Released in 1973, The Doobie Brother's third album "The Captain And Me" was a combination of beautiful acoustic guitar based songs and some of the best rockers of the year. "China Grove" and "Long Train Runnin'" received strong FM radio station airplay and later "Without You" became another hit. The album included other gems such as the beautiful "Ukiah", "South City Midnight Lady", "Clear As The Driven Snow", "Natural Thing" and "Evil Woman". There was absolutely no filler on this album it was that good. The band's sophmore effort "Toulouse Street" released a year earlier was good but "The Captain And Me" far surpassed that in terms of songwriting and musicianship. The Doobie Brothers would continue well into the seventies to release albums going thru various personel changes (Michael McDonald's induction into the band certainly changed their sound to a more jazz rock fm radio friendly sound). If there's one Doobie Brothers album you buy this should be the one.

I owned this album in the "70s and it was one of my favorites. It was on my Christmas wish list this year as a cd . I must say that after 20 plus years I enjoy it as much as I did then.This compliation has something I find lacking in most artists offerings. It doesn't have just one or two songs that have garnered airplay and are popular,with the rest of the album being mediocre renditions. This album represents why the term classic rock was coined.It is solid, not a filler song on it.I am of the conviction it was produced before greedy music execs realized they could get your money with not just a" hook" in the song but then use that song as a hook to sell an album!Maybe I'm a cynic but I long for the days before Frampton when music was a little more artist oriented and not completely money driven.However, if you have never heard this album you've missed a classic. It is a rare example of a "rock" solid piece of music.

This my favorite Doobies album. I think this one of the best 10 albums ever made in rock history. The Doobies were at the peak of musical creativity on this one. Every song could have been a hit and many were. The musical style they created was legendary and was displayed at it's best here. China Grove, Long Train Runnin', Natural Thing, and South City Midnight Lady really stand out on this album; but actually every song stands out on this recording. The guitar rythyms of the early Doobies sound just as great today as they did then.

This is one of the Doobie`s best efforts of all time. I first purchased this "album" when it was first released, wore it out playing it, purchased it again, and then finally purchased it on CD! That`s how much I like it! It is one of those classics that doesn`t have a bad filler song on it. It captures the playing and songwriting ability that Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston both have. It truly is a wonderful CD and comes highly recomended by myself! Give it a listen and you won`t be disappointed! Also, if you get a chance to see them live, by all means do. They sound just as good if not better than in the 70s, offering live performances of all their classics with great deal of energy and proficiency Rock on!

"The Captain and Me" is yet another timeless Doobie Brothers Classic. Marginal Doobies fans will certainly gravitate towards the obvious hits on this album, 'Long Train Runnin,' 'China Grove,' and 'Without You,' but as is the case with the album "What Were Once Vices are Now Habits," many of the other cuts are equally as compelling, if not more.

My favorite on this album, 'Dark-eyed Cajun Woman' is Tom Johnston's definitive rhythm and blues effort, and 'South City Midnight Lady' (another of my favorites) is Pat Simmons at his country-rock finest (what fabulous background harmonies). 'Natural Thing,' 'Ukiah (more fabulous Doobies harmonies),' and the title cut 'The Captain and Me' are also tremendous cuts, as is the slower, melodious 'Clear as the Driven Snow,' sung by Simmons.

As is the case with "Vices," there isn't a bad cut on this album. Anything you could ever want in an album is here - hard-driving rock, country rock, rhythm and blues, balads, guitar riffs, accoustic guitar, soulful harmonies, driving percussion - anything you could ever want.

Compilations just don't do the Johnson-Simmons Doobie Brothers era justice. The only way you can get your fill of the absolute best rock group of all time is to, one-at-a-time, purchase individual albums. And this one is a MUST HAVE.