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The Doobie Brothers — Black Water
Album: What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1847









Released: 1974
Length: 4:08
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Well, I built me a raft and she's ready for floatin'
Ol' Mississippi, she's callin' my name
Catfish are jumpin'
That paddle wheel thumpin'
Black water keeps rollin' on past just the same
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

Well, if it rains, I don't care
Don't make no difference to me
Just take that street car that's goin' up town
Yeah, I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
And dance a honky tonk
And I'll be buyin' ev'rybody drinks all 'roun'

Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand pretty mama
Come and dance with your daddy all night long
I want to honky tonk, honky tonk, honky tonk
With you all night long
Comments (143)add comment


Was played on the radio a lot in '74.
WTMA in Charleston, South Carolina !
I was 13 and had started buying 45s.
This was one.
Hearing it now gives a feeling that is so hard to describe.
. . . . . sigh . . . . . 


 sfoster66 wrote:

Plenty of nostalgia masquerading as greatness...




That is a great quote
Plenty of nostalgia masquerading as greatness...
Dang but there seems to be a lot of reverb on the voices.
Nice trifecta:  Black water (Doobies), Doctor Jazz (Jelly Roll Morton), and Let It Roll (Little Feat).  Thanks for letting it flow Bill.
 annds wrote:

I once won a local magazine's Worst Song contest with my vote for this song.  True story.  



Since you posted it twice with slightly different details, I'm sensing a lie. Either way it must have been a horrid local magazine (or contest holder or whatever).  That or the locality itself sucked.

This is two songs. That "hear some funky dixieland" extended two-minute stupidity at the end could go somewhere else.
 pinto wrote:

I don't know if John McFee was with the band when this was released (and I'm thinking he probably wasn't) but he is a really talented and underrated musician and a great asset to the group.



Nope. This was the Tom Johnston version of the band. McFee came along somewhere around Minute By Minute. Extremely talented artist. Still a mainstay with the group today. The core group of Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons (who's doing this song) are way underrated musicians. Not only the song writing ability but their instrumental skills and My God! those harmonies!
Good tune!
I confess to having NEVER liked this contrived piece of fluff. Recognizing that this puts me into a minority is OK. Vocally, it probably has some value for harmonies, although these don't do anything for me. But the entire piece has always, from my first exposure, sounded like a fabrication designed for airplay. Maybe I am completely off base. I still can't listen to it, although this time I tried. Really. If so many find value in something I generally try to give it a fair shot. But after hundreds of hearings, no dice.
Proud to have these guys call San Jose their hometown! In fact, the house where they got their start has recently been designated a city landmark. Our town doesn't do much right these days, it seems, but they nailed that one.
I heard this song so much in high school that I wanted to run away and join the circus. 
Very Good!! 
Omg beauty personified into my aural channels ! Just heard from a beautiful old friend - happens to be deaf - ok here’s the kicker- Every time I hear this track - it reminds me of Debbie Brown- Castles . Seriously folks she’s a Gem
Omg 10
 h8rhater wrote:

Bite your tongue!
 
Yep.  This was definitely overplayed, but now after so many years being off of commercial radio, I can really appreciate great songs.  Like this one.  Thanks RP!
No Skunk on this one?
 arserocket wrote:
reminds me of Little Feat too - just sayin, don't shoot

Bill Payne played on their Tom Johnston era records (72-75) and still tours with them today. It's no accident they remind you of Little Feat. A lot of influences in their music.

 dkwalika wrote:
Played way too much back then. This can be filed away with Bohemian Rhapsody and Carry on My Wayward Son.
 
Bite your tongue!
 arserocket wrote:
reminds me of Little Feat too - just sayin, don't shoot
 Hey you're not wrong.  Ted Templeman produced the Doobies, Little Feat And Michael McDonald for Warner Brothers.  Several of the Doobies plus "Mike McDonald" Played with Little Feat. Michael McDonald became a Doobie on "Taking it to the Streets".   

 Zep wrote:
With this one being burned so badly back in the day, and with so many other good Doobies songs out there, maybe give this one a nice long rest?
 

This did get played A LOT on FM radio in the 70s but for my taste it's quite welcome on RP. 
reminds me of Little Feat too - just sayin, don't shoot
My high school garage band played this back in the day. I liked singing the harmonies but had no real talent but the bass player and lead guitar/singer went on to become professional musicians and even recorded. The guitar player came from good musical stock. His dad toured and recorded with Danny Gatton. I believe Rodney Crowell was in that band as well. 
 Ipse_Dixit wrote:
Is Rerun out of jail yet for bootlegging that Doobie Brothers concert back in '78?

 


 dkwalika wrote:
Played way too much back then. This can be filed away with Bohemian Rhapsody and Carry on My Wayward Son.
 
I agree all three were in heavy rotation back in the day. But that day was 50 years ago. I think we can visit them in the Nursing Rock n Roll Home from time to time.
I've always been impressed by the complex vocal arrangements. I like bands that have good instrumentation, but I love bands that can harmonize like this.
Thanks Bill & Rebecca! I really needed this one today! Chillaxed yo the Maxxxed!!!
I don't know if John McFee was with the band when this was released (and I'm thinking he probably wasn't) but he is a really talented and underrated musician and a great asset to the group.
There's a great quarantine version of this on YT.   They still got it.
Played way too much back then. This can be filed away with Bohemian Rhapsody and Carry on My Wayward Son.
Is Rerun out of jail yet for bootlegging that Doobie Brothers concert back in '78?
 wpagey1 wrote:
How about Another Park Another Sunday?
 
I somehow stumbled across a bootleg album of demo's the Doobie Brothers put together even before their first self titled LP (which no one's ever heard of). One of the tracks is the melody to "Another Park Another Sunday", but completely different lyrics. Interesting how these songs evolve.
With this one being burned so badly back in the day, and with so many other good Doobies songs out there, maybe give this one a nice long rest?
My favorite DB
This one

has

always shown up at the right time in my life

8
Hearing this song though....sure throws me into CCR mode!!
 ziggytrix wrote:
Then I was down south and I heard some funk with some main ingredients
Like Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, David Bowie
It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie in your funk?
 Actually, yes. As talented as these guys are, funk suits them just fine. Just in my opinion.
 SmackDaddy wrote:

Are you four years old?
 

That's just rude.
I once won a local magazine's Worst Song contest with my vote for this song.  True story.  
 kingart wrote:
Ear friendly ear worm that was [way] overplayed on the FM dial in its day. It was designed exactly for that purpose, as was China Grove. Better Doobie tracks are Sweet Maxine and what is probably their most rockin' track, Without You, but they are rarely heard. Shame. 
 
The DBs sure do have a lot of great stuff not heard enough, though I'm still partial to "Listen to the Music" which is one of my fav rock tracks ever, and it is an 'overplayed' one too...haven't heard it here that I recall...and not listening to FM anymore at all means I'd like hearing it here (hint hint) - Long Live RP and all the track choices BnR make!!
How about Another Park Another Sunday?
So nice to hear this again.  SUNY Binghamton New York in the summer.
No.
That scene in Wayne's World where they're all piled in the Pacer singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the top of their lungs? This was our high school predecessor to that moment, only in a Volvo 122. 
Despite the decades of constant radio play this one still holds up for me.

"I wanna honkytonk...

honkytonk...

with you all night long."

Ear friendly ear worm that was [way] overplayed on the FM dial in its day. It was designed exactly for that purpose, as was China Grove. Better Doobie tracks are Sweet Maxine and what is probably their most rockin' track, Without You, but they are rarely heard. Shame. 
 Relayer wrote:
A great song for sure, but the CONSTANT playing of the song on classic rock radio killed it for me.  I need a 10 year break from this song.
 
It's been 45 years....
I once won a local "Worst Song" contest by nominating this one.    Bleh. Sorry (not sorry).
 gianluca.trotta wrote:
WOW, PHANTASTIC {#Bananajam}
 
Are you four years old?
These guys are still bringin' it. Go check them out this summer. One of the most underrated bands in history. I cannot fathom why they're not in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
Man, did this song receive a lot of radio play back in the day.  

In many cases, it sounded  very good compared to the other songs that were being played on mainstream radio.
A great song for sure, but the CONSTANT playing of the song on classic rock radio killed it for me.  I need a 10 year break from this song.
 ziggytrix wrote:
Then I was down south and I heard some funk with some main ingredients
Like Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, David Bowie
It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie in your funk?
 

Yeah, Lollipop Man was right; "Doobie in your funk" isn't quite sufficient.
WOW, PHANTASTIC {#Bananajam}
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Hey, just saw the Doobies last night.
Great show. The band was tight as hell and Tom's voice was in amazing form.
And luckily the moaning Michael McDonald was not with them.
Much better than I expected.

 
I too recently saw the DB's and were surprisingly good.  They have Billy Paine (Little Feat) on keyboards now and they play like they are having a blast.  Refreshing. 
One of my favorite sing-along tunes
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Hey, just saw the Doobies last night.
Great show. The band was tight as hell and Tom's voice was in amazing form.
And luckily the moaning Michael McDonald was not with them.
Much better than I expected.

 
McDonald is hanging out with Thundercat these days -

Which reminds me - Bill, if you're reading this "Show You The Way" would slot in real nice on RP 
Then I was down south and I heard some funk with some main ingredients
Like Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, David Bowie
It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie in your funk?
 MJMJ wrote:
There was a time during the disco era when DJ's would say "Thank god for the Doobies."


thewiseking wrote:
blecccccch
the 70s (an incredible musical decade) at its lamest 
Southern Rock this ain't!

 

 


Hey, just saw the Doobies last night.
Great show. The band was tight as hell and Tom's voice was in amazing form.
And luckily the moaning Michael McDonald was not with them.
Much better than I expected.
 Cyclehawk wrote:
Way too much play in on this in the mid 70s, but it stands up pretty well 40 years later. Quite good, but not one of their best work.

 
Disagree. One of their better songs. And way better than that horrific "Jesus is Just Alright" cacaphony.
Way too much play in on this in the mid 70s, but it stands up pretty well 40 years later. Quite good, but not one of their best work.
Love the Doobies! Great funky rock.
 MJMJ wrote:
There was a time during the disco era when DJ's would say "Thank god for the Doobies."

 
One DJ in Rochester, NY, would always introduce them with "They ain't related, but they Doo-bie brothers."
There was a time during the disco era when DJ's would say "Thank god for the Doobies."


thewiseking wrote:
blecccccch
the 70s (an incredible musical decade) at its lamest 
Southern Rock this ain't!

 


 Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
I have assiduously avoided this song since about 1982. Coming back to it once again I can see why I used to like it so much! Got kind of tried of hearing it on corporate radio but it really is a pleasant little ditty.

 

Ditto -  Take me by the hand ...... pretty momma
 jab49 wrote:

Well said.
that moment was eight years earlier for me, but love this and stuff from 1966 to get that feeling you describe :) 
 


blecccccch
the 70s (an incredible musical decade) at its lamest 
Southern Rock this ain't!
 sfyi2001 wrote:
ONE OF MY - 'This was popular when I was 13 and just getting into music, so it gives me that indescribable feeling only a song that was popular when I was 13 and just getting into music can.' - SONGS.
Thanx 


 
Well said.
ONE OF MY - 'This was popular when I was 13 and just getting into music, so it gives me that indescribable feeling only a song that was popular when I was 13 and just getting into music can.' - SONGS.
Thanx 

 rmagg wrot
I have as well, and agree. 
 


 Rick_V wrote:
Have spent many a late-night listening to this great song on the jukebox at Port Of Call in New Orleans. A wonderful setting to listen to this one.

 


I have assiduously avoided this song since about 1982. Coming back to it once again I can see why I used to like it so much! Got kind of tried of hearing it on corporate radio but it really is a pleasant little ditty.
                     xxx

What Were Once Vices is now a wolf
 Lindo525 wrote:
One of the best "sing-along" songs on the planet. It makes me try to sing all 3 parts at the end. Can't be done, but I always try!!

 
Cool album cover. {#Cool}
One of the best "sing-along" songs on the planet. It makes me try to sing all 3 parts at the end. Can't be done, but I always try!!
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Which, by the way, was/is an excellent album.
I revisited it recently and was surprised how many great (and largely forgotten) songs were on it.

 
Yes like Another Park, Another Sunday and Eyes of Silver!
Have spent many a late-night listening to this great song on the jukebox at Port Of Call in New Orleans. A wonderful setting to listen to this one.
 ekin wrote:
I love you everyone! i'm a metalhead unicorn and i love you so much! i don't have a reason, adamı hasta etmeyin lan! stay in peace! :) {#Bananajam}{#Bananajumprope}{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananasplit}{#Dancingbanana}{#Bananapiano}

 
ekin, much as I enjoy that you're sharing your newfound happiness with us, you really shouldn't mix hallucinogens with anti-depressants and/or Ecstasy. 

But please enjoy your happy high while it lasts! 
 lshinkawa wrote:
More Doobies, please. (Brothers, that is.)

 
Why not both?
 LongGoneDaddy wrote:

"can you imagine Doobie in your funk?" 


- Lollipop Man, alias The Long-Haired Sucker.
 LongGoneDaddy wrote:

"can you imagine Doobie in your funk?"



 
Ho! W-E-F-U-N-K, we funk!
I love you everyone! i'm a metalhead unicorn and i love you so much! i don't have a reason, adamı hasta etmeyin lan! stay in peace! :) {#Bananajam}{#Bananajumprope}{#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananasplit}{#Dancingbanana}{#Bananapiano}
If you looked up "mid-70's" in a hypothetical dictionary, it would just read "Black Water"...
One of the best!
thanks
 
 d48m02h1918 wrote:
Originally from 'What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits' from 1974.

 
Which, by the way, was/is an excellent album.
I revisited it recently and was surprised how many great (and largely forgotten) songs were on it.
 rdo wrote:
This is the kind of music I grew up on, listening to good ole American FM radio in the 1970s!  Yes, we were poor.  My music diet consisted mainly of the radio at that time.  God bless this great nation.
 
