Released 50 years ago this month, ‘What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits’ found the Doobie Brothers at a near-peak of their early-era powers.

Here’s a look back at a handful of gems from Joni Mitchell, including an intriguing demo from the 50th anniversary reissue package for 1971’s ‘Blue.’

‘Livin’ on the Fault Line’ was the Doobie Brothers’ lowest-selling Michael McDonald-era album. But it might just be the band’s best.

At this point, they weren’t quite brilliant yet. But Steely Dan was on its way there.

Most fans of the Doobie Brothers seem to have allegiances to particular periods in the band’s 45-year history — with the most common divide being Tom Johnston vs. Michael McDonald. You May Also Like: Why You Shouldn’t Overlook the Doobie Brothers’ ‘What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits’ Doobie Brothers’Read More

Some fun facts about this track: 1. “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” is the only Steely Dan track in which Becker and Fagen are not in the songwriting credits. This one was written about fifty years earlier by Duke Ellington and his trumpet player, Bubber Miley. You May Also Like: FiveRead More

There aren’t a whole lot of lyrics to this Steely Dan song, but I’ve never been quite able to decipher them. No one else seems to be too sure what they mean, either.

A rock song about Buddhism that you can dance the Charleston to, boasting not one but two bad-ass guitar leads? That’s a party tune, Steely Dan style.

Skunk Baxter was just beginning to make his mark in 1972, but it was already evident that Steely Dan landed the right man for the job.

I don’t know how many Steely Dan fans are also into country music, but “Brooklyn” showed the two seemingly opposed passions could co-exist quite nicely.