Chords + Lyrics | Doctor My Eyes
Intro
||: F | F | Eb5/F | Bb/F :||
Verse 1
| F | F |
Doctor, my eyes have seen the years.
| Am | Am | Dm |
And the slow parade of fears without crying.
| Bb | F | F |
Now I want to understand.
Verse 2
I have done all that I could.
To see the evil and the good without hiding.
You must help me if you can.
Chorus 1
| Dm | Dm | F | F |
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what is wrong.
| Dm | Dm | C N.C | Eb5/F | Bb/F |
Was I unwise to leave them open for so long?
Instrumental
| F | F | Eb5/F | Bb/F |
Verse 3
‘Cause I have wandered through this world.
And as each moment has unfurled I’ve been waiting.
To awaken from these dreams.
Verse 4
People go just where they will.
I never noticed them until I got this feeling.
That it’s later than it seems.
Chorus 2
| Dm | Dm | F | F |
Doctor, my eyes, tell me what you see.
| Dm | Dm | C N.C | Eb5/F | Eb5/F | Bb/F | Bb/F | F | F |
I hear their cries, just say if it’s too late for me.
Instrumental 2 (solo)
||: Eb5/F | Bb/F | F | F :|| x4
Chorus 3
| Dm | Dm | F | F |
Doctor, my eyes, they cannot see the sky.
| Dm | Dm | C N.C | Eb5/F | Bb/F | F | F |
Is this the prize, for having learned how not to cry?
Outro
||: Eb5/F | Bb/F | F | F :|| repeat to fade
Doctor My Eyes Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning Doctor My Eyes. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, horns, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 442Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
Jackson Browne’s breakthrough single Doctor My Eyes revolves around a distinctive riff that recurs throughout the intro, instrumental, solo, and outro.
The riff is built on the I, bVIIx, and IV chords, but with a subtle twist: the I chord’s root is maintained, giving it a driving feel. A power chord works best on the bVIIx for that punchy classic-rock vibe.
Intro / Instrumental / Solo / Outro:
||: F | F | Eb5/F | Bb/F :||
The riff returns in all instrumental sections and the outro, ending neatly on F.
Verse
The verse progression combines simple triads with this classic movement I – III – VI – IV – I :
| F | F | Am | Am |
| Dm | Bb | F | F |
The interplay between F and Am gives the verse its melodic lift, while the Dm – Bb – F movement creates a sense of resolution.
Chorus
The chorus starts more diatonically, then brings back the intro riff for tension:
| Dm | Dm | F | F |
| Dm | Dm | C N.C | Eb5/F | Bb/F |
For repeated choruses, the slash chords (Eb5/F, Bb/F) are often held longer to match the vocal phrasing and add musical weight.
There is full TAB for all sections available further down this guitar lesson.
When you’re confident with the TAB, use this chord chart to play along with the original recording and internalise the arrangement.
Doctor My Eyes Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
You can download my chord chart as a PDF or in the iReal Pro format.
Doctor My Eyes | TAB
Let’s work out how to play this piano tune on guitar. Think of it as stepping in for the keyboard player at the last minute.
Intro
This section works surprisingly well on guitar. Notice that the rhythm isn’t consistent throughout — sometimes you won’t come in on the 4+.
Verse
For the verse, short strums down the neck work best, letting the bass provide the energy. Just before each new bar, add a short muted strum.
I initially planned to move up the fretboard for the next verse to build intensity, but keeping it low and simple actually works better.
Chorus
In the chorus, moving up and playing an Am shape for the Dm and a C shape for the F gives enough lift. Muted strums disappear, replaced by a few more upbeats.
During the instrumental section, the rhythm changes from the intro — the chord isn’t held into the new bar anymore.
Solo + Outro
The chords in the solo and outro are held. If your band is just bass, drums, and you, move between these chords and add licks. If there’s a saxophone, let them play the blues licks.
On the original recording, the guitar enters here, using a D minor blues scale or an F major blues scale — essentially the same notes, just viewed differently. Try thinking in F versus Dm to experiment.
Once confident, try it with the backing tracks and chord chart.
Doctor My Eyes Chords: Continue Learning
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