Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)

Known by most as "Doctor, Doctor," this is one of many songs in the blues/rock tradition that compares the singer's love to a medical condition. Apparently, Palmer got hooked on whatever the doctor prescribed, as by 1985 he was "Addicted To Love."

This song was written by Moon Martin (John David Martin - he got the name Moon because he often used it in his lyrics), who released the original version on his 1978 album Shots From a Cold Nightmare. Martin is a singer/guitarist/songwriter from Oklahoma who made his way to California in the late '60s with his band Southwind. When the group broke up in 1971, Martin took on studio work. He took up with Linda Ronstadt, and played on her self-titled album (they lived together at her farm house in Topanga Canyon for a while). He nearly joined some of Ronstadt's other backing musicians in a little band called the Eagles, but ended up a solo artist and signed a deal with Capitol Records. Shots From a Cold Nightmare was his debut album. It got some good reviews but went nowhere on the charts. A song called "Hot Nite In Dallas" was chosen as a single, but "Bad Case Of Loving You" was only given limited release in Europe. Robert Palmer heard the song when he was being driven to one of his shows by a rep from his label, who played it for him. Palmer included it in his set and got a great response, so he recorded it for his Secrets album. Palmer's version went to #14 US in September 1979, which was around the same time Martin's second album, Escape From Domination, was issued. Martin's single "Rolene" made #30 in October. Martin scored a few more minor hits ("No Chance" - #50, "Love Gone Bad" - #105), but never broke big despite widespread acclaim.

Palmer had a few minor hits to this point, including "Every Kinda People" and a cover of the Calypso song "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)." "Bad Case Of Loving You" was also modestly successful. Palmer didn't write any of these three songs, although he did produce the Secrets album, which includes "Bad Case." He went in a different direction for his next album, Clues, using synthesizers, sequencers and other cutting-edge electronic instruments. He found the balance between rock and synth with the supergroup Power Station in 1985 - their big hit was "Some Like It Hot." Later that year, Palmer broke big with the hit "Addicted To Love."