Doctor Robert

The recording of Doctor Robert took place at EMI, London, in April 1966, with seven initial takes and vocals added a couple of days later. The recording engineer was Geoff Emerick and the producer, George Martin. The track, lasting just over two minutes, was included on the album Revolver in the UK and on Yesterday and Today in North America. Musically, the song plays with the keys of A major and B major, with a melody in the Mixolydian mode. An interesting detail is the layering of the arrangement, with choruses entering on the second verse, the lead guitar just before the bridge, and in the latter, the addition of harmonium and more vocals. Lennon's lead vocal was recorded with a double-tracking technique that creates a surreal effect, complementing the lyrical theme. It is speculated that Lennon may have been inspired by songs like Mother's Little Helper by the Rolling Stones or Candy Man by Donovan. One theory about the identity of the real doctor points to Robert Freymann, a Manhattan doctor known for his vitamin B-12 injections with amphetamines for wealthy clients, although the lyrics mention that the doctor "works for the national health". Another possibility considered was that of Robert Fraser, a London art dealer and friend of the band.