Henry's Songbook

I wanna hug when you say hello
I wanna hug when it's time to go
I wanna hug because everyone knows
Hugging is good for you
I wanna hug, it's a wonderful feeling
Wanna hug, it helps with (it's part of) the healing
Wanna hug, because hugging feels
Like a natural thing to do

Doctor Dan, he's a friendly man, big and round like a bear
He hugs his friends, they hug him - any time, anywhere
Now the patients came for therapy to drive their blues away
And sooner or later they would feel better when they heard Dan say

When the boss of the hospital heard about this he was most annoyed
He said, Hugging is sexual sublimation - according to Doctor Freud
You can hide them, you can keep them down you can calm them with your drugs
You can slap them, zap them with electric shocks, but you can't give them a hug

He said, Now Dan you'll have to go, this behaviour is no good
Any deviation from the medical practice could easily get us sued
Now Dan doesn't feel too bad for himself, in fact he's kind of proud
But he's sorry for the folks who are locked away where hugging's not allowed

(as sung by Iain MacKintosh)

[1991:] For Doctor Dan Morrow. He had been a psychiatrist, but lost his job because he used to give his patients a hug when they came in and when they left. Everybody liked it - except his boss. He fired him. (Intro Iain MacKintosh)

[1999:] [The film 'Patch Adams'] is schmaltzy in the extreme. A suicidal man admits himself to a mental institution; later he checks out, having decided to become a doctor. Later still, he walks through hospital wards, telling jokes to patients. The establishment disapproves. In the end, he is hauled up before a tribunal, accused of 'excessive happiness'. It's based on a true story. (William Leith, Observer Life, 14 Mar)