"Minute by Minute" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Lester Abrams originally released by the Doobie Brothers on their 1978 album Minute by Minute. The single was released in April 1979, debuted at number 67 on 5 May 1979, and reached number 14 on 23–30 June 1979 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year, but lost out to The Doobie Brothers' own "What a Fool Believes". It has since been covered by other artists, including The Temptations, Larry Carlton, Stanley Clarke, Peabo Bryson, Kim Pensyl, Helen Reddy, Bobby Lyle, and Rick Janus.

AllMusic critic Matthew Greenwald describes "Minute by Minute" as one of the songs that reflects The Doobie Brothers' transformation to "a light, soul-oriented outfit."Keyboards are more prominent in the song than in some of The Doobie Brothers' earlier hits. Greenwald praises the "simple and literate" lyrics and notes possible influence from Booker T. & the M.G.'s in the music. In their book Inside the Hits, authors Wayne Wadhams (The Fifth Estate), David Nathan, and Susan Lindsay describe the tempo as a "medium shuffle". AXS contributor Bill Craig describes the song as a soulful, mid-tempo, piano-driven song that he compares to Motown songs. Most of "Minute by Minute" is in the key of C major, but the bridge is in E minor and the last refrains are in G major.The New Rolling Stone Album Guide praises McDonald's "suave vocal mastery" on the song.Spin's Rich Stim describes the sound of the song as "phlegmatic".

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