Mountain Goats, The - The Bad Doctor Lyrics






If you were anywhere near his door
You saw it swing open and you heard the moon roar
Trying to yank herself right out of her orbit
The whole natural world
Painted red, just like a target

It was a cold dark day
With low clouds standing in the way
And the stars jockeying for position
On the slow thick morning of the death-dealing physician
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)

And you could feel his features in the air
A wide smile and perfect hair
He had complete control of the rising tides
And a medicine bag hanging at his side

It was a cold dark day
With low clouds standing in the way
And the stars jockeying for position
In the flowing blue world of the death-dealing physician
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)

And the rain came down like water from a faucet
I saw him at the crossroads, but I never saw him cross it
One minute he was on this side
And the next he was be over on the other
So went his rounds, one sad patient after another

It was a cold dark day
With low clouds standing in the way
And the stars jockeying for position
In the crushed velvet world of the death-dealing physician
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)

It was a cold dark day
With low clouds standing in the way
And the stars jockeying for position
In the impossibly large office of the death-dealing physician
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)
(Oh yeah)





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Mountain Goats, The The Bad Doctor Comments
  1. F.... ....

    Night Vale, anyone?

  2. U.... C....

    This song is about Dr.Jack Kervorkian he was a physician, doctor who did morally ambiguous assisted suicides his name was doctor death and the lyrics coacide with his story on the dot with "wide smile" "whole world painted red like a target"
    "perfect hair" "I saw him stand at the crossroads but never cross it" "he had complete control of the rising tides" "went his rounds one sad patient after another." No Doctor.who, but Doctor.death works.

    U.... C....

    No it's not. John Darnielle is a supporter of the right to die with dignity.

    U.... C....

    and that means this song he wrote a long ass time ago ain't about dr.death with all the evidence how?

    U.... C....

    "I stopped playing this song because people thought it was about Jack Kevorkian, which it is not. It’s about a malevolent force that runs around dispensing death in the guise of medicine — actual widespread death, not the merciful death of Jack Kevorkian."
    - John Darnielle at Swedish American Hall in San Francisco, CA on June 28, 2012:

  3. v.... ....

    The song is not about Doctor Who because the song references an 'impossibly large office' and a 'death dealing physician,' neither of which fit Dr. Who's description. Furthermore, Dr. Who's credentials are merely to grant him, for the sake of a sci-fi-watching public, some credibility and expertise. In short, calling Mr. Who a doctor allows us suspend disbelief and grant him his command.

    v.... ....

    I also doubt the song refers to Doctor Who, but an "impossibly large office" would technically fit the description of the TARDIS.

  4. r.... ....

    So how is this song not about Doctor Who?

    r.... ....

    rorberyllium cos dr who sucks and this song doesn't