Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood - Lyrics Meaning

"Dr. Feelgood" is the title track and leading single from Motley Crue's 1989 album. The song was Motley Crue's highest charting single in the United States - reaching number six on Billboard's Hot 100. It is the band's only RIAA certified Gold record (500,000 or more units shipped) and the band also received a Grammy nomination for the song.

The song is remembered for its controversial subject matter. The lyrics tell the story of a Los Angeles drug dealer by the name of Jimmy. Jimmy has the city in the palm of his hand. He's connected to not just the Mexican mob but the police force as well. He's above the law. Everyone is either under his influence or they are in his pocket. But the song warns that beneath Jimmy's seemingly glamorous life, with classic cars, tons of friends, and beautiful women, Jimmy is about to go down. While he's currently feeding the cocaine addictions of scenesters, the scuttlebutt on the street is Jimmy's world is about to crumble.

Although there is no real-life connection between any band member and the fictitious character of Jimmy, Nikki Sixx penned the lyrics with several Los Angeles drug dealers in mind. Sixx, who was once clinically dead as result of a drug overdose, has always stated that a good drug addict has more than one dealer, and he used his run ins with dealers over the years in describing Jimmy's character and lifestyle. Guitarist Mick Mars wrote the song's main riff and the original lyrics had a completely different theme until Sixx revisited it later with drug dealers in mind.

VH1 ranked "Dr. Feelgood" the 15th greatest hard rock song of all time in 2009. The song has become Motley Crue's signature song.