Break On Through (To the Other Side)

Last updated
"Break On Through (To the Other Side)"
Break On Through To the Other Side.jpg
Single by the Doors
from the album The Doors
B-side "End of the Night"
ReleasedJanuary 1, 1967 (1967-01-01)
RecordedAugust 1966 (1966-08)
Genre
Length2:26
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) The Doors
Producer(s) Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
"Break On Through (To the Other Side)"
(1967)		"Light My Fire"
(1967)
Music video
"Break On Through (To The Other Side)" on YouTube

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It is the opening track of their debut album, The Doors (1967). Elektra Records issued the song as the group's first single, which reached number 126 [3] in the United States. Despite the single's failure to impact the record sales charts, the song became a concert staple for the band.

Contents

Twenty-four years after its original release, "Break On Through" became a minor hit in the UK after it was released as a single from the soundtrack album The Doors , peaking at number 64 in the UK Singles Chart. [4]

Musical structure and composition

"Break On Through" is an uptempo song in 4/4 time employing the Aeolian mode. [5] It begins with a bossa nova drum groove in which a clave pattern is played as a rim click underneath a driving ride cymbal pattern. John Densmore appreciated the new bossa nova craze coming from Brazil at the time, and decided to use it in the song. [6] The track's musical style features influences from mambo music. [7] The bass line, similar to a typical bass line used in bossa nova, continues almost all of the way through the song.

Robby Krieger has stated that the guitar riff he played was inspired by the one in Paul Butterfield's version of the song "Shake Your Moneymaker" (originally by blues guitarist Elmore James). [6] In his autobiography, Ray Manzarek commented that his keyboard part was inspired by Stan Getz and João Gilberto's bossa nova album Getz/Gilberto . [8] Other sources have been identified as Ray Charles's "What'd I Say" (bassline) [9] and Them's "One Two Brown Eyes". [10] In a review of the latter, Richie Unterberger elaborated:

[Them's "One Two Brown Eyes"] starts off with a bossa nova-like drum pattern very much like the drum beats that kick off the Doors' own first single (released at the beginning of 1967), "Break on Through." The drums are joined by a descending, circular bass pattern that, again, is similar to the bass keyboard riff that anchors "Break on Through" (though the riffs are not identical). [10]

The song originally featured the refrain, "She get high," but due to controversy around the word "high" producer Paul A. Rothchild was convinced to edit the word out to the repeated "She get!" instead; John Densmore noted, "We reluctantly agreed." [11] The bands engineer Bruce Botnick restored the missing "high" for the release of the 1999 box set, The Complete Studio Recordings . [12]

Critical reception

In a song review for AllMusic, critic Lindsay Planer comments that Morrison's lyrics "reveal a literacy that had rarely been incorporated into rock music":

Immediately the lyrics indicate that something is different ... "Break on Through" is structured like a love song. However, Morrison's phraseology cleverly juxtaposes romantic lyrics such as "I found an island in your arms/A country in your eyes" with the almost sinister lines "arms that chain[ed up]/Eyes that lie[d]". [13]

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" was described by Billboard as an "excitement filled rocker" that represents a "powerful debut." [14] Cash Box said the single is a "driving pulsating track that should see plenty of spins." [15] It has also been widely considered one of the band's greatest songs. In 2021, The Guardian ranked the song number two on their list of the 30 greatest Doors songs, [16] and Louder Sound ranked it number five on their list of the 20 greatest Doors songs. [17] In 2012 the song was selected to be played on Mars during a NASA mission. [18]

Personnel

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI) [21] Gold250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] Silver200,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Doors</span> American rock band

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.

<i>The Doors</i> (album) 1967 studio album by The Doors

The Doors is the debut studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records. It was recorded in August 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders, in Hollywood, California, under the production of Paul A. Rothchild. The album features the extended version of the band's breakthrough single "Light My Fire" and the lengthy closer "The End" with its Oedipal spoken word section. Various publications, including BBC and Rolling Stone, have ranked The Doors as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

<i>Strange Days</i> (The Doors album) 1967 studio album by the Doors

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".

<i>Waiting for the Sun</i> 1968 studio album by the Doors

Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968. The album's 11 tracks were recorded between late 1967 and May 1968 mostly at TTG Studios in Los Angeles. It became the band's only number one album, topping the Billboard 200 for four weeks, while also including their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". The first single released off the record was "The Unknown Soldier", which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it reached number 16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Manzarek</span> American keyboardist (1939–2013)

Raymond Daniel Manzarek Jr. was an American keyboardist. He is best known as a member of the rock band the Doors, co-founding the group in 1965 with fellow UCLA Film School student Jim Morrison. Manzarek is credited for his innovative playing and abilities on organ-style keyboard instruments.

Rick & the Ravens was an American surf rock and frat rock band founded in 1961, known as the forerunner of the Doors. Members Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Jim Morrison renamed the group in the latter half of 1965 after joining forces with Robby Krieger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light My Fire</span> 1967 song by the Doors

"Light My Fire" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. Although it was principally written by the band's guitarist, Robby Krieger, songwriting was credited to the entire band. Recognized as one of the earliest examples of psychedelic rock, it was recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967 on their eponymous debut album. Due to its erotic lyrics and innovative structure, the track has come to be regarded as synonymous with the '60s psychedelic and sexual revolutions.

