Dr. John

11-21-12        Dr. John

Dr. John born 1940…and still walks the Earth!

I like Dr. John’s stuff, I came on board with the “Right Place Wrong Time” 45.  What a tale this guy has!  I remember reading his entire autobiography when I had Jury Duty one time.  Totally at odds with my then-reality, I read about “Big Chief Tuddy” etc.

“The Dr. John Anthology – Mos’ Scocious” (Rhino Records 2CD, 1993) is really decent, 39 tracks of Dr. John’s particular thang, with cuts by Ronnie & The Delinquents, Morgus & the 3 Ghouls, Roland Stone etc. – and a heapin’ helpin’ of Dr. John’s solo work.

My Dr. John collection is not huge, but you bes’ believe I enjoy what I have:

CDx2           ANTHOLOGY – MOS’ SCOCIOUS                                                 RHINO US                R2 71450

1993 39  TRK Collection

CD                BABYLON                                                                                          ATCO JPN                AMCY-230

1968 7 TRKS 2nd album (’91 issue)

CD                GRIS-GRIS                                                                                        ATCO JPN                AMCY-229

1968 7 TRKS 1st album (’91 issue)

LP                GUMBO                                                                                              ATCO US                  SD 7006

1972 12 TRKS 4th album, promo

CD                GUMBO / IN THE RIGHT PLACE (MFSL Gold disc)                  MOBILE FIDELITY   UDCD 619

1972/3 23 TRKS 2 on 1, MFSL Gold Disc

LP                IN THE RIGHT PLACE                                                                    ATCO US                  SD 7018

1973 11 TRKS 5th album

7″                 LET’S MAKE A BETTER WORLD (mono) / (stereo) promo      ATCO US                  45-6971

1974 2 TRKS no pic sleeve, promo

When I worked at the LP importer in the 1980’s, I remember some audiophile store somewhere ordering something like 25 copies of “Gumbo” by Dr. John on LP, so we called the guy (as the records were very expensive, for the time).  “The Japanese pressings are quiet, but you have to demo expensive equipment with something that sounds good!”, was what they told us.

For me, the album “In The Right Place” sounds pretty good.  Great songs, decent recording.  The Dr. is in fine voice etc.  It’s his commercial breakthrough album.

And as the Dr. is still boppin’ at age 71.  Has he really been sober for over 20 years?  Guess they all figure it out, after a while.  Do what you gotta do to stay alive.  When the Dr. finally departs, I hope someone lobbies to get his face onto U.S. postage stamps.  I wanna pay my phone bill with a Dr. John stamp on it!

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