1979 Yacht Rock Gem Just Named One of the Decade's Best Songs
In 1979, one silky soft rock hit drew listeners in with a haunting story of love in a song that resonated far beyond its era.
"What a Fool Believes" became a standout moment for The Doobie Brothers, thanks to its effortless sound and heartfelt message. It's one of those songs that only gets better with time.
The Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins tune was named one of the best songs of the 1970s by U Discover Music. It landed on the list dedicated exclusively to rock music between Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky."
The song topped the Billboard charts in April 1979. It remained a standout track for 20 weeks.
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
McDonald spoke to The Guardian about the song's creation. He explained, "Kenny Loggins and I had been chatting about getting together to write some songs. He came over to my house in LA just as I was playing what I had for ‘What a Fool Believes.'"
"He said, ‘You were just playing something at the piano. Is that new? That's what I want to work on first.' He had already come up with the song's hook line, 'She had a place in his life' before he'd got through the door."
RELATED: 1970 Emotional Hit Topped the Charts, Now It's Named One of the Decade's Best
However, according to McDonald, recording the song proved to be more challenging than writing it. The Doobie Brothers recorded take after take, but they never found one they truly connected with.
It was up to their producer, Ted Templeman, to come up with a solution. He went through the piles of tapes the band had recorded and spliced them together to make a finished take.
"He walked into the control room and started cutting the tapes into individual sections right there. Back then, you were really going for broke when you physically cut the tape. But that's what we used to make the record," McDonald explained.
RELATED: Forgotten 1980 Country Pop Hit Made Vince Gill Famous Before Anyone Knew His Name
The song tells the story of someone holding onto a version of a romance that only exists in their mind. It captures the quiet realization that the other person never felt the same way.
"What a Fool Believes" won two huge Grammy honors in 1980, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Today, it's widely regarded as a defining yacht rock classic, celebrated for its smooth sound and emotionally rich storytelling.
Years later, "What a Fool Believes" still connects without needing much explanation. It just speaks for itself.
MORE: 1980 Soft Rock Smash Became a Chart-Topping Phenomenon
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 6:31 AM.