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.
New York City Blues
Dr. John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might have a real hesitation inside
But it's alright, just get up and fly
You don't need a reason to let it slide by
Cause it's all you want and more
You wanted to feel like never before
That's New York City
That's New York City
We're balling got to get in the game
You got one life so just stoke that fire inside
Don't need to think twice to give it a try
We got style, we got grace
cll you gotta do is come around and show your face
Bring a smile and some taste
Better get your groove on there's no time to waste
That's New York City
It keeps calling, keeps calling your name
That's New York City
We're balling got to get in the game
Can you feel it? (Yea)
Can you feel it? (Yea)
Can you feel it? (Yea)
Feel it, feel it (Yea)
Can you feel it, can you feel it
Can you feel
That's New York City
It keeps calling, keeps calling your name
That's New York City
We're balling got to get in the game
The lyrics to Dr. John's "New York City Blues" tell a story of the artist's experiences in the city during the 1970s. The song opens with a scene where Dr. John and Yoko Ono are waiting for their friend, Jerry, to land, and they encounter a man named David Peel with a guitar who offers them marijuana while singing a song about the Pope smoking dope. The scene shifts to Max's Kansas City, a famous Manhattan nightclub where they perform with the Elephants Memory Band, which includes John Lennon on the guitar. They perform funky boogie and tutti frutti, incorporating gender-bending lyrics, such as "Long Tall Sally's a man." The verse takes a political turn as the lyrics describe a preacher man trying to teach but confusing the truth with a "red herring in drag."
The song's lyrics highlight the freedom and diversity of New York City, from taking the Staten Island Ferry to make movies to performing at the Fillmore and Apollo for freedom. They tried to shake their image in the Village, but they discovered that they had left it back in London. The lyrics celebrate the Statue of Liberty and the city's cultural and artistic energy. The song concludes with a chorus questioning what's happening in New York City with a repeated refrain of "Que pasa New York?"
Overall, "New York City Blues" is a celebration of the city that was the artists' melting pot of creativity and inclusiveness, where they could be themselves and push boundaries. The song is an ode to the city's political activism and social transformations, where everyone is welcome to express themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing on the corner
Standing on the street corner
Just me and Yoko Ono
Being on the street corner with Yoko Ono
We was waiting for Jerry to land
Waiting for someone named Jerry to arrive
Up come a man with a guitar in his hand
A man with a guitar walked over to us
Singing, "Have a marijuana if you can"
Singing a song about smoking marijuana
His name was David Peel
The man's name was David Peel
And we found that he was real
We realized that he was genuine/authentic
He sang, "The Pope smokes dope every day"
He sang a song claiming that the Pope smokes marijuana
Up come a policeman shoved us up the street
A police officer came and pushed us down the street
Singing, "Power to the people today!"
Singing a song about empowering the people
New York City, back in New York City, New York City
Repeating the phrase "New York City", possibly as a way of acknowledging its significance
Que pasa, New York?
Asking what's going on in New York City
Well down to Max's Kansas City
Going to a place called Max's Kansas City
Got down the nitty gritty
Getting into the details
With the Elephants Memory Band
Playing with a band called Elephants Memory
Laid something down
Playing music or creating something
As the news spread around
As the word about us got out
About the Plastic Ono Elephants Memory Band!
About our band called Plastic Ono Elephants Memory
And we played some funky boogie
Playing some funky music
And laid some tutti frutti
Playing music (possibly "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard)
Singing, "Long Tall Sally's a man."
Singing a song about "Long Tall Sally" and how she is a man
Up come a preacher man trying to be a teacher
A preacher came and tried to teach us something
Singing, "God's a red herring in drag!"
Singing about God and how he is a misleading distraction
New York City, back in New York City, New York City
Repeating the phrase "New York City", possibly as a way of acknowledging its significance
Que pasa, New York?
Asking what's going on in New York City
Well we did the Staten Island Ferry
Taking the Staten Island Ferry
Making movies for the telly
Making movies for television
Played the Fillmore and Apollo for freedom
Playing at venues called "Fillmore" and "Apollo" for the purpose of freedom
Tried to shake our image
Trying to change how people think of us
Just a cycling through the Village
Riding bicycles through the neighborhood (possibly Greenwich Village)
But found that we had left it back in London
Discovered that they had forgotten something in London
Well nobody came to bug us
Nobody bothered us
Hustle us or shove us
Nobody tried to scam or push us
So we decided to make it our home
They decided to live in New York City
If the Man wants to shove us out
If a person in power wants to remove them
We gonna jump and shout
They will protest and be loud
The Statue of Liberty said, "Come!"
Using the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of welcome
New York City, back in New York City, New York City
Repeating the phrase "New York City", possibly as a way of acknowledging its significance
Que pasa, New York?
Asking what's going on in New York City
New York City, back in New York City, New York City
Repeating the phrase "New York City", possibly as a way of acknowledging its significance
Que pasa, New York?
Asking what's going on in New York City
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kyle Ridley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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