To be fair, this song was all over AM radio.
It was very much a noteable song among the greats of it' era, any format. 
This is the kind of music I grew up on, listening to good ole American FM radio in the 1970s!  Yes, we were poor.  My music diet consisted mainly of the radio at that time.  God bless this great nation.
One of my Top 10 all-time favorite songs. Have listened to it countless times and it never gets old.
Wish I could give it a 10+ 
like I said, "old people got the best music"
It was a space-limited LP, but there should have been a re-issue of this or some other Doobie's hits collection that included Sweet Maxine. An oft-overlooked and very fine tune.  
just one of the coolest songs ever
 LongGoneDaddy wrote:

"can you imagine Doobie in your funk?"

 
Which Doobie you be?
In the Southland (where the Doobies were NOT from, despite their sound), black water is what flows through lowland rivers and creeks, especially those in remote rural areas.  The water is colored by the tannins in decaying leaves.  The color actually ranges from reddish-orange to dark brown, but most folks just call it black water.  The Okefenokee, for example, is "all et up" with black water.
Without You is my favorite Doobie song. A high volume full throttle rocker with a rousing finish.  
 dedawson wrote:
Ah yes, the Doobies before the Michael McDonald pablum that swallowed them alive.

 
you hit that nail right on the head.  i had the extreme misfortune of seeing him in a solo concert recently and he sucked.
Yacht Rock in the extreme
One of the BEST bands you will ever see in concert.
i useta love when this came on the car radio—-and I found i sounded really good singing to it—-it was different than the rest of the stuff on at that time.

This song is soooo good for the ears...
 
This song always puts me back in the front bench seat if my Dad's '76 Plymouth Volare.  My seat was in the middle between him and my sister.

I had no idea what a seatbelt was back then. 
Nice tune the first time I heard it.  I liked it way back when.  But riding along on this river of time I've come file it under the general category of....meh!

Highlow
American Net'Zen
Originally from 'What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits' from 1974.


When this song was released I lived on the Illinois river.  Hearing it always takes me back in time!!
 gypsyman wrote:

This song is obviously nothing more than an allusion to Mark Twain's writing. Black water is a reference to the Mississippi River. It's always put me in mind of reading Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer while listening to Janis Joplin - especially her version of Summertime. Great song.
- Michael, Pittsburgh, PA

https://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=3366

seed: you undoubtedly researched this well.  Wait - you didn't....research...at all....Maybe you should just banish yourself.
 
Smack 'em down!! 

Well done gypsyman.
Nice to hear after all this time.  Of course, IMHO.  Relax, people
Does NOT get much better than this. 
When I first got my "tape player" in my car, this was one of the first 8 tracks I had.....I played it constantly......time warp!
I've spent the whole song waiting for something to reclaim it from the realm of Those Songs We Used to Think Were Cool But Actually Sucked. 

Nothin'. 

But I did try.
 
 Gatlinburger wrote:
This song is actually older than that, I think 1972 or so.  I remember hearing this for the first time while at church summer camp about then...  Anyway, it is still just as fantastic now as it was then...

Granted, not church music, but we had some cool counselors!

Love it!
 
I had a similar experience with that great old Rock & Roll at Camp Squeah in the mid '70s.
Ah yes, the Doobies before the Michael McDonald pablum that swallowed them alive.
 seedeater wrote:
For those of us in the environmental fields, black water is the polite term for sewage, as opposed to gray water, which is the water you bathed in or washed your clothes with. Thus, the song is aptly titled. It should be flushed down the toilet, and banished to sewage airways of FM Classic Rock radio.

 

I'm pretty sure that they were talking about the Mississippi River, at night...  But then again, I didn't google it, you might want to...
This song is actually older than that, I think 1972 or so.  I remember hearing this for the first time while at church summer camp about then...  Anyway, it is still just as fantastic now as it was then...

Granted, not church music, but we had some cool counselors!

Love it!
 lshinkawa wrote:
More Doobies, please. (Brothers, that is.)
 



Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Cheeky bugger!
My first college roommate loved the Doobs.  Of course, he also loved Steely Dan, Paul Winter Consort, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.  He was an abominable student, party animal, and the world's best roommate.  He was (and still is) a fine man.

"can you imagine Doobie in your funk?"


I saw these guys (and they played this song) this summer in a "private artist showcase" with about 30 people in Annapolis, MD.  They were great.  40 years together!

Man, I can't stand this song.  
More Doobies, please. (Brothers, that is.)
"Like"
I have seen this band over a dozen times, and they still know how to ROCK.  saw them at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC, recently and it was, to me, their best show ever.  GO DOOBIES!!