Little is known about the Protomen, other than the band is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Because the band often responds to interviews and questions in-character, their own descriptions of their history are delivered with the dramatic flair of their storyline concept and their comments can not always be taken at face value. Their code-names are largely references to pop culture films, song titles, and fictional characters.
The band is composed mostly of MTSU recording program graduates, and first came to be so they could meet class deadlines and the need to record for [their] grades. They produced their first album over two years in various Murfreesboro studios, using analog rather than digital production. Most of the band had graduated and moved to Nashville by 2005.
Group member Commander has stated that their first album was deliberately designed to sound like "distorted pencil sharpeners about 90% of the time" and "was made specifically to go against everything our recording teachers and fellow students were trying to feed us about making everything sound pristine and 'perfect.'. The tracks were mixed on analog tape.
In a 2009 interview, lead vocalist Panther stated, "We basically gathered up all of our good friends from the local rock bands of Murfreesboro, tied ourselves together, and tried to walk. And somehow it worked. At the time, we noticed a void in rock and roll. A hole that could only really be filled with grown men and women painting up like robots and playing some fierce and furious rock music based on a 1980's video game. We were fairly certain no one else was going to fill that hole. But, by god, it's filled now. You can thank us later."
The band has strong ties to the Murfreesboro and Nashville independent music scene, and some members are integrated into several bands simultaneously.
The Good Doctor
The Protomen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My father worked the mines until the day it took his life.
Stole him from his only son and it stole him from his wife.
And I swore upon his grave, someday I would make things right.
So I learned how to bend steel. I learned how to make it move,
and I watched as it withstood all the hell we put men through.
With hands of iron, there's not a task we couldn't do.
They've waited so long for this day,
Someone to take the death away,
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
Albert:
Tom, listen to yourself, then listen carefully to me.
If you replace the working parts, you get a different machine.
The man who turns the wheels, they will follow
Anywhere he leads.
We've spent our whole lives searching
For a way to make a better world.
Giving everything to them, asking nothing in return.
Well here it is: our chance to take back everything we've earned.
Tom: They've waited so long for this day (Albert: They've waited so long for this day)
Someone to take the death away (There is no price they wouldn't pay)
No son would ever have to say, (For someone else to lead them)
"My father worked into his grave." (Don't turn your back on me!)
Light walked slowly to the window overlooking the city. He knew he had no choice but to turn on the machines. They'd come so far. To turn back now would be failure. Failure of his promise to the city. Failure of his promise to his father. Failure of the promise he'd made to himself.
What will I become with the things I will create?
I never said that men should bow. I never said that men should break
I only want what's best.
The one I love, she works so hard, she works her fingers till they bleed.
Some of the pain that she endures would bring a strong man to his knees.
I only want to help.
(You are a fool.) You underestimate the character of man.
(They are weaker than you think) You think that they'll surrender if you bind their working hands.
But they are strong (Just wait and see.)
We will build cities in a day. (Men would cower at the sight.)
We will build towers to the heavens. (Man was not built for such a height.)
We will be heroes. (We will build heroes.)
Tom reluctantly reached out his hand to the wall and pulled the large metal lever.
For miles, lights flickered under the sudden strain as the machines were brought to life.
They've waited so long for this day,
Someone to take the death away.
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
Men sleep tonight with hands of bone. They will awake with hands of steel.
And with these hands we will destroy. And with these hands we will rebuild.
And we will stand above our city,
rising high above her streets.
From tops of buildings we will look
at all that lies beneath our feet.
And we will raise our hands above us,
cold steel shining in the sun,
and with these hands that will not bleed,
my father's battle will be won.
As Thomas Light left the workshop, descended the stairs, and walked out in the cold night air, his partner surveyed the machines they had spent their lives creating. His gaze shifted from one pair of lifeless eyes to the next, until he came upon a single red light shining through the blacked-out blast shield of a dark green helmet. He shuddered. This was the new face of fear. He quickly turned to exit, the machine striding stoically a few steps behind. The two men were both headed to the same place.
