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.
All In Love Is Fair
Michael McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love's a crazy game
Two people vow to stay
In love as one they say
But all is changed with time
The future no one can see
The road you leave behind
But all is fair in love
I had to go away
A writer takes his pen
To write the words again
That all in love is fair
All of fate's a chance
It's either good or bad
I tossed my coin to say
In love with me you'd stay
But all in war is so cold
You either win or lose
When all is put away
The losing side I'll play
But all is fair in love
I should never have left your side
A writer takes his pen
To write the words again
That all in love is fair
A writer takes his pen
To write the words again
That all in love is fair
The intriguing lyrics of Michael McDonald's song All In Love Is Fair speaks about how love is an unpredictable game that can go awry at any time despite the loving vows and promises made by the couple in the beginning. The lyrics convey how the future is so unpredictable that it can change any relationship unexpectedly, and no one can predict the consequence or an outcome in the future. The path taken will always be unknown and full of surprises.
The lyrics also speak about the losses that one has to face in love, just like war because it is either winning or losing. However, there is a silver lining in every dark cloud, and the song ends with optimism, where the writer takes up his pen to write about love, where all is fair and just. The phrase 'all in love is fair' sums up the singer's belief that there is an element of fairness in everything, even in the most challenging aspects of love.
Line by Line Meaning
All is fair in love
There are no rules when it comes to love, anything goes.
Love's a crazy game
The game of love is unpredictable and full of surprises.
Two people vow to stay
When two people fall in love, they promise to be together forever.
In love as one they say
They declare that they will be united as one in love.
But all is changed with time
Love can change over time, nothing stays the same forever.
The future no one can see
No one knows what the future holds.
The road you leave behind
The past is a memory, left behind as one moves forward in life.
Ahead lies mystery
The future is unknown, full of surprises and mysteries.
I had to go away
Sometimes, in love, it is necessary to leave in order to grow and discover oneself.
A writer takes his pen
The act of putting one's thoughts and feelings into words can be a cathartic experience.
To write the words again
To revisit the past and try to make sense of it through words.
That all in love is fair
Despite the difficulties and challenges of love, it is still worth pursuing because all is fair in love.
All of fate's a chance
Life is unpredictable and full of choices, each with its own set of consequences.
It's either good or bad
The choices we make can lead to either positive or negative outcomes.
I tossed my coin to say
I took a chance and made a decision, hoping for the best.
In love with me you'd stay
I hoped that the person I love would choose to stay with me.
But all in war is so cold
Unlike love, war has no rules and is often ruthless and cruel.
You either win or lose
In war, there is no middle ground, you either emerge victorious or suffer defeat.
When all is put away
When the battle is over and the dust settles, the consequences become clear.
The losing side I'll play
I accept the fact that I did not win in this situation and must move on.
I should never have left your side
Leaving the person you love is often a mistake that can lead to regret.
A writer takes his pen
Once again, I turn to writing to try to make sense of my emotions.
To write the words again
I revisit the past and try to find a way to make things right.
That all in love is fair
Despite the mistakes and regrets, I still believe that love is worth fighting for because all is fair in love.
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gandaru1
All is fair in love
Love's a crazy game
Two people vow to stay
In love as one they say
But all is changed with time
The future no one can see
The road you leave behind
Ahead lies mystery
But all is fair in love
I had to go away
A writer takes his pen
To write the words again
That all in love is fair
All of fate's a chance
It's either good or bad
I tossed my coin to say
In love with me you'd stay
But all in war is so cold
You either win or lose
When all is put away
The losing side I'llβ¦
@maryanngreenley7586
Michael's voice is incredibly powerful and beautiful. I have always loved his unique sound, the moment you hear him start to sing it is undeniably Michael. What a joy...
@blulu1417
This manβs voice , so very soulful, singing this song, touches your heart and extracts the deepest emotions. I could listen to over and overβ€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
@debbielabella1432
Michael's voice is so very beautiful. This song is so true.
@nancylytle3290
I consider Michael to be one of the best blues singers in the world. He is an amazing individual and no man has his voice. No one comes even close...
@joshepdanishevsky3045
Stevie Wonder is closed π
@deirdreiacox2200
I love Michael McDonald
@TheTeaLounge
Baby heβs not a bird singer nor will he ever be
@albatross5466
He did some great work with Steely Dan. A bit more jazzy.
@MyTburton
He has such an amazing voice , hits my soul every time !! β€οΈπΆ
@steggerart
Stevie Wonderβs masterpiece, lyrichs & music so exceptionel, excellent performed by the white soul-machine Michael McDonald - this is true art