Michael McDonald

Songs Written by Michael McDonaldTop Songs / Chart Singles Discography

Michael H. McDonald (born February 12, 1952) is an American singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Known for his distinctive, soulful voice, he was a backing vocalist for Steely Dan from 1973 to 1980 and rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the Doobie Brothers across various stints (1975–1982, 1987, 2019–present). McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with the Doobie Brothers, including "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute", "Takin' It to the Streets", "Real Love" and "It Keeps You... [more on Wikipedia]

As a songwriter, Michael McDonald first charted in 1976 with It Keeps You Runnin'.The artist placed 21 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, 4 of which reached the Top‑10, including 1 number‑one.The artist scored 7 UK Top‑75 entries.On US AC the artist achieved 7 Top‑10s.On US Dance the artist achieved 1 Top‑10.On US Rock the artist achieved 2 Top‑10s.On US RnB the artist achieved 2 Top‑10s.

Top songs: #1: What a Fool Believes - #2: I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) - #3: Real Love - #4: You Belong to Me - #5: I'll Wait
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  The Doobie Brothers
Takin' It to the Streets
1.
04/1976

Takin' It to the Streets
The Doobie Brothers

from Takin' It to the Streets   Takin' It to the Streets
72 pts
13
US




57
R&B




[Warner 8196]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
  Carly Simon
It Keeps You Runnin'
2.
06/1976

It Keeps You Runnin'
Carly Simon

from Another Passenger   Another Passenger
22 pts
46
US
27
AC








[Elektra 45323]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
  The Doobie Brothers
It Keeps You Runnin'
3.
11/1976

It Keeps You Runnin'
The Doobie Brothers

from Takin' It to the Streets   Takin' It to the Streets
23 pts
37
US










[Warner 8282]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
  Carly Simon
You Belong to Me
4.
04/1978

#4  You Belong to Me
Carly Simon

from Boys in the Trees   Boys in the Trees
135 pts
6
US
4
AC








[Elektra 45477]
written by Carly Simon & Michael McDonald greentick
  The Doobie Brothers
What a Fool Believes
5.
01/1979

#1  What a Fool Believes
The Doobie Brothers

from Minute by Minute   Minute by Minute
245 pts
1
US
22
AC
40
dance
72
R&B


31
UK
Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1980 Grammy Award for Record of the Year 1980
[Warner 8778]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Kenny Loggins
Minute by Minute
6.
05/1979

Minute by Minute
The Doobie Brothers

from Minute by Minute   Minute by Minute
93 pts
14
US
13
AC


74
R&B


47
UK
[Warner 8828]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Lester Abrams
Dependin' on You
7.
08/1979

Dependin' on You
The Doobie Brothers

from Minute by Minute   Minute by Minute
43 pts
25
US
37
AC








[Warner 49029]
written by Patrick Simmons & Michael McDonald greentick
  Kenny Loggins
This Is It
8.
10/1979

This Is It
Kenny Loggins

from Keep the Fire   Keep the Fire
94 pts
11
US
17
AC


19
R&B




[Columbia 11109]
written by Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald greentick
  Nicolette Larson
Let Me Go, Love
9.
01/1980

Let Me Go, Love
Nicolette Larson

from In the Nick of Time   
38 pts
35
US
9
AC


96
R&B




featuring Michael McDonald
[Warner 49130]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Bonnie Jean Foster
  Peabo Bryson
Minute by Minute
10.
03/1980

Minute by Minute
Peabo Bryson

from Paradise   
10 pts






12
R&B




[Capitol 4844]
written by Lester Abrams & Michael McDonald greentick
  David Sanborn
11.
04/1980

Anything You Want
David Sanborn

from Hideaway   
1 pts






75
R&B




instrumental
[Warner 49219]
written by David Sanborn & Michael McDonald greentick
  The Doobie Brothers
Real Love
12.
09/1980

#3  Real Love
The Doobie Brothers

from One Step Closer   One Step Closer
146 pts
5
US
10
AC
70
dance
40
R&B




[Warner 49503]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Patrick Henderson
  Millie Jackson
13.
09/1980

This Is It (Part I)
Millie Jackson

from For Men Only   
1 pts






88
R&B




[Spring 3013]
written by Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald greentick
  Aretha Franklin
What a Fool Believes
14.
12/1980

What a Fool Believes
Aretha Franklin

from Aretha [1980 album]   
27 pts




39
dance
17
R&B


46
UK
[Arista 0591]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Kenny Loggins
  Ambrosia
15.
01/1981

Outside
Ambrosia

from Inside Moves OST   
4 pts
102
US










[Full Moon 49654]
written by David Pack & Michael McDonald greentick
  The Doobie Brothers
16.
02/1981

Keep This Train a Rollin'
The Doobie Brothers

from One Step Closer   One Step Closer
13 pts
62
US










[Warner 49670]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
17.
02/1982

Here to Love
The Doobie Brothers

from Best of the Doobies, Volume II   
11 pts
65
US










[Warner 50001]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
  Michael McDonald
I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)
18.
08/1982

#2  I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)
Michael McDonald greentick

from If That's What It Takes   If That's What It Takes
193 pts
4
US
8
AC


7
R&B


43
UK
[Warner 29933]
written by Michael McDonald greentick, Ed Sanford, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
19.
11/1982

I Gotta Try
Michael McDonald greentick

from If That's What It Takes   If That's What It Takes
23 pts
44
US
28
AC








[Warner 29862]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Kenny Loggins
  Kenny Loggins
Heart to Heart
20.
11/1982

Heart to Heart
Kenny Loggins

from High Adventure   High Adventure
89 pts
15
US
3
AC


71
R&B




[Columbia 03377]
written by David Foster, Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald greentick
  The Doobie Brothers
You Belong to Me
21.
07/1983

You Belong to Me
The Doobie Brothers

from The Doobies Brothers Farewell Tour   
8 pts
79
US










R live
[Warner 29552]
written by Carly Simon & Michael McDonald greentick
  James Ingram & Michael McDonald
Yah Mo B There
22.
12/1983

Yah Mo B There
James Ingram & Michael McDonald

from It's Your Night   It's Your Night
93 pts
19
US
10
AC


5
R&B


44
UK
[Qwest 29394]
written by James Ingram, Michael McDonald greentick, Rod Temperton & Quincy Jones
  Van Halen
I'll Wait
23.
02/1984

#5  I'll Wait
Van Halen

from 1984   1984
94 pts
13
US






2
rock
85
UK
[Warner 29307]
written by Michael Anthony, Michael McDonald greentick, David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen & Alex Van Halen
  Paul Anka
24.
06/1984

Second Chance
Paul Anka

from Walk a Fine Line   Walk a Fine Line
8 pts


14
AC








[Columbia 04407]
written by Paul Anka, David Foster & Michael McDonald greentick
  James Ingram & Michael McDonald
Yah Mo Be There
25.
01/1985

Yah Mo Be There
James Ingram & Michael McDonald

from It's Your Night   It's Your Night
68 pts










12
UK
R
written by James Ingram, Michael McDonald greentick, Rod Temperton & Quincy Jones
  Michael McDonald
No Lookin' Back
26.
07/1985

No Lookin' Back
Michael McDonald greentick

from No Lookin' Back   No Lookin' Back
51 pts
34
US
18
AC




4
rock


[Warner 28960]
written by Michael McDonald greentick, Kenny Loggins & Ed Sanford
27.
09/1985

Bad Times
Michael McDonald greentick

from No Lookin' Back   No Lookin' Back
3 pts








38
rock


written by Michael McDonald greentick
28.
11/1985

Lost in the Parade
Michael McDonald greentick

3 pts


40
AC








[Warner 28847]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Grady Walker
  Larry Carlton
Minute by Minute
29.
07/1987

Minute by Minute
Larry Carlton

5 pts


25
AC








instrumental
[MCA 53119]
written by Lester Abrams & Michael McDonald greentick
  Michael McDonald
30.
05/1990

Take It to Heart
Michael McDonald greentick

from Take It to Heart   Take It to Heart
24 pts
98
US
4
AC








[Reprise 19828]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Diane Warren
31.
02/1991

All We Got (It's Not Enough, It's Never Enough)
Michael McDonald greentick

from Take It to Heart   Take It to Heart
13 pts




9
dance
88
R&B




[Reprise 19713]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Peter Leinheiser
32.
08/1993

I Stand for You
Michael McDonald greentick

from Blink of an Eye   
11 pts
114
US
21
AC








[Reprise 18469]
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Chuck Sabatino
  Kenny Loggins
This Is It
33.
10/1993

This Is It
Kenny Loggins

from Outside: From the Redwoods   Outside: From the Redwoods
4 pts


31
AC








R live
[Columbia LP Cut]
written by Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald greentick
  Peter Cox
What a Fool Believes
34.
06/1998

What a Fool Believes
Peter Cox

21 pts










39
UK
written by Michael McDonald greentick & Kenny Loggins
  Taylor Hicks
Takin' It to the Streets
35.
06/2006

Takin' It to the Streets
Taylor Hicks

from American Idol Season 5: Encores   American Idol Season 5: Encores
10 pts
69
US










[RCA/S Digital]
written by Michael McDonald greentick
  Kirk Franklin
Declaration (This Is It!)
36.
11/2007

Declaration (This Is It!)
Kirk Franklin

from The Fight of My Life   The Fight of My Life
6 pts
121
US




35
R&B




[GospoCentric LP Cut]
written by Kirk Franklin, Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald greentick
  Chaka Khan
You Belong to Me
37.
11/2007

You Belong to Me
Chaka Khan

from Funk This   Funk This
2 pts






63
R&B




featuring Michael McDonald
[Burgundy LP Cut]
written by Carly Simon & Michael McDonald greentick
  Michael McDonald
38.
08/2008

Enemy Within
Michael McDonald greentick

from Soul Speak   
7 pts


18
AC








[Universal Motown LP Cut]
written by Simon Climie & Michael McDonald greentick


See also...

Donald Fagen & Michael McDonaldGarth Brooks, Billy Dean, Faith Hill, Olivia Newton-John, Neal McCoy, Michael McDonald, Victoria Shaw and Bryan WhiteJames Ingram & Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald & Kathy MatteaPatti LaBelle and Michael McDonaldSteely DanThe Doobie Brothers


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US charts info based on Billboard (www.billboard.com) charts   •   UK charts info based on The Official UK Charts Company's charts
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