"It Keeps You Runnin'" is a song by the American rock band

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

. The song was written by band member Michael McDonald, and served as the third single from their sixth studio album '' Takin' It to the Streets''. It was also covered and released as a single by

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...

. The Doobie Brothers version was featured in the 1994

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

-winning film ''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and ...

'', and was included on the film's

multi-platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

selling

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...

. The song was also featured in the soundtrack of the 1978 film '' FM''.

Lyrics and music

According to

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

critic Jason Elias, the music of "It Keeps You Runnin'" reflects a "jazzy R&B influence" and "gospel-based keyboard shading." Elias described the lyrics as the singer "trying to talk some woman into listening to what her heart is trying to say -- the oldest trick in the book."

Reception

''Ultimate Classic Rock'' critic Michael Gallucci rated "It Keeps You Runnin'" as the Doobie Brothers 10th greatest song, describing it as being "California-funky."

Track listing

7" single # "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 4:20 # "Turn It Loose" – 3:53

Personnel

* Michael McDonald – keyboards, vocals *

Patrick Simmons Patrick Simmons (born October 19, 1948) is an American musician best known as a founding member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, he has been the only consistent member of the band throughout their tenure. Simm ...

– guitar, backing vocals *

Jeff "Skunk" Baxter Jeffrey Allen "Skunk" Baxter (born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s and Spirit in the 1980s. More recently, he has worked as a defense consu ...

– guitar *

Tiran Porter Tiran Calvin Porter (born September 26, 1948) is an American bass and guitar player, vocalist and composer, best known as a member of The Doobie Brothers from 1972 to 1980 and 1987 to 1992. Biography Porter graduated from Leuzinger High School in ...

– bass, backing vocals *

Keith Knudsen Keith A. Knudsen ( ; February 18, 1948 – February 8, 2005) was an American rock drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. Knudsen was best known as a drummer and vocalist for The Doobie Brothers. In addition, he founded the band Southern Pacific with ...

– drums, backing vocals *

John Hartman John Hartman (March 18, 1950 – September 22, 2022)Ted Templeman Edward John "Ted" Templeman (born October 24, 1942) is an American record producer. Among the acts he has a long relationship with are the rock bands Van Halen and the Doobie Brothers and the singer Van Morrison; he produced multiple criticall ...

– percussion, producer *

Bobby LaKind Robert Jay LaKind (November 3, 1945 – December 24, 1992) was an American conga player, vocalist, songwriter and occasional backup drummer with The Doobie Brothers. Originally a lighting roadie for the band, he was invited to join as a sideman f ...

–

congas The conga, also known as tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed drum from Cuba. Congas are staved like barrels and classified into three types: quinto (lead drum, highest), tres dos or tres golpes (middle), and tumba or salidor (lowest) ...

Charts

Carly Simon version

American singer-songwriter and musician

covered "It Keeps You Runnin'" for her sixth studio album ''

Another Passenger ''Another Passenger'' is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on June 5, 1976. For this album, Simon enlisted a new producer, Ted Templeman, as well as his clients, The Doobie Brothers ...

'', and the song served as the lead single. Simon's version charted on both the ''Billboard'' Pop singles chart and the ''Billboard''

Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...

chart. ''

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'' described it as an "interesting mid -tempo rocker" with a "jazzy feel" that has a powerful vocal performance by Simon. ''Billboard'' specifically praised the guitar playing and the

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. ''

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'' said that Simon's "vocal is always clean and sensuous, and sensitive to the excellent backing," calling the song "an upbeat cut, with attractive chord changes and

-filled lyric." The Doobie Brothers provided backing vocals on the track.

Ted Templeman Edward John "Ted" Templeman (born October 24, 1942) is an American record producer. Among the acts he has a long relationship with are the rock bands Van Halen and the Doobie Brothers and the singer Van Morrison; he produced multiple criticall ...

produced both Simon's and The Doobie's versions, as well as each of their albums from which the song is featured.

Personnel

– lead vocals, backing vocals * Michael McDonald – keyboards *

Jeff Baxter Jeffrey Allen "Skunk" Baxter (born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s and Spirit in the 1980s. More recently, he has worked as a defense consu ...

–

slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...

– electric guitar *

– bass *

John Hartman John Hartman (March 18, 1950 – September 22, 2022)Keith Knudsen Keith A. Knudsen ( ; February 18, 1948 – February 8, 2005) was an American rock drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. Knudsen was best known as a drummer and vocalist for The Doobie Brothers. In addition, he founded the band Southern Pacific with ...

– drums *

– backing vocals

Track listing

7" single (US) # "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 3:56 # "Look Me In The Eyes" – 3:34 7" single (UK) # "It Keeps You Runnin'" – 3:56 # "Be with Me" – 1:53

Charts

References

External links

The Doobie Brothers Official Website

Michael McDonald's Official Website

Carly Simon's Official Website
{{authority control 1976 singles 1977 singles The Doobie Brothers songs Carly Simon songs Songs written by Michael McDonald (musician) Song recordings produced by Ted Templeman Warner Records singles Elektra Records singles 1976 songs