Strange Days | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 25, 1967 | |||
Recorded | May–August 1967 | |||
Studio | Sunset Sound, Hollywood | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 34:49 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
The Doors chronology | ||||
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Singles from Strange Days | ||||
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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 two Top 30 hit singles, "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times".
Despite the album's failure to match the success of its predecessor, it was "arguably the one the band itself most appreciated musically and creatively", according to author David V. Moskowitz. [1] Music journalist Stephen Davis considers Strange Days the best Doors album and "one of the great artifacts of the rock movement." [2]
Strange Days was recorded during tour breaks between May and August 1967 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood (the same studio as their first LP). In contrast to the 1966 sessions, producer Paul A. Rothchild and engineer Bruce Botnick employed a then cutting-edge 8-track recording machine. The protracted sessions allowed the band to experiment in the studio and further augment their sound with unusual instrumentation and sonic manipulation. [1] [3] Botnick said that the Doors were determined to pursue "new techniques of recording. No holds barred." [4]
I started reading the music on the lower right hand side and read right to left across the bottom line, and then jumped to the next line. When I got to the end of the previous line, I jumped to the next line up on the right-hand side, reading everything backwards, bottom to top.
–Ray Manzarek, explaining his keyboard playing on "Unhappy Girl". [3]
Unlike The Doors, Strange Days incorporates various instruments, ranging from marimba [5] to Moog synthesizer, which has been described as one of the first uses of the synth in rock music history. [6] The contribution of the synthesizer was programmed with the help of Paul Beaver and played by lead singer Jim Morrison. [4] [7] Session musician Doug Lubahn occasionally played bass during the recording of the album. [5]
The band explored musique concrète techniques during the album's recording sessions. [8] While recording "Unhappy Girl" for example, keyboardist Ray Manzarek played his keyboard introduction backwards, and the corresponding overdubs were later made. [3] On the track "Horse Latitudes", Botnick took the white noise of a tape recorder and varied the speed by hand-winding it (resulting in a sound akin to wind) as the four band members played a variety of instruments in unusual ways. Further varispeed was then employed to create different timbres and effects. [9]
Strange Days has been described alternately by music critics as acid rock, [10] psychedelic pop, [11] psychedelic rock, [12] or simply psychedelia; [13] [14] Barney Hoskyns labeled it as "post-psychedelic pop". [15] Several of the album's songs had been written around the same time as the ones that appeared on The Doors . Two ("My Eyes Have Seen You" and "Moonlight Drive") had been demoed in 1965 at Trans World Pacific Studios before Robby Krieger joined the group; indeed, the latter had been conceived by Morrison prior to his fateful reunion with Manzarek in the summer of 1965. [16] Although the song was attempted twice during the sessions for the band's debut, both versions were deemed unsatisfactory. A conventional blues arrangement, "Moonlight Drive" features a defining slightly off-beat rhythm and Krieger's bottleneck guitar, which create an eerie sound. [17]
The LP's first single, "People Are Strange", was composed in early 1967 after Krieger, drummer John Densmore, and a depressed Morrison had walked to the top of Laurel Canyon. [5] Densmore recalled the song's writing process in his book Riders on the Storm: Densmore and Krieger, who had then been roommates, were visited by a seemingly dejected Morrison. At the suggestion of Densmore, they took a walk along Laurel Canyon. Morrison returned from the walk "euphoric" with the early lyrics of "People Are Strange". [18]
Although Morrison was the Doors' primary songwriter, Krieger wrote several of the group's hit singles, with his first composition being "Light My Fire". His bluesy "Love Me Two Times" was about a soldier/sailor on his last day with his girlfriend before shipping out, ostensibly to war. [19] Manzarek said lyrically the song can be about "lust and loss, or multiple orgasms, I'm not sure which." [20] Manzarek played the final version of this song on a harpsichord, which Manzarek described as "a most elegant instrument that one does not normally associate with rock and roll." [20] It was edited to a 2:37 length and released as the second single (after "People Are Strange") from the album, and reached No. 25 on the charts in the US. Upon release, "Love Me Two Times" was considered to be somewhat risqué for radio airplay, and was banned in New Haven, Connecticut, for being "too controversial", much to the dismay of the band. [21]
"Horse Latitudes" showcases Morrison's spoken-word poetry, [22] who confirmed that he penned the poem during his high school years. [23] However, Manzarek had mentioned that he never believed he wrote "Horse Latitudes" at such a young age, claiming the words were "too mature". [20] The album concludes with the 11 minute-long epic, "When the Music's Over", whose keyboard part was inspired by Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man". [3]
Strange Days was the best album ... It said everything we were trying to say musically and it contains some of Jim's best poetry ... We were confident it was going to be bigger than anything the Beatles have ever done. But there was no single. The record died on us. It never really conquered like it should have.
