Toulouse Street

Toulouse Street is the second studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. It was released in July 1972, by Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album with bassist Tiran Porter and also the first with drummer Michael Hossack to augment existing drummer John Hartman, putting in place their trademark twin-drummer sound. Toulouse Street is the name of a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The cover and inside centerfold photos were taken at a former brothel on Toulouse Street.

Toulouse Street
Studio album by the Doobie Brothers
Released	July 1972
Recorded	1972
Studio	Warner Bros., North Hollywood Wally Heider, San Francisco
Genre	Rock pop rock gospel Southern rock
Length	35:33
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Ted Templeman
The Doobie Brothers chronology
The Doobie Brothers (1971) Toulouse Street (1972) The Captain and Me (1973)
Singles from Toulouse Street
"Listen to the Music" / "Toulouse Street" Released: July 19, 1972 "Jesus Is Just Alright" / "Rockin' Down the Highway" Released: November 15, 1972

The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200.

The song "Mamaloi" was written by guitarist and vocalist Patrick Simmons and featured Tom Johnston on lead vocals. The song is unlike the others on the album, with Toulouse Street being a rock record and this song being reggae. Allmusic critic Bruce Eder described "Mamaloi" as a "laid-back Caribbean idyll".^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	C[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[4]
The Great Rock Discography	6/10[5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	3.5/5[6]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[8]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Vocals	Length
1.	"Listen to the Music"	Tom Johnston	Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons	4:44
2.	"Rockin' Down the Highway"	Johnston	Johnston	3:18
3.	"Mamaloi"	Patrick Simmons	Johnston	2:28
4.	"Toulouse Street"	Simmons	Simmons	3:20
5.	"Cotton Mouth"	James Seals, Darrell Crofts	Johnston	3:44

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Vocals	Length
6.	"Don't Start Me to Talkin'"	Sonny Boy Williamson II	Johnston	2:41
7.	"Jesus Is Just Alright"	Arthur Reid Reynolds	Simmons, Johnston	4:33
8.	"White Sun"	Johnston	Johnston	2:28
9.	"Disciple"	Johnston	Johnston	6:42
10.	"Snake Man"	Johnston	Johnston	1:35

Personnel

The Doobie Brothers

• Tom Johnston – lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
• Patrick Simmons – lead and backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, banjo on "Listen to the Music",^[9] recorder on "Toulouse Street"^[10]
• Tiran Porter – backing vocals; bass except "Toulouse Street"
• John (Little John) Hartman – drums, percussion
• Michael Hossack – drums, steel drums on "Listen to the Music"^[11]

Additional personnel

• Dave Shogren – bass and acoustic guitar on "Toulouse Street", backing vocals on "White Sun"
• Bill Payne – piano on "Rockin' Down the Highway" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'", organ on "Cotton Mouth" and "Jesus Is Just Alright"
• Jerry Jumonville – tenor saxophone and horn arrangements on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
• Jon Robert Smith – tenor saxophone on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
• Joe Lane Davis – baritone saxophone on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
• Sherman Marshall Cyr – trumpet on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
• Ted Templeman – additional percussion

Production

• Producer: Ted Templeman
• Associate Producers on Tracks 4, 8 & 10: Stephen Barncard and Marty Cohn
• Engineer: Stephen Barncard, Marty Cohn, Donn Landee
• Production Coordination: Benita Brazier
• Design: Barbara Casado, John Casado
• Remastering: Lee Herschberg
• Photography: Jill Maggid, Michael Maggid
• Art Direction: Ed Thrasher

Tracks A4, B3 and B5, which were recorded at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco.

Charts

Chart (1972–73)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[12]	57
Canada (RPM)[13]	24
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14]	30
US (Billboard 200)[15]	21

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16]	Gold	20,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.