That's Why by Michael McDonald (2024)

That's Why

Michael McDonald»If That's What It Takes

Classic rockRockSoulSoft rock80s

Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American R&B/soul singer (sometimes described as a "blue-eyed soul" singer), known for his trademark husky baritone voice.

McDonald played in several local bands (such as Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, the Reebtoors, and The Guild) while attending McCluer High School in his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. He was 'discovered' while playing with a group called Blue and consequently moved to Los Angeles in 1970. He first gained wide attention as an adjunct member of the group Steely Dan, providing back-up vocals and keyboards. Michael continued to do background vocals for Steely Dan up to their 1980 Gaucho release.

McDonald was recruited by The Doobie Brothers in April 1975 when lead singer Tommy Johnston became ill during a national tour. As a member of the Doobies, he recorded some of his most memorable songs, such as "Takin' It To The Streets," "Little Darling," "Minute By Minute," and "What A Fool Believes" (which earned him a 1980 Grammy Award for Song of the Year).

After the Doobies' first farewell tour, McDonald continued with a very successful solo career. Among his hits are

* "I Keep Forgettin'", a duet with his sister Maureen, later sampled in 1994 by Warren G
* "Sweet Freedom", the theme to the 1986 MGM film Running Scared
* "Take It To Heart"
* "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram which won a 1985 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
* "On My Own", a 1986 duet with Patti Labelle which reached #1 on the US charts

McDonald has produced and/or appeared on albums recorded by many other artists, including his singer wife Amy Holland and Grammy winner Christopher Cross. He is also a co-founder of the small independent recording label Ramp Records, with studio designer Chris Pelonis and actor Jeff Bridges.

His current album out 3/4/8 is titled "Soul Speak."

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There is also Michael McDonald, an American songwriter based in Helsinki, Finland. Michael has played with Helsinki-based bands Montevideo and Treeball, and is about to release his first solo album in 2007.

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴Line by Line Meaning ↴

Look back loneliness, you won't see me behind you
Hey now emptiness, no more leading the way
Go on desperateness, I don't need you beside me no more

Come on happiness, I can feel you gaining ground
Hey now foolishness, I might keep you around
Go on emptiness, I won't look behind me no more

I don't rule you out, I know you're there
But I'm on to you now

[Chorus]
That's why, I won't be down very long
That's why, I'll be all right from now on
That's why, I get stronger every time
That's why, I know this heart will survive
After you're gone

I don't rule you out, I know you're there
But I'm on to you now

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In Michael McDonald’s song “That’s Why,” he reflects on his past struggles with loneliness, emptiness, and desperateness. He acknowledges these feelings that once had a strong grip on him, but he also declares that he has moved on from them. He confidently states that he won’t be down for long and that he’s getting stronger every time he experiences pain. He doesn’t rule out the possibility of these negative emotions returning but he assures himself that he’s aware of them and won’t be controlled by them. Instead, he chooses to focus on happiness and foolishness because he recognizes the importance of experiencing both the good and the bad in life.

The chorus emphasizes the message of the song, highlighting the idea that life is full of ups and downs, but ultimately, it’s worth living. McDonald emphasizes the resilience of the human heart and how it’s capable of surviving and thriving even after experiencing pain.

Line by Line Meaning

Look back loneliness, you won't see me behind you
I have moved on from my lonely past and it no longer controls me.

Hey now emptiness, no more leading the way
I am done with feeling empty and I will no longer let it dictate my life.

Go on desperateness, I don't need you beside me no more
I don't need to be desperate anymore and I am ready to let go of that feeling.

Come on happiness, I can feel you gaining ground
I have started to embrace happiness and it is starting to become a more prominent feeling in my life.

Hey now foolishness, I might keep you around
I understand that I may still make foolish decisions but I won't let them dictate my life.

Go on emptiness, I won't look behind me no more
I am ready to move on from my feelings of emptiness and focus on the positives in my life.

I don't rule you out, I know you're thereBut I'm on to you now
I acknowledge the negative feelings that I've experienced in the past but I am aware of them and won't let them take over.

That's why, I won't be down very longThat's why, I'll be all right from now onThat's why, I get stronger every timeThat's why, I know this heart will surviveAfter you're gone
I am resilient and will bounce back from setbacks because I have the mental strength and positive outlook to do so.

You know I believe all we really have is timeNo use worrying, no use wondering whyCause through it all, we're only here to laugh and cryIt's meant to be that failure only brings another wayEvery heartache always has another dayCome on loneliness, I don't need to hide you no more
I believe that life is too short to worry about things out of our control and that we should embrace the highs and the lows because they are all part of the journey. Failure isn't the end, it's just another opportunity to try again. I don't need to hide my feelings of loneliness anymore because I am ready to embrace them as part of my journey towards happiness.

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That's Why by Michael McDonald (2024)

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