Livin' on the Fault Line is the seventh studio album by the
American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on August 19,
1977, by Warner Bros. Records. It is one of the few Doobie Brothers albums of
the 1970s which did not produce a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (although
"You Belong to Me" was a hit as recorded by co-author Carly Simon).
Still, the album received modest critical acclaim. Tom Johnston (guitar,
vocals) left the band early in the sessions. He is listed as part of the band
(appearing in the inside group photo) but appears on little or none of the
actual album; despite writing and singing five songs during the sessions for
the album, they were not included on the final release. Much of this
consistently mellow album has a jazz tinge, and the influences of R&B are
palpable throughout. The track "Little Darling (I Need You)" is a
remake of the Marvin Gaye 1966 hit.
Track listing
Side One
No. Title Writer(s) Vocals Length
1. "You're Made That
Way" Michael McDonald, Jeff
Baxter, Keith Knudsen Michael McDonald 3:30
2. "Echoes of
Love" Patrick Simmons, Willie
Mitchell, Earl Randle Pat Simmons 2:57
3. "Little Darling (I
Need You)" Holland–Dozier–Holland McDonald 3:24
4. "You Belong to
Me" Carly Simon, McDonald McDonald 3:04
5. "Livin' on the
Fault Line" Simmons Simmons, McDonald 4:42
Side Two
No. Title Writer(s) Vocals Length
6. "Nothin' But a
Heartache" McDonald McDonald 3:05
7. "Chinatown" Simmons Simmons,
McDonald 4:55
8. "There's a
Light" McDonald McDonald 4:12
9. "Need a Lady" Tiran Porter Tiran Porter (w/cameos by Simmons, McDonald) 3:21
10. "Larry the Logger
Two-Step" Simmons instrumental 1:16