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.

Don
Dr. John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love
I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love

Sometime it gets kinda hard to listen
Hard for me to use my eyes
And all around the gold is glistening

Making sure it keeps me down to size

And I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love
I don't want to know one thing about evil
I only want to know about love

I'm waiting for the plains to tumble
Waiting for the towns to fall
I'm waiting for the cities to crumble
Waiting till I hear the call

It's getting kinda hard to listen
Hard for us to use our eyes
All around the gold is glistening
Making sure it keeps us hypnotized

Yeah, I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love
Yeah, I don't want to know one thing about evil
I only want to know about love

And I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love
I don't want to know nothing about evil
I only want to know about love

Yeah, I don't want to know about evil
I only want to know about love

I don't want to know one thing about evil
I only want to know about love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dr. John's song "Don" suggest the struggle between good and evil in the world. The singer of the song expresses her desire to focus solely on love rather than being distracted by the chaos that evil brings. The song highlights the fact that sometimes it can be challenging to keep an open mind and to see the goodness in the world, especially when there is so much negativity and corruption around us. The gold that is constantly glistening is a metaphor for temptation and material wealth that often leads people astray from the path of love and kindness.

Despite the challenges that the singer faces, she remains hopeful in waiting for the time when everything will fall into place. She's waiting for the natural order of things to take their course, hoping that love will eventually triumph over evil. The lyrics suggest that the singer is not alone in her struggle; society as a whole is facing the same difficulties in trying to stay positive and focus on the good in life. The constant distractions of evil make it hard for society as a whole to keep its eyes open to the beauty of life.

Overall, the song is a powerful reminder that there is always a choice to make when it comes to the world's struggles. We can either focus on the negative aspects and let them bring us down, or we can choose to focus on the good and remain optimistic in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't want to know about evil
I am not interested in hearing or understanding anything related to evil or negativity.

I only want to know about love
I am solely interested in love, which is a pure and positive emotion that brings joy and happiness to life.

Sometimes it gets kinda hard to listen
Occasionally, it becomes difficult for me to pay attention or comprehend the messages being conveyed.

Hard for me to use my eyes
I find it challenging to observe what's happening around me or gain clarity on certain situations.

And all around the gold is glistening
Everywhere I turn, there is wealth and riches enticing me, which can distract me from focusing on what truly matters.

Making sure it keeps me down to size
The temptation of greed and materialism can limit my potential and hinder my personal growth.

I'm waiting for the plains to tumble
I'm anticipating a significant change, where the present structure or status quo breaks down.

Waiting for the towns to fall
I'm waiting for a shift or evolution in the communities or societies around me.

I'm waiting for the cities to crumble
I'm waiting to witness a collapse or upheaval in the urban areas that constitutes modern civilization.

Waiting till I hear the call
I'm waiting for a sign or signal that will guide me towards my purpose or destiny.

Making sure it keeps us hypnotized
The pursuit of wealth and power can be so alluring that it can cloud our judgement and control our actions, putting us in a trance-like state.

I don't want to know nothing about evil
I have no interest in gaining knowledge or understanding anything related to evil or negativity.

Yeah, I don't want to know about evil
Yes, I am firm in my stand of not wanting to hear or comprehend anything associated with evil.

I don't want to know one thing about evil
I am adamant about avoiding anything related to evil or negativity, even if it's just a small detail.

Yeah, I don't want to know one thing about evil
Yes, I am persisting on my decision to not wanting to hear or comprehend anything related to evil, even if it's just one thing.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN MARTYN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS