Another Park, Another Sunday by The Doobie Brothers

Album: What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974)

Charted: 32

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Songfacts®:

This song has an interesting history. Released as a single, it's B-side, "Black Water," became a #1 hit after DJs flipped the record and started playing that one instead. There is another reason by radio rejected "Another Park, Another Sunday," however. Doobie Brothers lead singer Tom Johnston, who wrote the song, said in a Songfacts interview, "It was doing real well, and then it got yanked off the radio for the line, 'And the radio just seems to bring me down,' because the song being played reminded me of the girl. But radio took it as, 'Oh, yeah? The radio brings you down, huh? Well, guess what?' – yank. They pulled it off the air. Which I thought was a little over the top, because at that time, 'Sweet Virginia' by the Rolling Stones was out, and they were singing about sweeping the s--t off the shoes, and that was okay."
According to Johnston, this song was inspired by real events. He told us: "That was based on breaking up with a girlfriend. And that's basically what that was all about. Including the park and all the rest of it."

Comments: 14

Ray De Leon from Fort Worth TxLoved the song from the beginnig then a few years later my wife just walked out on me,didnt even say Goodbye just left.
Bob R from PaThis song was much better than Black Water. I remember when I first heard it and loved it, Then the radio announcer would announce a new song from the DB and it would be black water. It was disappointing not to hear this song instead. Of course Black Water became a hit and kind of grew on me.
Zeke from PennsylvaniaJust reliving the good times and fast cars I had when this song came out
John from CaliforniaThis song made me nostalgic when it came out in 1974. It still has that effect on me.
What a great band.
Calicomist from WvI disagree with the reason for the decline of the popularity of the song. As for the radio pulling the song, I doubt it. Radio DJs played whatever song people called in and requested. They weren't the media strategy mongers like we have today who create trends. More than likely, in time people discovered the song on the other side of the record and requested that the song on the flip side, "Black Water" be played instead. With the timing, it sounds like was just a natural progression. "Black Water" was a better song.
The Nth Doctor from TexasPaul, I don't know where on earth you got that idea, but it's wrong. "A fist fight" has the wrong number of syllables to fit the meter of the song, for one thing; and for another, "a pretty smile" is what's printed on the lyric sheet in the album. It also doesn't fit the mood of the song; a guy who's feeling melancholy and wants to be alone ("I need a place to go and hide") because he doesn't want people to see how upset he is, isn't going out looking to get into a fist fight. Don't just make stuff up.
Sj From Dc from Washington, D.c. My favorite DB song. It’s sad and beautiful.
Paul from California The line is not “I’m just trying to find me a pretty smile that I can get into”.
The line is “I’m just trying to find me a fist fight that I can get into”.
Joe from NcI remember leaving Fl. playing drums on the road missing everyone back home. Traveling through Canada for a four month tour.
I wore this song out and still my fav today. DB your the Best
Doobie from FloridaInteresting that nobody has noted that the melody of this song can be heard in a demo song titled "I'll Keep On Givin'" heard on a 1970 unauthorized album titled "On Our Way Up."
Joe from Ne UsAlso, great chordal changes.. and.. as the previous commenters have suggest, it does have a melancholy mood.
Joe from Ne UsVery special song for me! I still remember I rode my bicycle up to local record store (Waxie Maxies) to buy the 45 for $1 back in Spring of 74. I'll always have a special place for this song, and I grew to like Black Water on the flip side, but this prob my fav by DB.
Camille from Toronto, OhMarch, 2010-A beautiful, haunting melody accompanied by lyrics that speak of the love-lost experience and its aftermath of bleakness that many of us have felt as some point in our lives. Love it.
Thomas from Oklahoma City, OkThis song takes me back to a very painful college days breakup. After all these years it still reaches into my heart and rips it in two.