Here’s something a little bit different from the Yacht Rock universe. It’s a song that was tackled by two different artists, each of whom had a hand in its writing. But it’s not the Yacht Rock legend who came out of it with the bigger hit.
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Carly Simon wrote “You Belong To Me” with Michael McDonald. And it was Simon who scored the big hit with it, if only because McDonald’s band, The Doobie Brothers, chose to tuck it away as an album cut.
Carly and the Brothers
Aside from the fact that they both operated out of the Los Angeles area, Carly Simon and The Doobie Brothers didn’t have a whole lot in common as they both attained great success in the 70s. But they became forever entwined thanks to “You Belong To Me”.
At the time the song was written in 1977, both acts were riding high. Simon had endured a bit of a commercial slump following her string of highly successful singer-songwriter albums at the beginning of the decade. But she bounced back with “Nobody Does It Better”, her James Bond theme song that just missed reaching No. 1.
Meanwhile, The Doobie Brothers had reinvented themselves in the image of Michael McDonald after he joined the band in 1976 to replace Tom Johnston as the band’s chief lead singer. McDonald steered them in more of a rock and soul direction, with a little bit of the jazzy influences of Steely Dan (for whom McDonald often sang backup) added to the mix.
Two Distinct Takes
The Doobie Brothers were putting together their 1977 album Livin’ On The Fault Line when McDonald came up with a melody line. Since they were close to finishing the record and McDonald had his plate full, producer Ted Templeman, who had also worked with Simon, suggested that McDonald pass it along to her for lyrics. That’s how “You Belong To Me” was created.
The version released by the Doobies features McDonald’s lead vocal and keyboard work. They also offer a bit of a stop-and-start rhythmic approach. But the band didn’t choose it for a single. It’s a decision that they likely rued. None of the singles from Livin’ On The Fault Line did anything on the charts.
Simon then released her version on her 1978 album Boys In The Trees. She also chose it as the lead single. Session drummer Steve Gadd gave the song a bit more forceful backbeat, while David Sanborn chimed in with impassioned saxophone work. This version of the song made it to No. 6 in 1978.
Behind the Lyrics of “You Belong To Me”
In “You Belong To Me”, Simon’s narrator addresses the man that she loves and implores him to depart his new paramour. She suggests that he’s trying to make her jealous. “Why’d you tell me this?” she asks. “Were you looking for my reaction?”
“You don’t have to prove to me you’re beautiful to strangers,” she exclaims, “I’ve got loving eyes of my own.” She’s distressed that they’ve come to this point. “Thought we’d closed the book,” she says. “Locked the door.”
“Tell her she doesn’t even know you,” she implores.
The interesting thing is that The Doobie Brothers’ version of “You Belong To Me” has worked its way into just as much airplay over the years as many of the band’s hits. Credit goes to Carly Simon, both for her sharp lyrics and for fulfilling the song’s soft-rock potential with her own take.
Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
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