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China Grove (song)

"China Grove" is a song by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released in 1973 on their third studio album, The Captain and Me. It was written and sung by the band's original lead singer and songwriter Tom Johnston.[4] The song reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100. While there is a real place named China Grove in Texas, Johnston's lyrics about the community are mostly fictional. The song spent eight weeks in the Top 40.

"China Grove"
Single by The Doobie Brothers
from the album The Captain and Me
B-side"Evil Woman"
ReleasedJuly 25, 1973
Recorded1972[citation needed]
StudioWarner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood, Los Angeles
Genre
Length3:16
LabelWarner Bros. Records
Songwriter(s)Tom Johnston
Producer(s)Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers singles chronology
"Long Train Runnin'"
(1973) 		"China Grove"
(1973) 		"Black Water"
(1974)
Audio
"China Grove" on YouTube

Composition and recording

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In 2010, examination of the master recording tape for the track by recording engineer Chris Baseford revealed that, as most bands did at the time, the band played together while tracking in the studio instead of overdubbing the instrumental elements.

The production on the song was described as "pretty standard". Aside from the drums, panned slightly off center, additional percussion like a tambourine and hand clapping overdubs were added. Baseford described the bass performance and sound on this song as "top notch" with Tiran Porter playing the melodic line using a pick and plugging directly into the mixing board.[5]

The song uses a clavé rhythm. Lead singer and songwriter Tom Johnston plays the distinctive opening guitar riff.

Origins

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Like many songs by Johnston, the music was composed and developed before the lyrics were written. It started with a guitar riff that he and drummer John Hartman developed into a jam with a chord structure. Johnston said that the lyrics were influenced by a piano part in the performance. According to Johnston, "...I really owe Billy Payne for the words because he played this wacky bridge that started the thinking process with this wacky sheriff, samurai swords, and all that."[6]

The song is based on a real small town in Texas.[7] Johnston thought he had created a fictional town called "China Grove" near San Antonio but later learned from a cabdriver in Houston that China Grove was a real town.[8][9] Johnston explained that the band had been on tour passing through the town of China Grove on the way to or from San Antonio, and he had seen a road sign with the name, but somehow had forgotten about it.[10]

Reception

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Upon the single release Record World said that the "group has now had three straight hit singles, and this mover will keep their streak alive."[11] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated "China Grove" as the Doobie Brothers' 5th greatest song, praising the guitar riffs and calling it "the group's toughest-sounding song."[12] The staff of Billboard rated it as the Doobie Brothers' 4th best song, saying that the guitar riffs that begin the song are "the stuff of air guitar legend," and stating that "the 'sleepy little town' comes alive in clear detail."[13]

Personnel

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The Doobie Brothers

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Additional personnel

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Chart performance

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References

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  1. ^ Stuyt, Chelsey (November 17, 2014). "The Doobie Brothers' 'Southbound' a Jukebox of Greatest Hits". Vancouver Weekly. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  2. ^ Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (October 15, 1996). "Dancing in the Moonlight: Seventies Pop". Precious and Few - Pop Music in the Early '70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 38. ISBN 031214704X.
  3. ^ Coleman, Mark; Sisario, Ben (November 2, 2004). "Doobie Brothers". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 254.
  4. ^ Spatz, David J. (April 29, 2010). "Listen to the Doobies". Atlantic City Weekly. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  5. ^ Chris Baseford June 16, 2010 (June 16, 2010). "Secrets of the Masters: The Doobie Brothers "China Grove"". Premierguitar.com. Retrieved November 26, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Meeker, Ward (August 4, 2012). "Doobie Brothers: A Discussion with Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. August 4, 1973. p. 70. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  8. ^ [1], by Adam Reader, of Professor of Rock, 2018.
  9. ^ Paulson, Dave (30 Dec 2014). "Story Behind the Song: 'China Grove'". The Tennessean. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  10. ^ Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers: Songwriter Interviews, by Carl Wiser, of Songfacts, October 8, 2009.
  11. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. August 18, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  12. ^ Gallucci, Michael (February 12, 2013). "Top 10 Doobie Brothers songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  13. ^ Graff, Gary (November 6, 2020). "The Doobie Brothers' 10 Best Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  14. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 92. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1973-10-27. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  16. ^ RPM Adult Contemporary, October 6, 1973
  17. ^ [Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002]
  18. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 10/20/73". Cash Box. October 20, 1973. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  19. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 13, 2017). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada.
  20. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 316. ISBN 978-0-89820-142-0.
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