what's the meaning behind the song "taking it to the streets" by the Doobie Brothers?

Answer 1

To appreciate the meaning of the title you need to understand the following....
1.The time of there existence (politics)
2.The place/Bay Area...Bezerkly
3. Other music by Michael McDonald and the Doobie brothers..."What a Fool Believes" It keeps you Runnin"etc...

Answer 2

These are great lyrics. You have to remember the time this song was produced. Racial tensions were high and affirmative action was in full swing.

You don t know me, but I m your brother. I was raised here in this living Hell. - This is clearly a reference to blacks raised in impoverished and crime ridden neighborhoods.

You don t know my kind in your world. Fairly soon, time will tell. - A reference to the goal of AA. The black man was unknown in the white collar world, but soon that would change.

You, telling me the things you re gonna do for me. I ain t blind and I don t like what I think I see. - Many, including blacks, were opposed to AA. They felt that it was a handout and would make blacks dependent on whites. Some thought this was actually the goal of AA and were looking at it as another form of slavery.

Taking it to the streets. No more need for running. - A reference to the power of the people. The message needed to be spread to the black community - they weren t going to run. If this was intended as a helping hand, then fine, but if it was another attempt to enslave the black man, then it would fail. They would not be chased away from what was rightfully theirs. A full and equal partnership with whites.