Dr. John (born Malcolm John Rebennack on 20 November 1941; died 6 June 2019… Read Full Bio ↴Dr. John (born Malcolm John Rebennack on 20 November 1941; died 6 June 2019) was an American singer, pianist, guitarist, and songwriter whose music combined blues, boogie woogie and rock and roll. The winner of six Grammy awards, Rebennack was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by singer John Legend on Monday, March 14, 2011. He was variously known as Mac Rebennack, Dr. John Creaux, Dr. John, the Night Tripper.

Dr. John began making his own idiosyncratic music in the 1960s. Along with Professor Longhair, Dr. John is heir to the rich New Orleans tradition. He is perhaps best known for "Right Place, Wrong Time", an international hit in 1973, reissued and used on soundtracks many times since.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, his professional musical career began as a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s. Early on he also played guitar and was often known as Mac Rebennack. He switched to the bass ("the lowest time of my life"), and then the piano after his index finger was nearly shot off protecting his bandmate and longtime friend Ronnie Barron. He gained fame beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with music that combined New Orleans-style rhythm and blues with psychedelic rock and stage shows that bordered on voodoo religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress. For a time he was billed as Dr. John, The Night Tripper. The name "Dr. John" came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner from the start of the 19th century.

Dr. John has also done vocals for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' "Luv dat chicken..." jingle, as well as the theme song ("My Opinionation") for the early-1990s television sitcom Blossom. His movie credits include Martin Scorsese's documentary The Last Waltz (in which he joins The Band for a performance of his song "Such a Night") and Blues Brothers 2000 (in which he joins the fictional band The Louisiana Gator Boys to perform the song "New Orleans"). In the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, Dr. John sings the opening tune, "Down in New Orleans".

In January 2008 Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.

Blow Wind Blow
Dr. John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

* Blow wind blow
All my troubles away
Blow wind Blow
Until Judgement Day

You've got my ring, and everything
You know you are, so bad
Where can I go

Where can I turn
I'm walking in the rain

* Repeat

My head is hung, way down low
It makes my poor heart yearn
It makes me sad
I feel so bad
The way that, it's all going

* Repeat and fade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dr. John's Blow Wind Blow express a desire for the wind to carry away all of the singer's troubles until the final day of judgement. The repetition of the phrase "Blow wind blow" throughout the song emphasizes this desire, as if the singer is pleading with the wind to be his salvation. The second verse suggests that the singer has been wronged by someone who has taken everything from him, including his ring. He seems lost and uncertain of where to turn, as illustrated by him "walking in the rain". The third verse shows the singer's despair, with his head hung low and his heart yearning. He feels sad and hopeless about the way things are going in his life.

Overall, the lyrics of the song convey a sense of longing and desperation for some sort of relief or redemption from life's hardships. The repetition of the phrase "Blow wind blow" adds a sense of urgency to the message in the song, as if the singer is begging for his troubles to be lifted immediately.

Line by Line Meaning

Blow wind blow
Blow gusts of wind, take away all of my problems and worries

All my troubles away
Blow these gusts of wind until they carry away all my difficulties

Blow wind blow
Let the wind continue to blow until the end of time

Until Judgement Day
Let the wind continue to blow until the end of the world

You've got my ring, and everything
You've taken everything I had, including my ring

You know you are, so bad
I know you are wicked and unjust

Where can I go
Where is there a safe haven for me?

Where can I turn
What can I do to escape my difficulties?

I'm walking in the rain
I am aimlessly wandering in the storm with little hope of finding my way

My head is hung, way down low
I am ashamed and disheartened

It makes my poor heart yearn
My heart aches with longing and sadness