Essentials by the Dozen - The Doors in 12 Tracks

With respect to The Doors, if you’ve ever made statements worthy of a solid facepalm, such as “That band’s music was totally overshadowed by Jim Morrison’s raging alcoholism”, or found yourself listening in on some conversation that had you asking “Is their music as boring as their name?”, then this next list should serve as a good starting point if you wish to expand your knowledge on one of music’s most celebrated groups.

[NOTE: This list is not a definite top 12 of The Doors’ all-time greatest songs. Rather, it should be viewed as a strong collection in their catalogue that would essentially allow to have an efficient overview of their entire career. As a Doors fan myself, I also firmly believe that you should at the very least know every single one of these songs if you ever wish to debate the brilliance of their music. If at the moment you do not, RELAX, SIT BACK & ENJOY THE MAGIC OF ROCK.]

1. Light My Fire (1967)

Can the band’s breakthrough single “Light My Fire” be any more representative of its era? The psychedelic track spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard charts during the Summer of Love and was one of the lengthiest tunes to accomplish such a commercial feat at the time. “Light My Fire” is the quintessential introduction to The Doors, a band enormously influential within the counterculture of the 60’s for a variety of reasons. For starters, the psychedelia their music brought forth combined with the blues into which they later transitioned was unparalleled in comparison to every other musician at the time. Drummer John Densmore’s style of play was influenced by both early rock and roll and the jazz world, Robby Krieger was an exceptional guitar player, Ray Manzarek’s way of playing the keyboard is so incredibly distinctive, and poet Jim Morrison delivered his lines in the most rebellious and youthful of ways. The Doors were truly within a league of their own, and “Light My Fire” is often considered the artistic highlight of their music career. With regards to the song, my expressive uncle would often state: “I must have heard the track a thousand times, but still, I swear to God, when that guitar comes in halfway through the song, it does not sound like a goddamn guitar!”

Great Line:

“You know that it would be untrue

You know that I would be a liar

If I was to say to you

Girl, we couldn’t get much higher”

2. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) (1967)

These guys were beyond strange, but I mean this in the best of ways. Not only did Manzarek present this disturbing opera tune to his other band members, but they also all chose to record it by combining the genres of ska with psychedelic rock under a wholly carnivalesque setting. Never have I seen the original play from where the track stems, but the lyrics seem to present one Alabama man’s quest for both a whiskey bar and a little girl. He chooses not to disclose the reasons for this quest of his but affirms that if these two things are not to be found, he will die, along with his companions. Yeah, very strange, but I admit this just adds to the eccentric nature of The Doors, in both their lyrics and music, for sonically, their cover version of “Alabama Song” is beyond exceptional, and that feeling of uneasiness is felt throughout the entire song. In terms of the lyrics, it might be hard to digest, but the goal of The Doors here was to turn the listener ill at ease, and as an immense admirer of peculiar and evocative art, I believe them to have succeeded.

Great Line:

“Oh, moon of Alabama

We now must say goodbye

We’ve lost our good old mama

And must have whiskey, oh, you know why”

3. Back Door Man (1967)

On “Back Door Man”, we hear the influence that blues had on The Doors; it is the genre my uncles consider exhibited the group at their very best. On this track, we get a prime example of how Jim Morrison’s powerfully raw vocals fit in flawlessly with the ardent connectivity shared between the other three members. “Back Door Man” is another cover song originally recorded by Howlin’ Wolf and was introduced to the group by guitarist Robby Krieger. It displays an impressive facet of The Doors not yet explored. Once again, the subject matter deals with the slightly unusual, in that the protagonist self-labels himself as someone who cheats on his wife, and he chooses to shout about it at the top of his lungs as if he is openly proud of this. I cannot stress enough how weird The Doors were, but as was mentioned earlier, I mean this in the best of ways.

Great Line:

“Hey, all you people that tryin’ to sleep

I’m out to make it with my midnight dream, yeah

Cause I’m a back door man

The men don’t know

But the little girls understand”

4. The End (1967)

For many years, my father’s two brothers endeavored to have me listen to The Doors, but it was midway through secondary four, as I was nearing sixteen, when I ultimately decided to cave and give the group a chance. My uncle lent me all six of their albums, and though I was impressed by the entirety of their self-titled debut, it was the closing track on The Doors, appropriately titled “The End” that really had me elevate this group over so many others to which I was listening at the time. It was the reason I watched Apocalypse Nowimmediately afterwards and the reason I introduced The Doors to practically all of my high school friends. “The End” is an eleven-minute track that might be difficult to digest for those who have never attempted listening to a song as lengthy as this one. If ever you believe yourself ready to immerse yourself in such an ambitious poem, the payoff is incredibly high. “The End” is my personal favourite Doors song and amongst my all-time favourite pieces of poetry as well. The growing musical intensity of the track adds to the chaotic nature of its content, and the whole is one rewarding experience that never ceases to amaze me.

Great Line:

“Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain

And all the children are insane

All the children are insane

Waiting for the summer rain

There’s danger on the edge of town

Ride the king’s highway

Weird scenes inside the gold mine

Ride the highway West, baby”

5. When the Music’s Over (1967)

The closing track of The Doors’ sophomore effort Strange Days, “When the Music’s Over” is practically as ambitious as the list’s previous entry, in that its length stands at a whopping eleven minutes once more. I don’t believe it to surpass “The End” in terms of pure poetry, but it is a phenomenal accomplishment, nonetheless, one that is arguably the highlight of their second album. The track proved incredibly challenging to record for the members, notably guitarist Krieger and drummer Densmore, since it required a constant protracted ferocity, but the end result is remarkable. One of those two aforementioned uncles, the one who probably has the largest music knowledge of anyone I know, has consistently placed this song in his top 5 favourite songs of all time, an opinion I am not too keen on agreeing with, for I much prefer “The End” and am not even sure that would be in my top 5 of all time. However, art is in the eyes and ears of the beholder, and I think it absolutely incredible how one song can have such different effects on the different people experiencing it.

Great Line:

“For the music is your special friend

Dance on fire as it intends

Music is your only friend

Until the end

Until the end

Until the end”

6. The Unknown Soldier (1968)

I can’t explain why it was The Doors’ third album which most struck me as a teenager. Perhaps it was the brevity and consistent catchiness of all of its songs, but still, I cannot recall. Looking back at Waiting for the Sun now, I would not even rank it in the better half of their albums, but what a hell of a collection, nonetheless. “The Unknown Soldier” was and still is what I believe to be the peak of the LP. It’s so different from other Doors’ tunes and I always felt an odd harrowing attachment towards the song’s titular character. With Waiting for the Sun, The Doors seemed to loosen up a bit more and, though its songs seem less formidable than their previous ones, the band’s heavy explosion of sounds still feels as colossal as ever.

Great Line:

“Breakfast where the news is read

Television children fed

Unborn living, living, dead

Bullet strikes the helmet’s head

And it’s all over

For the unknown soldier”

7. Spanish Caravan (1968)

If one was to ever doubt Krieger’s guitar-playing skills, “Spanish Caravan” should be sufficient in eliminating that nonsensical uncertainty. Here is another track off Waiting for the Sun to demonstrate how disparate in nature this album truly is. As I mentioned previously, although there is evidently a drop in quality with regard to sheer awesomeness between The Doors’ first two albums and their third, one can’t help but hold this group in the highest of esteem if this is what a Doors quality drop sounds like. At the end of the day, “Spanish Caravan” remains a hell of a track, and Morrison’s fleeting verses, sang against an unbelievable backdrop of flamenco guitar, still feel as potent as ever.

“Carry me, caravan, take me away

Take me to Portugal, take me to Spain

Andalucía with fields full of grain

I have to see you again and again

Take me, Spanish caravan

Yes, I know you can”

8. Touch Me (1969)

Their fourth album The Soft Parade is considered by most to be their weakest effort and is the one with which I am least familiar, most likely for the same reasons as everyone else. It’s not that it’s bad by any means, it just feels rather forgettable in comparison to every other album of theirs. There are a few tracks to which I still hark back, but I have not heard it in its totality since I was fifteen years old. Perhaps I should. All this being said, the song that stood out back then (as it does with most people who explore The Soft Parade) was “Touch Me”, a tune with which I first became acquainted while watching my all-time favourite comedy The School of Rock as a child alongside my sisters. (“Lawrence is good at piano, he shall be rocking in my soul, shaga-ga-ga. Stop. That’s perfect. You’re perfect.”) When I was handed The Soft Parade, prior to giving it a listen, I admitted to my uncles that “Touch Me” was probably my favourite Doors song to which one of them bluntly informed this fifteen-year-old kid: “Well, that’s sad! Put it this way, anything from The Soft Parade is way too soft for me!” I’m pretty sure there was more cursing and insults involved with that statement, but I’ll keep it respectful here. Although it pained me to admit he was right, “Touch Me” remains one of my favourites of theirs, anyhow. It’s an enjoyable tune that I believe is arguably their most accessible to all those who are unfamiliar with the band’s work.

Great Line:

“I’m gonna love you

’Til the heavens stop the rain

I’m gonna love you

’Til the stars fall from the sky

For you and I”

9. Waiting for the Sun (1970)

Although sharing its name with the title of the group’s previously released third album, “Waiting for the Sun” is the second track on the group’s fifth project entitled Morrison Hotel. After the lukewarm response received by the band for their two preceding albums, Morrison Hotel was considered a significant turning point for the group, for it proved they were still at the top of their game and very much amongst the most prominent powerhouses of the time. Their fifth album saw The Doors focus their energy on blues rock (albeit not without some instances of psychedelic rock), and it would remain as such until the end of the band’s career the following year. “Waiting for the Sun”, which had actually been written a while back, was of the band’s last great efforts of psychedelia before wholly turning to blues rock. It is as worthy and majestic as any of their previously released songs from the genre and an excellent addition to the album that allowed for their merited resurgence after a brief period of what was considered decent material. Listening to Morrison chant the words “Waiting, waiting, waiting for the sun” sounds as terrifying now as it did the first time around, and there is much to appreciate with a track that proves to be as bold as this one.

Great Line:

“At first flash of Eden

We race down to the sea

Standing there on freedom’s shore

Waiting for the sun

Waiting for the sun

Waiting for the sun”

10. Peace Frog (1970)

As per most of The Doors’ tracks, “Peace Frog” is a sublime joint collaboration between all four members of the group. First was recorded the instrumental of the track, after which Morrison included its lyrics, which stemmed from a few of his earlier poems. The reason for this was the singer’s initial failure to incorporate what he considered to be the fitting words, but the payoff was worthwhile. The result is an exhilarating tune that has the listener’s head bopping for the entirety of its length. The Doors were so incredibly cool, and equally at that, in both the groove of the instrumentalists and the singer’s poetic verses. “Peace Frog” is of those rare songs one’s carefree mind can blast while strolling down a busy sidewalk with sunshades on and is most definitely a highlight of their career.

Great Line:

“Indians scattered on dawn’s highway bleeding

Ghosts crowd the young child’s fragile eggshell mind”

11. L.A. Woman (1971)

Shortly after The Doors hit big with Morrison Hotel, arguably their greatest since their eponymous debut album, the core collective of the band released their final LP entitled L.A. Woman, and for many, it was their absolute best. As a teenager, I always preferred The Doors, but just like my uncles said would happen, L.A. Woman has now become my favourite as well. “Listen to the opening song again in twenty years and come back to see me”, my chuckling uncle one day stated to me on a beach in Miami as he was blasting the album. I still cannot relate the way he did, but I ultimately realized what he meant. Jim Morrison had always been a hero to my uncle and disregarding the singer’s raging alcoholism that ultimately killed him at the young age of twenty-seven years old, I can completely understand why. In the previous entry, I mentioned The Doors being an incredibly cool band, and on “L.A. Woman”, they are at the top of their game. Every second of that song has me thinking that no other person in the world can reach the same level of awesomeness as these four men, from the initial road sounds leading up to the opening keyboard notes which then lead up to the smooth introduction of the guitar which in turn lead up to Morrison’s raging vocals to the bluesy breakdown to the progressive uptempo rise that lead back to one last spectacular section that could play about endlessly but instead fades out as the song nears the eight-minute mark. “L.A. Woman” is as perfect a soulful anthemic blues song as any, and it’s truly a shame the band could not carry on with rebel singer Jim Morrison in the years following its release.

Great Line:

“Well, I just got into town about an hour ago

Took a look around, see which way the wind blow

Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows

Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light

Or just another lost angel… city of night

City of night, city of night, city of night, woah, come on!”

12. The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) (1971)

The whole L.A. Woman album is truly a masterpiece, but if there is one more of its songs I would recommend, it would be “The WASP” if only for its impassioned originality. The first time I heard this track, I believed it to be amongst the strangest compositions that ever graced my ears. On those bus rides to school, I could not stop listening to “The WASP” yet had absolutely no idea what it spoke about. It was only many years later, during a large drunken outing with some cegep friends, that I wound up finding out that I was not alone in thinking this. A pal of mine who was in the midst of forming a grunge band admitted highly adoring the track, and we spent a good portion of our night reciting some of its verses in our inebriated state. “Let me tell you about Texas radio and the big beat”, Morrison speaks before the group carries on playing in the most unworried of manners. Although the remaining of the Doors’ members would actually release three other albums following L.A. Woman and the untimely death of frontman Jim Morrison, many fans do not consider them to be true Doors’ albums, neither do I, and the end of the band’s true artistry unfortunately met its match in 1971. However, the body of work they accomplished in so little time remains a remarkable feat, nonetheless, and is the reason they are still considered one of rock’s all-time greatest groups.

Great Line:

“Listen to this, and I’ll tell you ‘bout the heartache

I’ll tell you ‘bout the heartache and the loss of God

I’ll tell you ‘bout the hopeless night

The meager food for souls forgot

I’ll tell you ‘bout the maiden with wrought iron soul”

BONUS:

1. “Break on Through (To the Other Side)”

2. “The Crystal Ship”

3. “Strange Days”

4. “Love Me Two Times”

5. “Yes, the River Knows”

6. “Tell All the People”

7. “Roadhouse Blues”

8. “Land Ho!”

9. “The Changeling”

10. “Love Her Madly”

DISCLAIMER: The original version of this story was published on another platform. Link to original version: https://medium.com/@gabriele_delbusso/essentials-by-the-dozen-the-doors-in-12-tracks-9628ed734f62