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."
*********
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.
My Love's Leavin'
Michael McDonald Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said please show me
What selfish seeds I plant along the way
Black harvest today
The empty bed she left me
Cold on one side
Can't believe, only me
I cry myself awake each night
I can't believe that it's true
Here am I, where are you?
Can I cope with today?
My love is leavin' me
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
My love is leavin' me
But I'll control my feelings
I find faith, healing
And I'll find hope singing
The way is so long
But I'm gonna be strong
Oh what a turn around
Soon, someday I'll be bound
And I'll cope with today
My love is leavin'
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
My love is leavin' me
Can't believe, only me
Shadows in purple thrill me
I cry myself awake each night
I can't believe that it's true
Here am I, where are you, my love?
Breathing your perfume
Chills me
Dreams never lie
Is it true, asking you?
My love is leavin' me
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
My love is leavin' me
That's what you heard
I'm free as a bird
Leavin', leavin'
My love is leavin' me
Leavin, my love is leavin'
'Cause my love is leavin' me
That's what you heard
'Cause I'm free as a bird
My love is leavin', leavin'
Leavin', leavin'
My love is leavin'
The song “My Love’s Leavin’” by Michael McDonald is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about love and loss. The lyrics suggest a man who is deeply in love with his partner and is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she is leaving him. He expresses feelings of guilt, emptiness, and loneliness, and desperately hopes that his love will stay with him. The verse “What selfish seeds I plant along the way, black harvest today” suggests that the man recognizes that his own selfish behavior contributed to the end of the relationship.
The song employs vivid imagery to convey the man’s emotions. The empty bed “cold on one side” illustrates a physical emptiness that mirrors the emotional emptiness he feels. The shadows in purple that thrill him and breathing her perfume that chills him are metaphors for the memories and emotions that still haunt him. In the chorus, he declares that his love is leaving him, but he is still holding out hope that she will stay.
The bridge of the song suggests that the man is trying to find ways to cope with his pain. He talks about finding faith, healing, and hope, and declares that he will be strong. The repetition of the phrase “leavin’, leavin’” at the end of the song suggests that he is still struggling to let go and that his pain will not easily be assuaged.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't believe she's goin'
The singer is in disbelief that his love is leaving him.
I said please show me
The singer is asking for insight into what caused his love to leave him.
What selfish seeds I plant along the way
The singer is acknowledging that his own selfish actions may have contributed to his love leaving him.
Black harvest today
The artist is comparing the pain of his love leaving to a dark, negative harvest.
The empty bed she left me
The artist is left feeling alone and abandoned after his love left him.
Cold on one side
The singer's bed is physically cold on one side, but this also represents the emotional chill he feels from his love leaving.
Can't believe, only me
The singer feels a sense of shock and disbelief that he is the only one left in the relationship.
Shadows in purple thrill me
The artist is finding a dark, almost pleasurable thrill in the emotional pain he is experiencing.
I cry myself awake each night
The artist is so grief-stricken that he cannot sleep and spends his nights crying.
I can't believe that it's true
The artist is still having trouble accepting that his love has actually left him.
Here am I, where are you?
The singer is questioning where his love has gone and why she has left him.
Can I cope with today?
The artist is questioning his own ability to handle the pain and sadness he is feeling in the present moment.
My love is leavin' me
The singer is acknowledging that his love is leaving him, and this is causing him great pain.
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
Despite the pain, the singer still holds onto hope that his love will return to him.
But I'll control my feelings
The singer is determined to regain control over his emotions and not let them consume him.
I find faith, healing
The artist is turning to faith and self-healing to get through this difficult time.
And I'll find hope singing
The artist is finding solace in singing and music as a way to process his emotions and find hope.
The way is so long
The singer is acknowledging that the road to healing and moving on from his love leaving will be a long one.
But I'm gonna be strong
The singer is determined to be strong and persevere through this difficult time.
Oh what a turn around
The artist is hopeful that things will eventually turn around for him and get better.
Soon, someday I'll be bound
The artist believes that someday he will be able to move on from this pain and be free.
Breathing your perfume
The artist is remembering his love's scent and how it makes him feel.
Chills me
The memory of his love's perfume is so strong that it gives the singer chills.
Dreams never lie
The artist believes that his dreams are revealing the truth about his love leaving him.
Is it true, asking you?
The singer is questioning whether his dreams are revealing the truth about his love leaving.
My love is leavin' me
The singer is again acknowledging the pain of his love leaving him.
That's what you heard
The singer is speaking to someone who has presumably heard about his love leaving him.
I'm free as a bird
Despite the pain, the artist is recognizing the freedom that comes with being single and not tied down to anyone.
Leavin', leavin'
The repetition of these words reinforces the pain of the artist's love leaving him.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: VIVIAN STANSHALL, STEVE WINWOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@landyachtfan79
Lyrics:
I can't believe she's going
I said please show me
What selfish seeds I plant along the way
Black harvest today
The empty bed she left me, cold on one side
Can't believe, only me
Shadows in purple thrill me
I cry myself awake each night
I can't believe that it's true
Here I am, where are you
Can I cope with today
My love is leavin' me
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
My love is leavin' me
But I'll control my feelings
I find faith, healing
And I'll find hope singing
The way is so long
But I'm going to be strong
Oh, what a turn around
Soon, someday I'll be bound
And I'll cope with today
My love is leavin' me
Still I'm hoping she'll stay
My love is leavin' me
@collinslowane1894
Love how Fourplay kept to the basics of the original Steve Winwood. But Michael McDonald's voice... just took the song to another level. This cover is right up there with the original 👏👏👏
@rebonesesoko1
So, so true 🙌🏾🙌🏾
@barbarafearn
It’s far better … my opinion 😊
@madimetjamautla6066
So on point. Mr McD has for sure taken this number a higher notch up.
@joneseyhelen
One of my all time favourite singers, and the perfect music vibe from Fourplay is more than exceptional.... one big WOW!🥰
@jamespettinger8062
I’ve fallen in Love with every aspect of this song❗️The prosody is perfect, Michael McDonalds Unique vocal presentations in all his many songs, is obvious evidence of his talent & skill as a singer, MUSICIAN,
and a composer, and this rendition is just another example of those towering Talents❗️
I lost my wife in 2018, and a lot of the METAPHORS in the song, bring back memories of when she left me, I’m also an Advocate for
Fore play❗️This song & this performance, I feel, should be at the top of any music lovers,
“ ALL TIME HIT PARADE “ ‼️🎹🎼🎵🎶
@iamblue.9906
Sorry for your Loss...May God Bless and Keep You 🙏..
@jamespettinger8062
@@iamblue.9906 Thank You, I’m going to be Strong, I find Faith, Healing 🎚
@karengros7805
I am so sorry for your loss.❤
@dougdavies007
Simply wonderful cover version..Michael McDonald is a very special singer, musician and artist