Photo Credit:
Writer: Patrick Simmons
Producer: Ted Templeman
Recorded: 1974 at Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, California
Released: 1974
Players: | Patrick Simmons — vocals, guitar Tom Johnston — vocals, guitar Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, guitar Tiran Porter — vocals, bass Keith Knudsen — drums John Hartman — drums |
Album: | What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (Warner Bros) |
“Black Water” was the Doobie Brothers' first Number One hit.
The song was originally intended to be the B-side of a single, but it was more popular with DJs and the public than its flip side, “Another Park, Another Sunday,” which peaked at Number 32 in 1974.
It was the group's first major hit to be written by singer-guitarist Pat Simmons. Most of the other early hits were penned by singer-guitarist Tom Johnston.
Drummer Keith Knudsen told us that the song “is inspired by New Orleans and that area of the country and the beauty and the mystery and all that stuff in that area.”
Knudsen said the band was thrilled when the song hit Number One: “We celebrated, of course. That was great, just like we did when 'What A Fool Believes' reached Number One, and the album Minute By Minute got to Number One, and later that year, we won four Grammys for that album. That was exciting. Those were real high points in our career.”
Guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter made his Doobies debut on What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, though as a studio gun-for-hire. The former member of Steely Dan joined the Doobies full-time when the Dan became a studio-bound duo that same year.
“Black Water” is one of the Doobies' most popular concert favorites, and seldom fails to earn a huge sing-along during the a cappella section.
What Were Once Vices… peaked at Number Four on the Billboard 200.