Thomas Light walked slowly through the darkened streets. His mind was racing. His decision, right or wrong, had been made. Nothing could undo it now. He spoke to himself in hurried, hushed tones. Weighing the consequences of his actions. A familiar automobile passed him in the darkness. He was too lost in thought to take notice.
The Good Doctor by The Protomen tells a story about two men, Tom and Albert, who worked to create machines in order to make a better world. Tom's father died while working in a mine, and he swore to make things right. He learned how to bend and move steel and with hands of iron, he believed there was no task they couldn't do. Tom and Albert are determined to take back what they've earned, finally ending the endless cycle of workers dying from labor. Meanwhile, Tom's partner, Light, struggles with his decision to turn on the machines. He knows that to turn back would be to fail on his promise to his father, but at what cost?
With their new machines, Tom and Albert hope to make a better world, removing the deathly nature of work and bringing about a new era of prosperity. However, Albert warns Tom that by replacing the working parts, they create a different machine. The man who turns the wheels will follow wherever he leads. The machine means more than the sum of its parts; the control it brings can lead to catastrophic results. In one of the song's most powerful moments, Tom reluctantly pulls a large metal lever to bring the machines to life, signaling the beginning of their revolution.
The Good Doctor has a dystopian setting and tells a compelling story of injustice and hope held within machinery. It talks about the dangers of replacing human hands with cold steel and how these creations can have unintended consequences. The Protomen used heavy guitars and visceral energy to convey the emotions within the lyrics, making each line feel significant and packing their power with impressive vocalizations.
Line by Line Meaning
My father worked the mines until the day it took his life.
Tom's father passed away from working in the mines.
Stole him from his only son and it stole him from his wife.
Tom's father's death had a significant impact on Tom's family.
And I swore upon his grave, someday I would make things right.
Tom wants to avenge his father's death and make sure that it never happens to anyone else.
So I learned how to bend steel. I learned how to make it move, and I watched as it withstood all the hell we put men through. With hands of iron, there's not a task we couldn't do.
Tom honed his engineering skills to make sure that technology could help relieve the burden of stressful manual labor and menial tasks.
They've waited so long for this day, Someone to take the death away, No son would ever have to say, 'My father worked into his grave.'
Tom and his team are on a mission to create machines that will alleviate the burden of dangerous and unhealthy work for people.
Tom, listen to yourself, then listen carefully to me. If you replace the working parts, you get a different machine. The man who turns the wheels, they will follow Anywhere he leads.
Albert tries to make Tom see that by changing the parts of machines, the machines can become something entirely new. He believes that whoever controls the machines can lead the way for people.
We've spent our whole lives searching For a way to make a better world. Giving everything to them, asking nothing in return. Well here it is: our chance to take back everything we've earned.
Tom and his team have dedicated their lives to creating a better world by building machines that will reduce the burden of difficult labor. They believe that it is their time to be repaid for their hard work.
What will I become with the things I will create? I never said that men should bow. I never said that men should break I only want what's best.
Tom questions what his legacy will be and expresses that he wants what's best for people without having them submit to him.
The one I love, she works so hard, she works her fingers till they bleed. Some of the pain that she endures would bring a strong man to his knees. I only want to help.
Tom wants to help his loved one by creating machines that will help reduce her workload and prevent her from getting hurt while working.
(You are a fool.) You underestimate the character of man. (They are weaker than you think) You think that they'll surrender if you bind their working hands. But they are strong (Just wait and see.)
Someone is calling Tom a fool for thinking that people will blindly follow what he creates. The person believes that people will not just comply, even if their work is made easier. They believe that people will rise up in strength against those who seek to control them.
We will build cities in a day. (Men would cower at the sight.) We will build towers to the heavens. (Man was not built for such a height.) We will be heroes. (We will build heroes.)
Tom and his team's vision for the future involves building impressive buildings and cities. They see themselves as heroes who will make the world a better place.
Men sleep tonight with hands of bone. They will awake with hands of steel. And with these hands we will destroy. And with these hands we will rebuild.
