"There's a little folk, blues, indie rock, soul, bluegrass--and a whole lot of down-home harmonizing. It conjures images of old friends sitting on a porch swapping instruments and just letting the tape recorder run." - Doug Wallen
Dr. Dog has been creating music in various incarnations for four years now. Beginning with The Psychedelic Swamp, a concept album realized in the damp ruin of a flooded basement with waterlogged guitars and a digital delay pedal, the band has simmered on the back burner of our musical lives for most of its existence but we've recently renewed our resolve to forge ahead and give Dr. Dog the attention we think it deserves.
Although Dr. Dog has as many as 20 honorary "members" who have assisted in various (mostly spiritual) capacities through the years, the core of the band consists of five musicians. Our standard instrumentation includes two guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and three part harmonies. The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Tom Waits, David Bowie and Neil Young are influences, but we would be remiss in not acknowledging our debt to Pavement, Palace Brothers, R. Stevie Moore or Roy Wood.
Currently, the lineup is as such: Toby Leaman on bass and singing, Scott McMicken on woof+mud distortion solo guitar and voice, Frank McElroy on lean clean occasionally tremolo'd guitar, Zach Miller on keyboard(s) and Eric Slick on drums.
We've all done our share of playing. Toby and Scott have played together in a myriad of bands including Raccoon, Unleash the Bastards, and Beard; Andrew played bass in Raccoon and managed the phenomenal The Teeth; Zach has played with Bradford Trojan and Traffic Jam and studied jazz guitar.
Aside from the aforementioned Swamp album - a self-produced, self-recorded low-fi four track recording - we have two other recordings. Toothbrush is a compilation of fourth generation eight-track recordings culled from the past few years. Easy Beat was the first proper record, followed by the 2006 EP Takers and Leavers and two full-length albums, 2006's We All Belong and 2008's Fate. The latest release is called Shame, Shame, and was released April 6th, 2010.
Where'd All The Time Go?
Dr. Dog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's starting to fly
See how the hands go
Waving goodbye
And you know I get so forgetful
When I look in your eyes
Now she's walking backwards (now she's walking backwards)
Through a parade (parade)
And I'm stuck in the shadow (I'm stuck in the shadow)
Blocking the shade (shade)
And there ain't no way to sweep up
The mess that we've made
She gets dressed up like a pillow
So she's always in bed
Flowers for the sick and dead
She's on the go, way too fast and way too slow
She'll turn to stone at hospitals and funeral homes
And when the fog rises
Somebody sighs who is not in disguise anymore
There's nothing to keep you (nothing to keep you)
From falling in love
It starts at the bottom (it starts at the bottom)
And comes from above
Like pieces of a puzzle
Like a hand in a glove
She gets dressed up like a pillow
So she's always in bed
Flowers for the sick and dead
She's on the go, way too fast and way too slow
She'll turn and stop at hospitals and funeral homes
And when the tide rises
Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye
Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye
The first verse of "Where'd All The Time Go?" highlights the passing of time, with the singer observing how fast time seems to be flying by. He's noticing that it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of everything that's happening, especially when he looks into the eyes of someone he loves. This sentiment is further emphasized in the chorus, as if waving goodbye to time, never to see it again. The chorus ends with a declaration of forgetfulness, an admission that the singer has trouble remembering certain things. This forgetfulness could be seen as a result of time slipping away so quickly, and a feeling that they're stuck in the present.
The second verse focuses more on the singer's partner, using vivid imagery to describe their behavior. They're walking backwards through a parade, as if trying to resist time's forward progression. Meanwhile, the singer is stuck in the shade, highlighting a sense of being unable to escape or move forward. There's also a recognition that there's no way to undo past mistakes, as they've created a mess that cannot be swept up. Finally, the verse ends with an image of the singer's partner dressing up like a pillow, always in bed, surrounded by flowers for the sick and dead. This symbolizes a certain detachment from the world, moving too fast or too slow, and stopping at hospitals and funeral homes, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life.
Overall, the song seems to focus on the passage of time, and how it can feel like things are moving too quickly. The lyrics bring attention to the fact that, regardless of how much we fight to preserve things, everything will inevitably come to an end. The chorus serves as a reminder that time can't be kept or slowed down, but it can still be enjoyed while it lasts.
Line by Line Meaning
Where'd all the time go?
I am in disbelief of how quickly time has passed us by.
It's starting to fly
Time has started to move at an increasingly faster pace.
See how the hands go
The movement of the clock hands is indicative of the passing of time.
Waving goodbye
Time seems to be personified, waving farewell as it passes.
And you know I get so forgetful
When I look in your eyes
Being with you causes me to lose track of time as I get lost in the moment.
Now she's walking backwards (now she's walking backwards)
Through a parade (parade)
And I'm stuck in the shadow (I'm stuck in the shadow)
Blocking the shade (shade)
And there ain't no way to sweep up
The mess that we've made
It feels like we're moving backwards and unable to fix the problems we've created.
She gets dressed up like a pillow
So she's always in bed
Flowers for the sick and dead
She's on the go, way too fast and way too slow
She'll turn to stone at hospitals and funeral homes
And when the fog rises
Somebody sighs who is not in disguise anymore
We see someone who is constantly taking care of others, but who is losing their own purpose and sense of self in the process. The imagery of turning to stone and sighing also emphasizes the fleeting nature of life.
There's nothing to keep you (nothing to keep you)
From falling in love
It starts at the bottom (it starts at the bottom)
And comes from above
Like pieces of a puzzle
Like a hand in a glove
Love can happen at any time, unexpectedly and without warning. This love is complete, like a puzzle or a hand fitting perfectly into a glove.
And when the tide rises
Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye
Somebody sinks and is gone in the blink of an eye
The suddenness of life's changes is emphasized, with someone disappearing in an instant. Life can be fragile and unpredictable.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SCOTT MCMICKEN, TOBY LEAMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind