Alabama Song
1st verse:
Well show me the way to the next whiskey bar,
Oh, don’t ask why; oh, don’t ask why.
Well show me the way to the next whiskey bar,
Oh, don’t ask why; oh, don’t ask why.
For if we don’t find the next whiskey bar,
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die.
I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die.
1st chorus:
Oh moon of Alabama, we now must say goodbye,
We’ve lost our good old mama,
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why.
Oh moon of Alabama, we now must say goodbye,
We’ve lost our good old mama,
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why.
2nd verse:
Well show me the way to the next little girl,
Oh, don’t ask why; oh, don’t ask why.
Show me the way to the next little girl,
Oh, don’t ask why; oh, don’t ask why.
For if we don’t find the next little girl,
I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die.
I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die.
2nd chorus – (instrumental 1x) – then:
Oh moon of Alabama, we now must say goodbye,
We’ve lost our good old mama,
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why.
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
Notes:
Ray Manzarek: “[Bertold] Brecht and [Kurt] Weill wrote ‘The Alabama Song’, from ‘The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahogany’ [a German cabaret/opera].” (3)
John Densmore: “So, I remember when you first played this for me, Ray, and I kinda thought, ‘Man, this is pret-ty weird; you think we should do this song, okay.’ And later I realized: Brilliant.” (3)
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Break On Through
1st verse:
You know da day destroys the night;
Night divides the day.
Tried to run, tried to hide.
Break on through to the other side … (3x)
2nd verse:
We chased our pleasures here,
Dug our treasures there.
But can you still recall the time we cried?
Break on through to the other side … (3x)
(organ solo)
Ev’ry – bod – y loves my baby … (2x)
She gets … (4x)
3rd verse:
I found an island in your arms,
Country in your eyes.
Arms that chain us, eyes that lie,
Break on through to the other side … (3x)
4th verse:
Made the scene, week to week,
Day to day, hour to hour,
The gate is straight, deep and wide,
Break on through to the other side … (2x)
Break on through, break on through,
Break on through, break on through,
Break, break, break, break
Break, break, break, break
Break
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
Notes:
John Densmore: “Brazilian Bossa Nova was popular at the time, so I tried to incorporate it into a rock beat.” (2)
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The Changeling
Uh!
Uha!
Gedu!
1st verse:
I live uptown;
I live downtown.
I live, all around.
I had money, I had none. (2x)
But I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave
Town.
1st chorus:
I’m a changeling, see me change. (2x)
I’m the air you breathe,
Food you eat,
Friends you greet, in the swarming street.
Whoa!
See me change,
See me change.
2nd verse:
I live uptown;
I live downtown.
I live, all around.
I had money, yeah; I had none. (2x)
But I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave
Town.
(guitar solo)
2nd chorus:
Well, I’m the air you breathe,
Food you eat,
Friends you greet, in the swarming street.
Whoa!
Ew ma!
Uh, ah!
You gotta see me change!
See me change.
3rd chorus:
Yeah, I’m leavin’ town
On a midnight train.
Gotta see me change.
Change, change, change … (4x and fade)
from the album “L.A. Woman” (April 1971)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “This is our ‘James Brown’ thing.” (3)
Ray Manzarek: “I always thought of ‘Changeling’ as ‘Ride Your Pony’; when I played it, I played ‘Ride Your Pony’. Get on your pony and ride. It’s a sex song; it’s about sex, ‘riding the pony’. It’s a euphemism.” (3)
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The Crystal Ship
1st verse:
Before you slip into unconsciousness
I’d like to have another kiss.
Another flashing chance at bliss,
Another kiss, another kiss.
2nd verse:
The days are bright and filled with pain;
Enclose me in your gentle rain.
The time you ran was too insane;
We’ll meet again, we’ll meet again.
(piano solo)
3rd verse:
Oh, tell me where your freedom lies?
The streets are fields that never die.
Deliver me from reasons why
You’d rather cry, I’d rather fly.
4th verse:
The crystal ship is being filled,
A thousand girls, a thousand thrills,
A million ways to spend your time.
When we get back, I’ll drop a line.
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
Notes:
John Densmore: “A note to you drug addicts: this song is not about methadrine, it’s a metaphor for the band’s career.” (2)
Ray Manzarek: “I play a Bach-like solo (my classical training). This is a goodbye to one of Jim’s earlier girlfriends before Pam Courson entered the picture.” (2)
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The End
1st verse:
This is the end, beautiful friend.
This is the end, my only friend, the end.
Of our elaborate plans, the end.
Of everything that stands, the end.
No safety or surprise, the end.
I’ll never look into your eyes again.
bridge:
Can you picture what we’ll be,
So limitless and free?
Desperately in need of some stranger’s hand,
In a desperate land.
(guitar solo)
Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain;
And all the children are insane.
All the children are insane.
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah.
(small crescendo & de-crescendo)
There’s danger on the edge of town;
Ride the king’s highway, baby.
Weird scenes inside the goldmine;
Ride the highway west, baby.
Ride the snake … ride the snake.
To the lake; the ancient lake, baby.
The snake he’s long; seven miles;
Ride the snake.
He’s old; and his skin is cold.
The West is the best;
The West is the best.
Get here, and we’ll do the rest.
Da blue bus is calling us…
The blue bus is calling us…
Driver, where you takin’ us?
spoken:
The killer awoke before dawn;
He put his boots on.
He took a face from the ancient gallery,
And he walked on down the hall.
He went into the room where his sister lived,
And then he paid a visit to his brother,
And then he … he walked on down the hall, yeah!
And he came to a door,
And he looked inside.
“Father?” “Yes, son?”
“I want to kill you."
“Mother, I want to … !”
(big – but short - crescendo & de-crescendo)
Come on, baby, take a chance with us.
Come on, baby, take a chance with us.
Come on, baby, take a chance with us, and
Meet me at the back of the
Blue bus, tonight … (4x)
Come on, yeah!
(“cowboy jam” – into “killer” crescendo & de-crescendo)
“Kill … kill … kill … kill … kill … kill.”
final verse:
This is the end, beautiful friend.
This is the end, my only friend, the end.
It has to set you free;
But you’ll never follow me.
The end of laughter and soft light.
The end of nights we tried to die.
This is the end.
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
Notes:
Ray Manzarek: “A good-bye. A farewell to a lost lover. ‘The End’ was originally a short three minute love song, but it became over 11 minutes long as we improvised on it at the London Fog on the Sunset Strip in March and April of 1966. Here it is – the culmination of all that early improvisation.” (2)
John Densmore: “At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in ’93, Bruce Springsteen came up to me and said my drumming was unique on ‘The End’ – bombs blasting in out of sheer silence. That felt good.” (2)
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Five To One
spoken:
Yeah, come on … love my girl. She lookin’ good. Come on … one more…
1st verse:
Five to one, baby, one in five,
No one here gets out alive, now.
You get yours, baby; I’ll get mine.
Gonna make it, baby, if we try.
2nd verse:
The old get old, and the young get stronger.
May take a week, and it may take longer.
They got the guns, but, we got the numbers.
Gonna win, yeah, we’re takin’ over…
Come on!
(guitar solo)
Your ballroom days are over, baby;
Night is drawing near.
Shadows of the evening crawl across the years.
You walk across the floor with a flower in your hand,
Tryin’ to tell me no one understands.
Trading your hours for a handful of dimes.
Gonna make it, baby, in our prime.
Get together, one more time … (4x & crescendo)
Get together, one more time!!! … (7x)
spoken:
Aw, c’mon, honey.. Go along home and wait for me, baby; I’ll be there in just a little while. Y’see, I gotta go out in this car with these people. Yeah.
sung:
Get together, one more time!!! … (repeat & fade)
from the album “Waiting For The Sun” (July 1968)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “Jim figured that by 1969, there would be five times as many people under the age of 21 as would be over, therefore, why not rebel? We could take over … This track was one of the predecessors to Heavy Metal.” (2)
While performing “Five To One” in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, February 29, 1969, Jim Morrison added the following statements after the 2nd verse; Morrison was subsequently arrested for obscenity and indecent exposure:
You’re all a bunch of f**kin’ idiots!
Lettin’ people tell you what you’re gonna do!