People will go to sleep with ordinary human hands, but they will wake up with the help of machines that make their hands into powerful tools. They will use those hands to break down old ways of living and rebuild them in a new way.
And we will stand above our city, rising high above her streets. From tops of buildings we will look at all that lies beneath our feet. And we will raise our hands above us, cold steel shining in the sun, and with these hands that will not bleed, my father's battle will be won.
Tom and his team will create machines that will be used to improve and elevate the city. They see these machines as a way to honor Tom's father who died doing manual labor.
They've waited so long for this day, Someone to take the death away. No son would ever have to say, 'My father worked into his grave.'
Tom wants to create machines that will make work less dangerous and reduce the risk of death for people. No one should have to lose a parent to a job anymore.
And with these hands we will destroy. And with these hands we will rebuild.
Tom and his team's machines will break down old ways of living and usher in a new era of development.
Men sleep tonight with hands of bone. They will awake with hands of steel. And with these hands we will destroy. And with these hands we will rebuild.
People will not be just physical humans. Instead, they will be more powerful with tech integrated into their bodies. This power will be used to break down old ways of living and rebuild them in a new way that will greatly benefit society.
Contributed by Taylor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Left4Cake
"I allowed Albert to persuade me to change the designs. I allowed this perversion of my course. This new machine that we've built is unlike any I ever imagined. It looks... like a man."
-From the script cheet of Intermission
"If you replace the working parts
You get a different machine"
- Willy in this song
"And we will raise our hands above us
Cold steel shining in the sun"
-Light in this song
Most people seem to not relize the Lights orginal plans in this was to build some kind of robot arms for the workers in the minds, not full on Robots.
Afqwa
@Left4Cake It's a rock opera based on the Megaman video games. The series is explicitly about the good guy, Doctor Light co-developing robots with Doctor Wily to automate different jobs. Wily reprograms the robots to try and use them for world domination instead. And in order to stop him, Doctor Light builds Megaman to go out and destroy the robot masters (formerly worker bots). The original backstory behind each of the robot bosses is that they were built for specific tasks like logging or mining and their weapons are themed around it.
The games are much more lighthearted since Wily is basically a Saturday morning cartoon villain who always loses each game and is not a dictator who uses robot enforcers to maintain his power like he is in the rock opera from this band.
When Wily talks about changing the working parts, what he really means is militarizing the bots. He's basically hinting to Light that, sure, we gave these robots tools for manual labor but you could also give them weapons if you wanted to.
The following songs in the album basically being about Wily framing Light for the murder of his girlfriend and then installing himself as dictator who then sics robot assassins on citizenry who become a problem. At no point are prosthetic parts or cyborgs ever mentioned. Light and an unnamed young boy manage to destroy one of the assassins, only to learn that Wily has been building an army.
It wouldn't make much sense to give a miner like Light's father cyborg hands if the entire purpose is to keep him from dying in the mines. Instead you send a robot in his place to take all the risks of cave-ins, suffocation, heavy machinery and poison. As a robot would naturally be immune to all this and never feel exhaustion.
Kurgan42
Way I see it, it's only Light's father who died in the mines. Light wants to make the robots so that mankind doesn't have to do the most dangerous jobs.
Wily of course thinks Robots can be used for more than this, effectively thinking they can replace mankind in most areas of work.
I guess I see this scene as the two Doctors on the verge of unveiling their product, wine glasses in hand getting ready to toast it reminiscing on why they did what they did.
Then Wily reveals that by replacing humanity and retaining control of the robots for themselves they could effectively run the city "the men who turn the wheels".
Of course Light isn't having it and I guess being the executive here, he seriously considers pulling the plug on the project which gives Wily his miniature breakdown. Both of them however know that they can't abandon the project, it means too much to both of them.
Welp Light takes a risk and unfortunately it doesn't pay off, but hey at least it makes incredible music.
WallCat
The following is a little bit of my idea of how a full film of this album would look, continued from the last track in this channel:
[the Protomen begin playing the intro to "The Good Doctor". As Panther speaks, the stage remains somewhat lit as the surroundings fade into pitch-black; the stage becomes the background as the camera focuses on the blackness.]
