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.

Those Lonely Nights
Dr. John Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She calls me home
She says baby it's a lonely ol' night
I don't know
I'm just so scared and lonely all at the same time
Nobody told me
She was gonna work out this way no no no no no no
I guess they knew
We'd work it out in our own way

It's a lonely ol' night
Can I put my arms around you?
It's a lonely ol nigh
Custom made for two lonely people like me and you

Radio playin' softly
Some singer's sad sad song
He's singing about
Standing in the shadows of love
I guess it feels awfully alone
She says I know
Exactly what he means yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
And it's a sad sad sad sad feeling
When you're living on those in betweens
(But it's OK)

It's a lonely ol' night
Can I put my arms around you?
It's a lonely ol nigh
Custom made for two lonely people like me and you

She calls me baby
She calls everybody baby
It's a lonely ol' night
But ain't they all?

It's a lonely ol' night
Can I put my arms around you?
It's a lonely ol nigh
Custom made for two lonely people like me and you

Girl like me and you
Yeah like me and you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Those Lonely Lonely Nights" by Dr. John are about a lonely night experienced by the singer who is called home by his partner. The singer expresses his fear and loneliness and muses about how the relationship turned out this way. He reflects that nobody had predicted it, but everyone knew that they would solve their issues in their unique way. The singer then suggests cuddling and asks if they can put their arms around each other. The radio is playing a sad and lonely song, and the singer shares his understanding of the lyrics with his partner. He conveys that it's difficult to live in between feelings, but it's okay. The singer's partner calls him baby, but he knows that everyone is alone, making it a lonely old night.

The lyrics of the song are melancholic and show the struggles of a relationship. The singer is feeling lonely in his relationship, and he appears to have lost hope in it. The mention of the radio playing slow and sad music conveys the mood and emotions felt by the singer. The singer's partner calling him baby is noteworthy, suggesting that the partner feels the same loneliness and fear as the singer. The phrase "It's a lonely old night custom made for two" is ironic as it suggests that their loneliness is something they both share and can find solace in each other's company. The lyrics are expressive and poetically convey the message of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

She calls me home
She asks me to come over

She says baby it's a lonely ol' night
She informs me that she is feeling lonely tonight

I don't know
I don't understand why she's feeling lonely

I'm just so scared and lonely all at the same time
I am feeling both scared and lonely

Nobody told me
No one mentioned to me

She was gonna work out this way no no no no no no
I wasn't expecting things to turn out like this

I guess they knew
I suppose they had an inkling

We'd work it out in our own way
We would find a solution that suits us

It's a lonely ol' night
The night is quiet and desolate

Can I put my arms around you?
May I hold you?

Custom made for two lonely people like me and you
This moment is perfect for two people feeling alone like us