We find ourselves on the precipice of the future. And in that, the O’s hold on to a dear and sacred past with the sound of an acoustic guitar and banjo. Mix another instrument or two in and you have a mesh of the glory days of the past with a vibration as resounding as it is relevant. While we all seek invention and innovation, sometimes a simple song is what we most want to hear; the music we all listen to a 3AM; the songs we sing around a fire; the tunes we hum while driving. It isn’t the intention for the O’s to look forward, but to live now embracing the ultimate nature of the world’s unwavering and perpetual path towards connecting everyone through song.
The O’s play the singing along, dancing along, drinking along, and playing along type of music. And as O’s go, we have always told ourselves it isn’t about the girls, the money, the hotel rooms, the alchemy, the out of state voter registry, the bar tabs, the chain smoking, the heartaches, the hardships, the expenses, the remembering of the road, the forgetting of what really happened, the consulates in several countries, the conclusion of tours, the beginning of hangovers, the melting of cheese on chili, the secrets to remaining hydrated on the road, the thought that maybe one day we’ll have zappers instead of tour buses, the smell of spring in the Northeast, the dew on the trees in the Northwest, the summer heat in the southwest, the dodging of hurricanes in the Southeast, or even the music.
It’s about the song… and the party.
Medicine
The O's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not doing it on purpose, just wanna see me smile
And if only for a moment, everything feels fine
But the feeling won't stay and moments come and go
You want me then you don't, the way you push and pull
Pull the needle out my arm, every time I call
You said you don't need me, you never will
Hard to swallow, 'cause I know it's the truth
You'll never need me, but I'll always need you
Medicine, you're my medicine
Your laugh's pushing air through my lungs
Medicine, you're my medicine
My heart pumps harder for every blush
And God, I know, I'm sure
That I'll never be your cure
But medicine, you're my medicine
For the symptoms you've seemed to cause
Your silence breaks my bones when I ask for more
You're crying on the phone, I console and assure
But if you love me, why's my pain so easy to ignore
You said you don't need me, you never will
Tears stick in my throat, like a bitter pill
Hard to swallow, 'cause I know it's the truth
You'll never need me, but I'll always need you
Medicine, you're my medicine
Your laugh's pushing air through my lungs
Medicine, you're my medicine
My heart pumps harder for every blush
And God, I know, I'm sure
That I'll never be your cure
But medicine, you're my medicine
For the symptoms you've seemed to cause
And if this were to stop, I think my body would go into shock
Rush out in an ambulance, knowing I've got no chance
The doctors would beg and fuss, say, "She just wants to hear she's the one"
But
You said you don't need me, you never will
Tears stick in my throat, like a bitter pill
Hard to swallow, 'cause I know it's the truth
You'll never need me, but I'll always need you
Medicine, you're my medicine
Your laugh's pushing air through my lungs
Medicine, you're my medicine
My heart pumps harder for every blush
And God, I know, I'm sure
That I'll never be your cure
But medicine, you're my medicine
For the symptoms you've seemed to cause
You're just what the doctor prescribed
Another pretty girl to mangle my life
At my hospital bedside, with that anesthetic smile
The lyrics of The O's song "Medicine" explore a complex and emotionally tumultuous relationship. The singer is aware that their partner is not being genuine when they promise to be better, but they still appreciate the temporary happiness it brings. However, this feeling is fleeting, and the moments of contentment don't last. The partner's actions are inconsistent, constantly pulling the singer in and out of their life like a needle being inserted and removed.
The singer admits that their partner claims not to need them and will never need them. This realization is difficult to swallow and leaves a bitter feeling, much like a pill that's hard to swallow. Despite knowing this truth, the singer acknowledges that they will always need their partner, even if the feeling is not reciprocated.