–Producer Paul A. Rothchild. [6]
I'm really proud of our second record [Strange Days] because ... It tells a story. It's a whole effort. Someday will get the recognition it deserves. You know? I don't think many people were aware of what we were doing.
–Lead singer Jim Morrison, in a 1970 interview with Downbeat Magazine . [24]
Strange Days was released on September 25, 1967, by Elektra Records. [25] Although the album was quite successful, reaching No. 3 in the United States during a sixty-three-week chart stay in November 1967, its impact was attenuated by the enduring success of the band's debut album, which remained in the Top Ten over ten months after its release during a 122-week stay. According to music journalist Stephen Davis, Strange Days also proved to be the Doors' "worst-selling album" in their career with Morrison. [2]
The album cover of Strange Days, photographed by Joel Brodsky, depicts a group of street performers in New York. The location of the photograph is at Sniffen Court, a residential alley next to East 36th Street between Lexington and Third Avenue in Manhattan. [26] Actual street performers could not be located for all of the designated roles, so Brodsky's assistant stood in as a juggler while a random cab driver was paid $5 to pose playing the trumpet. Twin dwarfs were hired, with one appearing on the front cover and the other appearing on the back cover, which is the other half of the same photo on the front cover. [27] However, a group shot of the band does appear on a poster in the background of both covers, bearing captions of the band and album name. (The same photograph previously appeared on the back cover of the band's debut album.) [28] Because of the subtlety of the artist and album title, most record stores put stickers across the cover to help customers identify it more clearly. [27]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [29] |
Classic Rock | [30] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [31] |
MusicHound | 3.5/5 [32] |
PopMatters | 9/10 [33] |
Rolling Stone | (favorable) [34] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [35] |
Slant Magazine | [36] |
Apart from its lower commercial performance compared to The Doors, contemporary reviews for Strange Days were generally positive. Rolling Stone opined that the album "has all the power and energy of the first LP, but is more subtle, more intricate and much more effective" and argued that the "whole album, individual songs and especially the final track are constructed in the five parts of tragedy. Like Greek drama, you know when the music's over because there is catharsis." [34] Gene Youngblood of L.A. Free Press wrote a glowing review, noting the Doors musical style as a "more surreal than psychedelic, it is more anguish than acid." [15] Robert Christgau called the album "muscular but misshapen" in a May 1968 column for Esquire , but went on to write that the Doors had come "from nowhere to reign as America's heaviest group". [37]
Retrospective reviews to the album have been equally favourable. In 2007, on the occasion of the release of the 40th anniversary edition, Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine , argued that "while The Doors had more frequent, obvious peaks, the quirky Strange Days is a more ambitious, unified work. There are fewer filler tracks and each song carries as much weight as the one before and after it" and called it "a document of a sometimes beautiful, sometimes scary, and often twisted era of fear and idealism." [36] It has also been ranked highly in lists; in 2012, the record was listed at No. 409 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , [38] and the same magazine included it on their 2007 list "The 40 Essential Albums of 1967". [39] Strange Days was placed in the twentieth position on Ultimate Classic Rock 's list of the "Top 25 Psychedelic Rock Albums", [40] while Q magazine ranked it 35th on their respective list. [41]
Some critics feel it does not quite match up to its predecessor. [15] The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote, "With the exceptions of hard blues, 'Love Me Two Times,' and the rock tango, 'Moonlight Drive,' Strange Days didn't have the power of The Doors". [15] [35] In his retrospective AllMusic review of the album, Richie Unterberger notes, "Many of the songs on Strange Days had been written around the same time as the ones that appeared on The Doors, and with hindsight one has the sense that the best of the batch had already been cherry picked for the debut album. For that reason, the band's second effort isn't as consistently stunning as their debut," but he also expressed that overall "it's a very successful continuation of the themes of their classic album." [5] [29]
Strange Days and its songs influenced paintings by artist George Condo in 2023. [42]
All tracks are written by the Doors (Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore). Details are taken from the 1967 U.S. Elektra release; other releases may show different information. [43]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Strange Days" | 3:05 |
