13 | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | November 30, 1970 | |||
Recorded | 1966–1969 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 43:59 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
The Doors chronology | ||||
|
13 is the first compilation album by American rock band the Doors, released by Elektra Records on November 30, 1970. The title refers to the thirteen tracks included, which feature a variety of songs from their five studio albums released up to that point. The cover shrink wrap featured a clear sticker that read: "A Collection of Thirteen Classic Doors Songs". It is the band's only compilation album released while lead singer Jim Morrison was alive.
The album reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200. It has been superseded by later Doors compilations, such as the highly successful The Best of the Doors (1985), and has not been reissued on CD.
13 was a project instigated by Elektra Records, who wanted product from the band for the Christmas season, to which the band reluctantly agreed. Morrison even agreed to shave off his beard for the album cover's photo shoot, but the label opted for a younger photo of the singer, which they had also done for the group's live album Absolutely Live , released in July of that year. Author Danny Sugerman commented in his memoir of the band, No One Here Gets Out Alive , "Elektra obviously wanted the 'pretty' Jim Morrison." [1] Morrison's image is also much larger than those of guitarist Robby Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, and drummer John Densmore, and Sugerman said that, "Although Ray, Robby, and John had become accustomed to the attention directed towards their lead singer, it upset Jim." The album's back cover features the band posing with a small bust of Ludwig van Beethoven [2] [3] (some have mistakenly claimed it is of occultist Aleister Crowley). [4]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A− [6] |
MusicHound | 3.5/5 [7] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
In a contemporary review in 1971, music critic Dave Marsh wrote that although the album does indeed contain "thirteen classic songs," it fails to deliver on any purpose other than compiling the most radio-friendly hits in one place. Marsh added that "no magnum opuses" were included in the collection. "No 'The End', no 'When the Music's Over', no 'Soft Parade' ... [it] would have been decidedly uncommercial to have them included here ... Of course 'Five to One' isn't here; funny thing, outside of 'Unknown Soldier' none of the Doors' more controversial subject matter is included." [9]
Bruce Eder, in his retrospective review for Allmusic , likewise observed that 13 focuses strictly on the pop rock side of The Doors, and argued that the approach of marketing this side of the Doors separately from their more serious, adventurous, and coarse side was part of what made the band a success with such a range of listeners. Noting that 13 had continuously sold well for nearly two decades, whereas Doors compilations and live albums which freely mixed the band's two sides were much less popular, he saw 13 and the Doors' self-titled debut album as the two main gateways to their work, serving to draw interested listeners in and ultimately lead them to explore the Doors' deeper album cuts. [5]
Details are taken from the 1970 U.S. Elektra album, which lists different songwriter credits than other Doors albums; other releases may show different information. [10]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album (year) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Light My Fire" | Robby Krieger, Jim Morrison | The Doors (1967) | 6:50 |
2. | "People Are Strange" | Morrison, Krieger | Strange Days (1967) | 2:10 |
3. | "Back Door Man" | Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf | The Doors | 3:30 |
4. | "Moonlight Drive" | Morrison | Strange Days | 3:00 |
5. | "The Crystal Ship" | Morrison | The Doors | 2:30 |
6. | "Roadhouse Blues" | Morrison, Doors | Morrison Hotel (1970) | 4:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Touch Me" | Krieger | The Soft Parade (1969) | 3:15 |
2. | "Love Me Two Times" | Krieger | Strange Days | 3:23 |
3. | "You're Lost Little Girl" | Krieger | Strange Days | 3:01 |
4. | "Hello, I Love You" | Morrison | Waiting for the Sun (1968) | 2:22 |
5. | "Land Ho" | Morrison, Krieger | Morrison Hotel | 4:08 |
6. | "Wild Child" | Morrison | The Soft Parade | 2:36 |
7. | "The Unknown Soldier" | Morrison, Doors | Waiting for the Sun | 3:10 |
From the 1970 Elektra release: [10]
Musicians
Production
Chart | Year | Position |
---|---|---|
Billboard 200 | 1971 | 25 [11] |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [12] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [13] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts of the 1960s, primarily due to Morrison's lyrics and voice, along with his erratic stage persona and legal issues. The group is widely regarded as an important figure of the era's counterculture.
Strange Days is the second studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on September 25, 1967 by Elektra Records, arriving eight months after their self-titled debut album. After the latter's successful release, the band started experimenting with both new and old material in early 1967 for their second record. Upon release, Strange Days reached number three on the US Billboard 200, and eventually earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It contains the two Top 30 hit singles, "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times".
The Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on July 18, 1969, by Elektra Records. Most of the album was recorded following a grueling tour during which the band was left with little time to compose new material. Record producer Paul A. Rothchild recommended a total departure from the Doors' first three albums: develop a fuller sound by incorporating brass and string arrangements provided by Paul Harris. Lead singer Jim Morrison, who was dealing with personal issues and focusing more on his poetry, was less involved in the songwriting process, allowing guitarist Robby Krieger to increase his own creative output.
