Rockin’ Down The Highway – The Doobie Brothers | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop(#21); 1972
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
For most successful bands the dreaded “sophomore slump,” in which the second album fails to fulfill the promise of the first, looms as a potential career de-railer.
For the Doobie Brothers LP #2 presented no such problem as LP #1, with its mellow California sound, had sunk without a trace. The second outing, Toulouse Street, defined the sound of the “Tom Johnston” Doobies with the hit single Listen To The Music, written by Tom, and its follow-up Jesus Is Just Alright.
Tucked away on the flip side of Jesus Is Just Alright was another Johnston composition: Rockin’ Down The Highway. Powered by Johnston’s distinctive R&B-style lead vocal, Rockin’ caught the ear of FM radio deejays who spun it over the airwaves of America’s progressive rock formatted stations, paving the way for the Doobies 1973 breakthrough album, The Captain And Me, and two decades of hits.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Ted Templeman
Lyrics Written by:
- Tom Johnston
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).