No. 49: The Doobie Brothers, ‘Black Water’ – Top 100 Classic Rock Songs

You can almost feel the warm breeze blowing in as the summery sounds of wind chimes lead into the acoustic guitar and fiddle during the opening of the next track on our Top 100 Classic Rock Songs countdown, the Doobie Brothers' 'Black Water.'

The tune was originally relegated to the b-side of the single 'Another Park, Another Sunday,' from the 1974 album 'What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits.' However, in an oft-repeated tale in rock history, an intrepid DJ flipping the record over and playing the other side led to the song hitting the No. 1 spot early that same year.

Written and sung by guitarist Patrick Simmons, the song was a change up from the more rootsy rock and roll that had established the band up to this point with hits like 'Long Train Runnin' and 'China Grove.'

'Black Water' also featured a subtle but clear country influence, and a lovely breakdown a cappella section that connected strongly and immediately with fans.

The band would go on to score more hits and explore more creative ground throughout their long and successful career, but 'Black Water' was their first monster hit and remains among their most popular songs ever.

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Watch the Doobie Brothers Perform 'Black Water'