"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.
The Ark
Dr. Dog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I built a ark, but no rain came
I was ashamed
Man, he called for war
So I built a gun and I joined the corps
But I was unsure
Love, she asked for more
But what I gave only made her poor
I wasn't sure
The dove, she promised land
As she laid the branch right into my hand
There was no land
Oh, what does it mean to be here?
Well, I know because I can and I will
Yes, I know because I can and I will
Oh, what does it mean to be here?
Well, I know because I can and I will
Oh, what does it mean to be here?
Well, I know because I can and I will
Yes, I know because I can and I will
In The Ark, Dr. Dog delves into the theme of humanity's search for meaning and purpose. The song uses the biblical tale of Noah's Ark as a metaphor for the singer's own struggles. The first verse talks about how God called for rain, and the singer built an ark preparing for the flood, but no rain came making him feel ashamed. This is a reflection of the singer's own search for direction and meaning in life, and how he struggles to find it.
In the second verse, the singer builds a gun and joins the army in response to Man's call for war, but he is unsure about his decision. He is uncertain about his purpose in life and his actions, just like in the first verse. The third verse talks about Love asking for more, but the singer's actions only make her poor. This reflects his struggle to understand what actions would make his life and relationships better.
The chorus repeats the line "Oh, what does it mean to be here?" several times, underscoring the singer's search for meaning and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
God, he called for rain
I was following a higher power's instructions and preparing for something that never came
So I built a ark, but no rain came
I took drastic action to prepare for something that never happened, leaving me feeling foolish
I was ashamed
I felt embarrassed by my actions, which seemed pointless in hindsight
Man, he called for war
I felt societal pressure to participate in violent conflict
So I built a gun and I joined the corps
I armed myself and became a soldier, feeling conflicted about my involvement
But I was unsure
I was uncertain about the right course of action and my place in the war
Love, she asked for more
My partner wanted a deeper commitment or greater effort from me
But what I gave only made her poor
My efforts to satisfy my partner fell short and caused her more harm than good
I wasn't sure
I was uncertain about how to provide what my partner needed
The dove, she promised land
A symbol of hope promised me a brighter future
As she laid the branch right into my hand
This promise was tangible and gave me hope
There was no land
This hope turned out to be unfounded, leading to disappointment
Oh, what does it mean to be here?
The singer is contemplating the meaning of life or existence
Well, I know because I can and I will
Despite uncertainty about life's meaning, the singer asserts their power to make choices and take action
Yes, I know because I can and I will
The singer repeats their conviction to take control of their own life despite the unknowable nature of existence
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SCOTT MCMICKEN, TOBY LEAMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind