If That's What It Takes

The Artist

Michael McDonald built his reputation as the blue-eyed soul voice of two defining bands of the 1970s, first lending his smoky baritone and Rhodes-driven keyboard work to Steely Dan as a backing vocalist, then transforming The Doobie Brothers into a sleeker, jazz-inflected R&B outfit as lead singer and chief songwriter. By 1982 he was ready to step out alone, carrying with him a Grammy-winning run of hits and a reputation as one of the most in-demand collaborators in Los Angeles. His sound is unmistakable: churchy chord changes, melancholy minor-key hooks, layered harmonies, and that aching, gospel-tinged voice. If That's What It Takes is his solo debut, arriving while the Doobies were winding down and McDonald was becoming a defining voice of early-'80s adult pop.

The Album

Recorded in Los Angeles across 1981 and 1982 and co-produced by McDonald with Ted Templeman and Lenny Waronker, the album pulled together an A-list of session players and songwriting partners from his Doobie Brothers orbit, including Kenny Loggins and Ed Sanford. The production leans into the glossy, meticulously layered studio sound of the era: electric piano as the harmonic anchor, pillowy synth pads, stacked vocal harmonies, and crisp, tightly compressed drums. Released on Warner Bros. in the summer of 1982, it quickly went platinum and established McDonald as a solo star while cementing yacht rock's late golden age. Thematically it circles around romantic doubt, regret, and the slow work of letting go, with the occasional flicker of faith poking through.

Listen For

That signature Rhodes. The Fender Rhodes electric piano is practically the lead instrument across the record. Notice how it anchors nearly every song's chord progression, especially on "I Keep Forgettin (Every Time Youre Near)".

The bassline heard round the world. The elastic, syncopated bass figure on "I Keep Forgettin" would later become one of the most sampled grooves in hip-hop. Listen for how it drives the entire arrangement.

Stacked harmony walls. McDonald overdubs his own voice into dense gospel-choir harmonies, often answering his lead vocal in call-and-response fashion. "I Gotta Try" is a masterclass in this technique.

Minor-key melancholy under polished sheen. Pay attention to how often the lyrics sit in a place of romantic defeat or resignation while the music glides along smoothly, particularly on "Losin End" and "I Can Let Go Now".

A quiet turn at the finish. The closer "Believe in It" shifts the album's emotional palette toward something more spiritual and hopeful. Note how it reframes everything that came before.