Nobody (The Doobie Brothers song)

"Nobody"
Single by the Doobie Brothers
from the album The Doobie Brothers
B-side
  • "Slippery St. Paul"
  • "Flying Cloud" (reissue)
ReleasedMay 26, 1971
October 2, 1974 (reissue)
RecordedLate 1970
GenreRock
Length3:42
LabelWarner Bros.
SongwriterTom Johnston
Producers
The Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Nobody"
(1971)
"Feelin' Down Farther"
(1971)
Music video
"Nobody" (2010 version) on YouTube

"Nobody" is a song by the American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released on May 26, 1971 by Warner Bros. Records.[1] The single was reissued in 1974,[1] a re-recorded version was included on World Gone Crazy,[2] and was re-recorded again as a duet for Southbound in 2014 with Charlie Worsham.[3]

Background

Tom Johnston was inspired to write "Nobody" while driving down U.S. Route 1, which runs down the west coast.[4] Its lyrical contents consist of the singer sailing down the Mendocino coastline to Jenner.[4]

Release and reception

Writing a review for the single's 1974 reissue in Cashbox magazine, the publication called it a "bouncy musical jaunt", adding that that "the vocals are gutsy and tight and the instrumentation is solid".[5] Record World said that the reissue's "total new production" had "captur[ed] some of the group's most dynamic moments yet on disc."[6]

Track listing

According to the Netherlands' chart website:[7]

7" Single (Warner Bros. 7495)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nobody"Tom Johnston3:42
2."Slippery St. Paul"Patrick Simmons2:14
7" Single (Warner Bros. K 16083)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nobody"Johnston2:42
2."It Won't Be Right"Johnston, Simmons2:38
1974 7" Single (Warner Bros. WBS 8041)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nobody"Johnston3:42
2."Flying Cloud" (originally released on What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits)Tiran Porter2:00

Charts

Original release
Chart (1971) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[1] 22
1974 reissue
Chart (1974) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 58
2010 re-recording
Chart (2010) Peak
position
US Adult Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[9] 19

References

  1. ^ a b c Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles: 1955-2012. Internet Archive. Menomonee Falls: Record Research. 2013. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-89820-205-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ "New Doobie Brothers Digital Single". Doobie Brothers. Retrieved September 30, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ^ B. Remz, Jeffrey. "The Doobie Brothers - Southbound". www.countrystandardtime.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  4. ^ a b Templeman, Ted (2020). Ted Templeman: A Platinum Producer's Life in Music. Internet Archive. Toronto: ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77041-483-9.
  5. ^ "Cash Box[/]Single[s] Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 19, 1974. p. 23. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  6. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. October 19, 1974. p. 20. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  7. ^ "The Doobie Brothers - Nobody". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  8. ^ "The Doobie Brothers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  9. ^ "The Doobie Brothers Chart History (Adult Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2026.