The Doors
The Doors
1967
Album Summary
The Doors is the debut studio album by American rock band the Doors. Recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California, it was produced by Paul A. Rothchild and released on January 4, 1967. Since its release, the record has been often regarded as one of the greatest debut albums of all time, by both music critics and publishers. It features the long version of the breakthrough single "Light My Fire" and the lengthy song "The End" with its Oedipal spoken word section.The Doors started recording their debut album under the maintenance of Elektra Records in August 1966. The recording of The Doors established the band's large extensive number of musical influences, such as jazz, classical, blues, pop, R&B and rock music. Its overall presentation has been viewed as an essential part of the psychedelic rock evolution, while it have also been acknowledged as a source of inspiration to other works. Paul McCartney of the Beatles has claimed that following the album's release, he wanted his band to capitalize on the Doors musical style as one of the "alter egos" of the group, for their upcoming album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.The Doors and "Light My Fire" have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2015 the Library of Congress selected The Doors for inclusion in the National Recording Registry based on its cultural, artistic or historical significance. The Doors remains the band's best-selling studio album, with sales of over 13 million copies, as of 2015.
WikipediaEvery song on this album is of the highest quality, not a bad one among them. Every song on this album is recognisable and still sounds great over 40 years later. This is what is meant by 'iconic', everyone knows these songs, they perfectly pinpoint a time in musical history. Apparently I really like The Doors.
Fantastic album. Might as well be a greatest hits part 1. Unique sound.
I was fully prepared for Pink Moon to be my favorite album of the week, and my favorite album on the list for at least more than 24 hours, then we get THIS?? One of my favorite albums of the '60s and of all time. It's the second one on this list that I have on vinyl. A true classic. I don't know how much I need to say here. This album is a hit machine. Jim Morrison's voice and Ray Manzarek's organ make the perfect psychedelic combination, and every song sounds like it could've been a single (even "Alabama Song"). "The End" is one of my favorite songs ever made. I have so many memories tied to it--I put it on during a tornado warning once in Greeley for dramatic effect, I play it during COD zombies matches when I know we've reached our wit's end, and of course the use in Apocalypse Now is legendary. We needed to balance out the British Invasion, so I agree with the Lizard King when he said "The West is the best. Get here, and we'll do the rest." Favorite tracks: THE END, Break On Through, Light My Fire, Soul Kitchen, Take It As It Comes. Album art: Iconic. In the words of Sleepy Joe, "c'mon, man!" The fact that 75% of the band is standing neatly next to a massive, superimposed headshot of Jim Morrison is hilarious and insane. Plus the font is awesome. 5/5
A ma grande surprise, cet album des Portes de Marbre était plutôt agréable et bien senti, et m'a permis de passer un bon moment. C'est ce que j'aurai écrit si j'avais écouté, comme me l'a fait remarquer en plein milieu de l'écoute mon compatriote l'illustre Robdesert, cet album avec mon seul écouteur gauche... En effet, dès l'instant où l'on a le MALHEUR d'insérer son écouteur droit à l'intérieur de sa trompe auditive, tous les maux de The Doors font irruption, ou plutot LE mal de The Doors, j'ai nommé le detestable Manzarek. Nous proposant un synthé aux sonorités d'orgue tout le long de ce putain d'album, Manzarev nous fait passer un véritable supplice, camouflant la performance de Jim Morrisson en utilisant des extraits de discours du Grand Schtroumpf. Le plus grave dans tout ça, c'est que Manzarev vient même imposer sa loi 7 minutes durant, sur le titre désormais classé comme indésirable Light My Fire, nous offrant un solo tout bonnement inaudibe, non sans rappeler le générique du non méconnu Il était une fois l'homme. Manzarev rentre dans le top 3 des ennemis publics de ce générateur, et rejoins ainsi Elvis Costello et le créateur de cette liste ridicule.
Au fil de l'écoute, on s'aperçoit d'une véritable différence de niveau entre le deux écouteurs. Du côté gauche, les musiciens s'appliquent, le son est propre, le rythme juste. C'est dans l'écouteur droit que les choses se compliquent ; ça grésille, ça bourdonne, et, cerise sur la gâteau, ça joue de l'orgue. Le coupable n'est autre que Manzarek et celui-ci est bien décidé à pourrir l'album. La comparaison avec Framal du S-crew est dès lors inévitable.
I went through a huge Doors phase, and still love going back to their music. This album is arguably their best, and there aren't really 'bad' songs or filler, as in some other albums. I used to really buy in to the Jim Morrison as poet thing, but I think it's mostly nonsense, now. I still really enjoy their music, though!
This album carries so much nostalgia for me. It was something I’d listen to as a teenager in order to connect with my dad. Jim Morrison is an iconic frontman, and his rich baritone over the Hammond organ and the rest of their rocking set the standard for the genre.