Lettin’ people push you around!
How long do you think it’s gonna last?
How long are you gonna let it go on?
How long are you gonna let them push you around? How long?
Maybe you like it; maybe you like being pushed around!
Maybe you love it!
Maybe you love gettin’ your face stuck in the sh*t! Come on!
You love it, don’t ya! You love it!
You’re all a bunch of slaves.
Lettin’ everybody push you around.
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do? … Your ballroom days are over, baby…
… Hey, I’m not talking about no revolution! I’m talkin’ about havin’ some fun!
I’m talkin’ about love love love love – grab your f**kin’ friend an’ love him, come on!
Notes:
Ray Manzarek: “Miami! Live, crazy, out of control. Prelude to a riot. A hot, southern, Tennessee Williams night when swamp madness prevailed. Did Jim expose himself? We’ll never know for sure. No photo was ever taken of his substantial member at the concert. Two hundred photos were offered in evidence at the trial but not one contained even a glimpse of the ‘ivory shaft’. This, however, is what he said at the infamous Miami concert: ‘I’m talkin’ about love!’” (2)
John Densmore: “Jim did not expose himself at Miami … ’cause if he had, he would have tripped.” (2)
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Hello, I Love You
1st chorus:
Hello, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you, let me jump in your game.
Hello, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you, let me jump in your game.
1st verse:
She’s walkin’ down the street,
Blind to ev’ry eye she meets.
Do ya think you’ll be the guy
To make the queen of the angels sigh?
2nd chorus:
Hello, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you, let me jump in your game.
Hello, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?
Hello, I love you, let me jump in your game.
2nd verse:
She holds her head so high,
Like a statue in the sky.
Her arms are wicked and her legs are long.
When she moves, my brain screams out this song.
3rd verse:
Sidewalk crouches at her feet,
Like a dog that begs for something sweet.
Do you hope to make her see, you fool?
Do you hope to pluck this dusky jewel?
Hello! … (repeat & fade)
from the album “Waiting For The Sun” (July 1968)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “We have been accused of ripping off the Kinks song ‘All Day and All the Night’. When Ray Davies was asked about this, he had no problem. The truth is, the drum beat on this song was ripped off the Cream song, ‘Sunshine of Your Love’. It was my fault. I suggested to John in the studio: ‘Hey, man, do that “Sunshine of Your Love” beat.’ The rest is history.” (2)
Ray Manzarek: “The demo was rejected by every record company in L.A. Nobody liked it except for Billy James. He signed us to Columbia Records for six months. They dropped us after two. But … I got the Vox Continental organ out of them, free.” (2)
John Densmore: “I’m sure glad Ray let me talk him into letting Robby join the band, otherwise we might have turned into The Monkees!” (2)
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I Looked At You
1st verse:
I looked at you; you looked at me.
I smiled at you; you smiled at me.
1st chorus:
And we’re on our way;
No, we can’t turn back, babe.
Yeah, we’re on our way;
And we can’t turn back.
’Cause it’s too late, too late,
Too late, too late,
Too late.
And we’re on our way;
No, we can’t turn back, babe.
Yeah, we’re on our way;
And we can’t turn back, yeah, yeah!
(organ solo)
2nd verse:
I walked with you; you walked with me.
I talked to you; you talked to me.
2nd chorus:
And we’re on our way;
No, we can’t turn back, yeah.
Yeah, we’re on our way;
And we can’t turn back, yeah.
’Cause it’s too late, too late,
Too late, too late,
Too late.
And we’re on our way;
No, we can’t turn back.
Yeah, we’re on our way;
And we can’t turn back.
’Cause it’s too late, too late,
Too late, too late,
Too late.
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
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L. A. Woman
1st verse:
Well, I just got into town about an hour ago.
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow.
Where the li’l 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., whoah! C’mon!
1st chorus:
L.A. Woman, L.A. Woman.
L.A. Woman, Sunday afternoon.
L.A. Woman, Sunday afternoon.
L.A. Woman, Sunday afternoon,
Drivin’ through your suburbs, into your blues,
Into your blues, yeah!
Into your blue, blue, blues, into your blues.
Whoah, yeah!
