) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report)[8] | 18 |
| Canada (RPM)[9] | 18 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[10] | 22 |
| UK (Official Charts)[11] | 53 |
| US (Billboard 200)[12] | 3 |
References
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