Page 817, track notes for Doctor Dark:
"This song kicks in at a much higher level. The first section has Bill playing a repetitive line four times with Mark playing two separate lines beneath. There are several subtle differences from part to part and Boston's playing here is as phenomenal as anything on TMR and more so. I'm playing a line straight from Wild Life, the first part, in fact, but slightly altered because I am now using two bass drums. I love the way the second section is played 3 times and then off to something new. Most people think in terms of music playing 2 or four of something - numbers. This pulls the listener to a new section at the same time slightly disorienting them. Don's voice slides in at 0:30 on top of an even more powerful section in 4/4 clicks. This is a classic "Don on piano" part and is reminiscent of many I wrote during TMR. The next (0:41) part is almost a TMR type change to 3/4 time. (0:52) reveals a section reminiscent of Frownland, but more suspended. Mark is playing an almost county-esque riff under Bill's suspended chord but the drums, rather than being so free-form are here playing a pattern although there doesn't seem to be any "pulse". This feeling continues on in the next section at (1:12) with a more intense dissonance on the bass and an expansion of the guitar part as if more explanation is necessary, and both parts are starting and ending toegther over the suspension. At (1:31) a discernable pulse returns but bass and guitar take separate time signatures. At (1:41) Artie joins Bill playing a long line that seems to be in seven over Mark's more conventional line in four. (2:00) brings in a more clearly TMR-style section in four then at (2:10) the bass takes leave of it's senses and explodes in emotion as the song begins to fade. I have always been amazed at the music to this piece and it never fails to move me. Part of the reason is I never heard it until the guitar and bass were finished, so I don't know the framework nearly as well. Although both instruments shine in this piece, it's really clear that Mark has had some incredible growth since TMR and is playing stuff I've never heard a bass player before or since achieve.
The lyrics I find that I am unqualified to approach, as with most Van Vliet lyrics. I see childlike metaphors of night coming as a scary omnious figure on horseback, perhaps thunder and lightning being imagined as horse hooves making sparks. The moon seems the only anchor of serenity here and the music seems to set a mode of hope during the moon episodes. There are blues images, but they are taken to a supersonic level - 'The hell hounds, hell hounds, horn rim crimped'. This is a phenomenal piece".
"Bill" is Bill Harkleroad, "Zoot Horn Rollo", on guitar
"Mark" is Mark Boston, "Rockette Morton", on bass
"Artie" is Art Tripp, "Ed Marimba", on drums
the writer is John French, "Drumbo", on drums
You can listen to this by clicking this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9eTwPgl0GU