“Even when we went to collect the Grammy for Song of the Year in 1980, I was thinking, ‘How did this happen?’”: This No.1 hit is the pinnacle of yacht rock, but its smooth sound belies its tortuous creation

Michael McDonald.

When The Doobie Brothers released What A Fool Believes in January 1979, it played a key role in transforming the landscape of Top 40 music in the US.

Marking a significant departure from the Californian band’s boogie-rocking style, here was a song that blended soulful, emotive vocals with a sophisticated, keyboard-driven sound, epitomising a style that was dubbed ‘yacht rock’.