No Lookin’ Back is the second solo studio album by American musician Michael McDonald. It was originally released in July 1985, on the label Warner Bros. Records, three years after his debut album, If That’s What It Takes; this was his last album to be released by Warner Bros. For the first time, he co-produced and wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks. It features contributions from guitarists Joe Walsh (Eagles, James Gang), Robben Ford and David Pack from Ambrosia, Jeff Porcaro on drums (Toto, Steely Dan), plus the former Doobie Brothers member Willie Weeks on bass, and Cornelius Bumpus providing horns.
On release, the album was received favorably by the majority of music critics and peaked at No. 45 on the US Billboard 200. Three singles were issued from No Lookin’ Back: “No Lookin’ Back”, “Bad Times” and “Lost in the Parade”. The album’s first and leading single, “No Lookin’ Back”, was co-written by Kenny Loggins and was a commercial success, peaking at No. 4 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #34 on Billboard Hot 100.
The album was re-released one year later in 1986. The re-released version changed around the track order and featured different album cover artwork, along with the inclusion of the hit single “Sweet Freedom” from the soundtrack of the Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines film Running Scared as well as a slightly shortened version of “Our Love”.
Tracks
1 No Lookin’ Back (Ed Sanders; Kenny Loggins; Michael McDonald) 03:57
2 Bad Times (Michael McDonald) 04:21
3 (I’ll Be Your) Angel (Chuck Sabatino; Michael McDonald) 03:53
4 By Heart (Chuck Sabatino; David Pack; Michael McDonald) 04:35
5 Any Foolish Thing (Chuck Sabatino; Michael McDonald) 04:23
6 Our Love (David Pack; Michael McDonald) 04:30
7 (I Hang) On Your Every Word (Amy Holland; Michael McDonald) 03:22
8 Lost In The Parade (Grady Walker; Michael McDonald) 03:48
9 Don’t Let Me Down (Michael McDonald; Randy Goodrum) 04:01
Musicians
1 No Lookin’ Back
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar | David Pack |
Keyboards | Michael McDonald |
Tom Tom | George Perilli |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
2 Bad Times
Bass | Nathan East |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar | David Pack |
Slide Guitar | Joe Walsh |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Mike Hanna |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
3 (I’ll Be Your) Angel
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar | Robben Ford |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Chuck Sabatino |
Sax | Cornelius Bumpus |
Background Vocals | Chuck Sabatino |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
4 By Heart
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Drums (programming) | George Perilli |
Guitar | David Pack |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | David Pack |
Tom Tom | Staff Fieldhouse |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
5 Any Foolish Thing
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Organ | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Chuck Sabatino |
Background Vocals | Chuck Sabatino |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
6 Our Love
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Brian Mann |
Cymbal | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
7 (I Hang) On Your Every Word
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar | David Pack |
Organ | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Scott Plunkett |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
8 Lost In The Parade
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Electronic Drums | Staff Fieldhouse |
Guitar | Robben Ford |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Brian Mann |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
9 Don’t Let Me Down
Bass | Willie Weeks |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar (solo) | Robben Ford |
Guitar | David Pack |
Synthesizer | Michael McDonald |
Synthesizer | Randy Goodrum |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Vocals | Michael McDonald |
Liner Notes
Producer – Michael McDonald, Ted Templeman
Engineer – Ross Pallone
Engineer (Second) – Mike Wuellner
Engineer (Additional) – Grady Walker, Jim Pace
Mastered By – Howie Weinberg
Mixed By – Ross Pallone
Programmed By (Emulator) – Chris Pelonis (Tracks 3, 4, 7)
Art Direction – Jeffrey Kent Ayeroff
Design – Jeri McManus
Photography – Brian Aris, Joel Levinson
Mastered At Sheffield Lab Matrix
Mastered At Masterdisk
Mixed At Hollywood Sound Recorders
Recorded At Dilling Street Studio
Recorded At The Villa Studio
Phonographic Copyright Warner Bros Records Inc
Copyright Warner Bros Records Inc