2. | "You're Lost Little Girl" | 3:01 |
3. | "Love Me Two Times" | 3:23 |
4. | "Unhappy Girl" | 2:00 |
5. | "Horse Latitudes" | 1:30 |
6. | "Moonlight Drive" | 3:00 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "People Are Strange" | 2:10 |
2. | "My Eyes Have Seen You" | 2:22 |
3. | "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind" | 3:18 |
4. | "When the Music's Over" | 11:00 |
Total length: | 34:49 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "People Are Strange" (False starts & studio dialogue) | 1:42 |
12. | "Love Me Two Times" (Take 3) | 3:35 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Strange Days" | 3:08 |
2. | "You're Lost Little Girl" | 3:02 |
3. | "Love Me Two Times" | 3:17 |
4. | "Unhappy Girl" | 2:00 |
5. | "Horse Latitudes" | 1:35 |
6. | "Moonlight Drive" | 3:03 |
7. | "People Are Strange" | 2:13 |
8. | "My Eyes Have Seen You" | 2:27 |
9. | "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind" | 3:26 |
10. | "When the Music's Over" | 11:00 |
The liner notes for the 1967 U.S. Elektra album and the 2007 Rhino Records CD 40th Anniversary Edition liner notes with accompanying essays by Bruce Botnick and Barney Hoskyns may differ from other sources. [5] [43]
The Doors
Additional musicians
Technical
Album
Chart | Year | Peak |
---|---|---|
US Billboard 200 [45] | 1967 | 3 |
Singles
Year | Single (A-side / B-side) | Chart | Peak |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | "People Are Strange" / "Unhappy Girl" | Billboard Hot 100 | 12 [46] |
1967 | "Love Me Two Times" / "Moonlight Drive" | Hot 100 | 25 [46] |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [47] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
France (SNEP) [48] | 2× Gold | 200,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [49] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) [50] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [51] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [52] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising 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.
The Doors is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records. It was recorded in August and September 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 listed The Doors as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
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.
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 and 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.
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.
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.
An American Prayer is the ninth and final studio album by the American rock band the Doors. Following the death of Jim Morrison and the band's breakup, the surviving members of the Doors reconvened to set several of Morrison's spoken word recordings to music. It was the only album by the Doors to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Spoken Word" category.
"The End" is an epic song by the American rock band the Doors. Lead singer Jim Morrison initially wrote the lyrics about his break up with an ex-girlfriend, Mary Werbelow, but it evolved through months of performances at the Whisky a Go Go into a much longer song. The Doors recorded a nearly 12-minute version for their self-titled debut album, which was released on January 4, 1967 and in which it was its closing track.
"Five to One" is a song by American rock band the Doors, from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. The song's lyrics were written by lead singer Jim Morrison but officially credited to the whole band.
"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.
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.
"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.
"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 41 in Canada. "Roadhouse Blues" charted in its own right on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at No. 76. The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.
"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.
"Strange Days" is a song by the Doors, released in 1967 as the opening track on the album of the same name. Along with other album tracks, it was composed long before the date it was recorded; a live performance recorded in May 1966 was captured on the 2016 album London Fog 1966. The track is also recognised as one of the earliest showcases for the use of the Moog synthesizer.
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.
"Been Down So Long" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears as the third track on L.A. Woman, the last studio album that lead singer Jim Morrison recorded with the group. It has been called, notably by critic Robert Christgau, as a "take-off" on the album.
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.
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