Fantastic music for a fall back to the 60’s. I never listened to them since I was a toddler and marijuana wasn’t legal. I image a psychedelic couch in a smoke filled room with pillows, plants and pot everywhere. They are the grooviest then and now. I’m sure my parents were terrified of them more then Elvis bringing rock and roll to the world. I could do meditation and yoga to this music all day long. Great drummer or should I say Symbolist! Great lyrics and a true opening up to the expanding minds of the 60’s revolutionary times. Don’t know if I would have like this music then but now see the beauty to it in all counts: lyrical, artistic, musical and dimensional. Girl we couldn’t get much higher. Come on baby light my fire. So cool man!
One of the greatest debut albums ever - I can only imagine how much more I'd enjoy this if I did psychedelics. Morrison's voice is obviously iconic and although I don't know what he's singing about half the time, I'm fully down with the ethereal imagery it creates. It is Manzarek's work on the keys, however, that really helps elevate and define the sound of The Doors here. Best track: The End
“Father…yes son…I want to kill you.” I just got this on vinyl from my record club. It’s a great combo of swingin’ sixties lounge and late sixties psych. Goes back and forth between dancing playboy bunnies and general Kurtz. Jim Morrison’s lyrics might be a bit overwrought, but we can for give the ol’ king snake, all these songs are undeniable, not a bad one in the bunch. All got radio play but one, and it’s still a banger. On the backbone of catchy keys and guitar licks it really shines. I don’t revisit the doors as much as a used to, but when I do, I really enjoy. It’s fun to imagine how weird/fun Jim Morrison would’ve become had he made it to old age. 5.
That was fun! Listening to this inspired me to do a Doors binge yesterday
Absolutely fantastic. "The End" is one of my favorite all time songs ("Apocalypse Now" anyone?) Would love to blast this one on the stereo, or car with the windows down. The crazy stereo mixing actually works great, I usually hate that, but it just puts this in the time period so perfectly and the separation of the instruments is cool.
Outstanding album. Fun fact: my friend and I once used The End at the end of a high school theatre sketch (could there be a sentence which more perfectly describes what I was like in high school? I think not). The first sentence of the song was met with great hilarity from the audience. Anyway, we filmed the sketch and put it on YouTube, and then it got flagged for copyright infringement. We never took it down, so it's still out there, with the audio removed.
The Doors had an iconic sound from the start. That classic organ paired with Jim Morrison's howl is unbeatable. Both cool and rebellious, it's a solid debut, even if a few songs meander a bit.
This is one good example of how the radio can sometimes distract from the art of an album. Songs like Crystal Ship remind me how many good vibes are found between the overplayed hits. Whether psychedelics are involved or not, this self-titled LP of wild organ riffs and raw Morrison vocals provide quite a trip!
With this album coming into the list I hope we have now broken through to the other side. The minute I saw this classic cover of the group shadowed by a pensive yet determined lead singers headshot (sort of looks like Tom Brady), I knew I was in for a treat. I’m sure I’ve listened to this album before but this felt like a new listen. There are so many gems on this one. Break On Through, Soul Kitchen, Alabama Song, Light My Fire, and of course The End. A classic song that is featured both in Apocalypse Now and when we play Call of Duty: Zombies. I love how the album, when thinking about it, screams classic Rock, but when you listen to it, it feels a lot lighter than Rock. It plays a lot more like other late 60’s early 70’s albums with the electric piano. Reminds me a little of Ryan Goslings band Dead Man’s Bones, especially on In the Room Where You Sleep. I say this as I’m listening to I Looked At You. So I don’t really see this as a Led Zepplin or Journey type of Rock but that doesn’t diminish the power in this album. Even with a few weaker songs this is still a fantastic album to listen to at any time. 9/10
What an album. I loved this! I knew of The Doors, but never really listened to them. Some great songs and The End is an absolute study in drug taking. The only dud track for me was Alabama Song where I could almost taste the LSD. Great album and will be revisiting. Love that 60s organ sound as well. Best tracks: Light my Fire & Take It As It Comes.
I groaned when this came up today as it was the second Doors album in as many days. But to my surprise it was much better than Morrison hotel. Even more impressive is the fact that this was their debut album. Morrison’s powerful voice and Manzarek’s keyboard playing are standouts. The highlight for me are the organ and guitar solos in Light my fire. The only song that I really didn’t like is the Bertold Brecht / Kurt Weill inspired Whisky Bottle.
I've listened to this album quite a few times. This like wild mixture of Jazz, Blues, rock, and a heavy dash of poetry. It slaps, hard. Break on the through, what a solid fucking intro song for a band on their debut album. It sticks with you. Also man, I wish more modern music incorporated Organs more into the sound. It's so solid.