(piano solo)
bridge:
I see your hair is burning;
Hills they’re filled with fire.
If they say I never loved you
You know they are a liar.
Drivin’ down your freeways,
Midnight alleys roam.
Cops in cars, the topless bars,
Never saw a woman … so alone; so alone.
So alone; so alone.
Motel, money, murder, madness;
Let’s change the mood from glad to sadness.
Mr. Mojo Risin’ … (16x)
2nd verse:
Well, I just got into town about an hour ago.
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow.
Where da li’l 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! Whoah! Go!
L.A. Woman, L.A. Woman,
L.A. Woman, you’re my woman … (repeat & fade)
from the album “L.A. Woman” (April 1971)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “To me, this is one of the true Doors songs. One day we just started playing. I don’t remember how it started but it just kept evolving. Jim made up the words as we went along and the song just grew – without the luxury of playing it live on stage. A true group effort.” (2)
Ray Manzarek: “John Rechy wrote a book called ‘City Of Night’ … [it’s] one of the classic late beatnik-era [books] – 1962 or so, Grove Press – one of the hip books of the early 60’s, and John has since become a big fan of The Doors too; and Jim and I were, of course, big fans of John Rechy. It’s a famous novel of the homosexual underbelly of Los Angeles, between downtown Los Angeles, Persian Square, and the Hollywood and Griffith Park; all the things that go on in the dark underbelly of the gay world of L.A., circa 1962. A great novel, ‘City Of Night’.” (3)
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Light My Fire
1st verse:
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.
1st chorus:
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Try to set the night on fire.
2nd verse:
The time to hesitate is through;
No time to wallow through the mire.
Try now, we can only lose,
And our love become a funeral pyre.
2nd chorus:
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Try to set the night on fire, yeah!
(organ solo; guitar solo)
3rd verse:
The time to hesitate is through;
No time to wallow through the mire.
Try now, we can only lose,
And our love become a funeral pyre.
3rd chorus:
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Try to set the night on fire, yeah!
4th verse:
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.
4th chorus:
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Come on, baby, light my fire.
Try to set the night on fire … (4x)
from the album “The Doors” (Jan. 1967)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “I was the last member of The Doors to join up with the band. Shortly thereafter, Jim said, ‘Hey guys, we don’t have enough original songs; why don’t you try writing?’ I went home and wrote ‘Light My Fire’.” (2)
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Love Her Madly
1st verse:
Don’t ya love her madly?
Don’t ya need her badly?
Don’t ya love her ways?
Tell me what you say.
1st chorus:
Don’t ya love madly?
Wanna meet her daddy?
Don’t ya love her face?
Don’t you love her as she’s walking out the door?
Like she did one thousand times before?
Don’t you love her ways?
Tell me what you say.
Don’t you love her as she’s walking out the door?
1st bridge:
All your love; all your love.
All your love; all your love.
All your love is gone
So sing a lonely song
Of a deep blue dream.
Seven horses seem to be on the mark.
(organ solo)
Yeah, don’t you love her?
Don’t you love her as she’s walking out the door?
2nd bridge:
All your love; all your love.
All your love…
All your love is gone
So sing a lonely song
Of a deep blue dream.
Seven horses seem to be on the mark.
Well, don’t you love her madly … (repeat & fade)
from the album “L.A. Woman” (April 1971)
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Love Me Two Times
1st verse:
Love me two times, baby,
Love me twice today.
Love me two time, girl,
I’m goin’ away.
Love me two time, girl,
One for tomorrow, one just for today;
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away.
2nd verse:
Love me one time,
Could not speak.
Love me one time,
Yeah, my knees got weak.
Love me two time, girl,
Last me all through the week.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away.
Alright, yeah!
(harpsichord solo)
3rd verse:
Love me one time,
Could not speak.
Love me one time, baby,
Yeah, my knees got weak.
Love me two times, girl,
Last me all through the week.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away!
4th verse:
Love me two time, babe,
Love me twice today.
Love me two time, babe,
’Cause I’m goin’ away.
Love me two time, girl,
One for tomorrow, one just for today.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away.
