So why is Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
Quite simply, Dr. Feelgood is ridiculous and ridiculously good hair metal at the same time.
“Hair metal” isn’t just aesthetics, of course: it means going for it with a huge, arena-shaking sound. But it only really works if the band brings the guitar hooks, super over-the-top macho-cheese energy, and overall chops to make it work, and the Crüe truly delivers here, from monster hits like “Kickstart My Heart” and the title track to some surprisingly strong deep cuts.
Let’s start with the latter. I’ve become particularly enamored with “Slice of Your Pie,” which at first glance on Spotify or in the liner notes* might easily be written off as “Cherry Pie”-esque filler.
* If you’re too young to know what liner notes are… look it up.
Instead, it’s a surprisingly sophisticated song that clearly attempts to position the band as rivals to the reigning hair metal band (Guns ‘n Roses) of the era. A quiet opening section quickly segues into a huge, pleasing guitar riff, but then the second half of the song shifts into a surprisingly Beatles-y feel circa the White Album, and quite effectively so.
All of that being said, the title track, “Dr. Feelgood” is likely the song most closely associated with this album, and for good reason: it’s hair metal executed by a band that has mastered the form. It’s a big, silly, rocking song, of course, but it excels due to its great hook and particularly Vince Neil’s vocals.
“Kickstart My Heart” is pure hair metal adrenaline, while “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.)” finds that party-meets-hard rock sweet spot that’s ideal for both arena crowds and for playing at dive bars worldwide for time immemorial.
Pop culture stuff that’s somehow related to Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood
Even if you’re not much of a fan of the band, I highly recommend the Hulu limited series, Pam & Tommy, which in some ways is the story drummer Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson’s infamous sex tape (which was stolen from the couple, a relatively more innocent time!), and in others is a story about how celebrity culture – in combination with the rise of the internet – was rapidly changing.
The best part about the show, beyond the great performances all around (including Sebastian Stan as Lee, Lily James as Anderson, Seth Rogen, Taylor Schilling, and a fabulously sleazy Nick Offerman as a porn producer), is that it doesn’t forget to work as entertainment.
Some stats & info about Mötley Crüe – Dr. Feelgood
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? SoCal Bands, Hair Metal, Hard Rock, Rock Music
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
- When was Girls, Girls, Girls released? 1989
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #587 out of 1,000
Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from Mötley Crüe’s Dr. Feelgood that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
Skydive naked from an aeroplane, or a lady with a body from outer space.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.