Dr. John, Right Place Wrong Time | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 87th edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Right Place Wrong Time” by Dr. John.   

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 87^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Right Place Wrong Time” performed by Dr. John.

“I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time / I’d have said the right thing, but I must have used the wrong line.” Woo!  Six-time Grammy-winning, New Orleans musician Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., 1941 – 2019) was one of a kind.  Watch some of his performances and check out his outfits – something else! The biggest hit of the versatile singer and pianist’s career was “Right Place Wrong Time” is the opening track from his 1973 album, In the Right Place. Notably, John only charted four songs on the pop charts. “Right Place Wrong Time” is his only top 40 hit. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Rebennack wrote “Right Place” while the legendary Allen Toussaint (1938 – 2015) produced it.  

“Right Place Wrong Time” is funky as albeit from the beginning.  The opening keyboard riff is killer.  Adding to the lofty musicianship is a robust bass line, warm organ, mean-sounding horns, and an epic groove comprised of drums and percussion.  Throughout, the riffs kick ass and take names.  Dr. John delivers an honest and playful vocal performance. He doesn’t deliver powerhouse vocals but infuses plenty of personality. “Just need a little brain salad surgery (oooh) / Got to cure this insecurity,” he sings, adding, “Slipping, dodging, sneaking, creeping, hiding out down the street (oooh) / See me life shaking with every ho’ I meet.” The lyrics are memorable to the nth degree.  The crème de la crème – the crowning achievement – is the chorus, which is varied throughout:

“I been in the wrong place, but it must have been the right time
I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong song
I been in the right vein, but it seems like the wrong arm
I been in the right world, but it seems wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.”

Not only are the vocals and lyrics playful, but so is the music.  One of the best features of “Right Place Wrong Time” is the ear-catching electric guitar solo. Can you say, rock on 🤘?! Dr. John put his foot into this classic, which wasn’t even one of his six Grammy wins or 16 Grammy nominations.  Go figure!

Dr. John // In The Right Place // Atlantic Recording Corp. // 1973

Dr. John, Right Place Wrong Time: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 87 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic Recording Corp.; AcatXlo, OpenClipart-Vectors, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]