Love me two times, I’m goin’ away!
from the album “Strange Days” (Oct. 1967)
Notes:
John Densmore: “I enjoyed finding a unique way of shuffling across the drum kit, instead of playing the traditional 2 & 4.” (2)
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Love Street
1st verse:
She lives on Love Street; lingers long on Love Street.
She has a house and garden; I would like to see what happens.
2nd verse:
She has robes and she has monkeys; lazy diamond studded flunkies.
1st chorus:
She has wisdom, and knows what to do.
She has me, and she has you.
2nd chorus:
She has wisdom, and knows what to do.
She has me, and she has you.
3rd verse: (spoken)
I see you live on Love Street; there’s this store where the creatures meet.
I wonder what they do in there?
Summer Sunday, and a year.
I guess I like it fine, so far.
4th verse:
She lives on Love Street; lingers long on Love Street.
She has a house and garden; I would like to see what happens.
La la la, la-la la la; la la la, la-la la la … (repeat & fade)
from the album “Waiting For The Sun” (July 1968)
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Moonlight Drive
1st verse:
Let’s swim to the moon, uh huh,
Let’s climb through the tide.
Penetrate the evenin’ that the city sleeps to hide.
Let’s swim out tonight, love,
It’s our turn to try.
Park beside the ocean, on our
Moonlight drive.
2nd verse:
Let’s swim to the moon, uh huh,
Let’s climb through the tide.
Surrender to the waiting worlds that lap against our side.
Nothing left open, and no
Time to decide;
We’ll step into a river, on our
Moonlight drive.
3rd verse:
Let’s swim to the moon;
Let’s climb through the tide.
You reach your hand to hold me, but I
Can’t be your guide.
Easy, I to love you, as I
Watch you … glide…
Fall into a forest, on our
Moonlight drive,
Moonlight drive,
Moonlight drive.
Come on, baby, gonna take a little ride;
Goin’ down by the ocean side.
Gonna get real close, get real tight,
Baby gonna drown tonight.
Go down, down, down…
from the album “Strange Days” (Oct. 1967)
Notes:
Ray Manzarek: “The very first song Jim sang to me on the beach in Venice, California, after we’d graduated from the UCLA Film School. Contrary to the Oliver Stone movie, Jim did not quit college. He received his Bachelor’s degree and I received my Master’s degree in June of 1965. This is the first song we cut with [producer] Paul Rothchild and [engineer] Bruce Botnick at Sunset Sound in late August of 1966. Without them, it never would have happened. All six of us were equally responsible for the magic.” (2)
Robby Krieger: “I was the last to join the group. The very first rehearsal / get together, we worked up ‘Moonlight Drive’. It turned out to be a perfect song for my bottle-neck guitar style, which Jim had never heard before. He loved it so much that he wanted me to use it on all the songs. That first day went so well that we knew we were a band.” (2)
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My Eyes Have Seen You
1st verse:
My eyes have seen you;
My eyes have seen you.
My eyes have seen you, stand in your door,
Meet inside,
Show me some more,
Show me some more,
Show me some more.
2nd verse:
My eyes have seen you;
My eyes have seen you.
My eyes have seen you, turn and stare,
Fix your hair,
Move upstairs,
Move upstairs,
Move upstairs.
(guitar solo)
3rd verse:
My eyes have seen you;
My eyes have seen you.
My eyes have seen you, free from disguise,
Gazing on a city under television skies,
Television skies,
Television skies.
4th verse:
My eyes have seen you!
My eyes have seen you!
Eyes have seen you, let them photograph your soul;
Memorize your alleys on an endless roll!
Endless roll … (repeat & fade)
from the album “Strange Days” (Oct. 1967)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “A real guitar player’s song! I still play this one to this very day. Some great lyrics in this one. Someday, people will discover songs like this one.” (2)
John Densmore: “Jim’s most erotic lyric.” (2)
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Not to Touch the Earth
Not to touch the earth
Not to see the sun
Nothing left to do, but run, run, run
Let’s run
Let’s run
House upon the hill
Moon is lying still
Shadows of the trees
Witnessing the wild breeze
C’mon baby run with me
Let’s run
Run with me; Run with me
Run with me; Let’s run
The mansion is warm, at the top of the hill
Rich are the rooms and the comforts there
Red are the arms of luxuriant chairs
And you won’t know a thing till you get inside
Dead president’s corpse in the driver’s car
The engine runs on glue and tar
Come on along, not goin’ very far
To the east to meet the czar
Run with me; Run with me
Run with me; Let’s run
Whoa!
