Real Love (Doobie Brothers song)

"Real Love" is a hit song by The Doobie Brothers, the first of three singles from their 1980 LP, One Step Closer.

"Real Love"
Single by Doobie Brothers
from the album One Step Closer
B-side	"Thank You Love"
Released	August 21, 1980[1]
Recorded	1980
Studio	Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre	Pop, soft rock
Length	4:16
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Michael McDonald, Patrick Henderson
Producer(s)	Ted Templeman
Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Dependin' on You" (1979) "Real Love" (1980) "One Step Closer" (1980)

"Real Love" became the greatest hit from the album, reaching No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 during the fall of the year. It is the group's third highest-charting U.S. single after their two number-one hits, "Black Water" and "What a Fool Believes". The song reached No. 12 in Canada. It was also a Top 20 Adult Contemporary hit in both nations.

Record World said that its "blue-eyed soul and melodic keyboard finesse translate into another multi-format charttopper."^[2]

The song became the second of nine songs entitled "Real Love" charting on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 between 1980 and 1996, with the final being the Beatles hit. It is also the second biggest hit with this title, behind Jody Watley's.

Personnel

• Michael McDonald — keyboards, organ, synthesizers, vocals
• Patrick Simmons — guitar, background vocals
• John McFee — guitar, background vocals
• Cornelius Bumpus — tenor saxophone, background vocals
• Tiran Porter — bass guitar, background vocals
• Keith Knudsen — drums, background vocals
• Chet McCracken – drums

Additional personnel

• Bobby LaKind — congas, bongos, background vocals
• Nicolette Larson – background vocals
• Patrick Henderson – keyboards
• Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1980–81) Peak position Australian (Kent Music Report)[3] 53 Canada RPM Top Singles[4] 12 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[5] 15 US Billboard Hot 100[6] 5 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[7] 10 US Cash Box Top 100 7

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank Canada[8] 84 US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[9] 49 US Cash Box[10] 54

References

1. "The Doobie Brothers – Real Love".
2. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 6, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 92. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
4. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. November 29, 1980. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
5. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. November 25, 1980. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
6. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
7. "The Doobie Brothers Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
8. "Top 100 Singles (1980)". RPM. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
9. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
10. http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1980

External links

• Listen to "Real Love" on YouTube