One Step Closer (The Doobie Brothers album)
1980 studio album by the Doobie Brothers
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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 No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album was the band's last studio album to be released before their initial 1982 breakup and last to feature Michael McDonald until 2014's Southbound. It is also their first studio album to feature John McFee as a member of the band although he would not feature on another until Sibling Rivalry in 2000.
| One Step Closer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 17, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Studios | ||||
| 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 vocals (3, 6, 9), backing vocals
- Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, lead vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 9), backing vocals
- John McFee – guitars, backing vocals
- Keith Knudsen – drums, backing vocals
- Chet McCracken – drums, vibraphone, marimbas
- Tiran Porter – bass
- Cornelius Bumpus – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, organ, lead vocals (4, 5), backing vocals
Additional personnel
- Bobby LaKind – congas, bongos, backing vocals
- Nicolette Larson – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
- Patrick Henderson – keyboards (2, 5, 6)
- Lee Thornburg – trumpet (6, 8), flugelhorn (1)
- Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements (2, 8)
- Chris Thompson – backing vocals (3)
- Jerome Jumonville – tenor saxophone, horn arrangements (6)
- Joel Peskin – baritone saxophone (6)
- Bill Armstrong – trumpet (6)
- Ted Templeman – tambourine, cowbell, maracas, backing vocals (5)[7]
Production
- Produced by Ted Templeman
- Engineered by Jim Isaacson
- Second engineer – Gene Meros
- Mastered by Kent Duncan at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, CA)
- Art direction and design – Jim Welch
- Photography – Norman Seeff
- Production coordinator – Susyn Schope
- Production assistant – Joan Parker
- Publicity – David Gest
- Management – Bruce Cohn
Charts
| Chart (1980–81) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] | 18 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM)[9] | 18 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] | 42 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 22 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[12] | 32 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[13] | 53 |
| US Billboard 200[14] | 3 |