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.
I Can Let Go Now
Michael McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Almost at the same time
The pain and ache a heart can take
No one really knows
When the memories cling and keep you there
'Til you no longer care
And you can let go now
It's wrong for me to cling to you
Somehow I just needed time
From what was to be-it's not like me
To hold somebody down
But I was tossed high by love
I almost never came down
Only to land here
Where love's no longer found
Where I'm no longer bound
And I can let go now
The lyrics to Michael McDonald's song I Can Let Go Now are about a painful breakup that left the singer ruminating on the contradictory emotions they felt during the relationship. They describe how it felt to be in love and how much it hurt to let go. The lyrics express the difficulty of separating from someone you loved, even though the relationship had its flaws. The memories and attachment to the person keep you bound for a while, but eventually, you have to let go.
The lyrics reveal that the singer did not want to hold someone down any longer and needed the time to move on from them. The singer was helpless and tossed high by love, but eventually landed where love was no longer found. The end of the song depicts a sense of freedom as the singer is no longer bound to their former relationship and can let go of their pain.
The song is a poignant reflection on the moving-on process after a breakup, and the lyrics paint a picture of the tangle of emotions that can arise when you're trying to let go of someone you love.
Line by Line Meaning
It was so right, it was so wrong
The experience was a blend of both good and bad moments, overlapping each other.
Almost at the same time
The occurrence of pleasant and unpleasant events was so close that it becomes difficult to distinguish between them.
The pain and ache a heart can take
The emotional distress caused by the experience was unbearable.
No one really knows
It's challenging to describe one's inner turmoil to others, and no one can comprehend it without experiencing it themselves.
When the memories cling and keep you there
Recollections of past events prevent someone from moving forward in life and keep them stuck in one place.
'Til you no longer care
Eventually, someone stops worrying about what happened in the past and learns to let go.
And you can let go now
The time has come to release the attachment to the past.
It's wrong for me to cling to you
It's unfair for someone to hold onto another person when they're struggling to move forward themselves.
Somehow I just needed time
Taking time away from the relationship allows someone to gain perspective and clarity about their feelings.
From what was to be-it's not like me
It wasn't typical for the artist to require clear boundaries and to have things planned out in advance in terms of a relationship.
To hold somebody down
Preventing someone's emotional growth or limiting their options is a selfish act.
But I was tossed high by love
The experience of falling in love was overwhelming and consuming for the artist.
I almost never came down
The emotions felt during the relationship were so intense that they sustained even after the relationship had ended.
Only to land here
Despite the elevated emotions, the singer's current situation is less intense and more stable.
Where love's no longer found
The singer is no longer in a romantic relationship, and there is no love to be found in their life.
Where I'm no longer bound
The artist is no longer attached to the past events that held them back.
And I can let go now
The artist has moved on from the past events and is now able to release the emotional attachment to them.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MICHAEL H MCDONALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind