Minute by Minute

This article is about the Doobie Brothers album. For other songs with the same title, see Minute by Minute (song).

Minute by Minute
File:The Doobie Brothers - Minute by Minute.jpg
Studio album by The Doobie Brothers
Released	December 1, 1978
Recorded	1978 at Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California
Genre	Rock, R&B
Length	36:16
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers chronology
Livin' on the Fault Line (1977)Livin' on the Fault Line1977 Minute by Minute (1978) One Step Closer (1980)One Step Closer1980
Singles from Minute by Minute
"What a Fool Believes" Released: January 1979 "Minute by Minute" Released: April 1979 "Dependin' on You" Released: July 1979

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	B
Rolling Stone	(mixed)

Minute by Minute is the eighth studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 1978. The album contains their biggest hit, the Grammy-winning "What a Fool Believes," which was co-written by Kenny Loggins and simultaneously released on his 1978 album Nightwatch. "Depending on You" and the title track were also released as singles. The album would be the last to include members Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and John Hartman. It is also the most-honored Doobie Brothers album, having won four Grammys at the 22nd Grammy Awards, more than any other album.

Track listing

Side One

1. "Here to Love You" (McDonald) – 3:58 (Lead Vocals: Michael McDonald)
2. "What a Fool Believes" (McDonald, Loggins) – 3:41 (Lead Vocals: Michael McDonald)
3. "Minute by Minute" (McDonald, Abrams) – 3:26 (Lead Vocals: Michael McDonald)
4. "Dependin' on You" (Simmons, McDonald) – 3:44 (Lead Vocals: Patrick Simmons)
5. "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels" (Simmons, Baxter, Michael Ebert) – 3:26 (Lead Vocals: Patrick Simmons)

Side Two

1. "Open Your Eyes" (McDonald, Abrams, Henderson) – 3:18 (Lead Vocals: Michael McDonald)
2. "Sweet Feelin'" (Simmons, Templeman) – 2:41 (Lead Vocals: Patrick Simmons)
3. "Steamer Lane Breakdown" (instrumental) (Simmons) – 3:24
4. "You Never Change" (Simmons) – 3:26 (Lead Vocals: Patrick Simmons)
5. "How Do the Fools Survive?" (McDonald, Carole Bayer Sager) – 5:12 (Lead Vocals: Michael McDonald)

Personnel

The Doobie Brothers:

• Patrick Simmons - guitar, vocals
• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - guitar, steel guitar
• Michael McDonald - keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
• Tiran Porter - bass, vocals
• John Hartman - drums
• Keith Knudsen - drums, vocals

Additional Players:

• Bobby LaKind - congas, vocals
• Tom Johnston - vocals on "Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels"
• Nicolette Larson - vocals on "Sweet Feelin'" and "Dependin' on You"
• Rosemary Butler - vocals on "Here to Love You" and "Dependin' on You"
• Norton Buffalo - harmonica
• Herb Pederson - banjo
• Byron Berline - fiddle
• Lester Abrams - electric piano on "How Do the Fools Survive"
• Bill Payne - synthesizer (with Michael McDonald) on "What a Fool Believes" and "Minute by Minute"
• Andrew Love - saxophone
• Ben Cauley - trumpet
• Ted Templeman - percussion

Michael Jackson said he contributed back up vocals on "What a Fool Believes", "Here to Love You" and "Minute by Minute" for the album, but he is not credited on the album.

Production

• Producer: Ted Templeman
• Engineer: Donn Landee
• Cover design: Bruce Steinberg
• Arranger: Michael McDonald
• Conductor: Bobby LaKind
• Photography: David Alexander

Recorded at Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood Mixed at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1979	Pop Albums	1

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"Dependin' on You"	Pop Singles	25
1979	"Minute by Minute"	Black Singles	74
1979	"Minute by Minute"	Pop Singles	14
1979	"What a Fool Believes"	Black Singles	72
1979	"What a Fool Believes"	Club Play Singles	40
1979	"What a Fool Believes"	Pop Singles	1

Preceded by Spirits Having Flown by Bee Gees

Billboard 200 number-one album April 7–20, 1979 April 28 - May 18, 1979

Succeeded by Breakfast in America by Supertramp