Dr. Feelgood (Mötley Crüe song)
{{short description|1989 single by Mötley Crüe}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Dr. Feelgood
| cover = Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Mötley Crüe
| album = Dr. Feelgood
| B-side = Sticky Sweet
| released = August 28, 1989
| recorded = 1989
| studio = Little Mountain Sound Studios, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| genre = * Glam metal{{Cite web |date=February 5, 2014 |title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Hair Metal Songs |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-greatest-hair-metal-songs-11547/5-motley-crue-dr-feelgood-231739/ |access-date=February 27, 2019 |website=Rolling Stone}}{{Cite magazine |title=Top 20 Hair Metal Albums of the Eighties – Guitar World |url=http://www.guitarworld.com/top_20_hair_metal_albums_of_the_eighties?page=0%2C0 |url-status=dead |magazine=Guitar World |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004060642/http://www.guitarworld.com/top_20_hair_metal_albums_of_the_eighties?page=0,0 |archive-date=4 October 2012 |access-date=28 February 2021 |quote=“Dr. Feelgood,” “Kickstart My Heart,” “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” and “She Goes Down” are as good as pop metal ever got}}{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2018 |first=Bryan |last=Wawzenek |title=Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News: 40 Songs About Doctors |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/doctor-songs/ |access-date=2021-06-11 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}
- hard rock{{Cite web |title=VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs |url=https://www.stereogum.com/43591/vh1s_100_greatest_hard_rock_songs/franchises/list/ |access-date=15 October 2019 |website=Stereogum}}
| length = 4:50
| label = Elektra
| writer = {{flatlist|
}}
| producer = Bob Rock
| prev_title = You're All I Need
| prev_year = 1987
| next_title = Kickstart My Heart
| next_year = 1989
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Dr.feelgood.ogg
| description = "Dr. Feelgood"
}}
{{External music video
| type = single
| header = Music videos
| 1 = {{YouTube|jiJPzLcwriU|"Dr. Feelgood"}}
}}
}}
"Dr. Feelgood" is a song by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. It was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album of the same name.
"Dr. Feelgood" is Mötley Crüe's only gold single in the U.S. In 2009, it was ranked the 15th greatest hard rock song of all time by VH1.{{Cite web |title=spreadit.org music |url=http://music.spreadit.org/vh1-top-100-hard-rock-songs/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212180319/http://music.spreadit.org/vh1-top-100-hard-rock-songs/ |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |access-date=February 7, 2009}}
Theme and musical style
The tune explores the intersection of the LA Sunset Strip scene and drugs, depicting a drug dealer. This track marks a departure from the band's earlier musical style, introducing a funk rock groove and more sophisticated lyrics that deviate from their previous straightforward riffing and simpler lyrical approach.{{Cite web |last=Whitaker |first=Sterling |date=2012-10-03 |title=Top 10 Motley Crue Songs |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/motley-crue-songs/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}
Critical reception
Upon release, David Giles of British magazine Music Week left a mixed review of the single. He called the song "almost funky furore, at the point where metal meets boogie" but "where the sound should be huge and fulsome, it is disappointingly trebly."{{cite magazine|author=David Giles|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-10-21.pdf#page=45|title=Mötley Crüe: "Dr. Feelgood" (Elektra/WEA)|magazine=Music Week|department=Singles Reviews|date=21 October 1989|page=25|publisher=Pensord Press Ltd.|location=Gwent|issn=0265-1548|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805122342/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-10-21.pdf#page=45|archive-date=5 August 2023|access-date=18 January 2023|via=World Radio History}}
Commercial performance
Released in 1989 as the album's first single, "Dr. Feelgood" became Mötley Crüe's first American Top Ten hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 28, 1989. It is their highest ranked single to this day.Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th ed, Billboard Publications, Inc. 1996. {{ISBN|0-8230-7632-6}} In November 1989, the single was certified Gold by the RIAA for more than 500,000 units shipped in the United States.{{Cite web |title=RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Motley Crue Singles |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Motley%20Crue&format=SINGLE&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |access-date=2009-07-15}}
Personnel
- Vince Neil – lead vocals
- Mick Mars – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Nikki Sixx – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Tommy Lee – drums, backing vocals
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Chart (1989) ! Peak |
| {{singlechart|Australia|26|artist=Motley Crue|rowheader=true|song=Dr. Feelgood}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|11|artist=Motley Crue|rowheader=true|song=Dr. Feelgood}} |
| {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|50|artist=Motley Crue|rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|6|artist=Motley Crue|
rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|7|artist=Motley Crue|rowheader=true|access-date=August 20, 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|20|artist=Motley Crue|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2019}} |
Certifications
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Country ! Organization ! Year ! Sales |
| USA
|RIAA{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Motley+Crue&ti=&format=Single&type=#search_section|title=RIAA Gold & Platinum database|access-date=February 7, 2009}} |1989 |Gold |
| colspan="3"|Total available sales:
|(+ 500,000) |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Mötley Crüe}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor Feelgood (Mötley Crüe song)}}
Category:Music videos directed by Wayne Isham
Category:Songs written by Nikki Sixx
Category:Songs written by Mick Mars
Category:Song recordings produced by Bob Rock