The "Alabama Song"—also known as "Moon of Alabama", "Moon over Alabama", and "Whisky Bar"—is an English version of a song written by Bertolt Brecht and translated from German by his close collaborator Elisabeth Hauptmann in 1925 and set to music by Kurt Weill for the 1927 play Little Mahagonny. It was reused for the 1930 opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and has been recorded by the Doors and David Bowie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riders on the Storm</span> 1971 single by the Doors

"Riders on the Storm" is a song by American rock band the Doors, released in June 1971 by Elektra Records as the second single from the band's sixth studio album, L.A. Woman. It is known for being the last song that Jim Morrison recorded prior to his sudden death in Paris on July 3, 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Me Two Times</span> 1967 single by the Doors

"Love Me Two Times" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. First appearing on their second studio album Strange Days, it was later edited to a 2:37 length and released as the second single from that album. The single reached number 25 on the charts in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back Door Man</span> Song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin Wolf

"Back Door Man" is a blues song written by American musician Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1960. The lyrics draw on a Southern U.S. cultural term for an extramarital affair. The song is one of several Dixon-Wolf songs that became popular among rock musicians, including the Doors who recorded it for their 1967 self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Crystal Ship</span> 1967 single by the Doors

"The Crystal Ship" is a song by American rock band the Doors, from their 1967 debut album The Doors, and the B-side of the number-one hit single "Light My Fire". It was composed as a love song to Jim Morrison's first serious girlfriend, Mary Werbelow, shortly after their relationship ended.

"When the Music's Over" is an epic song by the American rock band the Doors, which appears on their second album Strange Days, released in 1967. It is among the band's longer pieces, lasting 11 minutes.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (The Doors album) 1980 greatest hits album by the Doors

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American rock band the Doors, released in 1980. The album, along with the film Apocalypse Now, released the previous year, created for the band an entirely new audience of the generation that did not grow up with the Doors. The album went on to become one of the highest-selling compilations of all time, with combined CD and vinyl sales of 5,000,000 in the United States alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People Are Strange</span> 1967 single by the Doors

"People Are Strange" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears on the band's second studio album, Strange Days, released in September 1967. The song was written by the Doors' vocalist Jim Morrison and guitarist Robby Krieger, although all of the band are credited on the sleeve notes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Her Madly</span> 1971 single by the Doors

"Love Her Madly" is a song by American rock band the Doors. It was released in March 1971 and was the first single from L.A. Woman, their final album with singer Jim Morrison. "Love Her Madly" became one of the highest-charting hits for the Doors; it peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and reached number three in Canada. Session musician Jerry Scheff played bass guitar on the song.

<i>Live Alive Quo</i> 1992 live album by Status Quo

Live Alive Quo was the third live album by English rock band Status Quo and was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1 as part of the station's 25th Anniversary 'Party in the Park' celebrations in Birmingham, England. The concert was watched by nearly 125,000 fans.

<i>The Best of The Doors</i> (1973 album) 1973 greatest hits album by the Doors

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.

"Soul Kitchen" is a song by the Doors from their self-titled debut album The Doors. Singer Jim Morrison wrote the lyrics as a tribute to the soul food restaurant Olivia's in Venice Beach, California. Because he often stayed too late, the staff had to kick him out, thus the lines "let me sleep all night, in your soul kitchen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Make Me Real</span> 1970 single by the Doors

"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.

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Chuck (February 28, 2011). Warman's American Records. Krause Publications. p. 130. ISBN   978-1-4402-2821-6 . Retrieved October 29, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert (June 1967). "Columns". Esquire . Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1998). "Bubbling Under Singles & Albums". Billboard . p. 66.
  4. ↑ "Doors – Singles". Official Charts . Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  5. ↑ Biamonte, Nicole (2011). Pop-Culture Pedagogy in the Music Classroom: Teaching Tools from American Idol to YouTube. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. p. 93. ISBN   978-0810876637.
  6. 1 2 The Doors (2008). Classic Albums: The Doors (DVD). Eagle Rock Entertainment.
  7. ↑ Mier, Roberto (2010). Rock the Nation: Latin/o Identities and the Latin Rock Diaspora. London: Continuum. p. 97. ISBN   978-1441164483.
  8. ↑ Manzarek, Ray (1999). Light My Fire: My Life with the Doors. New York City: Berkley Boulevard Books. p. 78. ISBN   978-0698151017.
  9. ↑ Clark, Philip (2020). Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time. New York City: Hachette Books. pp. 250–251. ISBN   978-0306921650.
  10. 1 2 Unterberger, Richie. "Them: 'One Two Brown Eyes' –Review". AllMusic . Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  11. ↑ Clash, Jim (2015). "One-On-One With Doors Drummer John Densmore (Part 2)". Forbes . Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  12. ↑ Runtagh, Jordan (2017). "Doors' Debut Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  13. ↑ Planer, Lindsay. "The Doors: 'Break on Through (To the Other Side)' – Review". AllMusic . Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard . February 11, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  15. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 14, 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  16. ↑ Zaleski, Annie (June 24, 2021). "The Doors' greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian . Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  17. ↑ Bell, Max (August 2, 2021). "The 20 best songs by The Doors". Louder Sound . Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  18. ↑ "The Beatles and the Doors' Music Played on Mars During NASA Mission". NME . August 17, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  19. ↑ Lenhoff, Alan; Robertson, David (2019). Classic Keys: Keyboard Sounds that Launched Rock Music. University of North Texas Press. p. 196. ISBN   978-1-57441-776-0.
  20. ↑ Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman Q&A and Performance (video). Event occurs at 12:56. Retrieved August 19, 2020– via YouTube.
  21. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (The Doors; 'Break On Through')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  22. ↑ "British single certifications – Doors – Break On Through". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 18 February 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.