Milk And Alcohol

Album: Private Practice (1978)
Charted: 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The origin of this song is related in the 1997 biography Down by the Jetty: The Dr. Feelgood Story, by Tony Moon.

    It started as a riff by guitarist John Mayo; he played it in a dressing room in Holland to vocalist Lee Brilleaux, then it became an instrumental backing track, then producer Nick Lowe put lyrics to it, although it was produced by Richard Gottehrer.
  • Running to around 2 minutes 55 seconds, it is the fourth track on the October 1978 Private Practice album, and was released as a single on the United Artists Records label in January 1979 backed by "Every Kind Of Vice". It is the band's biggest hit, and was inspired by a John Lee Hooker lyric on the same subject; in Hooker's song "It Serves You Right To Suffer," he sings, "Your doctor put you on milk, cream and alcohol." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Penny Ford of Snap!

Penny Ford of Snap!Songwriter Interviews

The original voice of Snap! this story is filled with angry drag queens, video impersonators and Chaka Khan.