DOOBIE BROTHERS 1973 FRENCH LP "THE CAPTAIN AND ME" 1st Press Superb Collectors

	£		25
	$		33

Doobie Brothers "The Captain and Me" 
WEA WB 46 217
Lovely collector's condition
Stampers/Matrix;  A2:B P F (hand etched in runout area)  
Record;  near mint except for a small mark on track 4 side one (barely audible) plays beautifully. Ex+++
Laminated G/F Cover;  excellent, some lightest scuffing but collector's condition. 
Label;  mint (-) Inner sleeve; excellent (++)
Reviews 
The Doobie Brothers' third long-player was the charm, their most substantial and consistent album to date, and one that rode the charts for a year. It was also a study in contrasts, Tom Johnston's harder-edged, bolder rocking numbers balanced by Patrick Simmons' more laid-back country-rock ballad style. The leadoff track, Johnston's "Natural Thing," melded the two, opening with interlocking guitars and showcasing the band's exquisite soaring harmonies around a beautiful melody, all wrapped up in a midtempo beat -- the result was somewhere midway between Allman Brothers-style virtuosity andEagles/Crosby & Nash-type lyricism, which defined this period in the Doobies' history and gave them a well-deserved lock on the top of the charts. Next up was the punchy, catchy "Long Train Runnin'," a piece they'd been playing for years as an instrumental -- a reluctant Johnston was persuaded by producer Ted Templeman to write lyrics to it and record the song, and the resulting track became the group's next hit. The slashing, fast-tempo "China Grove" and "Without You" represented the harder side of the Doobies' sound, and were juxtaposed with Simmons' romantic country-rock ballads "Clear as the Driven Snow," and "South City Midnight Lady." Simmons also showed off his louder side with "Evil Woman," while Johnston showed his more reflective side with "Dark Eyed Cajun Woman," "Ukiah" and "The Captain and Me" -- the latter, a soaring rocker clocking in at nearly five minutes, features radiant guitars and harmonies, soaring ever higher and faster to a triumphant finish.  Bruce Eder
If you are considering buying a Doobies album for the first time, this is undoubtedly THE ONE. Don't mess around with those ubiquitous 'Best of' collections that are out there. Go for the continuity of this marvellous studio album.
Probably the single biggest testament to this recording is that so many of the songs thereon remain in the Doobies live set to this day. Natural Thing, Long Train Runnin, China Grove, Dark Eyed Cajun Woman, Clear as the Driven Snow, Without You and South City Midnight Lady are all regulars in their shows. When you consider how many studio albums the Doobs have made, this is an amazing statistic.
It would be easy to write about the virtues of Long Train Runnin and China Grove as they are great (and very well know songs) and you have probably heard them many times.
No, the real reason for buying this album are other gems such as the absolutely amazing 'Clear as the Driven Snow' and the wonderful 'Natural Thing'. The mix of country and rock is irresistable. Then you have a pair of lovely ballads (South City Midnight Lady and Dark Eyed Cajum Woman) which are beautiful in their own right. Then there's a pair of rockers (Without You and Evil Woman) which rock as hard as any songs you can think of.
The only other Doobies album which comes close to this one in my opinion is the wonderful 'Stampede' (with the amazing Neal's Fandango and 'Sweet Maxine') although the live set 'Rocking Down the Highway" (The Wildlife Concert) is well worth having too (on video or CD).
One last thing, if ever the Doobie Brothers are playing live close to you....GO. Don' make excuse, just GO. They are probably one of the best live acts out there.
I stumbled across the Doobie Brothers almost accidentally, but by buying this album made one of my shrewdest ever purchases. Essentially the Doobie Brothers are what would seem to be an obscure mix of rock, blues, country and gospel, yet although this album showcases all of those influences, it presents a more rock orientated Doobies. Every song is simply a classic, lingering long in the memory. The opener "Natural Thing" has a definite soul tinge, but is a fantastic song. "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove" are both classic songs and both perenial favourites with bar bands everywhere. However my personal favourite tracks are the ballad "Dark Eyed Cajun Woman," the awesome rocker "Without You" and the gospel/country/rock track "Ukiah." Overall "The Captain and Me" is one album which should feature in every true music fan's collection. No matter what genere of music you believe you like, buy this album, you will not regret it. This is simply classic rock and in my opinion one of the greatest albums in rock history. Ignore the compilations available, this album has all the Doobie Brothers material you would ever want.