Katy tried
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow
You walked in
And my life began again
Just when I'd spent the last piaster
I could borrow
All night long
We would sing that stupid song
And every word we sang
I knew was true
Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
Are you crazy are you high
Or just an ordinary guy
Have you done all you can do
Are you with me Doctor

Don't seem right
I've been strung out here all night
I've been waiting for the taste
You said you'd bring to me
Biscayne Bay
Where the Cuban gentlemen sleep all day
I went searching for the song
You used to sing to me
Katy lies
You could see it in her eyes
But imagine my surprise
When I saw you

Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
She is lovely yes she's sly
And you're an ordinary guy
Has she finally got to you
Can you hear me Doctor


Lyrics submitted by AbFab

Dr Wu Lyrics as written by Donald Jay Fagen Walter Carl Becker

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Dr Wu song meanings
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  • +5
    Memory

    I'm a TV news anchor living in Los Angeles and would like to tell my Dr. Wu experience. In about 1991 or so I was working for KSBW TV in Salinas, California. A young female reporter came to work for us from a station in Honolulu. Her name was Janet Wu. She was a lovely girl and very bright. People who know me will tell you that I have a habit of singing out loud while I'm writing news copy and I'm a huge Steely Dan fan. One day while sitting at the typewriter I began singing Dr. Wu. Janet passed by my desk and heard me singing. She stopped and said, "that song is about my dad." I laughed and said,"yeah right." She told me she was serious and went on to tell me the following story. Donald Fagen's mother, whose name is Kathryn, kept secret from Donald the fact that she had a serious heart disorder. Her condition eventually worsened to the point where her poor health became obvious to Donald, who was livid over the fact that she had lied to him about her health. He immediately sought out a doctor who could treat Kathryn's rare condition. That's where heart specialist Dr. Wu comes in. He had a practice in Florida (Biscayne Bay). Janet describes her father as being "kinda weird." That is he is very old school Chinese in his ways. She told me that Westerners find him to be socially inept. Fagen obviously found this to be true when they met. (Are you crazy, are you wise, or just an ordinary guy? Have you done all you can do? Are you with me Doctor?) Shortly after Janet told me the story I did some research on her father and confirmed that he was indeed a Florida heart surgeon. I never confirmed Dr. Wu's contact with Fagen's mother. I have no doubt that Dr. Wu inspired the song. As a song writer myself I can tell you that songs very often end up quite distant from their point of inspiration. They take many twists and turns during the writing process. I think this is true in the development of the song Dr. Wu. My friend, Janet Wu continued her television reporting career. The last I heard she was working in Boston. I've often thought about contacting her to go over some of the details of her story. Maybe someone else can do that. For now I think I'll listen to some Steely Dan.

    Song boyon October 11, 2013   Link

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