Dr. Feel Good

Album: Lazarus (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from Lazarus, the debut solo album by Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy. The song was produced by The Smeezingtons, who were also the production team behind McCoy's hit single "Billionaire" and B.o.B's chart-topping "Nothin' on You."
  • The song features American singer-songwriter Cee-Lo Green, who is best known as being one half of the duo Gnarls Barkley. McCoy told Alternative Press: "It's been a dream of mine to work with Cee-Lo since I first heard him on [Outkast's 1994 album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik] when I was a kid. He was on a song called 'Git Up, Git Out.' I was like, 'Who is this dude?' He wasn't really singing as much back then, but he had this awesome voice."
    I worked with [Bruno Mars and Philip Lawrence of] the Smeezingtons on this track. When Bruno sang the reference for the hook, I was like, 'We really need to get Cee-Lo on this song.' We had Cee-Lo do it and it was like magic. I remember coming home after getting the track done and playing it to my friends and they flipped out. I had to play it a million times."
  • McCoy told Alternative Press about the track: "I think 'Dr. Feel Good' sets the tone for the album. It's placed perfectly kicking off the album. The song is basically about escapism through music. I'm a pretty reclusive dude, and in the early stages of this album, I was kind of in a dark place. I was writing a lot of sad s--t and when I wrote this song, it captures where I was at during the time. It captures what it was like to get out of that rut. It was one of the songs I feel set the bar for the rest of the album."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The Remasters

Brian Kehew: The Man Behind The RemastersSong Writing

Brian has unearthed outtakes by Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello and hundreds of other artists for reissues. Here's how he does it.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.