The chorus compares the partner to medicine. Their laughter provides a sense of life and vitality to the singer's existence, almost as if it's filling their lungs with air. The impact of the partner's presence on the singer's heart is powerful, intensifying with every hint of affection or blush. While the singer understands that they will never be the solution to their partner's pain or problems, they still view them as their personal remedy for the difficulties caused by the partner's actions.
The final verse contemplates the potential consequences of the relationship ending. The singer suggests that without their partner, their body would go into shock, metaphorically representing the deep impact their presence has had. The doctors would try to diagnose and understand the situation, but the singer recognizes that it ultimately stems from their desperate desire to hear that they are the one for their partner.
In the end, the singer reiterates that their partner doesn't need them and never will. However, they will always rely on them. The partner's presence is likened to medicine, providing temporary relief and comfort for the symptoms and challenges the partner's actions have brought about. The line about the partner being "just what the doctor prescribed" and a "pretty girl" suggests that despite the pain caused, the singer is still drawn to their charm, even if it ends up damaging their life. The partner's smile is described as anesthetic, indicating that it may provide temporary relief but is ultimately numbing and masking the deeper issues at hand.
Line by Line Meaning
You tell me you'll be better, but I know you're lying
You offer false reassurance, deceiving me with empty promises
Not doing it on purpose, just wanna see me smile
Your intention is not malicious, you simply desire to bring a momentary joy on my face
And if only for a moment, everything feels fine
For a brief period, all is well and troubles fade away
But the feeling won't stay and moments come and go
The fleeting happiness dissipates, leaving me yearning for more
You want me then you don't, the way you push and pull
Your affections fluctuate, causing confusion and emotional instability
Pull the needle out my arm, every time I call
You remove the metaphorical source of comfort and support whenever I reach out to you
You said you don't need me, you never will
You proclaim independence from my presence, asserting that you will never require my companionship
Tears stick in my throat, like a bitter pill
My unshed tears linger, causing discomfort akin to swallowing a bitter pill
Hard to swallow, 'cause I know it's the truth
Accepting the painful reality becomes challenging, as I am aware of its validity
You'll never need me, but I'll always need you
While you will never crave my presence, I will perpetually rely on yours
Medicine, you're my medicine
You serve as my emotional remedy, offering temporary relief
Your laugh's pushing air through my lungs
The sound of your laughter rejuvenates and revitalizes me
My heart pumps harder for every blush
My heart beats with increasing intensity whenever I witness your flushed cheeks
And God, I know, I'm sure
With certainty, I am aware
That I'll never be your cure
I will never be the solution to your emotional needs
But medicine, you're my medicine
Nonetheless, you provide the temporary relief and solace that I seek
For the symptoms you've seemed to cause
You are the cause of the emotional distress and turmoil I experience
Your silence breaks my bones when I ask for more
Your lack of response fractures me emotionally when I seek further connection
You're crying on the phone, I console and assure
While you express your sadness during our phone conversations, I offer comfort and reassurance
But if you love me, why's my pain so easy to ignore
If your feelings for me are genuine, why do you effortlessly disregard my suffering
And if this were to stop, I think my body would go into shock
If our relationship were to cease, the sudden halt would have a profound physical impact on me
Rush out in an ambulance, knowing I've got no chance
My desperation would drive me to seek emergency medical attention, realizing that our connection is hopeless
The doctors would beg and fuss, say, 'She just wants to hear she's the one'
Medical professionals would plead and protest, recognizing that my desire is simply to be acknowledged and validated
You're just what the doctor prescribed
You fulfill the role of the prescription recommended by the doctor
Another pretty girl to mangle my life
You are another attractive woman who contributes to the chaos and destruction in my life
At my hospital bedside, with that anesthetic smile
You are present at my metaphorical hospital bedside, offering a smile that numbs and masks the pain
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Hope O'Dell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mfon Nta
Your post was massively educative and motivating. I am a final year medical school currently working on a career in tech. I'll love to work with a team that works on artificial intelligence in medicine.
