The Down and Dirty Doors

With the release of their first album in 1967, the Doors burst upon the American music scene with a sound that was unique and unlike anything the world had heard before. This sound was the product of the various musical influences on the individual members of this band. Ray Manzarek was a classically trained pianist; Robbie Krieger was a classical and flamenco guitar student; John Densmore idolized the great jazz drummers; and Jim Morrison had no musical training at all--his forte was poetry and a fine hand for turning a lyric. The band didn't have a bass guitarist; in studio sessions they hired one, and in concerts Manzarek played keyboard bass. All of these influences and factors came together to forge the unmistakable sound of the Doors, one with classical overtones, but pure down and dirty rock-blues at heart.

All songs on this album were composed by the Doors, except for two, which I will address in my comments. The players, and their contributions, are as follows:

Jim Morrison, vocals
Ray Manzarek, keyboards
Robbie Krieger, guitar
John Densmore, drums

The tracks, and my comments about each, are as follows:

1. Break On Through (To The Other Side)--A jazzy drum beat and a thumping keyboard bass drive this song, which is some type of reference to the French writer Rimbaud, who Jim Morrison greatly admired. Ray Manzarek demonstrates his skills with a bluesy organ solo.

2. Soul Kitchen--Another bluesy organ riff starts this one, accompanied by some soulful guitar licks by Robbie Krieger. Morrison's lyrics are vivid, and the "soul kitchen" he wants to get into is the mind of the girl he's singing to.

3. The Crystal Ship--This song starts as a laid-back bit of poetry, recited almost casually by Morrison. The piano solo, in minor, has definite classical overtones, and Morrison's vocals pick up to a less conversational tone at the end.

4. Twentieth Century Fox--The hook line is a play on words in this tune that is about as "pop" as anything the Doors ever did. The Twentieth Century Fox is a female, and Morrison turns the name of one of the biggest movie studios in the world into a song. Krieger plays a great guitar solo, and Manzarek's organ provides the melodic foundation of this song.

5. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)--This song was written by Weill-Brecht in the German opera Aufsteig Und Fall Der Stadt Mohagonny in 1929. Don't ask me what it means, because I don't know. I think that Morrison, mythic drunk that he was, was simply infatuated with this song. The Doors give it a somewhat pompous treatment, and the song works well.

6. Light My Fire--This is the most popular, recognizable song that the Doors ever performed. The arrangement is simple, but the keyboard playing of Manzarek and the fine guitar work by Krieger show us just how much talent these guys had. John Densmore is the glue that holds it all together, especially during the syncopated parts building to the end of the guitar solo. Jim Morrison was pretty much a one-dimensional singer, but this song and the style of the Doors was perfect for him.

7. Back Door Man--This is an old blues song by master bluesman Willie Dixon, and the Doors do a credible job on it. The organ and guitar create a Mississippi roadhouse feel, and Jim Morrison delivers his vocal part with relish. "Back door man" is old blues terminology for a secret lover; the husband came in through the front door; the lover through the back. You can tell that Morrison revels in playing the persona of a back door man.

8. I Looked At You--A rapping high hat and snare drum kick this one off, and it's basically a pop piece with some blues overtones. It's probably the weakest track on the album. There's really not alot going on here except for the driving beat.

9. End Of The Night--Some interesting guitar effects, along with an organ lick, start this one off. This song is a drowsy, laid back offering, and after the preceding track, seems a bit out of place. Krieger plays some nice slide guitar which redeems the song.

10. Take It As It Comes--Another driving rock song. Manzarek's organ again is the centerpiece, and we know by now that this instrument really defines the Doors' sound. The beat is a little jazzy, especially when the bass guitar takes the level down towards the end.

11. The End--This is a Doors signature song. Musically, it's not very cohesive, it's almost sloppy, and it's easy to see that they probably never performed it twice the same way. The music is not what this one's about, however; it's all about Morrison's lyrical imagery. You could listen to this song time and time again and never really figure out what the message is. It could be drug-related, it could be about death, or it could just be good poetry. I vote for the good poetry idea. One thing that is for sure is the Oedipal reference in the song ("father I want to kill you, mother I want to f##k you"). Whether this is autobiographical in nature I do not know; I do know that Morrison had unresolved issues with both his mother and father.

With their debut album, the Doors established themselves as a band whose style exceeded the parameters of traditional rock music. While this may not be their best album, it is an essential one to own to be able to understand the fine music that was to follow.