Some outlaws lived by the side of a lake
The minister’s daughter’s in love with the snake
Who lives in a well by the side of the road
Wake up, girl, we’re almost home
Ya, c’mon!
We should see the gates by mornin’
We should be inside the evenin’
Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
I will get you
Soon! … soon! … soon!
spoken:
I am the lizard king; I can do anything.
from the album “Waiting For The Sun” (July 1968)
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Peace Frog
1st verse:
There’s blood in the streets, it’s up to my ankles;
There’s blood in the streets, it’s up to my knee.
Blood in the streets, the town of Chicago;
Blood on the rise, it’s following me.
Just about the break of day.
1st bridge:
She came, and then she drove away,
Sunlight in her hair.
2nd verse:
Blood on the streets, runs a river of sadness.
Blood in the streets, it’s up to my thigh.
Yeah, the river runs red down the legs of the city;
The women are crying red rivers of weeping.
2nd bridge:
She came in town and then she drove away,
Sunlight in her hair.
(guitar solo)
spoken:
Indians scattered on dawn’s highway, bleeding; ghosts crowd the young child’s fragile eggshell mind.
3rd verse:
Blood in the streets of the town of New Haven;
Blood stains the roofs and the palm trees of Venice.
Blood in my love in the terrible summer;
Bloody red sun of fantastic L.A.
Blood screams her brain (as) they chop off her fingers.
Blood’ll be born in the birth of a nation.
Blood is the rose of mysterious union.
4th verse:
There’s blood in the streets, it’s up to my ankles;
Blood in the streets, it’s up to my knee.
Blood in the streets, the town of Chicago;
Blood on the rise, it’s following me.
from the album “Morrison Hotel” (Feb. 1970)
Notes:
John Densmore: “Most ridiculous title ever. What does it mean, Robby? Robby had an irresistible lick, Ray and I couldn’t wait any longer for some words from Jim, so we cut it as an instrumental, and then [record producer] Paul Rothchild performed a miracle by looking in Jim’s notebooks and suggesting the lyrics.” (2)
Robby Krieger: “An early attempt at dance music. When I play with my band around the USA, the most requested song is ‘Peace Frog’.” … The sound on the opening guitar lick is perhaps the first use of out-of-phase pickups. I didn’t want to wait for Jim to come up with the lyrics, plus I couldn’t come up with anything, so we decided to record the track without any idea of what the lyrics would be. Unusual for us. Later, Paul Rothchild and Jim found the lyrics in Jim’s notebooks – the poem called ‘Abortion Stories’ fit perfectly.” (2)
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People Are Strange
1st verse:
People are strange when you’re a stranger,
Faces look ugly when you’re alone.
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted,
Streets are uneven when you’re down.
1st chorus:
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain.
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name.
When you’re strange, when you’re strange,
When you’re strange.
2nd verse:
People are strange when you’re a stranger,
Faces look ugly when you’re alone.
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted,
Streets are uneven when you’re down.
(guitar solo)
2nd chorus:
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain.
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name.
When you’re strange, when you’re strange,
When you’re strange, alright, yeah.
(piano solo)
3rd chorus:
When you’re strange, faces come out of the rain.
When you’re strange, no one remembers your name.
When you’re strange, when you’re strange,
When you’re strange.
from the album “Strange Days” (Oct. 1967)
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Queen Of The Highway
1st verse:
She was a princess; Queen of the Highway.
Sign on the road said: “Take us to Madre.”
No one could save her, save the blind tiger.
He was a monster; black dressed in leather.
She was a princess; Queen of the Highway.
1st chorus:
Now they are wedded; she is a good girl.
Naked as children, out in a meadow.
Naked as children, wild as can be.
Soon to have offspring; start it all over.
Start it all over.
2nd verse:
American boy, American girl;
Most beautiful people in the world.
Son of a frontier Indian swirl.