Sudhis
I would love to connect with you on linkedin
FRANKLIN ATTAMA
Let’s link up on LinkedIn if you don’t mind
Space Girl
What is that field actually called??
Muhammad Abrar
awesome ...the way he described the need for telemedicine and how would it completely change our life that really matters a lot. we should all think about our future in health care perspective to save our time and resources instead of visiting hospitals just can get consultancy remotely.thank you
SungEun Hong
This is one of my favorite ted presentation. I would also give him an applause for his deliberate and humours way of speech. The field of medicine definitely needs to catch up with the exponentially developing technologies.
RM
Dr. Derek O’keefe, I am very impressed with your input and experience being both a physician and engineer. Working for NASA and caring for patients as well must have it’s perks, especially caring for astronauts. I agree that the future of medicine for the most part will be done via digital health. I would like to address some of the benefits of Digital Health including the active monitoring of vulnerable patients. For example, an elderly patient can wear a glucose or heart monitor and when there are abnormal readings, then we can have a healthcare professional reach out. I also believe that there can be essentially a filter for primary care for those who need to speak to a doctor for more simple treatments such as a headache or sinus infection. The doctor can always talk with the patient and if he/she feels they need a higher level of care, then a plan should be put in place for them to get help. One thing that may be seen as a downside is the doctor-patient relationship and the idea of physical touch. Over centuries, it has always been an accustom for the doctor to do a complete physical exam. The doctor can listen for to the heart and lungs and may pick up on unusual findings and can save lives. Having physical touch also has a profound effect on patient satisfaction (for the most part). Nowadays, even in person doctor’s visit lack physical contact (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic). From personal experience, after going to an urgent care for headaches, I went to a DO who felt around my neck and noted tension around the muscles. He did manipulative medicine with his hands and my headache was relieved without the need for medications. I was only in High school, and that event alone led me to pursue medicine. Now I am a second year DO student myself. I know that during the pandemic, telehealth became the staple. After talking to professors and other providers, most of them agree that there could be less patient wait times in many cases and even over the phone (once the patient is established), one can easily help a patient. Great video.
OMS B
This talk does a great job of addressing a very real and long-standing issue in healthcare, specifically in the United States. In my opinion, there are three major pillars that we can judge the efficacy of healthcare systems; access to care, quality of care, and cost of care. These three are intrinsically related and changing one inherently affects the others. In the United States, there is an issue regarding access and cost of care. With digital medicine, there could be a definite improvement in regards to access to care, efficiency of care for many, and a general improvement in patient outcomes. Many patients may be able to have more personalized treatment plans made available to them, or many patients may be given the ability for remote monitoring. In theory, I think these innovations will make a drastic improvement in the access to care dilemma that we are currently faced with. However, I think there are some ethical concerns regarding patient safety and privacy. By using an online medium, there are vulnerabilities that are hard to entirely eliminate. There is a real concern regarding data privacy and there is a risk that private and personal health information may be compromised. Additionally, it is hard to ensure that algorithms present in digital medicine would truly be free of bias, which can continue to perpetuate inequalities. I also worry about dehumanizing patient care by simply viewing patients through a digital lens. There are many studies that show the benefit of therapeutic touch in medicine. In a predominantly digital world, it may negatively affect patients if there are less physical exams done and the benefits of therapeutic touch are lost. Patients may also decrease their trust in the healthcare system when faced with the realization that it is less human. Perhaps the solution is the implementation of digital medicine as a means of continuing care after establishing care in person with a physician, or as means of medical visits in regards to non-emergent means only. As digital medicine and technology continues to evolve, it is important that it is developed in a way that continues to respect and prioritize patient autonomy, privacy and the principle of beneficence.
Luis Blanco
Interesting, I’m also a MD and CS engineer. Great video, love all about it.
Aleena Zahir
Why such educative videos dont get more views than the songs and comedy is why the World is messed up. People don't like Education that much .