PANTHER: [spoken] "A wise man once said, 'When the world changes, there are no innocent bystanders. Only those who turn the wheels, and those who let them be turned.' Well, one night, long ago, two men argued over just that: whether or not to turn the wheels."
[Two spotlights appear in the darkness just as Panther says "two men", revealing THOMAS LIGHT and ALBERT WILY. The stage in the background fades into the black, then the black fades to reveal the two men standing in a large run-down room with brick walls, faded glass windows, and blueprints all over. There is a table in the center of the room with a humanoid figure covered by a long white cloth ala Frankenstein. LIGHT and WILY stand over the table as "The Good Doctor" begins.]
LIGHT: [sung] My father worked the mines until the day it took his life.
Stole him from his only son and it stole him from his wife.
And I swore upon his grave, someday I would make things right.
So I learned how to bend steel. I learned how to make it move,
and I watched as it withstood all the hell we put men through.
With hands of iron, there's not a task we couldn't do.
They've waited so long for this day,
Someone to take the death away,
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
WILY: [spoken] So we turn them on.
LIGHT: [spoken] One or two of these I can take. But replacing ALL the workers? It just doesn't seem right...
WILY: [spoken] You're missing the point, here.
WILY: [sung] Tom, listen to yourself, then listen carefully to me.
If you replace the working parts, you get a different machine.
The man who turns the wheels, they will follow anywhere he leads.
We've spent our whole lives searching for a way to make a better world.
Giving everything to them, asking nothing in return.
Well here it is: our chance to take back everything we've earned.
LIGHT and (WILY): They've waited so long for this day (They've waited so long for this day)
Someone to take the death away (There is no price they wouldn't pay)
No son would ever have to say, (For someone else to lead them)
"My father worked into his grave." (Don't turn your back on me!)
[LIGHT looks worryingly at WILY at those words, but WILY backs off slightly, putting on a sympathetic expression.]
WILY: [spoken] Look, I'm sorry. It's just... we've worked on this for YEARS together. "We're going to make a better world"--those were YOUR words, weren't they? Well, this is the first step. Think about it. Our names will go down in history as the men who changed everything.
[LIGHT walks slowly towards the window, through which we get a glimpse of The City--it seems to be a mishmash of current technology with people talking on cell phones and watching television in store windows, but the buildings and dress seem more like something out of a small town in the 1930s and 1940s.]
LIGHT: [sung] What will I become with the things I will create?
I never said that men should bow. I never said that men should break;
I only want what's best.
[LIGHT looks at a photo on his desk of himself with a woman.]
The one I love, she works so hard, works her fingers 'till they bleed.
Some of the pain that she endures would bring a strong man to his knees.
I only want to help...
LIGHT and (WILY): (You are a fool.) You underestimate the character of man.
(They are weaker than you think) You think that they'll surrender if you bind their working hands.
But they are strong (Just wait and see.)
We will build cities in a day. (Men would cower at the sight.)
We will build towers to the heavens. (Man was not built for such a height.)
We will be heroes. (We will build heroes.)
[They look at each other from across the room before LIGHT returns to the table, helping WILY put the finishing touches on their creation via shots of the two welding and working with wires.]
LIGHT: They've waited so long for this day,
Someone to take the death away.
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
Men sleep tonight with hands of bone,
But they'll awake with hands of steel.
With these hands we will destroy,
And with these hands we will rebuild!
WILY: And we will stand above our city,
Rising high above her streets.
From tops of buildings we will look
At all that lies beneath our feet.
And we will raise our hands above us,
Cold steel shining in the sun,
And with these hands that will not bleed,
Your father's battle will be won!
[they finish the robot, LIGHT flips a switch on the wall as we see a close-up of the left hand of the machine poking out from under the sheet and beginning to twitch. Cut to WILY's face as he pulls the cloth away, cut to close-up of the machine's green helmet with a glowing red eye.]