I'm a sucker for a good organ line and this album holds some sentimental value. The lyrics are the sort that probably sounded deep if you were high but otherwise come off as kind of silly. 4/5 stars
When I think of 60's rock, I think of music just like this. This album must have had a profound influence on the rock counter-culture scene then, but there's something profoundly darker in this album than their generational counterparts. I've actually read the book that this band based their name on, and I can totally see the influence in it's psychedelic nature. I love the organs on the songs, its just so groovy and classic sounding. Morrison's vocal performance is fantastic, the guitars are good but mixed a little low, there's nothing too special to say about the drums or bass, the vocals and organ really carried most of the songs. I don't think this type of sound has aged too well though, it's good but it sounds so terribly dated. Maybe that gives it novelty, being a unique product of the times, and thankfully the Doors did this type of music very well. I will also admit that some of these songs didn't flow together well at all (like alabama song). But on a positive note, the organ solo on light my fire is one of the greatest things I've ever heard though. Overall, I liked this album a lot, but I had some problems with it, so I'll rank it a 3.5/5. Favorite song: Light My Fire - Least Favorite: Alabama Song
A tiresome album from a tiresome band full of their worst excesses - Morrison’s meandering sixth form poetry, shouting and moaning dressed up in pretension coupled with Manzarek’s wailing, screeching organ solos overpowering everything else on the track (which is a shame because the rest of the band are pretty solid). There’s the famous tracks you already know, plus plenty of filler, pale imitations of better blues rock or psychedelic rock where the doped up audience really are imagining The Doors are the key to unlocking the doors of perception, man. The problem is, you can accidentally be that but you can’t set out to be that. Stop trying so hard, guys. Can you imagine being at a gig where this happens?: ‘Morrison was well known for improvising spoken word poetry passages while the band played live.’ If this is his best un-improvised poetry I dread to think what his improvised work was like. Some choice morsels; ‘ Time to live/ Time to lie/ Time to laugh/ Time to die’ ‘ You know the day destroys the night / Night divides the day’ ‘ The days are bright and filled with pain/ Enclose me in your gentle rain’ ‘Here is Jane/ See Jane run’ Dont get me wrong - popular music can be totally disposable and throw away. It doesn’t have to be deep and meaningful. The problem here is that Morrison and the band think they and their music are deep and meaningful. The album concludes as you might imagine - with a ten minute plus self congratulatory number, an attempt at some long form jazz, not so much The End as When Will This End?
This was the first actually great front-to-back listening in this journey.
Phenomenal, Light my Fire is one of my all time favourite songs. Album as a whole is great, love the keyboards
Doors on itselleni aina ollut eräs aikakautensa suosikeista, ja varsinkin tämä levy on aika virheetön suoritus. Pitkähkön tauon jälkeen tämä levy kuulosti vielä paremmalta kuin muistelinkaan. Vitosen arvoinen nauhoitus!
Love twentieth century Fox. Love the sound of the end. The crystal ship reminded me of Jordan. I think the beginning of one of the songs is the same as a sum 41 song
I really groove in the mix of personality between Ray the classically trained brain and Jim the lizard king.
It’s a testament to how transformative this album was that every time I hear The Doors, I think “1960s”.
Classic album. My favorite Doors album. 9-10/10 1. Light My Fire 2. Soul Kitchen 3. The End
Unique sound and lyrics... one of my favorite bands of all time. Wish the ride could've lasted longer with Morrison.
This is an absolute classic. I noticed that I didn't listen to it for some time, but it is still one of my favorite albums of all time.
I think I've listened to this album dozens of times dating back to my college years. Despite my more-diminished opinion of Jim's poetry these days, it still holds up and remains as unique and captivating as I remember. Even the worst songs (e.g., "End of the Night") have their charm. Look at the Ramones' cover of the largely-forgotten "Take it as it Comes"!
Break on through opener, Light my Fire anthem, The end closer. Great albumn
5/5 - again, The Doors are not my vibe, but it's a good album; coherent
5/5 stars. Absolute classic. Every song. Standouts: The End, Break on Through, The Crystal Ship, Light My Fire, Back Door Man, Alabama Song, Soul Kitchen, Twentieth Century Fox, End of the Night
5/5 solo por existir. Me encanta el sonido de este disco. Mood: come on, baby, light me fire
I think I'm getting too generous with the 5-stars, but this album is so good. "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" is my favorite track followed closely by "The End". Then you have the hits, of course.
