The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Deep down in the south county
Over where the paper mill runs
Lived a man, a young country doctor
With the perfect wife and sons
Well he worked his days
And Sundays he'd pray
And nobody knew
Why the wife slowly withered away
I saw the country doctor, to ask him what
was wrong with me
He was caught unaware, accidental and devil may care
Behind the curtain I see, two shadows in front of me
Oh nobody know the trouble I've seen
My guess, there was another woman
And with the kids and the money there was a lot to lose
He said she had an rare affliction
And he was doing all he could do
And we all believed him
Felt so sorry and then
I thought once he was a fine man
Now I don't remember when
I saw the country doctor, to ask him what
was wrong with me
He was caught unaware, accidental and devil may care
Behind the curtain I see, bottles unmarked in front of me
Whoa nobody knows the trouble I've seen
I saw the country doctor, in a place he didn't see me
Way out in the middle of the night where he thought
no one could see
Over there in the parlor room, making eyes,
hands roaming free
Someone soon must know, the trouble I've seen
Did you think about the young ones
One day they'll know it was you
And if they let you off one day
Who then will you turn to
And my wife remembers one thing
She said I remember kind of strangely
At a friends wedding one time
It was a look that he gave me
Over where the paper mill runs
Lived a man, a young country doctor
With the perfect wife and sons
Well he worked his days
And Sundays he'd pray
And nobody knew
Why the wife slowly withered away
I saw the country doctor, to ask him what
was wrong with me
He was caught unaware, accidental and devil may care
Behind the curtain I see, two shadows in front of me
Oh nobody know the trouble I've seen
My guess, there was another woman
And with the kids and the money there was a lot to lose
He said she had an rare affliction
And he was doing all he could do
And we all believed him
Felt so sorry and then
I thought once he was a fine man
Now I don't remember when
I saw the country doctor, to ask him what
was wrong with me
He was caught unaware, accidental and devil may care
Behind the curtain I see, bottles unmarked in front of me
Whoa nobody knows the trouble I've seen
I saw the country doctor, in a place he didn't see me
Way out in the middle of the night where he thought
no one could see
Over there in the parlor room, making eyes,
hands roaming free
Someone soon must know, the trouble I've seen
Did you think about the young ones
One day they'll know it was you
And if they let you off one day
Who then will you turn to
And my wife remembers one thing
She said I remember kind of strangely
At a friends wedding one time
It was a look that he gave me
Lyrics submitted by T_D_Phoenix
Country Doctor Lyrics as written by Bruce Hornsby
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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