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.

Shadows
Dr. John Lyrics

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I see the pain in all the world
It burns my heart inside
Children hurt, lives destroyed
I can't make sense of why
As healing means within in our reach
Are hidden from us all the time
Frozen with all your dreams
A shadow falls on the soul

Taken away from your home
And left out in the cold
As one gets hurt another knows
We've stepped into a new game
But all this means is transparency
Will give our shadows their say
Frozen with all your dreams
A shadow falls on the soul
Taken away from your home
And left out in the cold
When will this end?
As sickness breathes and fear runs high
There's no one left to offend
A battles yet to come
What have we done?
Frozen with all your dreams
A shadow falls on the soul
Taken away from your home
And left out in the cold
Breaking from all your ties
You're running out of breath
A measured move complete with the news

You've had enough of all this senseless death
A shadow falls on the soul

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dr. John's song "Shadow Days" speak to the idea of finding redemption and a new start in life, after a period of struggle and hardship. The opening lines suggest that some people can be steadfast in their beliefs, even when they are in the wrong, while the following lines speak to the idea of feeling alone and lost, as though the mistakes of the past have led to a state of isolation. The reference to finding oneself in pieces on a hotel floor is a particularly evocative image, suggesting a state of despair and vulnerability.

The chorus of the song speaks to the idea of overcoming these struggles, of learning to let go of the past and to embrace the present. The lines "I'm a good man with a good heart / Had a tough time, got a rough start" suggest a sense of self-reflection and self-awareness, while the declaration that "my shadow days are over now" speaks to a sense of hope and optimism.

The later verses of the song continue this theme, with the singer acknowledging that they have made mistakes in the past, but also noting that they have tried to be honest and genuine. The final lines of the song once again emphasize the idea of coming through the challenges of life and emerging stronger and more resilient: "Now I'm right here, and I'm right now / And I'm hoping, knowing somehow / That my shadows days are over / My shadow days are over now."

Line by Line Meaning

Did you know that you could be wrong
It's possible to have incorrect beliefs and be unaware of it

And swear you're right
Consciously believing you're correct despite being wrong

Some people been known to do it all their lives
Some individuals possess this characteristic for their whole lifespan

But you find yourself alone
Your beliefs can make you feel isolated from others

Just like you found yourself before
You've encountered this type of isolation previously

Like I found myself in pieces on the hotel floor
The isolation can leave you feeling broken and shattered like Dr. John felt during a particular experience in a hotel room

Hard times help me see
Difficult experiences allowed Dr. John to gain insight

I'm a good man with a good heart
Dr. John sees himself as well-intentioned

Had a tough time, got a rough start
He's had hardships in his life

But I finally learned to let it go
Dr. John has learned to move past his difficulties

Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
He's living in the present and focused on the current moment

And I'm hoping, knowing somehow
Dr. John has hope for the future and believes it will work out despite not knowing for sure

That my shadows days are over
He wants to leave behind the negative parts of his past

My shadow days are over now
He believes he's conquered his personal demons and can now move forward

Well I ain't no trouble maker
Dr. John doesn't intentionally cause problems

And I never meant her harm
He didn't intend to hurt anyone

But it doesn't mean I didn't make it hard to carry on
Despite not meaning to, his actions still made things difficult

Well it sucks to be honest (honest)
Being truthful is often unpleasant