Studio version
The lady keeps the doctor in a place inside her pocket
The circle made her silver like a wheel
The doctor gives a strange love, but the lady she don't knock it
She's glad to get a piece of anything
Because the lady needs the medicine he brings
And the doctor needs the lady to see
The doctor keeps the lady in a page in a book
On the history of communicable disease
The lady's been to school and she lets the doctor play it cool
He writes the script, she follows his lead
Because the doctor writes a love story so fine
And the lady's learned to read between his lines sometimes
The doctor he takes house calls where he visits the animals in their stalls
Shoots 'em full of juice and then goes home
The lady hits the supermart where she rides the aisles in a shopping cart
'Till she feels she's played enough of the part to get by, ohhh
And the lady feels it's enough to just be good
But the doctor has this need to be understood
The doctor feels he's so abused and the lady feels she's so unused
And demands the doctor tends her daily parts
Oh, but the doctor he just can't do it because long ago the lady blew it
They're too old now to make another start
The lady feels the doctor's made of stone
But the doctor's heart it just ain't found a home
LADY AND THE DOCTOR is a song written by Bruce Springsteen who recorded it in studio in mid-1972. The song has not been officially released. The above lyrics are transcribed from a studio take of the song recorded in July 1972.
There is no indication to when LADY AND THE DOCTOR was written. The song was copyrighted in 1995 by JEC Music USA under the title "Lady and the doctor" (registration no. PAu001951817) and in 1999 by Bruce Springsteen under the title "The lady and the doctor" (registration no. PAu002367583) and "Lady & the doctor" (registration no. SRu000334327). In the lyrics, the two characters are always referred to as "the lady" and "the doctor". It is probable that the correct title of the song is "The Lady And The Doctor".
One studio version of LADY AND THE DOCTOR is in circulation among collectors. It's a studio take likely recorded around Jul-Aug 1972 at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, NY. It features Springsteen solo on vocals and acoustic guitar. The Jul-Aug 1972 sessions at 914 Sound Studios were produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos, and Louis Lahav took the role of recording engineer. The above lyrics transcribed from that circulating studio version of LADY AND THE DOCTOR. According to Sony's logs of Bruce Springsteen's studio sessions, LADY AND THE DOCTOR was cut on 07 Jun 1972 (the first studio session for the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. album) and on 27 Jun 1972 at 914 Sound Studios. The circulating studio version is probably from the 07 Jun 1972 session.
A solo demo of LADY AND THE DOCTOR was recorded probably in April 1972 at Mike Appel's office or home in New York City, NY. It features Springsteen solo on vocals and acoustic guitar. See the April 1972 demo version for more details.
In his 2012 book E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Clinton Heylin wrote that LADY AND THE DOCTOR was once shortlisted for the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. album. He adds that in all likelihood the song was cut for the debut album in both solo and band versions.
The studio version of LADY AND THE DOCTOR was released on the briefly-legal albums The Early Years (Early Records), Unearthed (Masquerade Music, both issues), and Before The Fame (Pony Express Records, all three issues). See PRODIGAL SON for more details.
Bruce Springsteen likely performed LADY AND THE DOCTOR during his short-lived solo period in summer 1972.
At least one artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's LADY AND THE DOCTOR.
Some of the above info about the studio recording is taken from Brucebase. Info and scan for the Fred Gorhau cover album is taken from the Nebraska website.
List of available versions of LADY AND THE DOCTOR on this website:
LADY AND THE DOCTOR [Studio version]
