Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk

Album: The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
Play Video
  • Doctor doctor!
    I'm in bed
    Achin' head
    Gold is lead
    Choke on bread
    Underfed
    Gold is lead
    Jesus bled
    Pain is red
    Are goon
    Grow go
    Greasy spoon
    You swoon
    June bloom

    Music seems to help the pain
    Seems to cultivate the brain
    Doctor kindly tell your wife that
    I'm alive, flowers thrive, real eyes, realize
    Real lies Writer/s: Roger Waters
    Publisher: T.R.O. INC.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 8

  • San from Pennsylvania I always thought this song was an early precursor to Comfortably Numb where Roger describes his childhood fever of 105°. He said he was delirious from it and the lyrics sound like a delirious sick patient. I could be wrong but I think Roger is talking about that childhood incident in this song.
  • Moop from Newport, RiI hadn't heard this song in forever, and I just listened to it, having recently bought the reissue vinyl pressing of Piper. My immediate thought was - wow - this song sounds like early Devo! Or early Devo sounds like this song!
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjApparently, this was Roger's attempt at a "Barret-like" composition. He had not yet bloomed into the brilliant songwriter he was yet to become.

    This song always reinds me of the Dr. Doctor character from the British cartoon "The Secret Show".
  • Tristan from Philadelphia, PaGreat song, instrumentals are rediculous and I love it.
  • Lexx from Milton, Indiathis song has a hint of let there be more light, form saucer full of secrets in there somewhere, i heard it!
  • Michael from OxfordThis song always strikes me as a sort of warm-up for Interstellar Overdrive.
  • Shelby from Idiotville , KyI completely agree, Manuel. My favorite song from Piper is "Bike," but this is right behind it. Very underrated.
  • Manuel from Santo Domingo, OtherThis is one of my favorite Pink Floyd songs, and is my favorite song from the Pipers at the Gate of Dawn. The lyrics don't make too much sense, but one can understan that it is a person in a hospital suffering great pain. However, the beat and riffs of this song make it really awesome. Shame it is not that well known.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.