LIGHT: [spoken] Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the future of robotics: The LightLabs Model 01!
[zoom out from the close-up to reveal the robot is now standing in place in the middle of a large presentation room adjacent to the lab as reporters look on. LIGHT stands at a podium in front of the reporters, WILY standing next to the machine. The reporters applaud briefly.]
LIGHT: The Model 01 is not a simple automaton--it features a cerebral matrix capable of following complex and intricate orders beyond the capacity of any modern computer.
[A reporter in the front row raises his hand; it's actually REANIMATOR, but he's in a suit and doesn't have his makeup on, so it's not obvious.]
REANIMATOR: Are you saying it's artificially intelligent?
LIGHT: No, just that it can understand and interpret commands in a much more general sense than less sophisticated machines, and thus carry out those commands with a small degree if independence, thus allowing it to decide on the most efficient means of executing its orders without going off on its own. You can all relax, we're not in danger of any 'robot uprising' just yet.
[Laughter fills the room at LIGHT's little joke. In the background, one might notice WILY doing something with the robot's head. Another reporter speaks up, this time it's THE GAMBLER, but again, she's out of costume and looking like any ordinary person.]
GAMBLER: What will this mean for jobs within the mining sector? Do you plan to replace all workers with these machines?
[LIGHT pauses at the question, worry on his face.]
LIGHT: No, nothing like that has been planned. Some jobs will be taken over, but I assure you, only those that are already far too dangerous for humans.
GAMBLER: How will you determine which jobs are too dangerous? Aren't all mining jobs dangerous?
[LIGHT stumbles at the question, provoking responses from the rest of the crowd as well. He briefly looks back at WILY, who is now innocently standing next to the machine, hands behind his back. LIGHT then turns back to the reporters and recovers enough to speak briefly.]
LIGHT: I'm sorry, but further questions will have to wait for another time. Doctor Wily and I have quite a bit of work to do. Thank you all for coming...
[The reporters shout a few more questions as LIGHT and WILY herd them out of the room.]
WILY: "A lot of work to do." We both know it's almost done.
LIGHT: Just want to make sure...
WILY: Ah, that's right. You never leave the lab until after Six. So predictable...
[WILY notices the look on LIGHT's face.]
WILY: You're still worried about that?
LIGHT: Why wouldn't I be?
WILY: I told you, we're making a better world. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made to do that. Though if you're worried about it that much, I do have something in mind that would make the process a little smoother...
[LIGHT pauses and looks at WILY with increased worry. WILY is smirking.]
LIGHT: What process? What are you making?
WILY: The old broadcast tower at the center of the city could be easily repurposed for mass control of the Model 01s. Think about it: instead of relying on the mining companies to run small groups of the machines on-site, we could have citywide control, allowing us to direct them in any way we see fit. All I need is the schematic for the master controller from your apartment, and we could have it all running within the day.
LIGHT: "Any way we see fit?" Or any way YOU see fit?
[WILY's smile fades into a frown briefly before he gets it back. Very unsettling.]
WILY: Just think about it.
[LIGHT pauses for a good while before walking to the door to the lab. As he leaves the room, we see WILY smiling evilly behind him before looking at his watch, then at a clock on the wall, and setting a timer as he walks over to the robot and turns it on; the robot follows him out the door as Wily smirks again.]
WILY: So very predictable.
[As he leaves the room, the first few notes of "The Father of Death" begin playing...]
MantraHerbInchSin
Lyrics for the heroes:
My father worked the mines until the day it took his life
It stole him from his only son and it stole 'im from his wife
And I swore upon his grave: someday I would make things right
So I learned how to bend steel– I learned how to make it move
And I watched as it withstood all the hell we put men through
With hands of iron, there's not a task we couldn't do
They've waited so long for this day
Someone to take the death away
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
Tom, listen to yourself, then listen carefully to me
If you replace the working parts, you get a different machine
The man who turns the wheels, they will follow anywhere he leads...
We've spent our whole lives searching for a way to make a better world
Giving everything to them, asking nothing in return
Well here it is– our chance to take back everything we've earned
They've waited so long for this day
(They've waited so long for this day!)
