This song is all about the voice…Michael McDonald. I was 16 when this song came out and I bought ”it Keeps You Runnin” and “Takin It To The Streets” both on 45, then later bought the album as an adult.
That voice. No one else had a voice like McDonald. Raspy, deep tones, yet he could soar to high notes, and it’s sexy. It was almost like he was whispering sweet nothings to the listener. It Keeps you Running is one of those songs that is timeless, soulful, and is instantly recognizable. The song itself has beautiful vocal harmonies and the piano……I just love it! I would rank this song as one of the best by The Doobie Brothers.
Above I posted the live video from 1977…But IMO the studio version is killer.
As an adult, I learned McDonald also was vocalist for Steely Dan. So this led me to explore Steely Dan, beginning with the legendary, Aja.

Takin' It to the Streets (The Doobie Brothers album) - Wikipedia
Do you like this song? Tell me your thoughts and opinions..