Morrison Hotel is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on February 9, 1970, by Elektra Records. After the use of brass and string arrangements recommended by producer Paul A. Rothchild on their previous album, The Soft Parade (1969), the Doors returned to their blues rock style filled with jazz shades. This album was largely seen as a return to form for the band. The group entered Elektra Sound Recorders in Los Angeles in November 1969 to record the album which is divided into two separately titled sides, namely: "Hard Rock Café" and "Morrison Hotel". Blues rock guitar pioneer Lonnie Mack and Ray Neapolitan also contributed to the album as session bassists.
L.A. Woman is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on April 19, 1971 by Elektra Records. It is the last to feature lead singer Jim Morrison during his lifetime, due to his death exactly two months and two weeks following the album's release, though he would posthumously appear on the 1978 album An American Prayer. Even more so than its predecessors, the album is heavily influenced by blues. It was recorded without producer Paul A. Rothchild after he quit the band over the perceived lack of quality in their studio performances. Subsequently, the band co-produced the album with longtime sound engineer Bruce Botnick.
"Moonlight Drive" is a song by American rock band the Doors, released in 1967 on their second album Strange Days. It was edited to a 2:16 length for the 45 rpm single B-side of "Love Me Two Times". Though a conventional blues arrangement, the track's defining feature was its slightly off-beat rhythm, and Robby Krieger's "bottleneck" or slide guitar, which creates an eerie sound.
Other Voices is the seventh studio album by the Doors, released by Elektra Records in October 1971. It was the first album released by the band following the death of lead singer Jim Morrison in July 1971 with keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger sharing lead vocals. Tracks for the album had begun before Morrison's death and the band hoped that Morrison would return from Paris to finish them.
Absolutely Live is the first live album by the American rock band the Doors, released on July 20, 1970, by Elektra Records. The double album features songs recorded at concerts held in 1969 and 1970 in several U.S. cities. It includes the first full release of the performance piece "Celebration of the Lizard" and several other tracks that had not previously appeared on any official Doors release. The album peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 in September 1970.
Legacy: The Absolute Best is a two-disc compilation album by American rock band the Doors. Released in 2003, it includes the uncensored versions of both "Break On Through " and "The End". Also included is a previously unreleased studio version of Morrison's epic poetry piece "Celebration of the Lizard," a rehearsal outtake from the band's Waiting for the Sun sessions.
Alive, She Cried is the second official live album by the American rock band the Doors, released in October 1983 by Elektra Records. It is the follow-up to the 1970's Absolutely Live, produced by Paul A. Rothchild. The album's title was taken from a line in the song "When the Music's Over".
Live at the Hollywood Bowl is the third official live album by the American rock band the Doors, released in May 1987 by Elektra Records. The concert was recorded on July 5, 1968, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the Doors' hometown.
In Concert is a live triple album by the Doors released in 1991. The songs were recorded at several concerts between 1968 and 1970 in Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Copenhagen. The Doors' producer, Paul A. Rothchild, remarked, "I couldn't get complete takes of a lot of songs, so sometimes I'd cut from Detroit to Philadelphia in midsong. There must be 2,000 edits on that album."
The Best of The Doors is a compilation album by American rock group the Doors. Released in 1985, the double LP set contains 18 songs from their first six albums with lead singer Jim Morrison, including charting singles and selected album cuts. Danny Sugerman contributed a short essay which discussed the band's origins, influences and Morrison's personality, and was printed inside the gatefold sleeve.
The Doors: Box Set is a box set compilation of recordings by American rock band the Doors, released on October 28, 1997. The four-disc set includes previously rare and unreleased studio, live and demo recordings, as well as a disc of the band's personal favorite tracks culled from their official discography.
Essential Rarities is a compilation album by the Doors, originally released as part of the boxed set The Complete Studio Recordings in 1999, but reissued in 2000 as a single CD, containing studio cuts, live cuts and demos taken from the 1997 The Doors: Box Set.
The Best of the Doors is a compilation album by the American rock band the Doors, released in September 1973 by Elektra Records. It was the third compilation album to be released by the band and contains seven of the Doors' eight Top 40 hits.
The Bright Midnight Sampler, is a compilation CD of live performances by American rock band the Doors, released September 25, 2000.
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 is a live album by the American rock band the Doors, released on February 23, 2018, on Rhino Records. The concert was recorded at the Isle of Wight Festival in England on August 30, 1970, and this was released by Eagle Rock Entertainment. It was the group's final appearance as a foursome outside of the US and also the last full filming of a Doors concert.
R-Evolution is a 2013 music documentary featuring 19 live performances, TV performances and music videos by American rock band the Doors. The compilation features TV performances not previously released as well as original music videos from the 1960s, the 1980s and the 1990s. All archive footage was digitally restored and the sound was remixed and mastered for 5.1 by Bruce Botnick. It was released by Eagle Rock on November 25, 2013.
"You Make Me Real" is a song written by Jim Morrison that was first released on the Doors 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was also released as the only single from the album, reaching No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was ultimately surpassed in popularity by its B-side, "Roadhouse Blues". In France the single was issued with "Peace Frog" as the B-side.
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