The band rattled to the middle of the Hot 100 in 1966 with You're Gonna Miss Me, anchored by Roky Erickson's unforgettable yelping vocals, Stacy Sutherland's guitar, and Tommy Hall's electric jug runs. According to myth, Tommy's jug was tuned by the amount of marijuana stored in it.
The group pioneered some of the first garage psychedelia on its albums The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators 1966, and the followup Easter Everywhere 1967.
However, Texas at that time was an extremely conservative area that still hadn't come to terms with 50's rock 'n' roll. The authorities and the police set out to bust the entire band for pot (and—not surprisingly—succeeded).
Stacy Sutherland was jailed. To avoid a prison term, Roky pleaded insanity—a misguided ploy that landed him in Rusk State Hospital for the criminally insane for 3 years. That turn of events spelled the end of the band, although there was a posthumous 1968 LP, Bull of the Woods.
Roky Erickson was released from hospital in 1973 and embarked upon a successful solo career that resulted in a CBS album produced by Stu Cook from Creedence Clearwater Revival. During the 1980s he struggled with mental illness and withdrew from public life for many years. However, in the 2000s he has re-emerged with one of his late 70s/early 80s backing bands, The Explosives, playing regular gigs including the Austin City Limits festival in September 2005, as well as Coachella in California, the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden and Montreal World Film festival in Canada.
On May 31, 2019, Roky Erickson passed away.
Dr. Doom
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I read your recent letter,
You left so soonâ?¦.
I hope you're feeling better
Noble hearts decision
Mind gold lies the future
You refer to freedoms,
Love's embracing chalice
Isn't life fantastic
Helping neath the rumors
Of the more of old
Double from with on you
Each mind has its mirror,
Wandering in this existence
From the other folds.
Beginning no end,
Alpha nor Omega,
2 miles or more still appears,
2 miles one more still appears
We won't join in sameness,
We are each one different,
We won't join in oneness,
When we're each one whole
We'll be like in feeling
Being of the spirit
Housed in body crystals
Ever will be inside us,
All within is beauty,
All will be in beauty,
From our lives unfold
Giving no end
Alpha nor Omega,
2 miles or more still appears,
2 miles one more still appears
Dear Dr. Doom,
Read your recent letter
Know you can't make Heaven
In the East Nirvana,
But you can make certain
The ghost is always there
And the always-presence
You have found within you
Is the same in heaven
Fully made aware
Soon as seen as fortune,
Soon as heard as listening,
Soon as sent past talking,
On your own bewareâ?¦.
Dear Dr. Doom
The song "Dr. Doom" by 13th Floor Elevators seems to be a letter of response to a letter recently received from Dr. Doom to the singer. The singer hopes that Dr. Doom is feeling better, referring to a previous dialogue between them. The song goes on to describe the need for noble hearts and sound decisions as the key to a better future. The reference to freedoms of body, mind, and soul is made, and it is highlighted that love is the embracing chalice that makes life fantastic. The singer attempts to dispel the rumors of old and encourages people to see beyond the double standards and to understand that every individual has a mirror in their mind that they can use to explore different planes of existence.
The song emphasizes that there is no beginning or end; everything is a part of a continuous cycle. The singer strongly believes that people should embrace their differences, and they should not try to be the same. Rather, they should allow their individuality to shine, and they should strive to be whole in their own right. The song highlights that every human being has a spirit that is housed in their body like a crystal. This spirit will always be inside them, and it is up to the individual to recognize its beauty. The song concludes with a sense of warning as the singer states that one should always be wary of their own choices and decisions.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Dr. Doomâ?¦.
The singer is addressing Dr. Doom.
I read your recent letter,
The singer has read Dr. Doom's recent letter.
You left so soonâ?¦.
Dr. Doom left quickly or suddenly.
I hope you're feeling better
The artist hopes Dr. Doom is feeling well.
Noble hearts decision
A decision made by someone with a noble heart.
Mind gold lies the future
The future is shaped by what is in one's mind and heart.
You refer to freedoms,
Dr. Doom has referred to the concept of freedom.
Body , mind , and soul
The three parts of what makes up a person.
Love's embracing chalice
The power of love is compared to a chalice or cup that embraces all.
Isn't life fantastic
Life is wonderful and amazing.
Helping neath the rumors
Helping to alleviate false rumors or gossip.
Of the more of old
Of things from the past.
Double from with on you
Something has doubled, possibly the singer's thoughts or feelings.
Each mind has its mirror,
Each mind reflects who we are as people.
Wandering in this existence
Existing while feeling lost or aimless.
From the other folds.
From other dimensions or unseen worlds.
Beginning no end,
Something without a defined beginning or end.
Alpha nor Omega,
Alpha (the beginning) and Omega (the end), references to the Bible.
2 miles or more still appears,
A distance of at least 2 miles is still present or exists.
2 miles one more still appears
Another 2 miles appears, indicating that there's always more to discover or explore.
We won't join in sameness,
The artist and others reject the idea of being identical or the same.
We are each one different,
Everyone is different and unique.
We won't join in oneness,
The singer and others reject the idea of being a part of a collective or unified whole.
When we're each one whole
When individuals are complete within themselves.
We'll be like in feeling
People will have similar emotions or sensations.
Being of the spirit
The human spirit, which is often defined as the non-physical part of human beings.
Housed in body crystals
The physical body, which is described metaphorically as being made of crystals.
Ever will be inside us,
Something will always be with us or a part of us.
All within is beauty,
Everything inside of us is beautiful in some way.
All will be in beauty,
All things will be beautiful or good.
From our lives unfold
Our lives and experiences shape what we become.
Giving no end
Something that gives without ceasing.
Alpha nor Omega,
Once again mentioning the beginning and end.
2 miles or more still appears,
This statement is repeated from earlier in the song.
2 miles one more still appears
This line is also repeated.
Know you can't make Heaven
Dr. Doom cannot create or control heaven.
In the East Nirvana,
A reference to Buddhist teachings about the afterlife.
But you can make certain
The singer is acknowledging that there are things within Dr. Doom's control.
The ghost is always there
Some intangible concept or feeling is always present in life.
And the always-presence
The presence of this intangible thing is constant.
You have found within you
Dr. Doom has discovered this thing within themselves.
Is the same in heaven
This intangible thing is the same in heaven or in the afterlife.
Fully made aware
Realizing or becoming aware of something completely.
Soon as seen as fortune,
Something is viewed as fortunate as soon as it is seen.
Soon as heard as listening,
Something is viewed as important as soon as it is heard and acknowledged.
Soon as sent past talking,
Once something is communicated or expressed, it becomes a tangible thing.
On your own bewareâ?¦.
Be careful and cautious when making decisions on your own.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce Triggs
Lyric check? (not like you can reason out the unreasonable):
Dear Doctor Doom, I read your recent letter
You've left some room, I hope you're feeling better
Noble hearts decision, (something) -lys the future
(hindborn lies the future?) (no way that says "pinecone lies the future, that's silly)
You refer to freedoms, body mind and soul
Love's immersing chalice is the light fantastic
Helping link the rumors of the moré bold
Double funnel final each mind in its middle
One in this existence from the other folds
Beginning no end, alpha no omega
Two mouths one voice still appears
Two mouths one voice still appears
We won’t join in sameness, we are each one different
We won’t join in oneness when we're each one whole
We'll be like in feeling, being of the spirit
Housed in body crystals, ever always soul
We’ll be right beside, all we’ve been is beauty (just "beside" or "beside you/him"?)
All will be in union from our life unfolds (oh hold? what?)
Beginning no end, alpha no omega
Two mouths one voice still appears
Two mouths one voice still appears
Dear Dr. Doom, read your recent letter….
Know you can't make Heaven
In the East Nirvana,
But you can make certain
That the ghost is there
And the always-presence
You have found within you
Is the same in heaven
Fully made aware
Sooner seen past watching,
Sooner heard past listening,
Soon as said past talking,
From yours anywhere ,,, (?)
Dear Dr. Doom……
wagner felipe
I found this band today and what a great band
DJ R Superluminal
The Elevators should be in the RRHOF. They were unique and revolutionary
Citadin
@ervbefel nareik the whole concept of a HOF is an anathema to real music that counts.
ervbefel nareik
RRHOF is kinda a joke to be honest tho. Yes its an honor and something to be proud of but doesnt really matter at the same time. There are a whole bunch of other bands that should and could be in there but they're not and it doesn't really matter. I believe The Elevators music will always be around and we don't need to put them on a pedastal like the HOF to prove their worth.
White griffin
The most important acid rock band
patrick hurley
Lovely stuff, brilliant track.
La Musica Arruino Mi Vida
this one is by far my fav version of this incredible song, rip Roky.
rocknrallsoul94 Rockero
Me gusta tu username igual aqui 🤣🤘
jeffn66
yeah, no horns! This is a true deep cut.
TD45465 ghf
Love the melody on this sing.