Beginning in 1987 in London, England, Bill Drummond (alias King Boy D) and Jimmy Cauty (alias Rockman Rock) released hip hop-inspired and sample-heavy records as The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and, on one occasion (the British number one hit single "Doctorin' the Tardis"), as The Timelords. As The KLF, Drummond and Cauty pioneered the genres "stadium house" (rave music with a pop-rock production and sampled crowd noise) and "ambient house". The KLF released a series of international top-ten hits on their own KLF Communications record label, and became the highest internationally selling UK band of 1991. The duo also published a book, The Manual, and worked on a road movie called The White Room.
From the outset, they adopted the philosophy espoused by esoteric novels The Illuminatus! Trilogy, gaining notoriety for various anarchic situationist manifestations, including the defacement of billboard adverts, the posting of prominent cryptic advertisements in NME magazine and the mainstream press, and highly distinctive and unusual performances on Top of the Pops. Their most notorious performance was at the February 1992 Brit Awards, where they horrified the formal audience with a hardcore thrash version of "3 A.M. Eternal" (performed with the justifiably named Extreme Noise Terror) that also included Drummond spraying the crowd with blanks from an automatic rifle and the post-performance announcement, "The KLF have left the music industry." Topping their already extreme actions, Cauty and Drummond delivered the carcass of a dead sheep -- plus eight gallons of blood -- to the lobby of the hotel after-party. In May 1992 the duo deleted their entire back catalogue.
With The KLF's profits, Drummond and Cauty established the K Foundation and sought to subvert the art world, staging an alternative art award for the worst artist of the year and burning a million pounds sterling. Although Drummond and Cauty remained true to their word of May 1992—the KLF Communications catalogue remains deleted—they have released a small number of new tracks since then, as the K Foundation, The One World Orchestra and most recently, in 1997, as 2K. Cauty has provided remixing services for bands as diverse as Hawkwind and Placebo, under the name Scourge of the Earth.
The KLF catalogue remained absent from digital platforms until January 1, 2021, when an 8-track compilation of their 7" hit singles 1988-1991 - Solid State Logik 1 was released on streaming platforms, marking the 1st installment of a series called Samplecity Thru Trancentral.
Doctorin' The
The KLF Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dr. Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Exterminate!
Bosh Bosh Bosh, loads of money
Ha ha ha Who ha
Ha ha ha Who ha
Ha ha ha Who ha
Ha ha ha Who ha
Ha ha
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
Exterminate!
Who-ha
Ha ha ha who ha
Ha ha ha who ha
We obey no-one
Ha ha ha who ha
We are the superior beings
Ha ha ha who ha
Ha ha
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
You wot?
Who-ha
Ha ha ha who ha
Ha ha ha who ha
Bosh Bosh Bosh Loads of money
Ha ha ha who ha
Ha ha ha
Ha ha ha who
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who! (HEY) {THE DALEKS} The TARDIS
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. {THE DALEKS} Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc {THE DALEKS} Dr. Who
Dr. Who doc, Dr. Who
The song "Doctorin' The Tardis" by The KLF is a playful tribute to the iconic British science-fiction TV series, Doctor Who. The lyrics are heavily influenced by some of the show's most memorable characters and catchphrases, including the Doctor himself, his time-traveling vessel the TARDIS, and his arch-nemesis the Daleks. The repeated use of "Dr. Who" and "Dr. Who doc" is a reference to the character's mysterious and secretive nature, as well as his ability to save the day with his quick thinking and problem-solving skills.
The line "Exterminate!" is a direct quote from the Daleks, who are known for their robotic, monotone voices and their catchphrase "Exterminate!" whenever they encounter the Doctor. The KLF's use of this line is both a nod to the show's mythology and a playful twist on the classic "who-ha" chant that appears throughout the song. The use of the phrase "loads of money" is also a reference to the band's own financial success, as well as a nod to the show's long-lasting popularity and commercial appeal.
Overall, "Doctorin' The Tardis" can be read as a loving tribute to Doctor Who and its enduring legacy, as well as a playful experiment in mixing genres and styles. The KLF's signature blend of electronic dance music and pop-culture references made it a hit both in the UK charts and around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Dr. Who! (HEY) Dr. Who
We are invoking the legendary time-traveling character known as Doctor Who.
Dr. Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
The TARDIS is the Doctor’s iconic time machine and spacecraft.
Dr. Who doc..Dr. Who
We continue to pay homage to the Doctor.
Exterminate!
This is the infamous catchphrase used by the Daleks, one of the Doctor’s most fearsome adversaries.
Bosh Bosh Bosh, loads of money
We are using our wealth to confront and overpower our enemies.
Who-ha
This is an expression of excitement.
Ha ha ha Who ha
We find our situation amusing and express it through laughter.
You wot?
This is a slang expression meaning “what did you say?” or “what are you talking about?”
We obey no-one
We are independent and do not submit to anyone's authority.
We are the superior beings
We consider ourselves to be intellectually, technologically, or socially more advanced than other forms of life.
Dr. {THE DALEKS} Who! (HEY) The TARDIS
We acknowledge the presence of the Daleks as we continue to reference Doctor Who and the TARDIS.
Dr. Who doc {THE DALEKS} Dr. Who
We recognize the enduring popularity and appeal of Doctor Who, even in the face of ruthless Daleks.
Dr. Who doc, Dr. Who
We reiterate our reverence for Doctor Who.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL DRUMMOND, ERNEST DRUMMOND WILLIAM, GARY GLITTER, J. CAUTY, JAMES FRANCIS CAUTY, MIKE CHAPMAN, MIKE LEANDER, NICKY CHINN, RON GRAINER, RONALD ERLE GRAINER, WILLIAM ERNEST DRUMMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iansingsiansings2101
@@The_Common_Potato
also, 50 years of being a rum fiend saw me do some crazy things.
i didn't steal the Police launch and go pirating,
but i was tempted by my rum fuelled ambitions.
Looking in the mirror,
red rum is mur der
______
Stay sober friend, it's safer.
@CallistaZM
One of my proudest accomplishments in life is getting the DJ at my favorite nightclub to play this every week for like a year
@turokforever007
A next door teen girl heard me playing KLF and wanted to know so i gave here a tape, and she played then for many weeks none stop
@lordbelcheriv6115
It's a time honoured tradition!
@miithirtysixfifty
underrated comment
@AdamHansen42
100% the most accurate Dalek ever built.
@richmcgee434
Obviously had a much higher budget to work with than the show.
@ryanhawe8234
Was this the inspiration for the Defense Drone?
@fionafresh8435
I just noticed the one with the feet...
@johncartwright8154
They have evolved....I see they have feet now!
@Terren69
It’s canon