The Doors by The Doors czyli kolejne doorsy do kolekcji listowej, debiutancki material, bandy ktora w ciagu 4 lat dzialalnosci wydala 6 albumow, przy czym kazdy teraz ma status klasyka, a dzisiejszy pik zawedrowal nawet do biblioteki kongresu, dobrze ze akurat taka kolejnosc albumikow, najpierw ostatni gdzie morrison jest juz mocno zmeczony na wokalu i sklania sie bardziej w stronie bluesa, a pierwszy ktory ma calkowicie inna energie jesli chodzi o wokal, kontent liryczny nie jest az tak mroczny jak na L.A woman, dominuja tutaj love songi w charakterystycznym dla doorsow zabarwieniu psychodelicznym, pan morrison jako teksciarz kreuje siebie na symbol seksu, co takze bedzie charakterystyczna cecha doorsowych materialow, bo jesli the doors, to od razu rzuca sie na mysl pan morrison, juz widac to nawet z samej oklaki i proporcji jakie czlonkowie zesplu na niej otrzymali w porownaniu z frontmanem, a moze backdoormanem, jak jest na traku o tejze nazwie, ale jak dla mnie brzmienie doorsow to nie tylko sam wokal, bo roznorodnosc gatunkow ktora potrafili stworzyc na jeden krazek i ich egzekucja to jest to czego sie szuka w ich materialach, nie moge sie doszukac kto pisac muzyke, ale z tego co pamietam to najbardziej maczal w tym palce pan Krieger, o klawiszach i drumach co napisac mialem juz napisac na l.a womance, chociaz tutaj brzmia troche bardziej surowo jesli chodzi o mastering, chociaz ta sama osoba odpowiada za cala dyskografie zespolu, czyli pan rothchild, to jednak dzwiek doorsow sie zmienia z plyty na plyte i zrzuca swoja surowosc, ale pomimo tego to chyba z tej plyty znam najwiecej trakow, pewnie ma to cos z tym wspolnego z tym, ze z 11 trakow 6 juz mam na plejce, wiec nie bede jeszcze bardziej doorsowal plejlisty, a wrzuce cala plyte na szelfa spotifajowego
A terrific debut album. I can imagine buying it and dropping the needle to Break on Through. What a start! I like the way Ray and Robbie lay down the foundation for Jim’s rants. There are some real classics here and the supporting tracks like End of the Night and Crystal ship are great ballads. And it’s something that they covered Kurt Weill and Willie Dixon songs on the same album! I’m not a fan of 20th Century Fox and the keyboard solo in Light My Fire goes on a bit...
I guess my last review telegraphed that I'd be heading upstairs with my rating for this one. Who knew we would get it the next day. It's a solid album top to bottom. imo The End is The Doors' best song. The lyrics show Morrison as a cross between a literary intellectual and a Rock and Roll brat. An interesting perspective is that this was released before Sgt Pepps. Lennon's Tomorrow Never Knows and She Said She Said were released around a year earlier. The End is in the same neighbourhood as those two songs. I can't say that about many other songs. Also of interest is that the song was 11 1/2 min. which is long by any standard. Many long songs from back in the day now sound too long. The End has aged wonderfully and when it ends I wish it would keep going.
My friend Beth gave me a cassette tape of this album in high school. I listened to it on the bus ride many times, and fell in love with it. There are a few "weaker" or less memorable songs ("I Looked at You," "Take it as it Comes"), but generally I can listen start to finish and still be in awe. Favorite song: Break on Through
Break On Through To The Other Side!! I like how visceral these songs feel. That organ is used like a cannon! Wild and licentious.
While personally, never loved "Light My Fire," and I prefer more blues-infused songs from the Doors, each song on this album is amazing. Legendary debut album.
Psychedelic music at it's best! Has this kind of hypnotic energy to it's sound. It makes your mind drift off to a different world
The best debut album ever? Probably. All killer, even "Light My Fire" which I forgave when I became a Doors fan.
This earns a rare 5 stars from me. Did either of you watch "Val", the new Amazon documentary about Val Kilmer? If you haven't, let me save you 1 hour, 49 minutes of your lives with a succinct recap: "I played Doc Holliday and Jim Morrison, everyone should give me all the best parts in all the best movies and it's UNFAIR that I don't get what I want and now I have cancer." What I'm trying to say is don't watch "Val", just listen to this album, twice.
Pretty sure I'd be giving this a five star review even without the nostalgia bump. Have loved this album since teenagerhood - pretty sure the inclusion of "The End" in "Apocalypse Now" is what switched me on to it. Fave track - still "The End", but "Break on Through" and "Light My Fire" are both awesome, and the rest of the tracks serve their purpose...
Wow. I was expecting something more beatles like. Loved it, especially the last track.
Just solid from cover to cover...generation altering lyrics + great, pulsating, engaging musical accompaniment
Hell of a freshman outing from The Doors. This album is still on frequent rotation for me. Morrison's lyrics with Manzeric's organ fills and Densmore's drumming are groundbreaking. Wish they would've lasted longer to see what else they could've contributed to RNR.
Absolutely love thinking about what it was like hearing that for the first time. It’s fun and dark and weird in all the right ways.