Dancing through the midnight whirlpool,
Formless.
I hope it can continue just a little while longer, oh …
from the album “Morrison Hotel” (Feb. 1970)
Notes:
Ray Manzarek: “Cool jazz. A trio with a nightclub singer. John playing very hip brushes on the snare, Harvey Brooks on bass. I’m on a Bill Evans homage acoustic piano. Imagine yourself at a smoky jazz joint in the Village circa 1962 with Jim as a world-weary, existential balladeer singing a tale of love. That’s the mood we were going for.” (2)
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Riders On The Storm
1st verse:
Riders on the storm,
Riders on the storm.
Into this house we’re born,
Into this world we’re thrown.
Like a dog without a bone, an actor out on loan,
Riders on the storm.
2nd verse:
There’s a killer on the road,
His brain is squirming like a toad.
Take a long holiday;
Let you children play.
If you give this man a ride, sweet family will die.
Killer on the road, yeah …
(guitar solo)
3rd verse:
Girl, you gotta love your man.
Girl, you gotta love your man.
Take him by the hand;
Make him understand.
The world on you depends; our life will never end.
Gotta love your man, yeah …
(electric piano solo)
4th verse:
Riders on the storm,
Riders on the storm.
Into this house we’re born,
Into this world we’re thrown.
Like a dog without a bone, an actor out on loan,
Riders on the storm.
Riders on the storm … (4x)
from the album “L.A. Woman” (April 1971)
Notes:
John Densmore: “It was really fun recording this one. Dropping in thunderclaps and rain was sort of like playing God. Ray does an excellent piano solo, and I was pleased that my and Bruce’s idea of Jim over-dubbing a ‘whisper’ vocal under the main one, added to the mysterious ambience.” (2)
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Roadhouse Blues
1st verse:
Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.
Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.
Yeah, we’re goin’ to the roadhouse, gonna have a real a-good time.
2nd verse:
Yeah, the back of the roadhouse they got some bungalows.
Yeah, the back of the roadhouse they got some bungalows.
And that’s for the people who like to go down slow.
1st chorus:
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, all night long.
Do it, Robby, do it!
(guitar solo)
You gotta roll, roll, roll,
Gotta thrill my soul, alright … (ad lib vocal)
Ashen lady,
Ashen lady,
Give up your vows.
Give up your vows.
Save our city!
Save our city!
Right now!
3rd verse:
Well, I woke up this mornin’, I got myself a beer.
Well, I woke up this mornin’, and I got myself a beer.
The future’s uncertain, and the end is always near.
2nd chorus:
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, baby, roll;
Let it roll, all night long.
from the album “Morrison Hotel” (Feb. 1970)
Notes:
Robby Krieger: “There was a bar near The Doors’ workshop on Santa Monica Boulevard that Jim and his friends would hang out at called The Roadhouse. One little known fact is that Lonnie Mack played bass on the studio version of ‘Roadhouse’.” (2)
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The Soft Parade
spoken:
When I was back there in seminary school,
There was a person there who put forth the proposition
That you can petition the Lord with prayer.
Petition the Lord with prayer!
Petition the Lord with prayer.
You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!!!
sung:
Can you give me sanctuary?
I must find a place to hide;
A place for me to hide.
Can you find me soft asylum?
I can’t make it anymore.
The Man is at the door.
Peppermint, miniskirts, chocolate candy;
Champion sax and a girl named Sandy.
There’s only four ways to get unraveled:
One is to sleep, and the other is travel, da-da …
One is a bandit up in the hills;
One is to love your neighbor ’till … his wife gets home.
Catacombs, nursery bones,
Winter women growing stones,
Carrying babies to the river.
Streets and shoes, avenues,
Leather riders selling news.
The monk bought lunch!
spoken:
Ha ha, he bought a little; yes, he did.
This is the best part of the trip;
This is the trip, the best part, I really like.
Yeah, I’m proud to be a part of this number …
1st chorus: (sung)
Successful hills are here to stay;
Everything must be this way.
Gentle streets where people play;
Welcome to the Soft Parade.
All our lives we sweat and save,
Building for a shallow grave.
Must be something else, we say;
Somehow to defend this place.
Everything must be this way,