Someone to take the death away (There is no price they wouldn't pay!)
No son would ever have to say, (For someone else to lead them!)
"My father worked into his grave." (Don't turn your back on me!)
What will I become with the things I will create?
I never said that men should bow
I never said that men should break
I only want what's best...
The one I love, she works so hard,
She works her fingers till they bleed
Some of the pain that she endures
Would bring a strong man to his knees
I only wanna help
You underestimate the character of man.
(They are weaker than you think) You think that
They'll surrender if you bind their working hands
But they are strong (Just wait and see)
We will build cities in a day (Man would cower at the sight)
We will build towers to the heavens
(Man was not built for such a height)
We will be heroes! (We will build heroes!)
They've waited so long for this day
Someone to take the death away
No son would ever have to say,
"My father worked into his grave."
Men sleep tonight with hands of bone
They will awake with hands of steel
And with these hands we will destroy,
And with these hands we will rebuild
And we will stand above our city, rising high above the streets!
From tops of buildings we will look at all that lies beneath our feet
We will raise our hands above us
Cold steel shining in the sun
And with these hands that will not bleed
My father's battle will be won!
Joseph Schultz
My father isn't dead yet... but he's a worker. A builder. An engineer.
I get it.
I fear the day that he leaves me. Gone to that place beyond us all. But I feel as though he'd urge me to keep creating. Building. I've listened to this song many times now and it strikes me deeper each time. I know that I would do what Light has chosen to do. I would keep on building, even in the face of adversity. Even with Wily laughing at the futility of it all, I can see it. And even if it killed me, I would live up to my own chosen moment.
Every man and women has a moment. We're not born for it. We decide it. And I'd decide "No". Because it's the obvious answer. Even if it pointlessly kills me, the answer is still no.
I refute thee, Wily. I suffer not thy tyranny. And if that means death, then so be it.
CRTim
Hey guys check me out, I'm Megaman 8 Dr. White singing this song...
My fawwa worked da mownes
Til da daye it took its woife
Stowe him frowm his onwy son
And it stowe it form his woife
So I wearned how to bewnd steel, I wearned how to make it mowve
And I watched as it withstoowd all the hwell we put men throwgh
With hands of iworn, theres not a tawsk we couldn't do.
They waiwted so wong for this day
Swomeone to twake the deaf away
N---No swon wood eva' havta say
"My Fawaa worked inta his grawve"
Light💡
I love the "We will be heroes" line coming Light and then Wily contesting that with "We will build heroes" because throughout the rest of the story light tries and ultimately fails to do both. He's just such a sad protagonist!
ItsDuv!
Did The Megas reference the Protomen line or did The Protomen reference The Megas?
William Taylor
That line brings into view the crux of the entire story: Will man be the hero?
Bird Man
I love how you can really envision the tale of two desperate geniuses using their gifts to change the world. While one remains steadfast and righteous the other is slowly driven mad by his ambitions. So damn good
Banchoking
You know Wily's line, "We will build heroes!" hits a lot harder after Megaman 11 and you find out that was his original intention before Light repeatedly got in his way out of fear of Wily's technology being misused, breeding the resentment that turned him to evil.
Firguy the Foot Fetishist from 4chan
they've waited so long for this day
someone to take the death away
no son would ever have to say
'my father worked into his grave'
Can I just say how much I love these lyrics? They work so well at getting you to love this character and sympathize with his motivations.
AstraCrits
Thank you, Firguy the Foot Fetishist from 4chan, very cool!
fr tho it really does help to get you more invested in poor Doctor Light.
Keaton
i really love how the protomen worked in the "mining robots" thing into the main story. it was always just kind of a weird detail about the mets and some robot masters in the original series? but using it as light's motivation really fits perfectly.
Sethwick
The way his voice falls when he says "I only wanna help" and he just sounds like this scared child stripped of everything who just wants to fix it aahhhh it's so good.
Joseph Schultz
It hurts my soul. I know exactly what you're talking about.